Chapter 23: Graceland

Once the all clear was given to Team 4, signaling Kushina's safe return, they went back to Konoha to regroup. All of them seemed slightly disappointed to not have found her themselves and be able to show off, but they were still glad the Kyuubi's jinchuriki was back home and safe.

"Who found her?" Tetsu asked.

"No clue" Shin responded, "What I do know is that our job is done."

"Sounds good" Warai said with a smile

"Don't get too complacent, though," Shin added, "It's about time for us to go on our next mission together. I hope you three can show me how much you've grown."

All three of them puffed up their chests and promised Shin they were gonna be stronger than the other two, which made Shin smile, though she didn't really expect too much growth over just a month or so. She sent them off, telling them to stay alert for their next summons.

Kannin sent a shadow clone to find Mifune and apologize for leaving practice so abruptly.

"Oh don't worry about it, kid. I figured you had some sort of emergency. Though I can't say I wouldn't have wanted a bit more notice."

"Thank you for understanding." Kannin bowed

"Alright, take out your practice sword, and let's continue..."

Another week went by, and Mifune finally left to return to the Land of Iron. With his stuff packed and his katana on his hip, he gave Kannin his regards, and complimented his progress with the sword, and shaking his hand he said

"You're a bright boy, Kannin. I hope you can fully develop a sense of the blade. For your sake."

"Thank you sensei."

"Alright then, I must be off."

"Umm, sensei, you need to let go of my hand first."

"Oh right!" he let go of Kannin's hand, "Ok then, I'm off."

Kannin watched him disappear into the wilderness, wondering how such a powerful man could be so forgetful sometimes. He frequently forgot that he wasn't in the Land of Iron when teaching him, and had to explain things he thought were obvious in greater detail. He also realized he never asked why he always had his head in bandages, though he thought that was perhaps for the best. People can get quite timid about their injuries.

-

In the Raikage's office

"This is a damn catastrophe! Konoha has every reason to declare war on us right now!"

"Raikage, the Third Hokage is not that type of person. After the Second Shinobi War, he's always prioritized peace above all. We should just disavow those shinobi as rogue-nin."

Raikage took a moment to think, "Well of course we disavow them, but we need a way to rebuild trust with the Hokage."

His son, A, piped up from the back and suggested "Do we really need to? I don't think Konoha can bear another war. Why don't we just leave it alone?"

A large murmuring erupted in the Raikage's office, and a number of advisors quickly told A he was an idiot for suggesting that, but it seemed like hearing his son's idea made the Raikage's mind.

"A, you might be right. I'll just disavow them and see how it plays out."

He began writing on a scroll telling Hiruzen that the shinobi who kidnapped Kushina were rogue-nin, acting against the will of Kumogakure, and once he was done, he sent a shinobi with it to Konoha.

-

Hiruzen unfurled the scroll he had received from Kumo, glad to hear that those shinobi were rogue.

"Yeah right they were rogue-nin. Kumo's always coveted our jinchuriki" Said a white-haired man in his late 30s, "You can't be so naive, Hiruzen."

Hiruzen responded, "Sakumo, I know they weren't really rogue. I'm not stupid. I'm glad because Kumo seems to not wish to go to war right now, and by disavowing these shinobi, they get to cool the climate a little."

Sakumo sighed, still unsatisfied with Hiruzen's fence-sitting. Before he left the Hokage's office, Hiruzen handed him another scroll, saying

"Here Sakumo, Danzo has a mission for you."

Sakumo took the scroll and took his leave, heading back back to the Hatake compound. He found Kakashi practicing in the courtyard, throwing kunai and grunting from the exertion. Seeing the sweat dripping down his son's face, he called out to Kakashi,

"You've got good form, Kakashi. But why don't you come inside? I bet lunch is almost ready. Plus you need to wash up."

"Lunch was ready half an hour ago, dad."

"Oh..." Sakumo went silent. His duties had increased a lot since he gained renown in the Second War. He was going on more missions, doing more paperwork. He wasn't home as often as he wished to be.

"Well you better wash up anyway. You're already top of your class, you can take a break every now and then, you know."

"Fine"

Sakumo's spirits were lower hearing his son be so reserved. He knew his absences were taking a toll on his family life, but it still made him sad to see Kakashi so cold.

At the table, an awkward silence hung over the air.

"I got another mission, Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded

"I don't know how long it'll take me, I hope you don't hold it against me."

Kakashi said nothing, just finishing his food, and went up to his room.

Sighing, Sakumo muttered 'I hope he's alright.'

-

Now that Mifune was gone, Kannin could afford to double his effort with his adamantine chains, rapidly increasing his rate of progress. Now that he had been working on them for a month or so, he realized that they were not only becoming easier to make, but also less painful to make, and required less chakra and focus. Soon he would be able to begin practicing with them.