Chapter 16: Mayfly

After they regained their composure, Shin was mourning the temporary loss of her eyebrows. She told them that tomorrow they would make for Konoha, which made the kids sigh in relief. While they did enjoy the feeling of their first mission, after the battle with Emiko, they were more than ready to return.

They set up watch for the night and dug in. Kannin took first watch this time, and nothing happened, and he fell asleep.

The next morning, everything seemed to be in order, and they quickly packed up their things, doing one last search of the area, yielding nothing. Shin's shadow clones came back empty handed as well. It seems like the destruction of Uzushiogakure was more thorough than the Konoha higer-ups had hoped.

After they had finally gotten all of their things together, Shin collected them and told them to move out. In a flash, they were headed to the shoreline. When they stopped at the beach, Shin told them to look for boats like they had on the other side. This time Tetsu found one that was actually sea worthy, which Kannin was thankful for, as after all the training with the chains, his chakra skills were a little tired.

They dragged the boat to the water and hopped in. The oar was a less than ideal for carrying 4 people in the tiny boat, so Shin had Kannin use Water Release to propel them through the water. With that, they reached the other side much faster than it took them to cross the first time. In fact, Kannin was propelling them so fast that the wind was whipping their clothes around, and the sea spume was stinging their faces.

They hit the shore so hard the boat sped 20 feet up the sand before stopping. Shin was only really asking for a nice push along the water, so she looked at the Uzumaki kid with a raised eyebrow and asked, "Eager to get home?"

Kannin had an embarrassed smile on his face, and he said "Let's just say I miss my mom's cooking."

Their return journey went as smoothly as the journey there, and before they knew it, they were back in Konoha, as if they had never left. As they entered the gates and provided their information to the guards, who let them in.

Shin stopped them and said, "I have to go report the fulfillment of the mission to the Hokage now, you three should stick around in case you get summoned to answer and questions, okay?" She patted each of them on the shoulder, "This mission was far more difficult than was intended, but there's nothing we can do about that. That's what being a shinobi is like. I'm proud of you." And as she was leaving, she turned around and faced Kannin and said, "Also, I'll be needing that scroll."

Kannin handed the scroll over to her, and watched as she walked up to the Hokage's office.

-

Within the Hokage's office

"Harakaze, what happened?"

Standing in front of the Hokage's desk, Shin handed over the two scrolls, one with the Emiko inside, the other with the Uzumaki techniques.

"Well, Hokage. The regular mission was really just a simple reconnaissance run: gather any survivors, take anything of importance. But you're aware that there were two secret goals for me to attempt to fulfill as well..."

She went on to describe how she found the missing-nin, and the battle which happened shortly afterward.

"One Kumo missing-nin pressed you so hard?" Hiruzen said with a raised eyebrow

"...Her genjutsu was particularly potent. And I had the kids to protect. I couldn't be as reckless as I normally am"

Sandaime took a moment to process the information he was being given. He inhaled sharply and said, "This ended up being at least an A class mission, which you not only survived along with your entire team, but it seems like they even aided significantly in its success. Not only that, but you've given us a very useful way to help rebuild relations with Kumogakure. If we can give them one of their missing-nins, things might get significantly better. But politics aside, I want to hear your impressions of the kids."

Shin took a moment to think, "Well, to be perfectly honest, they're quite formidable. Their individual strength is already leagues ahead of any other genin team, especially Warai and Kannin now that Warai's awakened her Sharingan. But their teamwork is incredible, their sense of tactics and use of jutsu is simply outstanding."

Hiruzen smiled calmly and asked, "Have you told them that?"

To which Shin took a moment to respond, "They don't need me to."

"I'll give this scroll to Kushina when I can, if there's no other business, you're dismissed."

Shin flickered out of the Hokage's office to her home.

-

At the Uzumaki residence

Kannin knocked on the door to his home, and heard footsteps scurrying closer, until the door flew open, and Kannin saw his mother leaning over panting. She saw him and immediately hugged him, harder than she ever had before.

"Hi, mom."

After telling her what happened in Uzushiogakure, Uzumaki Usagi was racked with fear. The idea that her son at age 10 had fought against a Kumo jonin, hundreds of miles away from home with no easy way out chilled her to the bone. But when he mentioned the chain technique, her curiosity was piqued. She had never seen the technique used before, but it was legend back when she lived in Uzushiogakure.

"I'm not sure how difficult that technique is, Kannin, I never saw it myself. But what I do know is that if anyone has vital life force among the Uzumaki, it's you. I believe you can do it." She paused before adding, "It would make me feel a lot better to know you have it when you're out there."

They ate dinner together after Kannin showered and changed out of his mission clothes. All in all, he felt quite satisfied with the way his first mission played out.

-

In Danzo's office

"Dammit!" Danzo's fist hit the table after reading the mission report.