"Provocation! This is a provocation against us!"
In the Hokage's office, an enraged Tsunade slammed her fist on the desk, cracking it.
Shizune, holding Tonton, helplessly hid to the side, unsure whether to approach or retreat.
The information from the Fire Temple had been delivered directly to Konoha by the surviving monks, faster than Konoha's own intelligence network.
To be honest, even the most despicable Missing-nin on an assassination mission would simply kill their target.
Not like this, swaggering up to someone's door, directly demolishing a landmark historical site within their territory, killing dozens of unrelated individuals, and then leisurely traveling within their borders afterward.
This outside gang really has no manners at all, slapping the local gang right across the face.
Thinking of this, Shizune couldn't help but sigh softly. "So, what does Tsunade-sama plan to do? Hunt them?"
"Yes, hunt!"
Tsunade clenched the wood splinters in her hand. "Activate the special communication signal. Summon the Jonin and Chunin teams remaining in the village. These two in particular absolutely cannot be let go!"
A kunai was thrown by Tsunade, pinning the Akatsuki's member information booklet Sakura had previously provided them.
An order personally written by the Hokage was issued. This time, even the large group of old geezers in Konoha's Political Department unusually didn't oppose Tsunade.
This concerned Konoha's status and reputation as the world's foremost military power. No fool would stand in the way of everyone's interests at such a time.
The colossal war machine rapidly whirred into motion. Countless messenger hawks flew back and forth, almost blotting out the sky.
On the training ground, a messenger hawk descended from the sky, landing on Sakura's shoulder.
Seeing the special communication signal mark on it, Sakura's stone-throwing action gradually stopped.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio not far from her saw this and let out a sigh of relief, quickly seizing the chance to rest.
"You three, continue your extra training! Don't stop!"
Sakura, without even turning her head, already knew what they were doing, issuing a devilish prompt.
Unfolding the intelligence paper brought by the hawk, she quickly scanned the reason for the summons.
The order from the Hokage Building was to summon Jonin and the Chunin teams they could bring along.
"Emergency mission? Go ahead, go ahead, we'll practice on our own!"
Shikamaru, the cleverest of the three, had already sensed Sakura had business to attend to, squinting as he observed her.
"That won't be necessary."
Sakura's expression turned odd, letting out a snort. "The summons includes you too. Get up, gogogo!"
As she spoke, she didn't forget to pass the letter she received for the three to read, her aura as a troublemaker practically overflowing the screen.
"Ah? Nooo—!"
The trio's wails echoed through the forest, lingering mournfully.
A few minutes later, the rooftop of the Hokage Building was crowded with assembled ninja.
Sakura, along with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, blended into the crowd, listening to Tsunade's impassioned speech.
"That's all. For Konoha's prestige, and more importantly for the safety of the Land of Fire, they must not be allowed to run amok any longer! Once discovered, show no mercy. Execute them on the spot!"
Tsunade raised her arm, pointing outside the village. "Sakura and Team 10, stay. Everyone else, dismissed!!!"
The Ninjas received their orders, leaping off the Hokage Building's rooftop one after another, swiftly running through Konoha's streets.
Older Konoha's villagers seeing this showed worried expressions. After all, the last time such a large-scale Ninja mobilization occurred in the village was during the Third Ninja World War.
Seeing most people had left, Tsunade, with Shizune, walked over to Sakura and the other four.
"Asuma is delayed on a mission in the Land of Fire's capital. Team 10 is temporarily entrusted to you!"
Calling for Shizune to bring the appointment order, Tsunade waved her hand grandly, making Sakura Team 10's Jonin Leader.
"Huh?"
Sakura was stunned, 'Weren't Jonin Team Leader usually assigned from the Genin level? What was this about making me lead Chunin right off the bat?'
"Anyway, haven't you been teaching them Ninjutsu this whole time? Might as well take over managing them too."
Tsunade had her answer ready for her student's question. Patting her shoulder, she pushed them onto her. Then, before Sakura could refuse, she promptly left with Shizune, giving her no chance to object.
Thus, Sakura, who had inexplicably gained a team of subordinates, led them out of the village, traversing the forest outside.
"So, where are we heading to find traces of those two Akatsuki's members? Haruno-sensei~" Shikamaru teased, jumping between tree trunks alongside Sakura with chakra coating his feet.
"Ew! Gross, don't call me that."
Sakura curled her lip. "Finding two people in the vast Land of Fire is like finding a needle in a haystack. So we won't go looking. We'll head straight to the underground exchange and lie in wait!"
"Ino, get ready to use your Yamanaka Clan's secret technique to interrogate the exchange's person in charge!"
"Got it!"
Ino nodded, seriously responding to Sakura.
"Hey, hey, isn't that against the rules?"
Seeing the two cooperating seamlessly, Shikamaru raised his head, full of doubts.
"Young, too young!"
Sakura grinned, revealing a cold smile. "Counter-terrorism requires a list. But suppressing rebellion only needs coordinates!"
Originally, for underground exchanges whose operations highly overlapped with Ninja Villages, there was a tacit understanding allowing them some peripheral gray activities, giving non-village Ninja a way to survive.
But now those rats hiding in the sewers have actually jumped up to slap Konoha's face, daring to openly sit at the table for a meal?
These are no ordinary rebels. We must strike with a heavy fist!
"Alright then!"
Shikamaru fell silent for a long while, having no other choice. "You're the Jonin Leader. You call the shots."
What could he do? He was just a Chunin with no say.
If problems arose later, Sakura, as a Jonin, would bear the responsibility. As someone who just wanted to coast through life, he shouldn't add his own comments.
The vast majority of search teams headed straight for the Fire Temple. Sakura's group of four, originally following the main force, quietly broke away.
They headed straight for the nearest underground exchange to Konoha.
"Is this really a bounty exchange? It looks more like a broth... service establishment?"
The air was permeated with indescribable smells in every sense, causing Choji, with his sensitive nose, to instantly lose his appetite for snacks.
"Rats live in sewers. Isn't that a fitting combination?"
Sakura patted Ino's shoulder, signaling her to use the Mind Body Switch Technique on the gatekeeper.
After successfully possessing him and opening the gate, she directed Shikamaru to carry Ino, and the four barged into this service-establishment-disguised underground exchange!
"Who goes there!"
Since they hadn't used the exchange's password beforehand, their entry immediately triggered an alarm.
A large number of armed thugs rushed out from various hidden doors. The leader, seeing the forehead protectors on them, his pupils contracted.
"Found them~" The girl with flowing pink hair tilted her head.
The next instant, a vast roar erupted in the clear sky. The sun's light dimmed. Without warning, dark lightning erupted from her as the center.
Within the surging aura, the will of a conqueror was fully revealed.
"Whoa!"
Ino was knocked out of her possession state, rubbing her head and complaining. "Sakura, you... your aura is even scarier than before?"
"Probably just growth!" Choji stroked his chin, joking as if it were a serious matter.
Thrown off by these two completely un-tense teammates, Shikamaru also got distracted, momentarily forgetting to put Ino down.
The aura coursed through the ground beneath them, knocking out all the exchange members hidden in the surroundings, plunging the entire facility into silence.
Sakura slowly stepped forward, dragging out the exchange's person in charge, who was a ninja.
Placing a foot on his back, she applied pressure to wake him. Then, under his horrified gaze, she raised her thumb and drew a horizontal line across her neck.
"I ask, you answer. Understand?"