Returning to the Village to Report

Morning mist drifted over the mountains and fields, and the forest breeze carried the scent of grass and trees unique to Konoha.

After two days and nights of nonstop travel, Team 7 finally caught sight of Konoha in the distance, nestled among the mountains. The towering face of Hokage Rock stood clearly in view, with rows of homes scattered below it and cooking smoke rising gently into the air-a scene of peace and stability.

Yet as Kakashi walked along the forest path, there was not the slightest ease of homecoming in his eyes. In its place was a heavy solemnity.

Seemingly peaceful Konoha had quietly gone on full alert ever since intelligence about the Land of Waves rift incident had reached it.

"We're finally back! Nothing beats being in the village!" Naruto stretched at length, all the fatigue of the journey swept away, his face brimming with excitement. "Once we turn in the mission, I'm definitely going to Ichiraku for an extra-large bowl of ramen!"

Sakura carefully straightened the mission files and sealing scrolls in her hands. Sealed inside were all the key pieces of physical evidence, including the sea beast's corpse, the pirates' belongings, and fragments of cursed objects. Her expression was cautious, and she did not dare relax at all. "This mission was far more unusual than any before it. We have to report immediately and await Lord Hokage's decision."

Sasuke gazed steadily toward Konoha, his heart filled with urgency. The battle in the Land of Waves had utterly shattered his established understanding. Worlds beyond their own, bizarre powers, and an insurmountable gap in strength had made him realize that the Shinobi World had never been a sheltered cage. A true age of turmoil had already quietly arrived.

Only Lin Chen, walking at the very front, remained calm, his steps unhurried.

Throughout the journey, he had kept his Spirit Vision active and could clearly sense the subtle changes around Konoha. Countless concealed barrier fluctuations and sensory chakra signatures had appeared in the forests, river valleys, and underground recesses outside the village. Anbu presences lay hidden everywhere, monitoring the surrounding area for spatial disturbances around the clock.

The emergency defenses the Third had ordered after receiving the intelligence were now fully in place.

"Everyone, straighten your clothing here and secure the evidence. Once we enter the village, we'll go straight to the Hokage office building. No one is to discuss any details of this mission without authorization at any point." Kakashi stopped and turned, his expression stern as he instructed them. "This incident has been classified as a top-level Konoha secret. Anyone who leaks it will be treated as a rogue ninja."

Naruto and Sakura froze, then quickly stopped fooling around and nodded solemnly. Even the aloof Sasuke grew tense.

They had never faced such strict confidentiality rules after returning from an ordinary C-rank mission. That alone was enough to prove that the other-dimensional disturbance in the Land of Waves had already shaken Konoha's foundations.

Once everyone had finished straightening up, they headed directly through Konoha's main gate.

On ordinary days, the Chunin guarding the gate merely asked a few routine questions, but today they were exceptionally meticulous. Two Anbu Ninja hid in the shadows beside the gate, their sharp gazes sweeping over the group and lingering especially long on the sealing scrolls containing the evidence. Only after confirming that everything was in order did they let them through, silent and solemn throughout.

The village seemed unchanged, with vendors calling out their wares, pedestrians passing by, and children playing. Yet the tension concealed beneath that peaceful surface was everywhere.

Two-person Anbu patrols were visible all along the way. They exchanged no idle conversation and moved briskly, continuously extending their sensory chakra as they focused their inspections on spatially weak areas such as the village outskirts, waterways, and woods. More Jonin had also been stationed outside the Ninja Academy, clearly to respond to sudden other-dimensional crises and protect the village's next generation of fighters.

"Has Konoha... put everyone on alert?" Naruto had noticed something was wrong as well and lowered his voice to ask in confusion.

Kakashi nodded slightly, his voice low. "The rift disturbances are a serious matter. The village has to prepare in advance and prevent trouble before it happens. A lot of rules will change from here on. Get used to them as quickly as you can."

Without another word along the way, they quickly reached the Hokage office building.

Unlike its usual quiet ease, the office building's atmosphere was intensely oppressive today. Senior officials and Anbu hurried through the corridors everywhere, streams of encrypted intelligence were constantly passed along, and emergency orders were issued down through the ranks. Konoha's entire operational system had accelerated to meet the threat from other worlds.

When they reached the office door, two Root ninja stood ramrod straight outside, their presence chilling.

"Captain Kakashi, the three students are to wait outside until the mission debriefing is over. Lin Chen, come inside with me." The Root ninja spoke without expression, directly assigning them different arrangements.

Clearly, the senior leadership had already settled the order of questioning. Naruto and the other two had merely participated in the mission. Lin Chen, who had personally led the suppression of the otherworldly disaster and was the only one who understood the nature of other-dimensional powers, was the true focus of this report.

Though Naruto and Sakura were puzzled, they obediently stopped to wait. A faint light flickered in Sasuke's eyes as he instantly understood that Lin Chen's importance in the eyes of Konoha High Command already far surpassed that of an ordinary Genin of the new generation.

Kakashi glanced at Lin Chen, gave him a slight nod, and pushed the door open first.

Inside the office, the Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat upright in the Hokage's chair, his expression solemn. His pipe rested quietly to one side, with no trace of leisure about him. Several senior Konoha elders stood on either side, their faces grave and their gazes sharp. The air was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

A complete topographical map lay spread across the floor. Coastlines, valleys, caverns, and ancient battlefields throughout the Land of Fire were all marked on it. Dense red dots covered the map, each one a spatial weak point identified by Konoha's screening. Beside every red dot were the assigned patrol squad and alert level.

"Kakashi, recount the mission in full detail," the Third said, his voice steady but carrying unquestionable authority.

Kakashi bowed in greeting and concealed nothing. From the initial abnormalities among the Land of Waves villagers and Gato's strange cargo, to Seastone suppressing chakra and cursed spirits breeding and wreaking havoc, then the opening of the spatial rift, the strange beasts and pirates pouring out, and Lin Chen suppressing every crisis throughout, he recounted the entire course of events, word by word.

He went into particular detail about Lin Chen's bizarre abilities: breaking Seastone's suppression with his bare hands, devouring cursed spirits, plundering other-dimensional essence, and instantly killing a high-tier mutated sea beast.

When the report ended, the office fell deathly silent.

After a long while, one elder spoke gravely. "Without relying on chakra or forming ninjutsu, he can devour alien powers that suppress chakra and purify malevolent spirits... This boy's abilities happen to counter every threat from beyond our world perfectly."

"That is precisely why we must be even more cautious." Another elder's brows knitted tightly. "Unknown power is the most dangerous of all. No one knows its limits, and no one knows its price."

As the others discussed, the Third slowly turned his gaze toward Lin Chen, who stood quietly to one side. His tone was gentle, but held deeper meaning. "Lin Chen, you've encountered powers from beyond our world several times, and you're also the only person capable of resolving these other-dimensional crises. What is your view of this spatial disturbance? More rifts and enemies of the same kind will very likely appear."

Lin Chen remained calm, neither servile nor overbearing, and spoke plainly. "The rifts are caused by the breaking of the world's barriers. The merging will only accelerate; it won't stop. More objects that suppress ninjutsu, physically powerful warriors from other worlds, and spirits that survive on negative emotions will invade the Shinobi World. Conventional ninjutsu is ineffective against some otherworldly creatures. Relying solely on our current fighting strength will make it very difficult to establish comprehensive defenses."

His words were objective and clear-sighted, without the slightest exaggeration or concealment, and struck precisely at the heart of their current predicament.

A trace of approval flashed in the Third's eyes, and he nodded slightly. "What you say is true. That is why Konoha has activated a territory-wide emergency plan."

He raised a hand toward the topographical map on the floor and slowly announced Konoha's full deployment against otherworldly threats. "First, defenses will be established at every spatial weak point throughout the Land of Fire. Twenty Anbu patrol squads will rotate around the clock, equipped with specially designed sensory barriers. Any disturbances will be reported immediately."

"Second, the Disaster Response Squad will be established immediately, led by Kakashi, whom you know well. Kurenai Yuhi, Might Guy, and Shizune will all be assigned to it, specifically to handle beasts from the rifts, invaders from other worlds, and strange spirits."

"Third, the research and medical departments will work together to seal away and analyze Seastone, cursed objects, and the bodies of strange beasts, developing protective equipment and purifying Sealing Jutsu to address the shortcomings of the ninja system."

"Fourth, the Ninja Academy's curriculum will undergo an emergency revision, adding a compulsory course on responding to other-dimensional threats. Every ninja of the new generation must master basic tactics for fighting enemies from beyond our world. At the same time, the upcoming Chunin Ninja Exams will include a simulated otherworldly testing ground to select elite fighters suited to an age of turmoil."

Each measure was orderly and built upon the last, making it clear that Konoha High Command had already finalized every response strategy overnight. They were no longer passively reacting to crises, but taking the initiative and preparing for battle in advance.

After laying out the core deployments, the Third looked at Lin Chen and presented the final, most crucial arrangement. "On behalf of Konoha, I grant you special-grade cooperation authority. At any otherworldly disaster site, you may freely requisition Anbu supplies, sealing barriers, and medical resources. You will not be subject to compulsory deployment or assigned to any squad, and you will retain freedom of action. But when a high-risk rift crisis of level two or above occurs, I hope you will lend your aid and protect Konoha."

This was special treatment without precedent in Konoha.

It fully acknowledged Lin Chen's top-tier fighting strength and his crucial value in countering other-dimensional threats, granting him the highest level of support without forcibly restricting his freedom. By minimizing the internal friction caused by attempts to check and suppress him, it was the safest and wisest choice under the circumstances.

"I agree," Lin Chen answered calmly.

He already needed frequent contact with rifts to reap other-dimensional opportunities. Konoha's territory-wide defenses could help him screen crises, pinpoint resources, and clear out minor nuisances, saving him a great deal of scouting time. For him, this special-grade authority offered far more advantages than disadvantages.

Just as their conversation drew to a close, an urgent intelligence report suddenly arrived in the office.

"Lord Hokage! Urgent report! A small level-two spatial rift has suddenly appeared in the forests along the western border! Several high-tier mutated beasts have emerged, along with three physically powerful martial artists from another world. The Anbu squad has been pinned down and requests reinforcements!"