Kakashi took the scroll that Tenzo handed him and immediately put it away.
He then looked at Shinji and said, "Kyouka, your assessment mission has passed."
"Understood, Captain." Shinji nodded, feeling nothing in particular.
Although it was his first mission in a long time, and he had harvested a group of lives, for Shinji, these were just necessary processes for a ninja.
Itachi, who was beside him, stopped recording and stood up to hand the scroll to Kakashi. "Captain, this is the intel we extracted from the bandit leader."
Kakashi took the scroll and began to examine it. After a long while, he solemnly put it away and looked at Tenzo beside him, saying, "Tenzo, you will continue your mission with Squad Six. For intel issues, you can first consult with Weasel."
"I'm returning to the village now to report to Hokage-sama, and I'll catch up later."
"Yes, Captain."
Tenzo nodded, then waved his hand, and the Anbu of Squad Six instantly vanished from their original positions.
Shinji, meanwhile, turned to look at Kakashi, as he did not belong to Squad Six.
"Let's go, we need to head back now. We can't delay."
Kakashi, seemingly shocked by the recent intel, spoke, then took a step and vanished from his original spot.
"He really can't stop for a moment." Shinji muttered to himself, then immediately followed Kakashi.
Behind them, the bandit stronghold exploded. Shinji didn't stop, only turning his head to look. He saw the entire stronghold being ravaged by raging flames. In probably less than half an hour, this stronghold would turn to dust.
— — —
When Shinji and Kakashi saw the gates of Konoha again, the sky had already begun to lighten slightly.
At this time, the Konoha gates were open. Kakashi and Shinji rushed straight in.
The gatekeepers, who were just about to intercept them, hadn't even had time to speak when they saw a kunai shoot into a wooden board.
Looking closely, a village entry permit was pinned there.
Kotetsu scratched his head helplessly, speaking with a sigh, "This senpai, it's like this every time."
"It's not the first time, get used to it."
Izumo, who was guarding the gate with Kotetsu, said indifferently while laboriously pulling the kunai out of the wooden board.
...
Shinji followed Kakashi, running swiftly across the rooftops, heading towards the Hokage Building.
Does the Hokage not rest? Would he be in the Hokage Office at this hour?
Shinji, who rarely returned to the village to report missions at this time, wondered.
Perhaps sensing Shinji's confusion, Kakashi, who was sprinting ahead, turned his head and said, "Anbu performing missions don't need to go through the mission department, they report directly to the Hokage."
Before Shinji could respond, the two had already arrived on the rooftop of the Hokage Building.
Shinji turned his head and looked around, sensing several people hidden in the shadows but paying them no mind.
Following behind Kakashi, they entered the Hokage Building directly from the rooftop. They went straight to the outside of the Hokage Office. Kakashi then reached out and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Upon receiving a response, Kakashi led Shinji inside.
Upon entering, they saw Hiruzen rubbing his temples, looking very tired.
Shinji and Kakashi didn't speak. They just removed their masks and stood in front of the desk, waiting.
Hiruzen took a long time to recover. Seeing the two young men in front of him, he smiled and spoke, "It's Kakashi and Shinji."
"Hokage-sama." Shinji and Kakashi quickly replied in unison.
Kakashi said, "Hokage-sama, this is the intel gathered from this mission and the supplies obtained from the bandit stronghold."
Kakashi handed over two scrolls, placing them on the desk.
Hiruzen nodded and reached for the scroll containing the intel. As he read through the lines, his brows gradually furrowed.
He had initially thought it was just ordinary smuggling and illicit trading, but this intel, clearly extracted from the bandit leader, indicated a connection with the neighboring Land of Rice Fields.
"Kakashi, what do you think?" Hiruzen asked, without even raising his head.
Kakashi, being asked, first glanced at Shinji beside him.
Shinji, receiving the signal, naturally wouldn't lack discernment. After bowing to Hiruzen, he intended to leave the Hokage Office. As a quasi-Anbu, he shouldn't stay here, and he genuinely wasn't interested in such matters.
Hiruzen, who hadn't received a reply from Kakashi for a long time, looked up. When he saw Shinji about to leave, he quickly spoke, "Shinji, stay. This matter is, after all, part of your assessment mission."
Hearing this, Shinji could only obediently return to his original position.
Kakashi said, "Hokage-sama, Tenzo confirmed the supplies. Although the markings were deliberately erased, some of the supplies inside are indeed from the village. The other items all point to the Land of Rice Fields."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed upon hearing this, feeling that the early morning drowsiness had been completely dispelled by this report.
Leaving aside the supplies from the Land of Rice Fields for now, the fact that Konoha's supplies had appeared in a bandit stronghold was concerning. There was a rat in the village, and this rat was not so simple.
The Administration Department.
It could be said that the Administration Department has always assisted the Hokage's work and served as a bridge for communication between the Land of Fire and Konoha. More importantly, it managed the finances and material resources allocated to the village by the Land of Fire.
Almost all expenditures and provisions, big and small, in the village needed to be approved by the Administration Department before they could be used.
Hiruzen hesitated for a moment before saying, "Kakashi, go summon the Konoha Council and Shikaku."
"Yes." Kakashi nodded, then instantly vanished.
Once Kakashi left, Hiruzen's gaze turned to Shinji and he said, "Shinji, your assessment was successful. Congratulations on joining the Anbu."
Shinji bowed in response and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen glanced at the clock hanging in the Hokage Office and said, "This mission needs to be classified as top secret, and it's getting late. You should go home and rest first, then attend class in the afternoon."
Worried that Shinji might be unaccustomed to the long journey, Hiruzen even prepared to let him rest at home for the entire morning.
Shinji smilingly declined Hiruzen's kind offer, "No need, Hokage-sama, this is what I should do. I'll take my leave now."
Good heavens, if I don't attend this class, where will I get my reward?
Hiruzen was stunned to hear this, then nodded.
This was also good, as Konoha's teaching staff was currently a bit short-staffed.
If Shinji rested for a morning, Hiruzen would have to coordinate with other teachers.
Hiruzen said with a chuckle, "Alright, then work hard. I'll issue a document to increase your salary later."
Shinji naturally had no objections, and the smile on his face became even more sincere. "Okay, thank you, Hokage-sama."