Over the next few days, Sen first escorted his clan members back to their rear base. Then he continued patrolling the newly occupied island with Team Seven.
They called it a patrol, but everyone knew the truth. Kirigakure had been badly weakened by the battle and wouldn't be able to attack again anytime soon.
So the missions had become much easier. They were basically just going through the motions once a day.
That afternoon, just as Sen and the others returned to base, an Anbu Ninja appeared with the Body Flicker Technique and handed him an appointment letter from the Hokage's office.
Sen had barely opened it when Kushina leaned over to take a look. A moment later, she cried out in surprise.
"A Chunin appointment letter?!" Her big eyes shone with envy, just like Minato's. "Sen, you... you've only been out of the Academy for half a year, and you've already been promoted to Chunin?"
After all, countless ninja remained Genin their entire lives.
Ninja like Sen, who rose through the ranks at a rocket's pace, were few and far between in Konoha's history.
It wasn't just a symbol of status. It also meant he could take on higher-level missions and access classified information.
"Looks like you've left me behind again." Minato sounded a little downcast. Once, he and Sen had been neck and neck, but now it felt like the distance between them was growing wider and wider.
Sen himself furrowed his brow.
What was this supposed to be? He'd risked his life as bait and nearly died, all for a Chunin title?
That was so insubstantial. Why couldn't they give him something practical, like a few million Ryo?
"Now that you're a Chunin, Sen, you have to treat us to a meal!" Kushina proposed, drooling and entirely unapologetic.
"Shouldn't you be giving me congratulatory gifts?" Sen teased, lightly flicking her nose. "All you ever think about is food."
"Hehe, I don't have anything to give you. You seem to have everything already," Kushina said, as if that were only natural.
Watching the two of them fool around, Minato had returned to his usual cheerful self. He grinned and said, "If you're treating us, I'll invite Master Jiraiya too!"
When it came to food, those two were like starving ghosts.
"Fine. I'll cook tonight," Sen said helplessly.
That evening, a bonfire burned on the beach once more.
The three of them ate their fill around the grill, but Jiraiya was acting unlike himself. He sat off to the side, drinking alone, looking gloomy and dispirited.
"Master Jiraiya, what's wrong?" Sen noticed his mood and went over to ask.
Jiraiya called Minato and Kushina over too. He remained silent for a long while, then drained his cup and said in a voice tinged with weariness and resignation:
"The village has assigned me a new mission. I'm afraid I can't continue being your Jonin instructor."
He saw the shock on their faces and continued, "I'll be joining Orochimaru and Tsunade in a team, heading to Amegakure for an S-rank mission. The border clashes... have flared up again.
"From the latest reports, this could very well turn directly into the Second Shinobi World War."
"The Second... Shinobi World War?"
The three of them froze. Even the limited conflict with Kirigakure had already been brutal.
If a full-scale war swept across the entire Shinobi World, what kind of hell would that be?
Seeing the unease on the children's faces, Jiraiya pulled himself together and reassured them.
"You don't need to worry too much. I've already reported your achievements to the village. Lord Third personally promised you two months to rest and recover. You won't be sent straight to the main battlefield."
He paused. His final words came with the weight of a solemn charge:
"So during this time, you must... keep training hard."
All three understood the words he hadn't said aloud:
Do everything you can to stay alive.
"Let's eat first!" Kushina waved her little fist, forcing a break in the heavy mood. "If the war really starts, we can worry about it then!"
Seeing how adorably hard she was trying to stay cheerful, everyone felt at least a little less tense...
The next morning, the three returned to Konoha with the main force.
As for Jiraiya, his mission was urgent, and he had quietly left before dawn.
When they finally saw the familiar village gates again, a lovely figure had already been waiting there for quite some time.
"Sister Tsunade!" Kushina cheered and dashed over like a little bird.
"You're back." Tsunade affectionately patted Kushina's head, then sent her off and hurried over to Sen, her face full of unmistakable relief and gratitude.
"I've finally been waiting for you to come back, you little rascal! Thank you!"
Sen was a little puzzled. Tsunade's backpack was stuffed full, and there was sweat on her forehead. It looked like she'd been waiting for a long time.
He'd only brought Kushina back safely. Surely that wasn't enough to make her this grateful?
"It's nothing. Bringing Kushina back in one piece was my duty."
At his words, Tsunade smiled brightly, drawing frequent glances from the ninja guarding the gate.
"No, I mean Nawaki!" She suddenly stepped forward and gave Sen a firm hug. Her voice trembled with lingering fear. "If you hadn't taught him all that about traps, he would've... He definitely wouldn't have made it back from the battlefield! Thank you so much! He's my only little brother!"
Only then did Sen remember that he had indeed taught Nawaki Mastery of Ninja World Traps.
But at that moment, most of his attention was focused on resisting that astounding "face wash."
His whole body felt like it was turning red. He wanted to sink right into her.
No, no! I'm going to get a nosebleed! I have to push her away!
He screamed inwardly, but his body was honest: his hands showed no sign of pushing her away.
A moment later, Tsunade finally let him go and took a check from her breast pocket. "I don't know how to thank you. This is five million Ryo. It can't compare to Nawaki's life, but don't you dare refuse it!"
Feeling the lingering warmth on his face, Sen thought, I'm not refusing. Not at all. I'd even be happy to do that again...
But he said, "It's fine. It was the right thing to do."
After he accepted the check, Tsunade continued, "By the way, Nawaki will be out of the hospital in a couple of days. You promised to help me look after him, so I'm counting on you for a while!"
Sen's face fell. Why was he being asked to babysit again? He barely had enough time to train as it was.
"You're still planning to send him to the battlefield?"
"What? You look down on the Senju Clan?!" Tsunade's knuckles cracked as she clenched them. "There are no cowards in the Senju Clan!"
This woman really could change her tune in an instant.
Sen nodded. "Fine. I'd like to see if Nawaki has any special talents."
Maybe he could copy Wood Release from him...
Then when he fought, he could let the other guy have both hands and still win with 998 tree hands!
"That's more like it!" Tsunade nodded with satisfaction. "I'm going to meet up with Jiraiya and the others. We were supposed to leave this morning."
With that, she hurried off.
"Then maybe we should all get some proper rest over the next few days," Minato suggested.
Sen nodded and returned to the clan compound alone.
After taking a day to rest, he headed to the little courtyard of Uchiha Setsuna. There was something there he'd always liked—something that made him look incredibly cool—and it was in Uchiha Setsuna's hands.
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