"This still looks better."
Shikamaru yawned. "Didn't you say last night, 'We run when we need to. Let them try to catch us'? Now you're missing the village?"
"Obviously." Kiba curled his lip. "Going out to wreck things and coming home to sleep aren't mutually exclusive."
"Is there anything in your head besides fighting and sleeping?"
"Sure."
"What?"
"Eating."
Shikamaru fell silent for a moment.
"Pretty comprehensive."
Kakashi said nothing. He merely looked up at the steadily brightening sky, then at Chisen ahead of him.
Chisen had barely spoken along the way, nor did he show any sign of relaxing after a beautifully executed surprise attack. His pace was unhurried, his breathing steady, as though he had simply gone out on an ordinary errand and was now returning to the village as usual.
But the more he acted like that, the more certain Kakashi was that Chisen was nowhere near finished with this.
When they entered the village, the morning shift had just taken over at Konoha's gates.
Izumo Kamizuki stood inside the gate, talking to Kotetsu Hagane. When he looked up and saw the returning team, he froze.
"You-"
Kotetsu Hagane's eyes widened too.
"You're back already?"
Kiba immediately lifted his chin. "What else? Did you think we'd stay out playing until noon?"
Izumo Kamizuki instinctively inspected them. Their clothes were scratched, smeared with ash and blood, but everyone was standing and breathing steadily. Looking again at Chisen and Kakashi at the front, he finally felt some of his anxiety ease.
Kotetsu Hagane lowered his voice. "Are the reports from outside true? Was it really you-"
Kakashi raised a hand and patted his shoulder.
"You're on duty. Fewer questions, less talk."
Kotetsu Hagane immediately shut his mouth.
Izumo Kamizuki still couldn't help adding quietly, "The Intelligence Division has been