"Konan, send someone from the Akatsuki to Konoha."
Nagato's voice finally broke the silence.
He had always despised Konoha. His hatred ran deep—ever since the Second Shinobi World War, when two Konoha-nin had murdered his parents before his very eyes. That was the day his Rinnegan awakened... and the day he took his first lives.
And Yahiko's death—it, too, had roots in Konoha.
Danzo Shimura and Hanzo of the Salamander had conspired to destroy them, using Konan as bait.
Now, if anything were to happen to Konan in Konoha, Nagato knew he would never forgive himself. As for the other Akatsuki members? Their lives meant little to him.
"I don't trust anyone else," Konan said quietly, shaking her head.
Nagato frowned at her response.
"The current Hokage is Tsunade," Konan continued. "She's newly appointed and won't risk Konoha's reputation with reckless acts."
Nagato fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded slightly. He'd heard of Tsunade's reputation—and the fact that she was once Jiraiya's teammate lent her some credibility in his eyes.
"I'll find you tomorrow," Konan said, turning toward Kitazawa.
"Make it tomorrow afternoon," Kitazawa replied casually. 'There's a jōnin meeting in the morning.'
Konan nodded. "Thank you."
"It's nothing," Kitazawa said indifferently. "Just a fair exchange."
He didn't trust Akatsuki any more than they trusted him. Especially not Obito or Zetsu. That was why he'd only sent a shadow clone here.
"How much do you want as a reward?" Konan asked.
"I'm not short on money," Kitazawa replied, pretending to think for a moment. "How about... three favors instead?"
"Your first," Konan said. She didn't agree immediately, but she preferred that to handing over ryo—Akatsuki's finances were stretched thin as it was.
"Do you know Aoi Rokusho?" Kitazawa asked suddenly.
"Aoi Rokusho…" Konan frowned, then recalled the name. "A former Konoha missing-nin, now serving as a jōnin in the Hidden Rain."
"Correct." Kitazawa nodded. "Send him on a mission to the Land of Rivers next Sunday."
Konan's eyes flickered with understanding.
She glanced at Nagato, then nodded. "Alright."
Aoi had once betrayed Konoha; betrayal ran in his nature. Losing him wouldn't cost Akatsuki anything.
"What's the second request?" she asked.
Kitazawa thought for a moment. "Akatsuki's reputation as a mercenary group is well-known. Do you have clients from the Hidden Sand?"
"Yes," Konan admitted after a pause. "But we don't reveal our clients' identities. It's our rule."
"I understand," Kitazawa said with a faint smile. "I just need you to connect me with one of them. I want a puppet."
Konan raised an eyebrow. "You're a puppet master too?"
"No," Kitazawa replied calmly. "I'm just... curious. I want to study one."
"That's easy enough," Konan said, her voice softening.
"This puppet should at least be of special jōnin level," Kitazawa added.
Konan nodded again. With Sasori in Akatsuki, fulfilling such a request was hardly a challenge.
"As for the third favor…" Kitazawa spread his hands. "I'll tell you once his legs begin responding to treatment. If I can't heal him, then I won't have the right to ask for anything more."
Truth be told, he hadn't decided what that third favor would be yet.
Konan blinked in surprise. It was a small thing—but it made her trust him a little more. She'd met too many shinobi who only knew how to take.
"Then it's settled," Kitazawa said. "See you tomorrow."
With a soft puff, his shadow clone dispersed into smoke.
"I don't like Konoha," Nagato muttered, eyes cold. "You don't need to go there yourself."
"You know what the others in Akatsuki are like," Konan said, stepping behind him. "Most joined for their own reasons. None are trustworthy."
"In the face of a god's power," Nagato said quietly, "betrayal doesn't exist."
Konan sighed and began pushing his wheelchair forward. "Even gods should be cautious—especially when it concerns their own legs."
Nagato said nothing more. He knew Konan's stubbornness well—perhaps because it mirrored his own.
ANBU Headquarters
The Shadow Clone's memories flooded back, leaving Kitazawa momentarily dazed.
[A true student must aspire to surpass their teacher—especially in the field of medical ninjutsu.]
[Current Mission: Help Nagato regain the use of his legs.]
[Mission Reward: Enhanced Version of Living Corpse Reincarnation.]
[Accept Mission?]
Kitazawa wasn't surprised that Nagato could trigger a system mission.
What did surprise him was the reward.
Living Corpse Reincarnation—an S-rank forbidden jutsu created by Chiyo—was infamous throughout the shinobi world. It consumed all of one's chakra and life force to share life with another, effectively allowing a one-for-one resurrection. It could even breathe life into puppets—human puppets.
Human puppets were no ordinary creations. As the name implied, they were crafted from the bodies of living people. In the original records, only Sasori had ever mastered the technique, crossing the ultimate taboo—transforming even himself into a puppet while remaining "alive."
Kitazawa had no intention of ever using such a jutsu; the price was far too steep. But the improved version the system mentioned… that was something else entirely. He couldn't help but be curious.
An S-rank medical ninjutsu was always worth looking forward to.
"Hmm… why hasn't the Limb Regeneration mission completed yet?" he muttered, rubbing his chin.
[Current Mission: Modify or create a new ninjutsu.]
[Mission Reward: Based on the ninjutsu's rank, purpose, and overall impact.]
By all logic, the mission should've completed the moment he finished developing Limb Regeneration.
There was only one explanation—the system didn't believe the technique had reached its full potential yet.
Maybe it only counts once someone else learns it… Kitazawa thought, recalling the Medical Ninja Training Class.
That was fine by him. The harder the mission, the greater the reward.
He gathered the freshly written mission report and made his way to the Hokage's Office.
"When did you get back?" Tsunade asked, slightly surprised as he walked in.
"Just now," Kitazawa replied, handing her the scroll. "Here's the mission report."
"A C-rank mission requires my personal review now?" Tsunade teased as she accepted it.
"You'll understand once you read it," Kitazawa said with a small grin.
Tsunade unrolled the scroll. Her expression shifted as her eyes moved down the page.
When she reached the part about the encounter with a Hidden Mist jōnin, she immediately understood.
This wasn't just a C-rank mission—it was one that had taken an unexpected turn and needed to be reclassified.
"Ice Release…?" Tsunade murmured, her calm demeanor finally breaking.
A Hidden Mist jōnin didn't faze her. Even if Kitazawa had run into the Mizukage herself, she trusted he'd make it out alive.
But an Ice Release user—now that was unexpected.
Bloodline Limits always held higher potential than elemental ninjutsu. If this boy from the Mist had Ice Release, he was almost guaranteed to become a jōnin one day.
And a new jōnin for Konoha was always a welcome gain.
"You did well," Tsunade said, rolling up the scroll.
"Let Nono-senpai handle his medical care," Kitazawa replied. "As for the Ice Release… I'll talk to him tomorrow and guide his training."
He had already built a reputation as an innovator. Developing ice release techniques would be simple enough. There were plenty of examples to draw from—Haku's techniques, for one.
Zabuza had never used Ice Release himself, yet Haku had reached a master level under his guidance.
Tsunade smiled faintly. "You've already arranged everything. I suppose there's nothing left for me to say."
"I just know you appreciate efficiency," Kitazawa said, smiling playfully.
"Why does that sound like you're calling me lazy?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Of course not," Kitazawa said quickly, clearing his throat. "Anyway, I'll see you this afternoon."
"So disrespectful…" Tsunade muttered, pouting slightly.
Kitazawa returned to Kurenai's home.
Since mastering Wind Release: Rasengan, she had started experimenting with Compound Ninjutsu—specifically, the Hurricane Water Vortex Technique. Once they'd perfected their respective skills, they could finally attempt some truly powerful combination jutsu.
"I'm back," Kitazawa called as he entered the living room.
"Do you want to rest for a bit?" Kurenai asked, glancing up from her notes.
"I'm going to nap for a while," he said, reaching out to gently pinch her cheek. "Want to join me?"
"No," she said, hesitating for half a second before shaking her head. "I still have to study this afternoon."
Kitazawa smirked. "You're thinking about something improper again, aren't you?"
"Shut up!" Kurenai blushed scarlet and kicked him lightly.
"Call me when lunch is ready," Kitazawa said with a grin, before heading to the bedroom.
Time passed quietly.
The next morning—Tuesday.
After breakfast, Kitazawa headed to the Ninja Academy.
There was a jōnin meeting scheduled for nine. It would be Tsunade's first since taking office—and likely a long one. So Kitazawa needed to organize everything for the Genius Class and the Medical Ninja Training Class beforehand.
At the academy's training grounds, the students had already gathered.
"You'll never guess what happened during our mission last weekend!" Ino said proudly, arms crossed.
She, Shikamaru, and Chōji had gone on a mission with Kakashi.
"What? What happened?" Naruto asked eagerly. "Did you fight enemy ninjas?"
"No," Ino replied with a grin. "We went to the Land of Iron and met real-life samurai!"
"Samurai still exist?" Tenten asked, surprised. "I thought ninjas completely replaced them."
"Traditional samurai are long gone," Shikamaru said lazily, stifling a yawn. "But the ones in the Land of Iron use chakra. In my opinion… they're just taijutsu specialists with swords."
In the Shinobi World, swords and blades were inseparable.
Those who wielded them were known collectively as Taijutsu users.
"Taijutsu Ninja?"
Rock Lee's eyes instantly lit up. "Then I wanna go to the Land of Iron for a mission next weekend! That place is full of warriors who live by the sword!"
Shikamaru gave him a sidelong glance and sighed. "That's more Sasuke's kind of place, not yours."
"The potato chips in the Land of Iron aren't even good," Choji grumbled darkly.
"What about you guys?" she asked Sakura. "Where'd your mission take you?"
"Just within the Land of Fire." Sakura sighed, clearly unamused. "It was an escort mission. Two whole days, and nothing happened. Not even a bandit."
"Same here," Tenten groaned. Yakumo nodded in agreement—she had imagined her first mission would be thrilling, but it turned out utterly uneventful.
"Guess we're skipping escort missions next weekend," Naruto declared.
"What we take isn't up to you," Kiba said, throwing an arm around him. "It's the squad leader's call. So, Sis—how was your team's mission? With Kitazawa-sensei, it must've been tough."
"It was," Hana admitted, recalling the memory.
"You actually fought three Hidden Mist Chunin?" Naruto's eyes went wide.
Sasuke and Neji exchanged glances—impressed and a little envious. Encountering enemy ninja sounded a lot more exciting than their own routine missions.
"That sounds dangerous," Shikamaru muttered. "Good thing our squad leader isn't Kitazawa-sensei."
"This is youth!" Naruto's teeth gleamed as he pumped his fist. "A ninja's path isn't complete without danger!"
"But didn't the Hidden Mist just lose a war?" Karin asked, frowning. "Why would they attack you?"
"They probably underestimated us because of our age," Shino said calmly.
"Or maybe they were tempted by the Byakugan," Shikamaru added, glancing at Hinata thoughtfully.
"The Mist's always been a bit insane," Neji remarked. "Ever heard of Zabuza Momochi? During his graduation exam, he killed everyoneof his classmates."
Naruto froze, horrified. "What?! How could anyone do that?"
The thought of killing Sasuke or Neji during his own graduation was unthinkable.
"That's the origin of the 'Bloody Mist,'" Shikamaru explained, sighing. "Compared to that, Konoha's a paradise."
Everyone nodded in agreement. They'd grown up in Konoha and taken its peace for granted—until now.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Naruto spotted him and waved enthusiastically. But before he could reach him—
Hinata had already dashed ahead. "G-Good morning," she greeted softly.
Kitazawa smiled, gently pinching her cheek. "Good morning."
Hinata's face turned pink as she looked down shyly.
"Kitazawa-sensei, what mission are we doing next weekend?" Naruto asked eagerly.
"You'll find out soon enough," Kitazawa replied, amused. "It won't disappoint you."
"It must be a combat mission!" Naruto grinned, giving a thumbs-up. "I'll give it everything I've got—for youth!"
Kitazawa sighed inwardly. Clearly, Gai's influence had gotten to him.
"Just stay out of my way," Sasuke said coolly, hands in his pockets.
Kitazawa smiled faintly. Another one eager to steal all the glory. Aoi Rokusho might not be the strongest Jonin, but he had years of experience—enough to give them all a lesson they wouldn't forget.
"Alright, go train for now," Kitazawa said, noticing Kosuke and Kakashi approaching.
"Kitazawa," Kosuke greeted. "I think Yakumo's training plan needs a change."
"Oh?" Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
Yakumo had been learning Konoha-style taijutsu lately, practicing the Leaf Great Whirlwind.
"She's better suited for Leaf-Style Swordsmanship," Kosuke said.
He had recently gone on a mission with Yakumo, Tenten, and Sakura. Though the mission had been peaceful, he'd taken time to spar with them and assess their abilities. Yakumo's physical strength was on the lower side—her Genjutsu bloodline limited her stamina—while the Whirlwind techniques demanded high physical power to perform effectively.
"Alright," Kitazawa agreed after a moment. With so many students in the Genius Class, occasional mismatched training was inevitable.
"Kosuke-senpai, the Genius Class is yours for the morning," he added. "Kakashi and I have a Jonin meeting."
"No problem," Kosuke nodded.
Leaving behind two Shadow Clones, Kitazawa headed to the Hokage Building with Kakashi.
They arrived late—the conference room was already packed with Jonin.
"Kakashi! Kitazawa!"
Gai waved enthusiastically from the back row. Sitting beside him were Asuma, Nono, and Kabuto.
"I'll head to my seat," Kakashi said. He knew Kitazawa's current rank placed him in the front with the village elites.
Kitazawa nodded and walked forward.
"Kitazawa, sit here."
Both Fugaku and Hiashi spoke at the same time. The two clan heads exchanged glances, a faint tension sparking between them.
Shikaku and Aburame exchanged knowing looks. It wasn't often they saw someone who maintained good relations with both the Uchiha and Hyuga clans.
Kitazawa eventually sat beside Shizune.
"You're really popular these days," she whispered, half-sighing.
Kitazawa chuckled. "Must be the burden of being handsome."
"…"
Shizune was speechless. Handsome or not, she knew Fugaku and Hiashi weren't befriending him for his looks. They saw potential—perhaps even the makings of the Sixth Hokage.
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