The Journey Home · Reunion

The return journey was twice as fast as the trip there.

Every evening, Tsunade stopped to perform a round of acupuncture on Kitahara Kaede, repairing the meridians in his right arm inch by inch beneath her fingers.

On the third day, Kitahara Kaede squeezed his fist, and his strength returned to ninety percent.

"That's about it," Tsunade said, retracting the silver needles. "Let the rest heal on its own. Don't go pushing yourself again."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade glared at him and irritably shoved the needle pouch back into her medical kit.

By the evening of the fourth day, the silhouette of the Konoha Village walls emerged on the horizon.

The two headed straight for the Hokage Tower.

At the end of the third-floor corridor, the door to the conference room stood half-open.

Kitahara Kaede heard voices first.

"Teacher—I'm telling you, the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku has a style of taijutsu—"

That voice was half an octave deeper than it had been two months ago, and his lung capacity was enough to blow the roof off.

Tsunade's footsteps faltered.

"This guy actually got here before us?"

She pushed the door open and walked in.

Jiraiya was standing before Hiruzen, gesturing wildly. His hair had grown out a bit since they left, and his ninja outfit was stained with mud; it looked like he had just arrived as well.

Hearing the door, Jiraiya turned around.

He saw Kitahara Kaede first, then Tsunade.

He froze for a second.

"Yo."

He grinned, spread his arms, and struck a pose for a warm embrace.

Tsunade walked right past him and sat down in a chair.

Jiraiya's arms remained frozen in mid-air.

"...Alright then."

He lowered his hands and winked at Kitahara Kaede.

"How did the western front go?"

"We won."

"No kidding, could we lose with Tsunade there?" Jiraiya chuckled. "I wasn't idle on the northern front either. I took out an entire squadron—"

"Sit down."

Hiruzen's voice wasn't heavy, but the conference room went silent immediately.

The three of them took their seats.

Hiruzen stood before a map, his pipe resting on the table.

Kitahara Kaede had seen this gesture before.

When the teacher wasn't smoking, it meant the situation was heavier than his nicotine craving.

"The eastern front fell completely three days ago."

Hiruzen's finger tapped the red line on the map marking the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain.

The red line had already been pierced by a black arrow.

"The leader of Amegakure, Hanzo the Salamander, took the field himself. He crushed the defensive lines of two of our battalions single-handedly."

Jiraiya's grin vanished.

"Hanzo's Poison Style has too wide a range; the frontline ninjas couldn't even get close. His taijutsu and Kusarigama Technique are also at the Kage level. He has no weaknesses, whether at range or in close quarters."

Hiruzen paused.

"The eastern commander's report said it plainly: 'This man is not human'."

Tsunade frowned.

"Hanzo's poison is different from Chiyo's. Chiyo uses contact poisons applied to hidden weapons, but Hanzo uses a highly toxic, inhalable poison released directly from his internal poison sacs."

She looked at Hiruzen.

"I want the medical records of the poisoned casualties from the front."

"They are already being prepared," Hiruzen nodded, then looked at the three of them. "The three of you will depart tomorrow for the Land of Rain."

His gaze lingered on each of their faces.

"The situation there is far more complex than on the western front. It rains year-round in the Land of Rain, and the terrain is unfavorable to us. Hanzo has fought his entire life on that land; he knows every river and every inch of terrain by heart. Plus, his Poison Style is twice as powerful in the rain."

Jiraiya leaned back in his chair and whistled.

"So, we're being sent to our deaths?"

"You are being sent to win," Hiruzen stared at him.

Kitahara Kaede said nothing.

Hanzo.

A man known as a "demigod," standing at the pinnacle of the ninja world.

It was this very man who, on this battlefield, would bestow upon Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru the title of the "Sannin."

"Assemble at the South Gate tomorrow at dawn," Hiruzen announced.

The meeting was adjourned.

The three walked out of the Hokage Tower; the sky had already darkened.

There were few pedestrians on the street, and the distant sound of dogs barking echoed.

Jiraiya stretched, his bones cracking loudly.

"I'm exhausted. I didn't even get a hot meal since I got back."

He glanced at the two beside him, full of expectation.

Tsunade took the bait: "I'll cook. Come eat."

Jiraiya's eyes lit up. "At your place?"

"At Kaede's."

Tsunade blurted it out, and once she finished, she walked straight toward Kitahara Kaede's house.

The air went quiet for a second.

Jiraiya looked at Tsunade's back, then at Kitahara Kaede.

The corner of his mouth, which had just lifted, drooped.

Before he could say a word, they were already far away.

They arrived home.

Tsunade skillfully pulled out an apron, tied it on, and began washing vegetables and starting the stove.

Kitahara Kaede stood beside her, chopping vegetables and handing over ingredients.

They crossed paths, swapped positions, and passed plates.

Not a single wasted word; they didn't even need to make eye contact.

Jiraiya leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching, and felt the bitterness in his mouth deepen.

He sighed, turned around, and went back to the living room to plop down on a chair.

Clatter.

Nawaki's bedroom door opened.

"Master!"

Nawaki scrambled out, nearly slipping in the hallway, one of his shoes flying off.

"You're back!"

He rushed into the living room, looking left and right.

"Where's my sister?"

"In the kitchen."

Nawaki poked his head toward the kitchen and saw Tsunade and Kitahara Kaede standing side-by-side at the stove. His mouth twitched.

"Well, I guess I'm not needed."

He obediently sat down across from Jiraiya and looked him up and down.

"Uncle Jiraiya, do you have any stories from out there?"

"Stories?" Jiraiya perked up. "I've got plenty! Your uncle here single-handedly took out an enemy squadron's base on the northern front. Thirty-some guys were—"

"Not that kind," Nawaki waved his hand. "I mean, did you meet any pretty ladies out there?"

Jiraiya paused.

His expression became subtle.

His eyes darted around twice, and he sneakily pulled a crumpled little notebook from his robes.

The cover featured a suggestive silhouette.

"You've got an eye for things, kid," Jiraiya lowered his voice. "I wrote this while marching on the northern front, based on real-life material—"

Nawaki's eyes brightened.

His hand reached out.

A hand descended from the sky, slapping both their heads at once.

Thwack. Thwack.

Perfectly synchronized.

Nawaki clutched his head and crouched down.

Jiraiya clutched his head and slumped to the floor.

Tsunade stood behind them, her apron still on, the expression on her face truly terrifying.

"One teaching, one learning—have you two lost your minds?"

Jiraiya howled while clutching the back of his head: "Tsunade, your hits are getting heavier! You're going to knock me stupid!"

"You weren't smart to begin with."

Taking advantage of the moment Tsunade was berating Jiraiya, Nawaki quietly hooked the little notebook that had fallen to the floor with his foot, flicked it behind him, and shoved it into the back of his waistband.

The movement was fluid and practiced.

Kitahara Kaede walked out of the kitchen with a dish, just in time to see the scene.

Nawaki signaled him to stay quiet.

Kitahara Kaede set the dish down, expressionless.

The four sat around the table.

Saury, miso soup, grilled rice balls, and a plate of Tsunade's specialty: cucumber with vinegar.

It wasn't a grand feast, but Nawaki ate until his mouth was oily, and Jiraiya nearly had his hand stabbed by Tsunade's chopsticks while fighting for food.

"Master."

Nawaki chewed his rice ball and suddenly looked up.

"Are you going to war again?"

Kitahara Kaede picked up a piece of saury.

"Yes."

"The Land of Rain?"

"You're well-informed."

Nawaki put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth messily with his sleeve.

He stopped grabbing for food and stared steadily at Kitahara Kaede, then glanced at Tsunade, who was pouring tea.

"Master, please protect my sister well this time."

Clack.

Tsunade set the teapot down on the table with a thud, splashing a few drops of tea.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She glared at him. "You looking down on your sister?"

Nawaki shrank his neck, his voice dropping an octave: "No... it's just, with Master by your side, I feel better..."

Tsunade opened her mouth, but couldn't find the words to retort.

Kitahara Kaede set down his bowl and chopsticks, looking Nawaki in the eye.

"Both her and me. Not a single one will be left behind."

Nawaki stared at him for two seconds.

Then he grinned.

"Then I'll wait for you guys to come back and eat saury."

Late at night.

Jiraiya left, burping from his meal.

Tsunade untied her apron and hung it on the iron hook behind the door.

She looked at Kitahara Kaede.

"Get some sleep."

The door closed, and Tsunade left with Nawaki.

Kitahara Kaede cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks and sat at the table.

He reached into the innermost layer of his ninja tool pouch.

The blue charm with the crooked, messy stitching lay there quietly.

He looked at it for a moment, then tucked it back in.

He turned off the light.