Morning Mist Returns Home

"Ohohoho! Got it, got it—how wonderful, truly wonderful! Konoha really is the best, the average scores are so high!"

From the rooftop of the Hokage's Office came a lecherous, obscene laugh. A man in a kimono with long white hair and a headband bearing the character for "oil" was crouched by the railing. He was one of the Three Ninja of Konoha, Jiraiya the Gallant. At that moment, Jiraiya sat perched on the edge of the roof, a telescope in hand, peeping at the women's bathhouse while letting out that sleazy chuckle.

"You're at it again with this pointless nonsense." A voice came from behind Jiraiya. Disturbed, he lowered the telescope and glanced back.

"Hmph! This is research material. Oh, it's Uncle Homura and Teacher Koharu. What do you two advisors want with me?"

"Do you even need to ask? You should know without us saying it!"

Jiraiya stood up, turned around, and looked seriously at Konoha's two advisors. Then his expression suddenly shifted, becoming casual. "Don't make such scary faces. I heard our negotiations with the Sand Village are over!"

"Everything was Orochimaru's doing, nothing to do with the Sand Village. They've already declared full surrender to Konoha, so the negotiations don't matter. From Konoha's standpoint, to restore our strength, we had to accept their proposal. But right now, Konoha's power is at a low ebb. The top priority is to assume a greater crisis may come and prepare for it. Any neighboring country might take bold action at any time. So we've decided to gather elites from various units to form an Emergency Executive Committee for hypothetical emergencies, until the village recovers. But before that, we need a trustworthy, strong leader. Conflicts could break out anywhere—not just with Orochimaru, but also..." Mitokado Homura wanted to continue, but Jiraiya cut him off.

"You don't need to tell me all this. Alright, I'm getting back to my research." Jiraiya turned around, pulled out his telescope again, and prepared to resume peeping.

"Let me lay out the plan for you. We need a Fifth Hokage. At yesterday's emergency meeting with the Land of Fire's daimyo, it was decided that you, Jiraiya, would take the position," Utatane Koharu said from beside him.

"Sorry, but I'm not suited for that role." Jiraiya didn't look back, just waved a hand in refusal.

"This is already settled. If even one of the Three Ninja isn't fit to be Hokage, who is?" "There's another of the Three Ninja, isn't there? Tsunade!"

"Hm?" Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged glances.

"That's right. Tsunade has the ability, but she's gone missing now."

"I'll go find her, won't I? Compared to me, who has no drive, the sharp Tsunade is more suited for the Hokage position. What do you think?"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura communicated with their eyes, then said to Jiraiya, "Understood. We'll consider it quickly. But we'll send three Anbu to join you and form the Tsunade Search Team."

"Don't worry, I won't run. No need to send people to watch me. But... I want to bring one person along. I found an interesting new kid." After saying that, Jiraiya had no intention of continuing his peeping. He left the Hokage's Office to find Naruto.

Meanwhile, on the outer wall of Konoha, two uninvited guests had arrived. They wore Black-Red Cloud Robes and straw hats. One carried a massive weapon wrapped in bandages on his back. They were Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki of the Akatsuki Organization. Standing atop the wall, they looked down at the village below.

"Though it avoided destruction, the damage is severe. A once-thriving village... how pitiful." Looking at the battered Konoha, Uchiha Itachi remarked.

"That's not like you. Even you can't help but feel nostalgic for your hometown?" Kisame said beside him.

"No... I don't feel nostalgic." Itachi kept his expression blank, showing no emotion at returning to his birthplace.

"So, what now?"

"Enter the village. Follow me." Itachi leaped down from the wall first, with Kisame close behind. After landing, they headed toward the village. At the main gate, the guards were all taken down by Itachi's genjutsu.

Once inside, none of the villagers noticed them.

"Where to now? Straight to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"

"No. First, come with me somewhere." Itachi set off in a definite direction.

"Fine, lead the way." Kisame had no choice but to follow.

Elsewhere, for the past two days, Lingren hadn't gone to the lab to train. He stayed home. Today was the same. When he woke up, Sasuke had already left. Lingren went alone to the yard to bask in the sun.

"Man, this is so boring! Sasuke's so diligent, heading out early, leaving me home alone with nothing to do." With nothing to occupy him, Lingren lay down on the corridor in the yard, planning to nap in the sun.

Suddenly, Lingren sensed someone watching him from somewhere. The system immediately alerted him: "Reminder, Host, you are under surveillance. Would you like to transmit the image?"

"Did Danzo send someone to watch me again?" Unsure who it was, Lingren didn't dare act rashly. He kept lying there, pretending to sleep. "System, send me the image of the watcher."

"Ding! Image transmitted!"

As the system's prompt faded, a picture appeared in Lingren's mind. Two people stood on a large tree outside his and Sasuke's house, staring at him.

"Him? I see." Recognizing the intruder, Lingren was inwardly surprised.

"Hey, I heard you have two younger brothers. Is this one of them? Quite different from you."

"Tch. Useless. No value at all. I should have sent him to join Mom and Dad back then. Now he doesn't even deserve to die by my hand." Itachi stared coldly at Lingren, who was drooling in his sleep, and spoke indifferently. But in his heart, he thought differently: "Sorry, Lingren. I never expected you to end up like this. But maybe it's for the best. Better than being recruited into Root and becoming a tool with no will or feelings. At least you can live carefree like this. The Third kept his promise, protecting Sasuke from Danzo's people. Otherwise..."

Seeing Lingren's foolish appearance, Itachi felt deep guilt. He couldn't bear to stay any longer.

"Let's go." With that, he and Kisame left.

"Gone?" After they left, Lingren sat up from the corridor and wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.

"Hmph. Uchiha Itachi. The Third old man just got killed by Orochimaru, and he's already rushing back? To let Konoha's higher-ups know he's still alive, to protect Sasuke, right? What a dedicated brother he is." Lingren sneered inwardly, looking in the direction Itachi had gone.

Lingren knew Danzo was the real culprit behind the Night of the Massacre, but Itachi had been the one to swing the blade. Though he didn't hate Itachi the way Sasuke did, every time he remembered that Itachi had killed Mikoto, he couldn't forgive him.

After leaving Lingren and Sasuke's home, Itachi and Kisame entered a tea house. Kakashi happened to be waiting outside that same tea house for Sasuke. Spotting Itachi in the Black-Red Cloud Robe, Kakashi grew suspicious of his identity but didn't act immediately.

Just then, Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi, who had just lost his father, approached. Seeing them, Kakashi teased, "Yo, you two! Getting along well, huh?" (He really hated that chain-smoker!)

"Idiot. Anko asked me to buy her some dango. I just ran into him!" Kurenai blushed as she defended herself.

"What about you? What are you doing here alone?" Asuma, who had just lost his father, asked Kakashi.

"Oh, nothing much. I came to buy some offerings and wait for someone..." Kakashi glanced sideways at Itachi, who was drinking tea inside. "I'm waiting for Sasuke."

At the name Sasuke, Itachi's hand holding the cup trembled slightly.

"Hey, it's rare for you to wait for someone. Taking offerings to visit Obito?" Asuma said.

"Yeah."

Just then, Sasuke arrived at the tea house. Seeing Kakashi, he said in surprise, "Kakashi, you're here first? That's rare!"

"Once in a while." When Kakashi looked back at Itachi's seat, he was gone. He then glanced at Kurenai and Asuma, signaling them. They understood, nodded slightly, and vanished in pursuit.

Kurenai and Asuma intercepted Itachi and Kisame on a riverbank.

"You two aren't from Konoha, are you? What exactly are you here for?" Asuma Sarutobi, who had lost his father, demanded of the two.

"Long time no see, Mr. Asuma, Miss Kurenai."

"You actually know us, so you must have been a ninja from the village before."

Itachi raised his hand and removed his hat, revealing his Sharingan. Kurenai and Asuma, who had lost his father, said in shock, "You are..."

"No doubt about it, you're Uchiha Itachi!"