That line from the night before—"Thank goodness you weren't on the battlefield"—was like a seed that quietly took root in Chigen's heart.
He didn't know how much of it had been pity, how much guilt, and how much… something else entirely.
But the next morning, when Tsunade showed up at the table with dark circles under her eyes and a sleepy, unfocused look, Chigen still caught a trace of discomfort in the way she deliberately avoided his gaze.
Shizune busied herself setting out bowls and chopsticks at the side, stealing glances at the two of them now and then, her expression… complicated.
After last night's conversation—one that hadn't quite reached true understanding—the atmosphere in the house had become subtly strange.
And then—
Shff.
Two masked figures appeared in the courtyard in an instant.
"Sakuya Chigen. The Hokage has summoned you—urgent."
The ANBU's voice was as cold and emotionless as ever.
Tsunade's chopsticks froze midair. She lifted her head toward them, frowning hard.
Another urgent summons.
In wartime, those words were often tied to death.
Chigen set his bowl down, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and stood.
"Understood."
He slipped on his green chūnin flak jacket, walked to the entryway, changed into his sandals, and prepared to leave.
"Hey."
Tsunade's voice came from behind.
Chigen turned back to see her standing as well, arms crossed. Her face wore its usual proud look—but in her eyes was a sliver of worry she didn't even realize she was showing.
"Go. And come back quickly," she said.
Chigen looked at her and suddenly smiled.
"What, you worried about me?"
Heat rose faintly to Tsunade's cheeks. She immediately turned her head away.
"Wh—who's worried about you?! I'm just saying if you die out there, nobody's paying back my fifty-thousand ryō promissory note!"
"Oh?"
Chigen walked back toward her step by step, leaned close to her ear, and lowered his voice.
"Then should I write you another note for a hundred thousand ryō? So you'll worry even more?"
His warm breath brushed her ear. Tsunade stiffened, and the tips of her ears reddened visibly.
"Y-you… get lost!"
Flustered and furious, she raised a fist like she was going to deck him.
But Chigen caught her wrist first. He didn't use force—he simply held it lightly.
He looked into her eyes. Those half-lidded eyes of his that always seemed faintly tired were, right now, more serious than she'd ever seen.
"Relax."
He let go and straightened his collar.
"I said I'm going to live to a natural old age. And besides…"
He paused, and the curve of his mouth turned shameless again.
"I'm going to live and live and live—because I still have to marry you."
With that, he didn't spare another glance at Tsunade's face—now completely red—turned around, and strode off with the ANBU.
Only Tsunade and Shizune remained in the courtyard.
Shizune stared at her teacher's dazed, hollow look and spoke in a small voice.
"Lady Tsunade… he just said… he wants to marry you?"
Tsunade snapped back like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, barking at Shizune.
"He's talking nonsense! What does a brat even know?! Eat! If you've got time to talk, use it to stuff your mouth!"
She sat back down in a huff and grabbed her chopsticks—
Only to realize her hand was trembling slightly.
---
The Hokage's Office.
The moment Chigen stepped inside, he felt it—the heavy atmosphere in the room, thick enough to make it hard to breathe.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk with an unlit pipe between his lips, his brows twisted into a deep furrow.
Minato stood off to the side, wearing a level of seriousness Chigen had never seen on him before.
And behind Minato stood his three students.
Kakashi Hatake—recently promoted to jōnin—still looked as cold as ever, but there was now a harsher edge to him: the scent of the battlefield.
Obito stood beside him with his hands in his pockets, trying to act like he didn't care. But his slightly trembling legs betrayed how nervous he truly was.
Rin stood at the back, hands clasped before her, worry written all over her face.
Team Minato—present and accounted for.
And now, with Chigen included…
Chigen's heart sank.
A bad feeling crawled up his spine.
"Chigen. You're here."
Hiruzen lifted his head and gestured for him to stand beside Minato's team.
Chigen complied, taking a position next to Obito.
Obito flicked a quick glance at him—then immediately snapped his gaze away again, as if he was a little afraid of him.
"Everyone's here," Hiruzen said, his voice hoarse and heavy.
"I've called you because there is an urgent S-rank mission that requires your completion."
S-rank.
Obito and Rin's breathing hitched at once.
"As you already know, Iwagakure has launched a full-scale invasion of the Land of Grass. Our situation on the front lines is extremely unfavorable."
Hiruzen rose, walked to the map, and pointed at a location within the Land of Grass.
"Iwagakure's supplies and logistics are being transported steadily to the front via their supply line. If we don't cut that line, we won't turn this battle around."
He picked up a red pen and circled an area on the map.
"According to intelligence, Iwagakure's most critical transport point is here."
He spoke the name slowly.
"Kannabi Bridge."
The moment those four words left Hiruzen's mouth, Chigen felt his blood nearly freeze.
Kannabi Bridge…
So it's near...
Obito Uchiha's "death." The origin of Kakashi's Sharingan. Rin being made into the Three-Tails' vessel…
So many future tragedies began there.
Chigen had always believed he could sidestep this cursed storyline—live quietly, safely, and eventually win Tsunade over.
But now, fate was like an invisible hand, shoving him—hard—straight into the most crucial, and most lethal, vortex of them all.
Hiruzen's voice continued, unwavering.
"This mission will be commanded by Minato Namikaze."
"Minato, you will lead Sakuya Chigen to the front lines to carry out a feint—draw the enemy's main forces and hold their attention."
"While you do so, Kakashi Hatake will serve as squad leader. He will lead Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara as a strike team, infiltrate behind enemy lines, and execute the final demolition."
"The objective: completely destroy Kannabi Bridge."
"This is the decisive battle that will determine victory or defeat on the Grass front."
"Failure is not an option."
The office fell so quiet a pin drop would have been deafening.
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin all felt the crushing weight of the responsibility that had been dumped on them without warning.
Only Chigen's mind went blank.
His gaze drifted uncontrollably to Obito at his side—
A boy who was still nervous now, still dreaming of becoming a hero.
A boy who, in this mission, would be crushed under a boulder, and then watch the girl he loved die by his best friend's hand.
A boy who would ultimately fall into darkness and become the masked man who shook the entire shinobi world.
Chigen's hand clenched into a fist inside his sleeve.
His throat felt painfully dry.