That Reward, Then?

"Two years ago, I discovered that Ichiro was a spy from the Land of Earth. Ichiro was the spy you killed."

"For this reason, I made a lot of preparations. I even gave Ichiro some confidential intelligence, allowing him to gain Ōnoki's attention in the Land of Earth and play his intended role at a critical moment."

By this point, Kushina and Chiga understood why Hiruzen Sarutobi had been so furious. The two of them had completely ruined the plan he had spent two years arranging.

However, there was still something Chiga couldn't figure out, so he asked, "Since the Hokage already discovered them two years ago, you should also have known where they exchanged intelligence. Why did you still send the two of us there?"

Hearing this, Kushina nodded and chimed in, "Exactly! Why did you still send us to carry out the mission when you clearly knew my personality?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi first gave Chiga an approving look before saying gruffly to Kushina:

"Ichiro was an excellent intelligence operative, and his counter-surveillance skills were outstanding. We couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't detect us on the way, so we never followed him outside the village."

"Besides, all I needed to do was let him come into contact with the intelligence I wanted him to receive in the village. There was no need to create further complications."

"I see!"

Chiga nodded. There was no need to get too involved in the minor details. As long as the source of the intelligence was controlled, everything remained within his grasp.

Although Kushina had heard Hiruzen Sarutobi's explanation, she still complained, "What? Putting it that way, the Hokage is partly to blame for this too. Chiga and I simply didn't know what was going on."

Hearing Kushina say this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's anger, which had already subsided, surged again. He suddenly roared:

"Kushina, you're already a jōnin. Use your brain and think about it!"

"Do you really think a squad of Mu Jin shinobi could sneak past a heavily guarded border with just a chūnin-level sensory Summoning Beast? Do you think the border shinobi are all useless?"

"Do you think it's so easy to get Ichiro this intelligence without letting him discover that it was false? Do you know how many shinobi sacrificed their lives in the process?"

"I went to extraordinary lengths to get this scroll into that old immortal Ōnoki's hands. My hair turned white, then whiter still, and you delivered it right to me before it had even left the Land of Fire?!"

"All those preparations became completely useless because of a decision you made on your own, and you still want a reward?!"

As Hiruzen Sarutobi berated her, Kushina's face gradually turned pale. She could blame Hiruzen Sarutobi for not telling her about these things, but she couldn't blame the shinobi who had sacrificed themselves to ensure that the False Intelligence reached the Land of Earth.

After saying all that, Hiruzen Sarutobi had also vented his anger. Seeing Kushina lower her head and fall silent, he softened his tone and said, "You're being confined for three months as punishment. Do you have any objections?"

"I'm sorry, Hokage!"

Seeing that Kushina didn't speak, Chiga bowed to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Take your teacher downstairs. This matter can't really be blamed on either of you."

At this, Chiga tugged on Kushina. "Teacher, let's go."

Just then, Kushina suddenly raised her head and solemnly walked over to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Without her usual carefree manner, she gave him a formal bow and said, "I'm sorry, Hokage!"

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's astonished gaze, she finished speaking and led Chiga out of the Hokage Office.

After Kushina and Chiga left, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a long while before sighing with deep emotion. "This really isn't easy."

How many years had it been? Ever since Kushina came to Konoha, she had never spoken to him in such a humble tone. He had thought he would never have this hope in his lifetime.

After sighing for a while, Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed the scroll on his desk. He immediately put those thoughts aside and said sternly, "Zero!"

A figure instantly appeared and knelt before Hiruzen Sarutobi, saying respectfully, "Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe and said in a low, unhurried voice:

"Plan A has failed due to an accident. Initiate Plan B! This time, eliminate every possible variable. We can't let another incident like Kushina's happen."

Never underestimate a village's Kage. How could a plan that had taken two years to arrange lack backup plans? He even had Plan C, Plan D, and so on.

Although he had sounded so harsh with Kushina earlier, he actually wasn't very angry inside.

"Yes!"

After thinking for a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, "Also, while Kushina and Uchiha Chiga are under confinement, find two ANBU to supervise them. One will be responsible for Kushina, and the other for Uchiha Chiga."

Hearing this, the ANBU hesitated. "But Kushina..."

"Don't worry. I think she'll stay quietly at home this time."

"Understood!"

After replying, the ANBU saw that Hiruzen Sarutobi had no further instructions and went down to make the necessary arrangements.

Meanwhile, after Chiga followed Kushina out of the Hokage Building, he looked at her as she walked with her head down in silence. After hesitating for a moment, he still said, "Teacher Kushina..."

"Don't say anything. I'm fine."

Before he could finish, Kushina raised her hand and interrupted him.

Seeing this, Chiga's gaze immediately became strange. It was rare to see Kushina like this.

It seemed this unexpected incident had made Kushina much more mature.

The mistake hadn't been theirs in the first place, and although Hiruzen Sarutobi had seemed furious when he scolded them, he hadn't actually blamed them.

Chiga gathered his thoughts, intending to persuade his teacher not to take the matter too much to heart.

But just then, Kushina suddenly turned around, clenched both fists tightly, and said furiously, "This is outrageous! Heiha and Kazuma, those two bastards. I trusted them so much, but I never thought they'd join forces with that Third Hokage to deceive me!"

"..."

Chiga rolled his eyes so hard he nearly awakened the Hyuga clan's Byakugan.

"You're right. We definitely have to teach those two a lesson!"

Still, seeing Kushina return to normal allowed Chiga to relax. He angrily echoed her before changing the subject. "Teacher Kushina, does that C-Rank Mission of ours count as completed?"

"Of course!" Kushina looked at Chiga in confusion, not understanding why he had suddenly asked.

Chiga was straightforward. "Then where's the reward?"

Kushina froze. Oh, right. At the time, she had only been thinking about how much credit they would receive for stopping the Mu Jin shinobi and had forgotten the original reason they had set out.