After getting rid of Orochimaru's quartet, Li Shang chose not to draw attention. He maintained a discreet routine – alternating between cultivation and periods of rest. The energy he had absorbed from the four was vast, wild, and required constant refinement.
Weeks passed, and he felt that control over his power was gradually returning.
Now, steam lazily rose from his small private hot spring, the sound of bubbling water filling the silent environment. Li Shang was relaxed, eyes half-closed, feeling the flow of Yuan Qi circulate steadily in his body.
'I still haven't refined all the energy, but at least it's no longer out of control.'
It was then that a soft voice interrupted the silence.
"Sir, a summons has arrived for you."
The maid approached respectfully and handed him a towel. Li Shang opened his eyes, calmly rose, and accepted it.
'Official summons... it must be something big.'
The Hokage's office was crowded when he arrived. He was the last. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were already standing, accompanied by Kakashi, Gai, Lee, and Tenten.
"Neji, why don't you come train with me anymore?" asked Naruto, always agitated, a wide smile on his face.
Li Shang glanced, assessing the boy. 'I see he's calmer... Jiraiya is doing a good job.'
He didn't answer, just smiled discreetly before meeting Sasuke's gaze. The Uchiha maintained his cold expression but looked away an instant later.
'I see he's calmer... Kakashi is doing a good job.'
The sound of the table being struck made everyone turn.
"Listen, everyone!" Tsunade's firm voice filled the room. "I have summoned Team 7 and Team 9 for a mission of utmost importance. Failure is not an option."
The atmosphere changed. The Hokage's tone left no room for interpretation.
"After the attack on Konoha," she continued, "the surviving members of Sunagakure are in the village's custody. However, the diplomatic situation is complicated. We have reached an agreement... and you will be responsible for ensuring the safety of the One-Tailed Jinchuuriki on his way back to Suna."
A brief silence fell over the room. Even Naruto stopped moving.
Li Shang raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Isn't that... too easy for them?"
All eyes turned to him. Tsunade stared at him. "Continue."
Li Shang crossed his arms, looking directly at her. "They attacked us, lost their strategic weapon, and now we are escorting that same weapon back. That doesn't seem like an agreement... it seems like charity."
The silence that followed was thick.
Sasuke watched him from the side, intrigued. Lee frowned, not fully understanding, and Kakashi merely observed, as if awaiting the Hokage's response with genuine interest.
Tsunade took a deep breath, resting her elbows on the table. "It's not about charity, Neji Hyuuga. The Council and the Daimyōs demanded a demonstration of stability. We need to rebuild alliances, not generate more wars. The capture of Suna's Jinchuuriki created a political crisis, and the only way to prevent another conflict is this handover."
Li Shang maintained a steady gaze. 'Politics... so the balance of power between the villages is more important than Konoha's pride. It makes sense.'
"Furthermore, Kumo and Iwa are testing forces on the borders. If the situation with Suna escalates, we will face an attack from three fronts."
Tsunade's words echoed in the room, heavy. Her gaze passed over each face present, assessing reactions, measuring the degree of understanding.
Li Shang remained silent for a few moments, reflecting on the political landscape. 'So strength is a double-edged sword. The stronger Konoha is, the more the other villages unite against it.'
"I understand," he finally replied, in a calm tone. "Apparently, being the strongest shinobi village makes us a target."
Tsunade nodded, satisfied with his comprehension. "Exactly. Power is responsibility, Neji. The greater it is, the more covetousness it awakens."
There was a brief silence before she returned to her authoritative posture. "Be ready in half an hour... dismissed."
Everyone nodded and began to leave, the sound of sandals echoing on the wooden floor.
Li Shang, however, did not move.
Tsunade noticed his hesitation and raised an eyebrow. "Do you need something, Neji?"
The young Hyuuga bowed slightly, his tone respectful. "Hokage-sama, may I ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
"I would like to know the location of the Shikkotsu Forest."
The name made Tsunade pause. She stared at him with genuine surprise, trying to understand why a chunin—even a prodigy like him—would seek one of the most dangerous and restricted places on the continent.
"You... are looking for a summons?"
"That's right."
The answer came without hesitation, but Tsunade noticed something different in his voice. There was not the typical enthusiasm of a young ninja seeking a summoning contract. She studied Li Shang's serene expression and, for a brief instant, felt the same imposing presence she had noticed on the day of the medical evaluation—as if that boy carried something vast and unfathomable within him.
"Why Shikkotsu?"
"I've heard it's a place full of special creatures," he replied without changing his tone.
Tsunade crossed her arms. After a moment of silence, she spoke in a careful tone. "The Shikkotsu Forest is not an ordinary place. It is a living territory, full of ancient beings. It is there that the slugs of the Katsuyu Contract, my summons, are found. Few return from there."
Li Shang maintained a steady gaze. "I understand the risks, Hokage-sama. But that's exactly why I want to go."
'Actually, I don't want a summons. The two beasts I created have reached the Fifth Order... but they have stagnated. If they remain in the Forest of Death, they will devour everything alive. They need a new territory for them.'
"Complete your mission perfectly and, in return, when you return, I can use reverse summoning and accompany you."
Tsunade's words cut through the air like a promise disguised as a challenge.
Li Shang was silent for a moment, analyzing the firm gaze of the woman in front of him. The Hokage studied him carefully, which was no surprise—since he had awakened the new doujutsu, eyes on him had become frequent, especially within the clan.
'Reverse summoning... she wants to go with me to Shikkotsu Forest?'
His reasoning was quick. Tsunade was not the type of person to offer something without reason. She wanted to observe him closely.
"I understand," he replied, bowing slightly. "I will complete the mission perfectly."
His calm and controlled tone only reinforced the Hokage's curiosity. She crossed her arms and watched him leave the room, his cloak moving with the breeze that entered through the open window.
For a few seconds, Tsunade remained still, her eyes half-closed, deep in thought.
'Since I took office, the Hyuuga clan has been acting... differently. Hiashi avoids public meetings, the elders have become more reserved, and now they have placed restrictions even on where this boy can go.'
She remembered recent discussions with the Council. Hiashi had been surprisingly protective of his nephew, even demanding direct supervision of any mission involving Neji.
'Too much protection is the same as hiding something.'
Tsunade inhaled deeply, resting her hands on the table. "Something is wrong with this boy... or with the entire clan."
Shizune, who had been observing in silence near the door, approached hesitantly. "Tsunade-sama, do you think the Hyuuga clan is plotting something?"
"I'm not sure," she replied, her voice filled with suspicion. "But their behavior since the chunin exam is strange. Hiashi has always been strict, but never... obsessed."
Shizune frowned. "Then why let him go on such an important mission?"
The Hokage smiled faintly. "Precisely for that reason. I want to see how far they will go."
She turned, her gaze returning to the window. From the top of the tower, she could see much of the village rebuilding. The distant sound of hammers and footsteps filled the air—Konoha was reborn from the ashes, but the internal shadows grew with it.
'If the Hyuuga clan is hiding something, I will find out.'