The High Command chamber of Konohagakure stood as a sanctum of authority, echoing with the weight of decisions that had shaped the village during the great war.
At the head of the round table sat Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. To his immediate right and left sat the two senior elders of the Council followed closely by Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. Directly across the table from them sat Danzo Shimura—his posture stiffer than the others.
The air in the chamber was taut, heavy with unspoken thoughts. A tension not born of argument, but of timing—of anticipation.
A knock at the chamber door broke the silence, sharp and disciplined.
"Enter," Hiruzen called evenly.
The door slid open, and a kunoichi stepped into the room—young but composed, the insignia of the Yamanaka clan visible on her clothes. She wore the standard flak jacket of the Intelligence Division, her demeanour poised despite the heavy eyes studying her from every corner of the room. With practised precision, she bowed low.
"Hokage-sama. Honoured elders." Her voice was steady. "I bring the latest combat report from the First Division."
Hiruzen gestured for her to proceed. "You may speak freely."
She nodded. "As of this morning, the outposts maintained by the combined forces of Kumogakure and Sunagakure near the Valley of the Wind have been successfully neutralized. Resistance was reported as high, but our shinobi overcame the obstacles and secured both strategic locations."
At that, murmurs stirred among the council.
Homura leaned forward, brow rising slightly. "That's earlier than we expected. Excellent work. With those outposts eliminated, our flanking divisions can now proceed toward the Riverfront Sector unimpeded."
Koharu allowed herself a small nod of approval. "This development significantly shortens our deployment schedule. We'll be able to consolidate our forces in the next three days instead of five."
Danzo's eye narrowed—not out of approval, but scrutiny. "Who led the assault?"
The kunoichi consulted her notes, flipping through the sealed chakra-tagged scroll with practised fingers before speaking.
"According to the First Division's communication, multiple squads under the direct command of Jonin Renjiro were deployed against the Sunagakure detachment while Uchiha Kazuki did the same to the Kumo detachment. Intelligence initially placed the Suna force as moderately fortified, yet what they encountered was a significantly more entrenched defence than anticipated. Despite this, the operation was executed with surgical precision. The outpost was overtaken in under two hours. Our casualties were... minimal."
She paused for emphasis.
"Only seventeen injured. No deaths."
A sharp intake of breath followed from Koharu. Homura leaned forward, visibly taken aback. Even Hiruzen's brows rose slightly, though his composure remained intact.
Danzo, however, frowned deeply, fingers tapping once on the wood of the table. "Renjiro was not stationed to engage Suna. His unit was assigned to the northeastern flank, where Kumo's advance threatened our supply lines. His wind chakra nature makes him a natural counter to lightning-style combatants. Why was he diverted from that sector?"
Hiruzen's reply was immediate "Danzo, you are well aware that division commanders have discretion in fluid combat scenarios. Mission parameters evolve. Real-time adaptability is not weakness—it is the foundation of shinobi warfare."
Danzo's expression did not change, but the muscle in his jaw flexed.
The kunoichi resumed, her voice calm, "Our reports confirm the strike was a complete success. Suna's forces at the outpost were overwhelmed. No fatalities reported on our side."
For a moment, no one spoke. The elders exchanged astonished glances. Even for seasoned shinobi, no-casualty missions at this level were exceedingly rare—almost suspiciously so. The silence was not just surprise, but growing realization.
Koharu's eyes narrowed. "There's more to this. Such a clean operation against an entrenched enemy implies either complete superiority... or unexpected interference."
The kunoichi nodded slightly, flipping to the next section of the scroll. "Correct, elder. Additional intelligence reveals that Kumogakure was not idle. They had covertly positioned two high-value assets at the outpost. One was Shibuki, a senior jonin with a confirmed Lava Release kekkei genkai. The other was…" She hesitated, visibly uneasy. "…Renmaru. A confirmed Kage-level shinobi."
The chamber went still.
Homura stiffened. "Renmaru? The Lightning Tempest of Kumo?"
Danzo's gaze sharpened. "That's no minor deployment. Sending Renmaru to a forward outpost… either Kumo intended a feint, or they underestimated the risk."
"They didn't act alone," the kunoichi added. "We've confirmed that several Kirigakure shinobi had independently moved to support our forces. Their involvement contributed to the neutralization of Renmaru's initial attack."
Koharu exhaled slowly. "Kumo's audacity knows no bounds. Sending such a force so early… If Renmaru had broken through, we would've lost half the eastern valley."
Homura agreed grimly. "We were lucky. And it appears Kirigakure made an uncharacteristically timely choice."
Danzo was quiet for a moment, "You should have told us they were moving."
Hiruzen ignored the jab. "Konoha deployed with caution, yes. But it seems that caution served us well."
He turned to the kunoichi. "Were all enemy combatants neutralized?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Renmaru and Shibuki are both confirmed dead. The outpost is fully under our control. All strategic scrolls and encrypted communications are being transferred to the Intelligence Division as we speak."
Hiruzen's gaze narrowed slightly. "And how were those two high-value targets dealt with? I assume Kirigakure's intervention played a role?"
The kunoichi hesitated again. "Initially, yes. Kirigakure engaged Renmaru directly, but they were quickly overwhelmed. A distress signal was sent, and it was answered by two of our own. Their arrival turned the tide."
"Names," Hiruzen asked calmly.
She didn't look up. "Jonin Renjiro… and Orochimaru-sama."
The words dropped like a stone in a still pond.
Even the steady crackling of the brazier seemed to hush.
Danzo's eyes narrowed. Hiruzen blinked once, hiding the spark of concern behind practised indifference. Koharu turned slightly toward Homura, clearly processing the implication.
"Renjiro arrived in time to assist Orochimaru-sama?" Homura asked carefully. "He wasn't injured?"
"No, sir. He wasn't assisting. Renjiro arrived first. He engaged Renmaru directly."
Koharu blinked. "Alone?"
"Not entirely. He utilized a flying summon to cross the terrain. He was in the air immediately after the distress beacon was received at the central relay."
Danzo's expression tightened further. "So the boy has now made public his contract. That summon should have remained classified."
Hiruzen said nothing, though inwardly he reflected. 'So… he's finally begun to show his hand. The flying summon was always inevitable—but he used it for speed, not showmanship. That's telling.'
Homura leaned back, stroking his chin. "So Orochimaru must have eliminated Renmaru?"
The kunoichi's next words shattered that theory.
"No, elder. It was not Orochimaru-sama who killed Renmaru."
Silence.
"It was Jonin Renjiro."
The silence turned cold.
Even Hiruzen couldn't completely mask his reaction. His fingers twitched ever so slightly on the table's edge.
Koharu's face became unreadable. Homura blinked, once, slowly.
Danzo sat back, the shadows around his eyes deepening. "Renjiro killed… Renmaru?"
"Yes, elder."
Danzo's mind raced, though his expression was as still as stone. 'I was late. I should have curtailed his rise before he passed the threshold.' The thought coiled around his mind like a serpent. 'If he's reached Kage-level now… he won't remain loyal forever. Not with that bloodline…'
Hiruzen broke the silence with deliberate calm. "Thank you for your report. Deliver our commendation to the First Division. Instruct them to hold their position until further orders."
The kunoichi bowed again, sensing the storm of implications behind every word exchanged. As she exited, the door sliding quietly shut behind her, the chamber remained steeped in silence.
Koharu finally spoke, voice low but serious. "Kumo and Suna will not take this lightly. We've just slain one of their cards. They'll respond. And quickly."
Homura added, "We must act before they can consolidate their retaliation. Now is the time to press forward, not wait."
Danzo's voice came last. "And what of Renjiro?"
Hiruzen turned toward him slowly.
Koharu echoed the question. "He's no longer a standard jonin. Not after this. His placement in the Main Division is a waste of talent—and now, a potential security risk if not handled carefully."
The fire crackled again in the brazier. Hiruzen looked into it, as if peering through time.
"We will deliberate on his future assignment," he said at last. "But Renjiro is not just a blade to be drawn and discarded. We must not let him become another... you, Danzo."
Danzo's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
Hiruzen continued, gaze like steel. "For now, we focus on consolidating our gains. But soon, we will decide where to place him."
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