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The night passed in tense silence.
There was nothing more to say, and neither of them dared to sleep.
Inoiki remained vigilant, keeping his senses sharp in case Kurotsuchi attempted to escape. Kurotsuchi, on the other hand, stayed awake as well, her mind racing, searching for any opportunity. If Inoiki so much as closed his eyes, she would make her move.
But neither of them wavered.
By the time the first rays of dawn broke through the trees, Inoiki stood up. His chakra reserves were fully restored.
It was time to move.
Kurotsuchi, however, wasn't ready to give up. Desperate for a way to stall, she quickly said, "Wait, I'm hungry. I need to eat."
Inoiki didn't even spare her a glance. "No need." His tone was clipped, decisive. "We'll reach Konoha in one to two hours. You can eat there—as a captive."
Before she could protest, he lifted off the ground, his 'Psychokinesis' wrapping around her, forcing her into the air alongside him.
With that, they took off toward Konoha.
One Hour Later – Konoha's Gates
The massive wooden gates of Konoha loomed ahead as Inoiki descended, landing smoothly on the dirt road. Kurotsuchi landed beside him, still bound by his power.
The village was in sight.
"Follow me," Inoiki ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Without waiting, he strode forward, leading her toward the entrance where two familiar figures stood guard.
To his mild surprise, the gate guards were none other than Izumo and Kotetsu—his old comrades.
The two chūnin immediately perked up at the sight of him.
Izumo grinned. "Hey, Inoiki! Back after a successful mission?"
Inoiki nodded. "Yes, but the mission isn't over yet. I need to report to the Hokage first."
Izumo acknowledged with a short nod. "I see."
His gaze then shifted to Kurotsuchi, eyes narrowing slightly. "By the way, who's this Iwa kunoichi?"
Kotetsu, standing beside him, chimed in, "Is she part of your mission?"
Inoiki didn't hesitate. "She's the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage—currently my captive." His tone was calm, matter-of-fact. "Don't worry, her chakra is sealed by Kakashi-senpai. Because of her special status, I need to bring her directly to Lady Hokage."
Izumo's eyes widened slightly, but he nodded in understanding. "Got it."
Still, following protocol, he stepped forward and checked Inoiki's forehead protector, verifying his identity. It was standard procedure—especially since he was bringing a foreign ninja into the village.
Once satisfied, Izumo stepped aside and motioned for them to pass. "You're clear. Go ahead."
Without another word, Inoiki and Kurotsuchi moved forward, disappearing past the gates.
As they walked away, Izumo exhaled, shaking his head slightly. "His first S-Rank mission… and judging by all the bloodstains on his clothes, he must've been through one hell of a battle last night."
Kotetsu crossed his arms, watching Inoiki's retreating figure. "Yeah. And honestly, it's a good thing we left his team when we did. Otherwise, we would've just held him back."
Izumo glanced at him and slowly nodded. "Yeah… you're right."
They stood there in silence for a moment, watching their old comrade disappear into the heart of the village.
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Inoiki moved swiftly through the Hokage building's corridors, his footsteps steady, his expression unreadable.
But he felt them.
Numerous unseen eyes tracked his every move, their gazes sharp and calculating. The Anbu.
They were watching him. Watching her.
Even though Kurotsuchi's chakra was sealed, she could still sense the overwhelming presence lurking in the shadows. A silent, unseen threat.
One wrong move, and she would be dead before she even had the chance to resist.
She didn't need to be told who they were. This was Konoha's Anbu.
As they reached the end of the corridor, Inoiki stopped before a large wooden door—the entrance to the Hokage's office.
Before pushing it open, he turned slightly, his gaze flickering toward Kurotsuchi.
"Be respectful."
Without waiting for a response, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Inside, seated behind her desk, Tsunade was already waiting.
She had been informed of Inoiki's arrival the moment he entered the building. As soon as the door opened, her sharp eyes locked onto him—then shifted to Kurotsuchi.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then, Inoiki gave a slight bow and spoke.
"Lady Hokage."
Tsunade leaned forward, her sharp gaze fixed on Inoiki.
"Tell me everything in detail—what happened during the mission, what led to this situation, and why you decided to capture her."
Her eyes flickered toward Kurotsuchi as she spoke the last part, her expression unreadable.
Inoiki nodded and began his report, leaving nothing out.
He explained how he arrived at the Konoha base with Kakashi, only to find it overrun—200 Iwa ninjas surrounding the outpost, their forces having already captured Konoha's shinobi and locked them away in the base's cells.
He detailed his strategic targeting of the Iwa Jonin, hunting them down one by one, and the relentless battle that followed—40 Iwa ninjas falling by his hand.
Then came his confrontation with Kurotsuchi. How he captured her, the conditions he laid out for the remaining Iwa ninjas, and the terms he set for the Tsuchikage if he wanted his granddaughter back.
When he finished, silence settled in the office.
Tsunade took it all in, nodding slowly.
But there was no surprise on her face.
She had expected this.
This was exactly why Inoiki had been chosen for the mission.
His sheer strength alone had made him the obvious choice. This was also the reason why, despite heavy opposition, she had promoted him from Genin to Special Jonin.
Because results like this were never in doubt.
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