The return to Konoha was considerably less troublesome than the journey there. There were no bandits, bounty hunters, or anything else that required them to stop for long.
They arrived at Konoha's gates shortly after noon. The guards checked their identification and officially registered the team's return.
To Kaito, that seemed to mean the mission was over. To Ino, it meant she could finally take a bath, eat something decent, and sleep.
Chōji, on the other hand, had much more specific priorities.
"Can we stop by Yakiniku Q first?".
"No", Kaito replied flatly.
Chōji's shoulders slumped slightly.
Ino pointed at Kaito.
"I agree with Chōji".
"Your opinion is irrelevant to me".
Ino grew furious upon hearing this and clenched her fist threateningly.
"We've been walking for hours. It's the least you can do".
But Kaito continued shaking his head.
"I'll tell you what we're going to do now. We'll report the mission. Collect our pay and get back to our lives".
Ino frowned.
"Sometimes I think you enjoy being exasperating".
"Only sometimes".
Ino needed a second to process that before quickening her pace.
….
On the other hand.
Tsunade was having a surprisingly good morning.
That should have been the first sign that something was about to go wrong.
She had managed to considerably reduce the mountain of documents piled on her desk.
Shizune had gone out to deliver several reports. And by some inexplicable blessing. Not a single adviser had appeared in the last four hours.
She even had sake hidden in the second drawer.
Then someone knocked on the door.
"Come in".
Kaito entered first. Ino and Chōji followed him.
Tsunade looked up and set her pen down on the desk.
"You're back earlier than expected".
"The delivery was completed without any major problems", Kaito replied.
Ino looked at him.
Chōji did too.
Tsunade immediately noticed both reactions.
"Without any major problems?".
"Correct".
Tsunade rested both elbows on the desk and interlaced her fingers in front of her face.
"Sit down".
That single word had an immediate effect.
All three obeyed.
Tsunade held out a hand.
"Report".
Kaito pulled out the corresponding document and placed it on the desk.
Ino glared at him.
Kaito had forced her to write it before they left. And now he wasn't even giving her the proper credit.
Tsunade began reading while the room remained silent. Her eyes moved quickly through the first sections: route used, schedules, condition of the cargo, contact with hostile forces, estimated number of enemies, civilian casualties.
None.
Damage to cargo.
Minimal.
Primary objective.
Completed.
Secondary reconnaissance objective.
No confirmed signs of Akatsuki activity along the inspected northern route.
Up to that point, everything was excellent.
Then she reached the section concerning the confrontation.
Tsunade stopped reading.
She slowly raised her eyes.
"Kaito".
"Yes?".
"What exactly does 'immediate neutralization through proportional force' mean?".
Ino let out a small laugh.
Kaito glared daggers at her.
Ino simply smiled mischievously.
He couldn't tell her that he'd forced Ino to write the report because he was supposed to do it himself as the Jōnin in charge.
Kaito looked as though he'd choked on his own saliva. But he kept his expression perfectly serious.
"That I immediately neutralized the threat using the necessary force".
"You split the whole forest apart, sensei", Ino said.
"A small part".
"You opened a crack in the road!".
"It was already deteriorated".
Ino pointed at him indignantly.
"You made more than 17 bandits suddenly pass out".
"They simply hadn't eaten breakfast".
Tsunade, with a vein throbbing at her temple, slammed the desk the way only she knew how.
"Both of you, shut up!"
She closed her eyes and massaged the bridge of her nose before looking at Kaito.
"Continue".
Kaito explained the events with such clinical precision that, had Ino and Chōji not been present, anyone would have imagined it had been an absolutely routine confrontation for him.
He described detecting the attackers, the layout of the ambush, the protection of the civilians, and the elimination of the remaining threats.
He didn't mention unnecessary details about his techniques, nor did he explain exactly how he had detected precisely thirty-seven hidden people before they attacked.
Tsunade noticed both things, but commented on neither. Shinobi regulations existed to avoid answering these questions.
When he finished, she looked at Ino and Chōji respectively.
"Anything to add?".
Chōji shook his head: "Kaito-sensei is incredible. I'd like to go on more missions with him. I can eat as much as I want without being interrupted".
Upon hearing this, Ino nearly hit him over the head if they hadn't been standing in front of the Hokage.
She then raised her hand and proceeded to tell her about the visit to the Daimyō.
Tsunade was left speechless and looked at Kaito.
"Why the hell did you end up in front of the Daimyō?".
"Genzō talked too much".
"It wasn't Genzō-san's fault", Ino said.
"Explain". Tsunade looked at her and then thought that this girl seemed to be enjoying the situation far too much.
Ino did.
This time, even Kaito seemed slightly uncomfortable as she recounted the conversation. The Daimyō had listened to Genzō's version, congratulated them on the success of the mission, and personally expressed his satisfaction with Konoha's performance.
That was good.
Very good.
Tsunade even smiled.
Relations with the feudal lord were important, and direct praise for a shinobi's performance further benefited the village's reputation.
"He also said he'd send you his personal congratulations for sending someone like Kaito-sensei", Ino added.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair.
"He said that?".
"Yes".
A satisfied smile slowly appeared on her face.
Kaito narrowed his eyes.
"Anything else, Hokage-sama? I want to collect my pay and leave".
Tsunade was about to respond when someone knocked on the door again.
"Come in".
An administrative chūnin entered carrying a small stack of documents.
"Hokage-sama. Correspondence has just arrived from the capital".
Tsunade looked at the documents. Then she looked at Kaito.
Kaito also looked at the documents.
Something inside him told him this couldn't possibly be good.
"Leave it here".
The chūnin placed the papers on the desk and left.
Tsunade broke the seal.
She immediately recognized the Daimyō's official emblem.
Her smile widened. But Kaito sensed a faint hint of danger.
Tsunade began to read.
For the first few seconds, she seemed pleased. Then her smile faded.
She continued reading, and a vein slowly appeared at her temple. She moved on to the second page. Then the third.
Kaito watched as the enthusiasm disappeared from her face and was gradually replaced by a fascinating mixture of disbelief and suffering.
Tsunade dropped the documents onto the desk.
"You've got to be kidding me".
Ino looked at Chōji.
"What's wrong?".
Tsunade didn't answer.
She picked up the first page again and checked something, as though hoping she'd read it incorrectly.
She hadn't.
Then she began laughing hysterically.
Kaito decided to remain silent.
"Of course", Tsunade muttered. "Of course. Why simply congratulate me when he can give me work for the entire damn week?".
"Hokage-sama...", Ino said.
Tsunade raised the document.
"His Excellency is so impressed with our dear new addition that he wants a complete report on him".
Kaito raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Complete?".
Tsunade looked at the paper again.
"Service record, evaluations, promotions, specializations, completed missions, academic record, instructors, commendations, family affiliations, disciplinary history, known capabilities, and any additional information Konoha considers relevant".
Ino slowly opened her mouth.
Chōji dropped a potato chip back into the bag he had pulled out at some point when no one was paying attention.