Whether or not Haseo would inform Jiraiya and Orochimaru about the matter she'd discussed with Tsunade was irrelevant to him. After all, sooner or later they'd learn of these arrangements naturally—when Haseo's name didn't appear on the list of those credited for the invasion operation, they'd understand everything on their own. Men could get surprisingly dramatic over petty matters of pride—sometimes even more than women.
Haseo himself had no intention of offering explanations beyond what he'd told Tsunade. As for the remaining two individuals, either they could handle their own emotional adjustments, or go directly to the Third Hokage for clarification. Either way, it had nothing to do with him.
One was a big man (Jiraiya), the other a serpent-like figure (Orochimaru); did their hearts resemble delicate little girls' so much that Haseo needed to personally coddle them?
So long as things were settled with Tsunade, Haseo felt content.
He even briefly considered bringing up that awkward Medical Ninja 'spy' with her, but eventually decided against it… Everyone was having a tough time anyway. Let's cherish what we have while we can.
They could've taken a walk around the camp together, but considering Tsunade's arrival at the Eastern Front needed to remain hidden, and that she'd rushed over here as quickly as possible, after chatting a bit, she went off to rest.
Haseo's tent was quite spacious. The front area served as his workspace, while the rear section was his private living quarters—it was rather convenient overall. Although Haseo carried no psychological burden regarding tomorrow's infiltration mission, since the squad would be operating deep within enemy territory, caution remained necessary without any compromise.
Therefore, the ninja needed to stay refreshed; sufficient rest was absolutely essential. Ninja were ultimately beings who must maintain self-restraint. Besides, the warmth of companionship alone was enough—additional activities held little real significance. The continuation of the human race didn't depend on a single intimate moment between two people.
Besides, Haseo was also someone known for maintaining self-control under temptation.
So the next morning, he woke up well-rested.
His legs were just slightly sore—nothing unusual, given his chronic rheumatism.
The mission would commence at night, but Haseo had no intention of contacting Uchiha Kushan currently stationed in Mist just yet.
The environment there severely lacked information security. While the possibility of "leakage" was low, it still fell into that category of 'better safe than sorry.' Therefore, Haseo planned to send Katsuyu only two hours before the operation began to deliver the order for the operation.
This left plenty of time ahead of the operation for the participating ninja to make comprehensive preparations… both mentally and materially.
For example, Haseo spotted Sakumo preparing various provisions again.
"Hatake… This mission is important, yes, but it won't last for very long—maybe a few hours, maybe even just one hour. Either success or death will have been decided by then. So what's the point of carrying all this stuff?"
Haseo couldn't help but offer that advice.
Judging from Hatake's current behavior, perhaps he might have some kind of psychological condition—one that always flared up right before missions like these.
Perhaps it was time for Tsunade to study some psychological medicine; at the very least, she could treat this old friend's condition.
Just like Haseo's chronic leg pain, Hatake also had an illness that had accumulated over the years.
But Hatake saw nothing wrong with his preparations, nor did he consider himself psychologically unstable. A ninja being cautious? That was just standard procedure.
Shaking his head, he said, "For any mission involving deep infiltration behind enemy lines, there's always the possibility of getting trapped within their operational territory. So my preparation is nothing more than necessary precautions based on that possibility... Furthermore, considering I'm bringing along a living weapon, Samehada will need energy replenishment too. Naturally, I brought extra supplies this time."
That's why he was known as the White Fang of Konoha—Sakumo never missed a single detail.
Haseo could only pat his shoulder and meaningfully say, "Trust me, if things really get that bad, you won't be worrying about what Samehada eats anymore—you'll be worrying about how to eat Samehada instead."
"..."
Even under pressure, Hatake's logic remained sound. What Haseo said came from genuine experience—truly admirable for someone who wandered through the ninja world as a child.
So cruel.
This remark caused Sakumo Hatake to glance thoughtfully at the sword strapped to his back. Although Samehada probably wouldn't taste great...
One could only say it was fortunate Samehada wasn't smart enough to understand what's going on—otherwise, it might've defected right then and there.
...
When night fell once again, the Special Action Team gathered for the mission.
"As for reaching Mist," Jiraiya said, "we depart now. By the time we arrive in Mist, it'll definitely already be the next day... We must also ensure we completely avoid enemy surveillance along the way, or our operation will be exposed."
Even at this point, none of them knew many details regarding this mission.
"Of course we're not just going to walk there. Since our spy has already infiltrated Mist long ago, naturally I've prepared 'coordinates' in advance." At this, Haseo glanced toward those present. "You guys... have any of you ever worn makeup? All you need is a little makeover now."
"..."
Except for Tsunade and Uzumaki Shikou—who wasn't joining the action—the rest were all men. Among these young males, only Orochimaru understood makeup.
Well, that's Orochimaru for you—he knows just about everything.
As everyone knows, applying makeup is a specialized skill belonging to advanced stealth technology. Thus, Haseo formed hand seals with both hands and summoned a medium-sized slug.
"Gentlemen, please step inside."
"Huh? What?"
Before anyone could make all the proper interjections, Haseo had already begun pushing people onto the slug.
As soon as someone got wrapped by the slug, pitch darkness and suffocation instantly overwhelmed him.
Anyone among them suffering from claustrophobia would probably already have gone mad.
It wasn't just pitch black and suffocating—it was the goopy, squelchy feeling that really got to you... The inside of the slug was no different from inside Koto's body.
There was no room for discussion during the boarding process—even those with claustrophobia had to endure it. After all, they were ninja, and endurance was a fundamental principle in all matters.
As for Orochimaru, who ended up being stuffed in last, he might actually be feeling right at home. He was a snake, after all. Of course he preferred warm environments.
"Katsuyu, how does it look?" Haseo asked.
After all the passengers had boarded, Haseo turned to the giant slug, who was acting as the driver.
Katsuyu wiggled its "belly"—it didn't originally have such an organ; the slug's body was normally well-proportioned, but now it clearly had something resembling a stomach—"Nothing serious, Master Haseo. It's just a bit cramped in there, but considering we should limit our size while traveling toward Mist, this should be acceptable for now."
Haseo watched as Katsuyu's form shifted. Its once smooth surface momentarily revealed some bizarre bulges—no doubt making the ride pretty unbearable for the passengers inside.
But that was fine; after all, Haseo wasn't a passenger himself.
He gave a nod to Tsunade beside him, and the two of them raised their hands in unison to perform the hand seals.
In an instant, both of them—and Katsuyu—vanished from that spot.
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