Konohagakure, atop the Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, clad in the Hokage ceremonial robes and donning the signature Hokage hat, stood at the railing, gazing out over the village of Konoha.
Beside him, perched casually on the railing, was Rinjin, cracking sunflower seeds with a steady rhythm. The shells scattered all over the ground beneath him.
Technically, this wasn't public littering—it was the Hokage Tower, a private space, after all.
The constant crack-crack of the seeds being split open was starting to get on Hiruzen's nerves. His lips twitched ever so slightly, and he let out a helpless sigh.
This man had just conned him out of a significant sum of money—again.
The worst part? Hiruzen had handed it over willingly.
Just half an hour ago, Rinjin had unexpectedly returned to the village from the frontlines. He had sought out Hiruzen, claiming he wanted to discuss something "pleasant."
Then Rinjin made his offer: he could single-handedly intercept and neutralize the Sunagakure assault squad.
If that were all, Hiruzen would have refused outright without hesitation.
But Rinjin had added one crucial detail: he wanted only money—no credit, no recognition.
When Hiruzen heard this, he was tempted.
To be honest, though he was still in his forties and in his prime, the selection for the next Hokage was already quietly underway.
What did this mean?
It meant that every ambitious young shinobi was eager to make a name for themselves, to achieve glory and fame.
And in times like these, battlefield achievements meant everything.
War wasn't the goal; it was the means to countless ends.
This was precisely why Hiruzen tolerated Rinjin and his clan's rebellious antics within the village.
It was why Danzo Shimura swallowed his grievances without retaliation, even after being outmaneuvered by Rinjin time and again.
It was why the Konoha higher-ups turned a blind eye to Rii's departure from the village, Shoda's slacking off, and Fugaku's dissemination of questionable ideologies.
It was also why the ever-shrewd Shikajika Nara had entrusted three young genin to Rinjin's care.
...
Having the ability to flip the metaphorical table was a given.
But the key was knowing when to stop.
Rinjin knew exactly where to draw the line. He avoided anything that crossed the village's bottom line but pushed every other boundary to its limit.
For instance, he had no interest in power or fame, the very things that defined Konoha's core values.
But when it came to money? He practically lived in Hiruzen's wallet.
He had mastered the art of moderation to perfection.
It was this very trait that had made Hiruzen trust him initially, only for that trust to evolve into a cautious wariness over time.
Rinjin's methods were too polished, too calculated.
He never crossed the line, but he danced dangerously close to it with reckless abandon.
As Hiruzen stood there, his face a mask of exasperation, the sound of footsteps echoed from the stairway leading to the rooftop.
Five men, all wearing the green flak jackets of Konoha jonin, emerged. Leading them was none other than Sakumo Hatake, his silver hair gleaming in the sunlight.
The moment Rinjin saw Sakumo, a wide grin spread across his face.
"Yo~! Long time no see, Dog Bro!"
The words had barely left his mouth when Sakumo visibly shivered. The hair on his arms stood on end as he blurted out in rapid-fire:
"I didn't bring any books! I'm not reading anything these days! I'm getting married soon! Don't say anything weird!"
"..."
Rinjin's grin froze mid-expression.
Wait, what?
This guy, the reigning champion of social awkwardness, managed to find someone to marry?
After a brief pause, Rinjin's lips twitched, and he muttered under his breath:
"Don't worry, I'll definitely attend your wedding. I just have to see for myself who's blind enough to marry you."
Sakumo's face turned pitch black at that.
This guy hadn't changed one bit since their childhood. That mouth of his was as sharp as ever!
Before Sakumo could retort, a soft cough interrupted them.
"Alright, there will be plenty of time for catching up later. For now, you need to set out immediately to intercept Sunagakure's assault squad!" Hiruzen's voice carried authority, cutting through the tension.
Sakumo instantly pushed aside his personal thoughts, nodding firmly.
Normally, a mission like this wouldn't have fallen to him, but with Jiraiya unable to mobilize quickly, the task had landed in his lap.
For Sakumo, this was both an opportunity and a challenge.
His five-man team, all jonin, would be joined by Rinjin, making six in total.
But the Sunagakure assault squad was estimated to number over a hundred.
As this thought crossed his mind, Sakumo's gaze drifted to Rinjin, who was still casually munching on sunflower seeds.
It was probably because of this guy's presence that the Third Hokage had assigned such a small team.
As someone who had once been tasked with monitoring Rinjin as part of the ANBU, Sakumo could be considered an unconventional childhood friend of his. It was precisely because of this history that Sakumo had a deep understanding of Rinjin's capabilities.
To put it bluntly, Rinjin was the kind of anomaly who operated entirely outside the bounds of the ninja code...
...
The interception team set out swiftly.
From the team composition alone, it was clear this was a one-way ticket.
First, there was no medical-nin on the team. Every slot had been allocated to combat specialists.
Second, instead of a Hyuga for reconnaissance, they had a nondescript civilian ninja.
Finally, none of the team members came from prominent clans.
It was evident that everyone on the team understood the peril of the mission. Each wore a grim expression, as if mourning their own fate.
Except for Rinjin, who continued to munch on snacks as they traveled, leaving a trail of sunflower seed shells in his wake.
By midday, Sakumo's team had reached the Tōrakuji Bridge in the southern region of Konoha.
Thanks to the Fire Country's extensive intelligence network, Sakumo had learned that Sunagakure's assault squad would arrive at the bridge within the hour.
Gazing at the bridge, Sakumo was the first to descend from the trees, followed by the rest of the team.
"Captain, what's the plan?" one of the team members asked.
Sakumo didn't respond immediately. His eyes scanned the bridge through the sparse foliage.
The bridge wasn't particularly long or wide, and the stream beneath it was barely knee-deep.
Whoever built this bridge must have been out of their mind.
Suppressing his urge to complain, Sakumo glanced at his team members and murmured:
"Another tough battle lies ahead. I wonder how many of us will make it out alive."
As he frowned in thought, Rinjin, standing beside him, suddenly unsheathed the short blade strapped to his back.
The movement caught Sakumo's attention instantly. Without hesitation, he formed a single-handed seal.
Body Flicker Technique!
In the blink of an eye, Sakumo reappeared on a nearby tree branch, his right hand protectively covering his ninja tool pouch.
Rinjin froze for a moment before a sly grin spread across his face.
Well, well. That reaction was a bit excessive, wasn't it?
Could it be... that there's something shady in that pouch of yours?
Come on, let me take a look~
Cold sweat broke out on Sakumo's back as he realized his mistake. His lips twitched uncontrollably.
Damn it! My reaction was too obvious. Now this bastard is onto me!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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