After making all the arrangements, Tsunade finally turned to Toru Kujyo. Her gaze grew deeply complicated, holding both the authority of the Hokage and a hint of an elder's concern.
"Kujyo, your task is to protect those three while keeping your own abilities hidden." Tsunade lowered her voice. "Unless you have absolutely no other choice, you must not reveal your Wood Release. You're Konoha's last trump card. We can't show our hand too soon."
She took a deep breath, as though she had reached a decision.
"I authorize you to abandon the mission and retreat immediately if you encounter a threat you cannot withstand. Remember, your lives matter more than any intelligence. I... can't lose anyone else."
She spoke the last words very softly, almost to herself.
Toru Kujyo looked at Tsunade. In her eyes, he saw both longing for the past and hope for the future. He nodded without another word, but the promise he made carried more weight than anything he could have said.
Shino Aburame fell silent. At last, he understood just how badly he had misjudged things. All of this had been Lord Hokage's plan. The supposed "sightseeing" had merely been a cover to lull the enemy into complacency in preparation for this earth-shattering S-Rank mission.
He looked at Toru Kujyo. The man remained calm, as though an S-Rank mission was no different from a walk in the park. Suddenly, Shino felt that his ideas about the ANBU had been rather ridiculous.
Following a captain like him might... be more interesting than being in the ANBU.
Half an hour later, Team 8 stood at Konoha's gates, fully equipped and ready to depart.
The atmosphere among them had completely changed. Their earlier distance and suspicion had vanished, replaced by a team's shared understanding and resolve.
"Hey,