Early the next morning, two Anbu assignment orders arrived right on schedule.
One went to Tsunade, the other to Amamiya Maki.
The orders were brief and direct, without a word wasted.
Effective immediately, the two were temporarily assigned to an Anbu special operations squad.
Mission rank: A.
Mission objective: relief operation in the Land of Whirlpools.
Tsunade was granted full command of the operation. None of its details were to be disclosed to regular ninja outside the unit.
"Even the Anbu orders are here. The old man really is getting desperate."
Tsunade held the orders between her fingers, her gaze grave.
"Anbu status means we have the authority to act first and report afterward."
"Anyone who obstructs us during the mission, regardless of nationality or status, can be suppressed on the spot."
"For the Hokage to delegate that kind of power means he's already prepared for the worst."
Maki said nothing more. He calmly folded the orders and tucked them safely into his pocket.
Tsunade slapped her own orders onto the desk and immediately laid down three ironclad rules.
"First, we must preserve Taobo as an intelligence channel."
"He's been exposed, but Kirigakure doesn't know that yet. Have someone keep him under control and send him back undercover to feed them information."
"We'll draft all the intelligence ourselves, mixing truth with lies. The more vague and confusing it is, the longer Kirigakure will take to make decisions."
"That crucial window is exactly what we need."
"Second, warn the Uzumaki Clan in advance."
Tsunade turned toward Mito Uzumaki, who sat quietly by the window.
Tsunade had personally invited Mito over that morning.
She was Konoha's most senior Uzumaki and, at this moment, the only person who could earn the Land of Whirlpools' complete trust.
She sat quietly by the window, having