The ANBU was still holding the scroll, clearly meant for Shiki.
"This…" the ANBU hesitated, glancing between them. "Hokage-sama ordered me to hand this mission scroll to Lord Shiki personally."
Tsunade went silent for a moment.
Then she smiled — the kind of smile that made even elite jonin sweat.
"Shiki's busy right now. Give it to me."
The ANBU braced himself.
"Forgive me, Tsunade-sama, but these are Hokage's direct orders. I-I can't disobey—"
Tsunade's smile changed instantly.
"If you don't hand it over…"
Her chakra flared just enough to rattle the tiles under them.
"…I will punch you down. Understand?"
The ANBU froze.
Even with a mask on, the fear was obvious.
Cold sweat rolled down the side of his face.
"U-Understood! Y-Yes! Right away!"
He practically shoved the scroll into her hands.
"Hmph."
Tsunade waved him off like a bug, and the ANBU vanished in a flash — clearly terrified of being in the same courtyard as these two monsters for even a second longer.
Tsunade returned to the veranda and sat down.
A moment later, Shiki approached, drying the sweat from his training.
"What happened?"
Tsunade passed him the scroll, her tone dropping.
"They're making their move. This mission sends you outside the village alone. No escort. No backup."
Her eyes narrowed. "They're planning an ambush."
Shiki skimmed the scroll, then tossed it aside like junk mail.
"As expected."
He reached out and gently brushed his thumb between her brows, fixing the frown forming there.
"Don't worry. Even if Hiruzen and Danzo come together, they're not enough."
Tsunade met his eyes — the concern still there, but softened by trust.
"…I just don't want anything happening to you."
Off to the side, Kurenai shifted awkwardly.
Watching the two of them staring at each other felt way too intimate.
She cleared her throat.
"Shiki-nii… if this mission is that dangerous… you could refuse it."
Shiki laughed lightly.
"If I run, it tells them I'm afraid."
He shook his head. "And I want to see exactly how they plan to try."
Tsunade stepped forward.
"Then I'm going with you."
She didn't raise her voice. She didn't puff her chest.
Just simple determination... the way Naruto-era Tsunade always spoke when she'd already made up her mind.
"No need."
Shiki looked Tsunade straight in the eyes, his voice steady.
"Stay in Konoha. Watch carefully.
Your man is going to stand above the clouds — no one out there can touch me."
Tsunade stared at his eyes. Then exhaled quietly through her nose, a tiny smirk tugging at her lips.
--
Shiki left the village soon after, carrying Oto and Kogarashi at his waist as he strode out through the main gate.
"Shiki!"
Kurenai called after him, her voice tight with worry. She didn't try to stop him — she just stood there, hands clenched, hoping he'd turn around.
Tsunade placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Relax. He's my man and he won't lose to some dirty rat."
Kurenai nodded hard… then blinked, realizing what Tsunade had just implied.
"Hold on— what do you mean your man? Shiki's future wife is obviously going to be me!"
Tsunade paused… then sighed and rolled her eyes.
She didn't even fight back...she simply turned and headed inside.
Arguing with this kid would be a waste of chakra.
Meanwhile, deep beneath Konoha…
Dozens of ROOT operatives gathered silently.
"The moment he leaves the village, we move," Danzo ordered.
"Now — go."
In an instant, fifty masked figures vanished into the forest like ghosts.
Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen received the report.
"Hokage-sama," an ANBU said, kneeling, "Shiki has left the village. Danzo's forces are moving as planned."
Hiruzen didn't hesitate.
"Good. When the fighting starts, you will NOT interfere. No matter the noise.
Understood?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
The ANBU vanished.
Hiruzen remained alone in the office, staring out toward the Hokage Monument. His eyes were cold.
"Geniuses who refuse to be controlled… have no place in Konoha."
His tone never wavered.
"Everything I do… is for the village."
Outside Konoha — Forest Path
Shiki stopped by the riverbank and scanned the surroundings with Observation Haki.
"…No one nearby."
He held the mission scroll loosely between two fingers.
"So the ambush point is ahead. Typical."
With a flick, he slid the scroll away and continued deeper into the forest.
At the gate, two chunin had barely seen him pass.
"Was that Lord Shiki…?"
"I didn't even see him move!"
They had no idea the village's power struggle was already underway.
Shiki reached a clearing — quiet, peaceful, the river gliding past like glass.
He admired it for a moment, then spoke loudly without turning.
"Well? Since you're all here already… come out. Isn't that right, Danzo?"
Clap… clap… clap.
Applause echoed through the trees.
Danzo stepped out from the shadows, flanked by two ROOT operatives.
"You truly live up to the Golden Lion.
That perception of yours is troublesome."
But Shiki wasn't focused on Danzo alone.
His Haki felt them clearly — more than fifty ROOT shinobi circling the forest, twenty of them radiating elite-jonin chakra.
Shiki smiled faintly.
"So this is the welcoming party."
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