Chapter 287: Konan’s Surprise!

Kitazawa and Ino had agreed to meet at nine in the morning.

After wrapping up his ANBU duties, he glanced at the clock, barely 8:30. Plenty of time. He left the base and began walking home.

As before, Kurenai would be accompanying him on the mission. Leaving her home alone was… well, a little dull for both of them.

Before he even reached the gate, the door next door creaked open.

Tsunade stood there, leaning casually against the frame, arms crossed, her golden hair glinting in the morning light.

“Not heading to the Land of Waves yet?” she asked.

“Departure’s at nine,” Kitazawa replied. “Just came from the ANBU office.”

Tsunade’s eyes flicked briefly in understanding. He was here for Kurenai.

“Be careful on the road,” she said after a short pause. “I’m off to the Hokage’s Office.”

Without waiting for an answer, she turned and strode away, her silhouette graceful yet commanding.

“Lady Tsunade, wait for me!”

Shizune called out, quickly scooping up Tonton before bowing politely to Kitazawa and hurrying after her sensei.

Just then, Kurenai stepped into the doorway, having heard voices outside.

“I ran into Tsunade-sensei and Shizune-senpai,” Kitazawa explained with a small smile. “By the way, why haven’t you changed yet?”

Kurenai blinked. She was still dressed in the same white yukata from the night before, patterned with faint pink flowers, simple, elegant, and faintly charming.

“No need to rush.”

At home, she always preferred the comfort of loose robes or yukatas.

Kitazawa’s lips curved slightly. “Need a hand getting dressed?”

Kurenai gave him a sharp glare. “What are you thinking? We’re supposed to be at the Academy by nine. We’ve got barely half an hour!”

He chuckled softly. “I wasn’t thinking anything. You’re the one who read into it.”

He gave her a light pat on the hip. “Do I look like someone who doesn’t keep track of time?”

Her body tensed instantly, a faint shiver running through her.

“Who told you to ask such misleading questions?” she muttered, flustered.

“Come on,” he said, taking her hand and leading her inside. “Don’t waste time. Change, and we’ll head out together.”

As the door closed behind them, Kurenai shot him a teasing glance. “You really do intend to help me change, don’t you?”

“Why not?” Kitazawa said evenly. “It’s just clothes, what’s the big deal?”

Before she could respond, he gently tugged at the edge of her yukata. The soft fabric slid down, pooling at her feet, and her pale skin caught the morning light.

Kitazawa’s lips twitched. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

Fortunately, he was no longer the man he used to be, he could handle temptation now. Probably.

“Don’t move,” he murmured, picking up the red-sleeved top she usually wore. “Let’s start with the bandages.”

Kurenai sat at the edge of the bed, her fair legs crossing gracefully. Kitazawa crouched, wrapping the bandages carefully around her thighs. He focused on the task, very carefully avoiding letting his gaze drift anywhere inappropriate.

“Thank you,” she said softly, standing and lifting her arms.

Kitazawa helped her slip into her clothes, exhaling quietly in relief once she was dressed.

Never again, he thought. Helping her change was far more dangerous than taking clothes off.

Kurenai noticed his expression and smiled faintly.

“What are you smiling at?” he asked, flicking her thigh lightly. The soft ripple that followed was almost distracting.

“I’m laughing at how flustered you were a moment ago,” she teased.

Kitazawa smirked. “Careful what you say, or you might regret it tonight.”

Her face went crimson instantly, words caught in her throat. She wanted to retort, but she knew he wasn’t bluffing.

Silently, she fell into step beside him.

Before long, the two arrived at the Ninja Academy, just in time.

“Kitazawa-sensei!”

Ino Yamanaka came running over, her blonde ponytail swaying behind her.

Beside her were Kiba and Tenten, both looking eager.

Kitazawa nodded in acknowledgment before glancing toward Hiruzen and the others, who were gathered at the training grounds.

“Let’s go.”

Without disturbing them, he turned and started walking out.

“I hope this time I get to face someone evenly matched!” Kiba said with a grin. “I’ve been dying to try out the new Fang Over Fang Kitazawa-sensei taught me.”

He’d trained hard for it but hadn’t yet had the chance to use it in battle.

Of course, running into a Jōnin wasn’t ideal, they weren’t Sasuke or Naruto. Losing to one would definitely hurt their practical exam scores.

“Not every country has ninjas, you know,” Tenten said, bursting his bubble with a shake of her head.

“What? The Land of Waves doesn’t have ninja?” Kiba’s eyes widened. “Then what are we even going there for?”

“Kitazawa-sensei’s missions always have their reasons,” Ino replied, mimicking Kitazawa’s calm tone. “You’re just too impatient, Kiba.”

Kurenai chuckled softly. “This student of yours is adorable.”

“Kurenai-sensei, I completely agree!” Ino piped up proudly from behind Kitazawa.

Kitazawa raised a hand and lightly tapped her on the head. “Less talking during missions. Go register.”

“Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!” Ino stuck out her tongue playfully before jogging toward the two gatekeepers at Konoha’s entrance.

After registering, the team departed the village.

The Land of Waves lay across the sea, southeast of the Land of Fire.

Once they exited the Forest of Death, the team picked up speed, and by dusk they had reached the shoreline.

Just like during their trip to the Land of Water, Kitazawa pulled out a small boat he’d prepared beforehand.

“Not a single bandit the entire way?” Kiba complained as he sat down.

“That just means we’re lucky,” Tenten said lightly.

“But without combat, how are we supposed to score high on the exam?” Kiba frowned. He’d long given up on surpassing Naruto, but he wasn’t as lazy as Shikamaru either, he wanted to earn a solid score.

“It’s not just fighting that earns you points,” Kitazawa said, glancing at him.

“Then what else?” Kiba asked eagerly.

“This mission focuses on infiltration and intelligence gathering,” Kitazawa explained evenly. “Your target is Gato, the wealthy merchant who controls the Land of Waves’ shipping routes.”

He already knew plenty about Gato from the Anbu’s reports, but his students needed the hands-on experience.

“Infiltration and intel work are essential ninja skills,” he added. “You’ve studied them at the Academy, now it’s time to apply them.”

“Gato’s hired a number of rogue ninja and samurai,” Kitazawa warned. “If you’re discovered, you’ll be surrounded. It’ll be dangerous.”

Kiba’s eyes brightened, excitement flickering. His clan’s techniques excelled against multiple enemies.

And besides, rogue ninja and samurai were, at best, Chūnin-level. Anyone truly strong wouldn’t have fallen so low.

“My Secret Technique is perfect for infiltration missions,” Ino said, lifting her chin confidently. “Watch me work!”

“I’ve got my own method too.”

Tenten smiled proudly. “I recently contracted a ninja hound.”

After Kitazawa had once suggested she explore the summoning path, she’d spent time researching and eventually bonded with a ninja hound skilled in tracking and reconnaissance, not as powerful as Shiromari, but incredibly useful.

“A ninja hound?!” Kiba blurted, his pride pricked.

As an Inuzuka, he was supposed to have one, yet he still hadn’t found his. Hearing Tenten say it so casually made him feel oddly competitive.

“Here, I’ll show you.”

Tenten bit her thumb and pressed her hand to the deck.

Bang!

A puff of smoke cleared to reveal a white ninja hound about the size of a young Akamaru.

“This is Yue, she’s female,” Tenten said proudly. “Her sense of smell is sharp. If you ever lose something, she’ll find it.”

“That name is so you,” Ino giggled.

“Man, I want my own ninja hound too…” Kiba muttered enviously.

“Don’t your clan have plenty?” Ino asked curiously.

“You don’t get it,” Kiba sighed. “Inuzuka hounds aren’t ordinary summons, our bond has to reach a state of complete synchronization.”

Tenten blinked. “Then you probably don’t need one yet. You already fight well on your own.”

Kiba chuckled. “True. I’ve got Kitazawa-sensei to thank for that.”

Time slipped by as they chatted, the boat rocking gently under them.

“Is that the Land of Waves?” Kiba suddenly pointed ahead.

A vast island loomed on the horizon, dotted with buildings.

Kitazawa nodded. “That’s it. Everyone rested?”

“I’m ready! I can take on three people easy!” Kiba said, holding up three fingers confidently.

“Good. Then let’s begin.” Kitazawa’s tone turned firm. “First, find Gato’s base. Then infiltrate his compound and secure any valuable intelligence.”

“Do we have a specific objective?” Ino asked thoughtfully.

“Whoever finds the Gato Shipping Company’s employee records first gets extra points,” Kitazawa said after a brief pause.

“That’ll be me!” Kiba declared, pumping his fist. “Let’s move!”

“Wait for us!” Ino and Tenten hurried after him.

“Kurenai, follow them discreetly,” Kitazawa instructed. “I’ll head to the neighboring island to meet the Aburame Clan’s underwater reconnaissance team.”

In the original timeline, Gato had hired Zabuza and Haku to kill Tazuna. But that event hadn’t occurred yet, so there likely weren’t any Jōnin involved this time.

Hiring one as a full-time bodyguard was far too costly anyway.

“Understood,” Kurenai said softly before disappearing in a blur.

Kitazawa waved casually.

The small boat beneath him surged forward, gliding eastward, chakra rippling beneath the surface like unseen wind.

Ten minutes later, an island came into view.

It was far smaller than the Land of Waves, desolate, quiet, and ringed by dark cliffs. A few weather-beaten huts stood near the shore, built by the underwater exploration team stationed there.

Before Kitazawa’s boat even reached land, two Aburame clan shinobi in white robes appeared, their movements precise and silent.

“Kitazawa-sama.”

Recognizing him, they bowed deeply in unison.

“How are things progressing?” Kitazawa asked as he stepped onto the shore.

“Kitazawa-sama, I am Muta Aburame.”

The man introduced himself before reporting respectfully, “We’ve conducted one exploration so far, but we haven’t found anything of value yet.”

Kitazawa nodded lightly.

He remembered Muta from the original timeline, a special jōnin who met his end at Deidara’s hands during the Fourth Shinobi World War.

“Please, come inside,” Muta said, gesturing toward one of the huts.

Once indoors, he unrolled a large map across the table. “This is the chart of the surrounding sea area.”

A small circle had been drawn on it, marking the zone the exploration team had already covered.

Kitazawa estimated that they hadn’t even explored one-thousandth of the total area.

“The seabed pressure is extreme, and it’s quite deep,” Muta added carefully. “So the area we can explore each day is very limited.”

“I understand.”

Kitazawa paused, then said, “As it happens, I’m free today. Gather the others, I’ll lend you a hand.”

Muta hesitated for a heartbeat, puzzled, but quickly nodded. “Yes, Kitazawa-sama.”

Soon, the entire underwater exploration team assembled by the shore.

Kitazawa scanned their faces, all unfamiliar. Shibi, the clan head, had long since returned to Konoha.

“Let’s move,” Kitazawa said, boarding the vessel first.

It was a medium-sized ship belonging to the exploration team, capable of carrying twenty people comfortably.

They set sail toward the marked location.

Muta kept glancing at Kitazawa, still unsure how he intended to assist them. After all, Kitazawa wasn’t of the Aburame clan and had no kikaichū to aid in underwater reconnaissance.

Then Kitazawa stood at the bow, hands flashing through a series of seals.

Chakra pulsed.

The sea groaned and then parted.

Waves surged outward, forming a deep chasm of exposed seabed beneath them.

“This is…!”

Muta’s eyes went wide in shock.

The others froze as well, disbelief written across their faces.

They had considered this method before, but none of them had the ability to make it happen. Very few in the entire shinobi world could command water on this scale.

Hidden nearby, Konan’s eyes flickered with surprise.

To part the sea by force required both unparalleled mastery of Water Release and immense chakra reserves.

But Kitazawa was a commoner, with no special bloodline and no kekkei genkai. How could he possess such power?

Still, her curiosity wasn’t focused solely on him. What intrigued her more was the very existence of Konoha’s underwater exploration team.

What exactly was the Leaf searching for beneath the waves?

She didn’t think of money, few traditional shinobi would.

“Deploy all kikaichū!” Muta barked.

With the sea pushed aside, their insects could finally act freely.

At once, a vast, dark cloud of kikaichū swarmed down toward the newly exposed seabed, spreading rapidly into the depths.

Kitazawa watched calmly, wondering if today’s search might uncover something extraordinary.

Meanwhile, in the Land of Waves,

Ino and Tenten crouched behind a stone wall in a quiet courtyard. The ninja hound, Yue, stood alert beside them, nose twitching.

Moments later, it spoke in a low growl, “Kiba-sama is approaching.”

Sure enough, an excited Kiba burst from the shadows a moment later.

“How’d it go?” Ino asked eagerly.

“Heh! With me on the job, there’s no problem at all!” Kiba grinned, pulling out a teacup. “This is the cup Gato drank from!”

Yue stepped forward, sniffing it carefully. After memorizing the scent, it channeled chakra through its nose.

Instantly, every trace of the same scent within the compound was marked in its senses.

“The intel must be hidden where this scent lingers,” Tenten said, focused. “Yue, lead the way.”

“Understood,” the hound replied, tail flicking. “Follow me.”

The three moved swiftly, slipping through corridors and over fences. After several careful turns, they reached a locked room lined with shelves.

“Found it,” Ino whispered.

Inside was a wall of scrolls and ledgers, Gato’s data room.

“Impressive,” Kurenai murmured from her hidden perch in the rafters, watching them. “As expected of Kitazawa’s students.”

Though, truth be told, most of the credit went to the ninja hound.

Just then, Kurenai’s brow furrowed.

A faint jingle of bells echoed through the room.

“Not good!” Kiba’s face went pale. “A warning trap!”

He had reached for a scroll without noticing the invisible thread strung across the shelf. The bells rang loudly, an alarm.

“Move!” Ino barked.

“We’ve been discovered!” Yue growled. “Guards are surrounding the compound!”

“There’s only one option; we fight our way out.”

Kiba clenched his fists, guilt flashing in his eyes. “I’ll go first, I caused this.”

“It’s fine. I’ll summon Shiromari,” Tenten said calmly.

With a puff of smoke, Yue vanished, she’d released the summoning. The hound wasn’t suited for combat.

Relief washed over Ino and Kiba. They’d almost forgotten how terrifying Tenten’s other summoning beast was.

Transforming to Hellhound.

Kiba charged through the door, slamming it open with a crash.

“What the, ?!”

Gato’s guards froze when they saw the three-headed beast looming behind him.

“Fang Over Fang!” Kiba roared.

The Hellhound’s throats glowed with chakra. In the next instant, it unleashed three massive blasts of raw energy.

“Scatter!” someone screamed, too late.

Tenten leapt onto the rooftop, unrolling a scroll midair. A torrent of glittering steel rained down.

“Ninja Art: Petal Storm!”

Explosive tags hidden among the petals detonated in bursts of light and fire.

From the left flank, Ino charged, her jutsu weaving through the chaos, petals swirling, and chakra flaring.

Screams filled the courtyard.

In mere moments, more than half of Gato’s men were down.

Kurenai, who had been ready to intervene, relaxed her stance.

They didn’t need her help.

Ino, Tenten, and Kiba had already taken full control of the battlefield.

Kurenai smirked faintly. Maybe infiltration missions are wasted on them. A direct assault might actually be faster.

Her crimson eyes swept the area, and soon, she spotted Gato himself trembling at the edge of the chaos.

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