Intelligence and Hidden Dangers

The Chunin guard at the Hokage Building paused when he saw Takuma. The boy before him was covered in blood, his jacket riddled with tears and caked in dirt, with stone fragments still caught in his hair. Yet, his gaze was clear and his stance steady; he did not look like a wounded man seeking help.

"I am Mori Takuma. I have urgent intelligence that must be presented to the Third Hokage in person."

The guard hesitated, nodded, and turned to go inside to report.

Less than three minutes later, Takuma was led into the Hokage's office.

Takuma did not waste words. He placed the map and the communication scroll on the desk and began his report.

"He said, 'You are the one from that experiment.'"

The Third Hokage's eyes flickered slightly at these words. Had Takuma not been watching him closely, he would have missed it entirely. The Third did not press for details, instead unfolding the map to examine the marked points carefully.

"Seven marks," the Third said in a low voice. "Three of these are locations of Konoha's sensory barrier nodes. This information is classified; only those at the Jonin level have the clearance to access it."

Takuma's heart tightened. This meant that either there was a leak within Konoha, or the enemy's reconnaissance capabilities were precise enough to reverse-engineer the barrier nodes.

"What about the remaining four?" Takuma asked.

The Third turned and sat in his chair. "The abandoned mine was an iron ore extraction site; it was sealed after the war and is rarely visited. The ancient battlefield is a site from the Second Shinobi World War; it is vast and has complex terrain, making it suitable for hiding people. The merchant station is a civilian facility still in use, with caravans coming and going every day." He paused. "The last one... the Old Root Monument. Not many people know of that place."

"What is there?"

"Before the Root organization was disbanded, Danzo set up an entrance to an underground training ground there." The Third did not hide the fact, his tone as flat as if he were lecturing on history.

Takuma was silent for a moment before speaking. "Lord Third, I request to participate in the follow-up investigation."

"You are currently a one-man squad. According to regulations, you cannot accept missions above C-rank. I will have the Anbu take over this matter."

Takuma did not argue. However, he did not give up on his line of questioning, merely shifting his angle.

"What if I encounter similar people again?"

The Third glanced at him, his mouth twitching imperceptibly in what looked like a bitter smile. "Then try your best to take one alive. Just one will do."

The Third stood up, took a folded dark blue haori from the coat rack, and walked over to hand it to him. The fabric of the haori was ordinary, but a thin layer of chakra-conductive fiber was sewn into the lining. Tenten's shop sold it, but it was quite expensive.

"You said that man recognized your bloodline before he died." The Third put his pipe back in his mouth. "The name of the Senju Clan still carries weight in the shinobi world. Although the family has dwindled, outside forces have never ceased their interest in the Senju bloodline. This haori has a basic sealing formula sewn into the lining that can mask your chakra signature. Wear it at all times."

Takuma took the haori; it felt much lighter than he had imagined. He unfolded it to take a look. It was dark blue with no patterns, and the style was plain enough that it wouldn't draw attention.

"I do not possess the Wood Release of the Senju Clan," Takuma said.

"You think those people want the Wood Release?" The Third looked at Takuma through the smoke, his voice soft yet carrying a certain weight. "They want the possibility."

"The reason Lord Hashirama's Wood Release was so powerful was not because of some ninjutsu technique, but because he possessed the constitution and will capable of bearing that power. The Senju bloodline represents that possibility." The Third walked to the window and looked out at the bustling street. "There are always those who wish to replicate that possibility. Do not become anyone's experiment; that is the best inheritance you can offer your ancestors."

Takuma draped the haori over his shoulders and fastened the buttons. "Thank you, Lord Third."

"Go. Come to me whenever you need to."

Takuma walked out of the Hokage's office and headed down the corridor. At the corner of the stairs, he nearly collided with someone.

Silver hair, a mask covering half his face, and in his hand, that never-ending book, Icha Icha Paradise.

"Yo." Kakashi's eyes crinkled, his voice lazy, though his gaze scanned Takuma from head to toe without reservation. He noted the bloodstains, the tears in his clothes, and the clearly oversized haori.

"The kid from the Senju clan?" Kakashi said.

Takuma couldn't help but think: How does this white-haired guy know everything? He rarely interacted with him, and Team 12's presence was so low that even their classmates almost forgot they existed, yet Kakashi brought up the Senju immediately.

"Senior Kakashi." Takuma nodded in greeting, keeping his tone as calm as possible.

"I heard you took out a reconnaissance squad all by yourself?" Kakashi's tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather.

"...I got lucky."

"Luck is also a part of strength." Kakashi closed his book and looked at him with his only visible eye. "The Third gave you that haori?"

Takuma looked down at the garment. "You know this piece?"

"It belonged to my teacher."

Takuma was slightly stunned.

A haori worn by the Fourth Hokage. The Third had handed it to him so casually, without mentioning a word. He suddenly felt the lightweight haori become significantly heavier.

Kakashi noticed the change in his expression and patted Takuma on the shoulder.

"Wear it well. There isn't much left behind by the teacher; it's better for it to be useful than to gather dust in a closet." He reopened Icha Icha Paradise and walked past Takuma, his voice trailing off. "Don't die too soon, kid from the Senju clan."

Takuma said nothing more and headed toward Tenten Ninja Tool Shop.

Danzo's Root organization, the reconnaissance of an unknown force, the Third's hidden concerns, and Kakashi's parting warning—all these things swirled in his mind.

"Welcome—wait, why do you look like this again?"

Tenten stood behind the shelves with an inventory ledger in her hand. Seeing him covered in blood, she paused for a moment before setting the ledger down and hurrying over. She grabbed Takuma's sleeve to check for any bleeding wounds. Finding him physically unscathed aside from the holes in his clothes, she let out a sigh of relief.

Takuma took out the scar-faced man's katana. The blade shimmered with the lingering blue glow of chakra, and unknown forging patterns were etched into the steel.

Tenten's eyes lit up as she looked at the katana.

"The sword of a Chunin-level swordsman. The blade can conduct chakra; the ground it struck is still cracked." Takuma laid the katana across the counter. "Help me see how much this is worth. Also, I need to restock shuriken and explosive tags."

Tenten placed the katana into the counter and fished out a new sealing scroll from under the shelf, beginning to load it. "Fifteen shuriken, five explosive tags, two smoke bombs. That should last you a long time."

Takuma watched as she deftly finished the list on the sealing scroll and then packed the tools inside with dazzling speed. He couldn't help but chuckle.

Tenten looked up and glared at him. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing. It just feels like every time you stock me up, it's like you're preparing a dowry."

Tenten's face turned bright red in an instant, and she nearly threw a smoke bomb at him. She took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, "This is so you can come back alive and keep paying me back. The cost of the tools you owe, plus today's batch, is enough for you to work in my shop for three years."

"Deal." Takuma took the sealing scroll and stood up.

Tenten stared at him for two seconds, then turned her head away to tidy the shelves. "...Don't die."

"I won't." Takuma walked to the shop door and looked back before pushing it open.

Tenten was squatting in front of the shelves, organizing tool boxes. Her hair slipped from behind her ears, covering half her face, making her expression unreadable.

Takuma pushed the door open and stepped out. The bell rang again, and the moment the wooden door closed, it blocked out the setting sun.

The shop fell silent. Tenten stood up, walked to the counter, picked up the glowing blue katana, and ran her fingers lightly over the blade. The edge was cold, the forging patterns intricate; it was a fine sword.

She tucked the katana into a private storage box behind the counter, leaving it unpriced and off the shelves.

Inside the box was one other item: a neatly folded IOU, bearing Takuma's crooked, handwritten signature.