interlude
Central Konoha, 13:17 Military Time.
Genma was having a rather uneventful day. He had figured the revival of Minato would've thrown a wrench into his day to day, but cruelly the world kept on spinning.
Ideally, Genma would have loved to lock himself in his apartment and rot to death. Dead people often come back, it isn't unheard of in the shinobi world. Hell, Genma faked his death a bunch of times. But this was Minato, the guy who taught three dumb chuunin gaurds how to use the Flying Thunder technique, the dweeb that took ages at the supermarket to pick the best bento for his girlfriend. He wouldn't just take off and not tell anyone.
Genma itched to run over to Raido and Iwashi and curse Minato out together, but Tsunade-sama had unflinchingly called a rather useless gag order. Usually, Genma appreciated a good useless protocol order every now and then. Makes it seem like everything is all nice and normal and not dead mentors jumping from the grave and bleeding all over you. Well, he had appreciated the useless gag order, until he figured out that included him too.
Kakashi, the nepo brat, got special treatment because the Slug Princess had a soft spot for sopping wet sad children. He wasn't bitter about it. But he did bribe the chuunin at the mission desk to give Kakashi all the worst C-ranks for his genin team.
Of course, that came back to bite him in the back as soon as possible. Hatake had something to do with this, Genma swears as he glooms infront of the Hokage office. It wasn't even totally on him, Umino practically jumped at the opportunity.
Genma would've thought he was too fond of Minato's kid to sick all those crappy missions on him, but Umino just chuckled ominously and Genma left it at that.
Usually these miscellaneous tricks weren't something the Hokage took notice of, but maybe they shouldn't have messed with missions so soon after the Suna Invasion.
Genma was in the middle of hatching a precarious scheme where he pins all the blame on Umino - he doesn't have the Sandaime's ear now so he can eat it - before he felt a breath of chakra and straightened up.
The Godaime is pissed it seems, Genma grimly accepted his fate and bowed into the office.
"The Daimyo is getting nervous, we must show no weakness,"
Genma plucked the scroll speeding towards his face out of the air, the black S sending a thrill down his spine. Any thoughts about juvenile missions desk pranks got slammed into boxes, and he took a knee to the Hokage. The Hokage didn't look up from her files, just waved her hand in permission, allowing Genma all of a flicker of a second to read the scroll before it crumbled between his fingers.
Another flick of her wrist, and Genma was gone with a whirl of leaves.
Konoha Southern Borders, 21:47 Military Time
"Quit yawning Kotetsu, it's unprofessional,"
"Your face is unprofessional. Go fish,"
"Hey, quit looking at my cards! You're supposed to keep watch. Got any queens?"
Tayuya bares her teeth in delight; imagining tearing those leaf nin into bits, but refrained from acting. They had a job after all.
Ahead of her, she saw Ukon and Kidōmaru share incredulous looks over the chuunin guards, but she wasn't surprised. Konoha always had been weak, relying on teamwork instead of individual strength.
Orochimaru-sama had given them a task of utmost importance, and Tayuya would be damned if some puny chuunins got in her way. Still, their slow progress got on her nerves, what with those stupid trees and leaves that end up everywhere.
It's as if no matter how much ground cover, they're still in the middle pf the forest.
But they were close, and soon enough they'd find themselves in the heart of Konoha, and nab that Uchiha brat.
Central Konoha, Hokage Office, 01:13 Military Time
"Tokubetsu, report,"
"19:41 Military Time, Souther Borders, chuunin guards Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo sensed four chakra signatures moving through the forest. Determining them a potential threat, Kamizuki sent an alert to Mission Office while maintaining post and Hagane scouted ahead.
Deeming threat well above their skills, Hagane and Kamizuki decided on a defensive front whilst waiting for backup. Hagane constructed a 150 meter radius barrier, while Kamizuki set up a simple genjutsu. Paired with threats unfamiliarity with terrain, chuunin kept threats trapped until 2:46 Military Time of the next day.
Mission Office deployed Konoha Special Mission Platoon members, Shirunai Genma and Senju Shizune.
Tokubetsu Shirunai engaged in combat with the four threats, with Tokubetsu Senju providing backup. In depth record of battle has been submitted to Mission Desk. Permission to report it?"
"Negative. Keep it brief,"
"Understood. One confirmed kill, three escapes. Neutralized threat is currently being inspected by T&I."
"Injuries?"
"Chuunin Kamizuki and Chuunin Hogane reported severe case of chakra poisoning due to soldier pill use, and chakra exhaustion. Tokubetsu Shirunai was heavily injured in combat, but was stabilized by Tokubetsu Senju. Tokubetsu Senju's decision to prioritize her fellow teammate allowed remaining threats to escape."
"Tokubetsu Senju was acting as a medic, as is her role. Dismissed,"
"My Lord-"
"Dismissed."
"..."
"Yes, Hokage-sama,"