---Konoha - The Kenway Compound---
A few minutes passed.
Haku stood in the armory of the West Wing, checking his gear one last time. He wore his standard teal combat kimono over a mesh undershirt, reinforced with chakra-conductive thread. On his back, strapped in a custom harness, was the Kusanagi.
He didn't carry kunai. He didn't carry shuriken. Those were tools for suppression and distraction. Haku fought to end things. His main ranged weapons were senbon needles made of reinforced steel, stored in wrist-mounted launchers, and the ice he could conjure from thin air.
He reached into his sleeve and touched the tattoo on his inner forearm.
Storage Seal: Activate.
He pulsed chakra. The remaining scrolls… ration pills, medical supplies, and spare clothes… vanished into the ink.
'I'm set,' Haku thought, rolling his shoulders.
He looked light, fast, and unburdened. To an enemy, he looked unprepared. Well… that was the point.
He walked out of the compound, the heavy gates sealing behind him with a final, resolute thud.
---Hokage Tower - Rooftop---
The sun was high now, baking the terracotta tiles of the Hokage Tower.
Alaric leaned against the railing, smoking his cigar. The smoke drifted away on the breeze, mingling with the scents of the village below… ramen broth, dust, and the faint metallic tang of weapons being sharpened. He was back here because…
…just because.
Tsunade was still there, pacing back and forth, muttering about logistics and and many more.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood beside Alaric. He had dismissed the others… Iruka to the Academy, Shizune to her station to do her daily routine. It was just the current Hokage, the retired Hokage, and the anomaly.
"So," Hiruzen started, his voice casual. He took a puff from his pipe, the sweet tobacco smoke curling around his weathered face. "What've you been up to, Alaric? How are you doing?"
The blonde raised a brow. He blew a stream of smoke toward the Hokage Monument. "...Is that a general question, or are you asking as the Sandaime Hokage?"
"..." Hiruzen chuckled, tapping his pipe against the railing. "Asking as a friend or the Sandaime... what difference does it make? It's up to you to answer what you want. I am just an old man enjoying the view."
Hearing Hiruzen's answer, Tsunade paused her pacing. She observed the exchange silently.
Although it wasn't overt, she noticed the subtle shift in her sensei's demeanor. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Professor, the man who had commanded armies and stared down nations, was talking to this young man with a level of respect usually reserved for Kage.
'What's with him?' Tsunade thought, her amber eyes narrowing. She looked at Hiruzen's relaxed posture, then at Alaric's casual dominance. 'Is this man really on par with Grandpa Hashirama and Granduncle Tobirama? Is what Sensei and Jiraiya said about him fighting them to a standstill... actually real?'
"I don't know, man," Alaric said, breaking the silence. He took another drag, looking at Hiruzen, then back at the village. "As a friend... I can tell you that I spent most of my time with my family. I missed them. So much. You know how it is."
Hiruzen's eyes softened. He thought of Asuma, of Konohamaru. "I do."
"As a report to the Hokage..." Alaric continued, his tone shifting to something sharper, more clinical. "Haku's full three-year training regimen officially concluded last night. We had a... sparring session."
Alaric grinned, rubbing his shoulder where a faint bruise was already healing.
"He's totally enhanced. Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu dispelling, Fuinjutsu, Kenjutsu, his Kekkei Genkai mastery... you name it, he's a total package. He isn't just a tool anymore. He's a weapon."
Alaric paused, tapping ash onto the roof tiles.
"All in all, he's basically an S-Rank shinobi... except he doesn't have a jutsu that allows him to level a village yet. We're working on that."
"Level a village?" Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Is that your definition of an S-rank shinobi? Interesting metric."
Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head. "But yes, I agree with your assessment. His shocking streak of completing five hundred and fifty-five missions in two years has proved that enough. The Bingo Books are already calling him the 'Ice Devil of Konoha'."
Hiruzen sighed, looking up at the clouds. "But for the first part... spending one's time with their family for the sense of longing is natural. No one would find fault with you for that. Peace is what we fight for, after all."
"I know, right?" Alaric tilted his head to Hiruzen, acknowledging the wisdom. "Peace is nice. Expensive, but nice."
He thought of something. "By the way... what are the exact details of Haku's mission record? I know the broad strokes, but I didn't read the files."
"Oh?" Hiruzen smirked. "I thought you knew everything?"
Alaric's eye twitched. "Cute."
Hiruzen laughed heartily. "I'm kidding."
"That kid," Tsunade interjected, stepping forward. She looked tired just thinking about the paperwork. "Completed seven D-rank missions... likely just to get the qualification out of the way. Two hundred forty-three C-ranks. Two hundred and three B-ranks. Ninety-two A-ranks. And ten S-rank missions."
She rubbed her temples.
"He was supposed to be on a break. Now I feel sorry for putting him in such a hurry when he should be out there enjoying his youth. He works harder than my ANBU captains."
"He likes working," Alaric shrugged. "Keeps him sharp. Besides, he's on a mission to save the Kazekage. It's basically S-class, with the Akatsuki involved. That's worth a little overtime."
---Konoha - Main Gates---
SWOOSH.
A swirl of wind and ice materialized at the village gates. Snowflakes drifted to the ground in the middle of summer, melting instantly on the hot pavement.
Haku stepped out of the Snow Shunshin. It was his signature now… a silent, cold arrival that announced his presence without a sound.
He scanned the area.
Izumo and Kotetsu were standing at attention, looking serious for once. They nodded their heads at him. Shizune had already briefed them to expedite the departure of the Suna Rescue Team. The gates were wide open.
"Yo..."
Haku turned his head.
Kakashi Hatake walked toward him. The Copy Ninja wore a simple mission backpack and his standard uniform. His single visible eye was curved in a smile, and in his hand was the orange book. Icha Icha Violence.
"Oh? That's unusual," Haku smiled at Kakashi, noting the punctuality. "You're early... nice."
Kakashi raised a brow, flipping a page. "Well, it's an emergency mission after all. And Tsunade-sama threatened to send me to Anko and Ibiki if I was late."
One by one, the rest of the team arrived.
Sasuke Uchiha walked up, looking stoic. His chakra felt denser, sharper. The Curse Mark was dormant, but Haku could sense its potential humming beneath the surface.
Sakura Haruno arrived next, adjusting her gloves. She looked determined, her medical pouch strapped securely to her leg. She had grown stronger under Tsunade's tutelage.
And finally, Naruto Uzumaki. He jogged up, grinning, his new outfit bright and loud.
They greeted each other. Formally this time.
"Alright," Kakashi snapped his book shut. "Since we're all here... listen up. As what Hokage-sama officialized. I'm the Captain. Haku is Vice-Captain. We move in a standard diamond formation once we arrive in Suna. Naruto, point. Sasuke, Sakura, flanks. Haku and I will take the rear and rotate."
He looked at them seriously.
"Our objective is speed and versatility. Once Alaric's summon gets us transported, we have to be ready for traps. We don't even know what's happening over there.."
Time began to run.
They stood there, waiting.
Kakashi checked the sun. Five minutes past the briefing. Ten minutes.
"Where is he?" Naruto tapped his foot. "He said he'd help us get there fast!"
Sakura sighed. "Maybe he got lost on the path of life?"
Sasuke scoffed. "He probably forgot."
Haku stood silently, feeling a tad bit left out. He was an outsider to their team dynamic… the "extra" Jonin tacked onto Team 7. They had a history, a rhythm. He was just the guy who was inserted.
Although, he didn't really mind. Feeling left out was natural. It was a barrier he would break with competence.
"What's taking him so long!" Naruto finally snapped. "Why I oughta give him some lesson when I see him! Making the future Hokage wait!"
"Give a lesson to who?"
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere.
Alarmed, everyone widened their eyes and spun around… a collective one-eighty. Well… aside from Haku.
Standing right behind them, leaning against the gatepost as if he had been there for hours, was Alaric.
He was smoking his cigar, his crimson coat fluttering lazily in a breeze that didn't seem to touch anyone else.
Everyone was shocked.
Even Izumo and Kotetsu, watching from the guard shack, dropped their cards. They hadn't seen him arrive. He had just... appeared. Between one blink and the next.
"...AH!"
Naruto jumped. His body shook with the surprise. He flailed backward, seeking stability.
He hugged Sakura.
"Gah!" Naruto squeezed.
He paused. His palms were pressing against something soft. Plush. Albeit a little flat, but definitely round.
He blinked. He looked down.
His hands were squarely on Sakura's chest.
Silence.
Sakura looked down. Her face turned a shade of red that rivaled the Uchiha crest. A vein popped on her forehead.
"NARUTOOOO!"
CRACK.
Her fist connected with the top of Naruto's head.
The sound was sickening. Naruto was driven into the ground like a tent peg, a comically large bump rising instantly on his skull.
"Ow..." Naruto whimpered from the crater.
Haku watched the scene unfold with a blank expression.
'They're really unique,' Haku thought, analyzing them.
He looked at Sasuke, who was sighing and shaking his head. 'The brooding emo…'
He looked at Sakura, who was blowing on her fist. 'The siren with the strength of a gorilla…'
He looked at Naruto, who was pulling himself out of the dirt. 'The goofball with the power of a god.'
And finally, Kakashi, who had reopened his book and was giggling at a particularly spicy paragraph.
'…The pervert.'
'This mission,' Haku thought, adjusting his sword, 'is going to be long.'
"Alright, alright, settle down," Alaric chuckled, stepping away from the post. He flicked his cigar ash. "You wanted a ride? Let's go."
He bit his thumb.
Summoning Jutsu.
POOF.
A massive cloud of white smoke exploded outside the gates.
When it cleared, Emberis stood there.
The Phoenix was massive. Majestic. His feathers burned with a low, controlled flame that didn't scorch the ground but radiated a comforting warmth. He looked down at the team with golden eyes that held the wisdom of eons.
"You called, Alaric?" Emberis rumbled, his voice echoing in their minds.
Naruto's jaw dropped. "A... a giant fire bird!?"
Sakura stared. "It's... beautiful."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, sharingan spinning instinctively to analyze the chakra. 'The density... it's like a Tailed Beast.'
"Hop on," Alaric gestured to the bird's back. "Next stop: Sunagakure. Estimated travel time: An hour and half."
Kakashi closed his book. He looked at the bird, then at Alaric.
"Two hours? Suna's three thousand kilometers away," Kakashi asked. "That's... impossible."
"Yeah, by your standards," Alaric grinned, then gestured at Emberis. "My pal right here's mach faster than ya'll."
"…"
"…"
A collective thought appeared.
'Ya'll?'
.
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