The Howl of the Wolf

Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Tenjho Tenge

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This one is a bit of a murder mystery. Enjoy!

[ ] signifies hand signs

Last time:

Hokage Tower, Monday morning …

Yūgao led her Team in for a new mission. Naruto figured a good mission would clear his head about Jiraiya and put things into a proper point of view. The purple haired sword mistress led them up to the Hokage's desk and said to Tsunade, "Team 11 reporting for duty Hokage-sama. We'd like to request a C-ranked mission."

Tsunade nodded and looked over the available missions before she found an odd one. 'Let's have Team 11 use their brains instead of overdoing it with their brawn like last mission.' "There has been a strange series of murders in Otafuku Gai and the local Police Forces have requested ninja assistance. Could be bandits but it might be a minor missing nin or even a civilian killer. How does that sound?"

Yūgao turned to her Team and said, "This could be a good exercise in deductive reasoning team. Let's take it. Otafuku Gai is only a few kilometers away anyway. What do you say?"

The three ANBU Brats turned to each other and made eye contact before nodded to one another. Maya said, "We'll take it sensei. This sounds better than taking on S-Class missing nins anyway."

"Team 11 will take the Otafuku Gai mission Hokage-sama." said Yūgao.

…

Chapter 39

Fire Country, Konoha, Yakushi Kabuto's apartment

Yakushi Kabuto was sweating. He had quietly observed the Suna Delegation the whole time they were in Konoha and it seemed that the Kazekage was very reluctant about visiting when he arrived but the entire Suna group seemed to be in high spirits when they left. As Kabuto had no contacts within the Suna group, he could only report what he saw from a distance. Sadly, that didn't amount to much. He knew the Kazekage and his children (together or separately) had all visited the Natsume Estate presumably to talk to Hyūga Hanako-sama.

'Orochimaru-sama told me to avoid Hanako-sama at all costs though he didn't say why.' thought the glasses wearing ninja. 'Of course, the old woman is one of Tsunade's advisors along with Sarutobi-sama so it's a sure thing she's no weakling.' He sighed. 'Rumor has it she put Danzo to death in single combat but I find that hard to believe. The public executions of Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu was shocking enough but the announcement that ROOT was disbanded and that Shimura Danzo was already put to death for treason shook me to the core.'

Kabuto gathered his thoughts. 'All of the former ROOT bases I know of have been sealed off and breaking those seals has proven impossible. I can only assume Jiraiya did it though my evidence is all circumstantial. Of course; who else knows seals well enough to do that except Jiraiya? I even tried to get into Danzo's estate but it has also been sealed so only ANBU can get in and out. What am I going to tell Orochimaru-sama?'

The silver haired medic began his report to Snake sannin…

…

Konoha Front Gates

Team 11 was packed for a two-week journey and armed to the teeth. Yūgao looked at her team and thought with more than a bit of pride; 'My team of genin is the best. I can't wait to see how the other ANBU Brats are doing.' The team of four set out running at an easy pace in a diamond formation with Hinata on point. Otafuku Gai was only eight kilometers away so the Byakugan Princess could see their path all the way to town easily. They reached Otafuku Gai in about twenty minutes flat.

"We'll need to check in with the local Lord who is our client." said Yūgao. "Afterwards we'll check with the Otafuku Gai Samurai and see the details on this case."

They came into the gates and talked to the guards that were standing on duty. The guards looked a bit skittish but relaxed when they saw the black forehead protectors with the Konoha symbol on them. "Welcome Konoha ninjas" said one of the guards. "I'm Itsuki and this here is Juro. We're the front gate guards of the Fun Fun Street Pleasure Quarter."

'Pleasure Quarter?' thought the three genins.

"Lord Hare Chō is expecting you." said Itsuki. "His estate is all the way at the end of the Pleasure Quarter. It's light green so you can't miss it."

Juro added, "I'm sure he'll be as glad to see you as we are."

After getting their paperwork processed the four ninjas set out to the estate of Lord Hare and were soon standing in front of it. "Well, it is light green." said Maya with a sweat drop.

Naruto chuckled. "You mean it looks like a giant pastel birthday cake."

Yūgao saw the doorman(?) there coming out to greet them. "Can I help you?" he asked. He had a large, upturned nose and seemed snooty from the way he carried himself.

The purple haired sword mistress said, "I'm Jonin Uzuki Yūgao and this is Team 11. We are the ninja team from Konoha that Lord Hare requested. I was just admiring the architecture before we came in."

The man said, "Yes the Lord's tastes are *cough*atrocious*cough* unique. I'm Katsu, the butler and bodyguard to Lord Hare. Please come in."

Katsu led them in quickly to see the Lord of Otafuku Gai. Lord Hare was sitting at a low table and was very heavy set…Much like an Akimichi without any of the muscle. He wore thin rimmed round glasses and had a walrus moustache. He also sported an awful toupee. Katsu said, "May I present Jonin Uzuki Yūgao and her ninja team. They are here as you requested my Lord."

'Something crawled up on top of his head and died there.' thought Maya and Naruto as they stared at the toupee.

Hinata was doing her best not to look and Yūgao had a mental blinder on. 'I see nothing there.' thought the purple haired kunoichi to herself. "I bid you greetings Lord Hare. My team and I are at your service." She handed him the scroll with their orders and awaited his reaction as he read over the paperwork.

The heavy-set man adjusted his glasses and said in a stuffy voice, "Quite right. Go to the Captain of our guards Masaru and get all the details of this nasty business. I trust you can take care of this without delay." He dismissed them without further ado and the butler Katsu gave them directions to the main guard station across town…

…

Otafuku Gai, Guard's Station

"I'm Captain Masaru." said the graying head guard as he shook hands with Yūgao and her team. "We are glad you are here. I all but had to beg Lord Hare to hire you ninjas to help. My men and I can't crack this case and we don't see any shame in calling for outside help when we need it."

"Can you give us the details of the situation?" asked Yūgao. "Other than 'a strange series of murders' we haven't been informed of the circumstances."

Masaru nodded. "Of course. Let me get you a map of town. There have been five murders. All of them have been prostitutes and all of them have been torn apart and eaten in part."

"Torn apart and eaten by what?" asked Naruto.

"We think dogs, but they'd have to be big dogs." said the guard Captain with a shudder. "It's a grisly mess."

They looked over the map and saw the numerous hotels and gambling and entertainment venues. The five X marks showing where the murders took place were spread throughout the town. Yūgao said, "Which is the most recent murder?"

Masaru pointed to a brothel and said, "That would be the brothel owned by Madam Megumi. One of her girls named Kiku was killed three days ago. I'll have one of my men take you there." he handed Yūgao a copy of the map and said, "Good luck."

A guard introduced himself as Kitashi and offered to lead them to the first murder scene. Yūgao nodded and said, "Lead the way Kitashi." She motioned to Team 11 and said. "Eyes and ears open people. No detail is too small."

…

Megumi's Home of Wayward Women

"Quite a name for a brothel." said Hinata in a flat tone.

Naruto sweat dropped. The smell of the place was atrocious. Kitashi rang the bell and a woman in her fifties came out wearing heavy makeup and perfume. "Ah, young Kitashi. Finally decided to lose your virginity, eh? That girlfriend of yours is much too naïve."

Kitashi face palmed and said, "Madam Megumi; I'm here with this team of Konoha ninjas about the murder."

Megumi looked over the group and said, "Oh my yes! Poor Kiku was one of my most popular girls. She was a terrible loss to me personally." The fifty-year-old woman lit up a cigarette and said, "Please follow me upstairs."

As the older woman blew smoke rings, she led them past several rooms with girls peeking out through cracked doorways. There was a feeling of fear permeating the building as the ninjas marched though. After going up two flights of stairs Madam Megumi led them across a noticeably empty floor that had one room taped off. Megumi pulled out a key and said, I'll unlock it for you, but I can't bear to go in."

Given the stench of death was horrendous even out in the hall Yūgao pulled up her facemask to filter the smell and her three genin followed suit. When the door was opened Kitashi cringed as he stared inside. Yūgao put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Wait here while we examine the premises." Kitashi nodded with obvious relief etched on his face.

As the four ninjas entered Kiku's room they saw the tape marks where the body parts had been. Yūgao said, "Check every nook a cranny." The bed was demolished and the mattress was torn with its contents spread throughout the room. Bloodstains were everywhere including the ceiling.

Naruto started checking the torn open window and Yūgao checked where the torso of the body had been. Hinata had her byakugan active and Maya was checking the entryway which was not forced. The blonde motioned towards the window and said, "This window was torn open from the outside. Hinata-chan…?"

Hinata looked at the window that had a ripped screen that was supposed to keep insects out. "It was ripped open to gain entry by a hand equipped with claws. It was torn out further when the person exited. Check outside Naruto-kun."

The blonde nodded and slipped outside. He walked on the outside of the building and inspected it thoroughly before he walked down the side of the outer wall.

Maya said, "Sensei, this imprint in mud….it looks like a wolf's or a huge dog's and it's stained with blood."

Yūgao looked at the red paw print and said, "It doesn't look quite right either. It looks like a drawing. Shame we don't have an Inuzuka tracker like Kiba that knows paw prints."

Naruto poked his head in though the torn window and said, "We're dealing with a ninja of some sort. It's faint but I found the trail leading from the ground up to the window."

Maya frowned. "It would make more sense to roof hop. Did you check the roof Naruto-kun?"

"I'll head up." said the blonde.

Yūgao added, "Check for paw prints or hair as well." Naruto nodded and started looking higher up.

Thirty minutes later all four ninjas were having an impromptu meeting out in the hall. "All the evidence we have of wolves or dogs is inside the room and has mud around it." said Yūgao.

"Could our ninja have summoned the dogs to help him after sneaking in?" asked Maya.

Naruto got out a sealing scroll a said, "Let's find out. I'll make a seal to detect a space time jutsu used in the last week."

Yūgao said, "I didn't know they made a seal for that Naruto-kun."

The blonde said as he worked; "They don't as far as I know. I'm modifying one to serve that purpose."

'I should have known…' thought all three kunoichi as one.

Ten minutes later Naruto placed his new seal and said, "Fuin." Tendrils of chakra shot out in a spider web pattern as in to snare an elusive jutsu. After a few minutes Naruto stopped feeding chakra to the seal and said, "Nothing. No summoning took place here. Our wolves got here some other way."

Maya shook her head. "So much for that idea."

Yūgao was talking with Madam Megumi. "Well, the sounds and the screaming were horrifying of course but there were no sounds of dogs or wolves or whatever." said the Madam. "It was obvious from Kiku's poor body they were there though…"

"We'd best examine the body then." said the purple haired sword mistress.

…

Guard's Station -Morgue

"I can tell you it's not pretty." said Captain Masaru. "It's obvious she was torn apart by dogs even if it doesn't make much sense."

Yūgao nodded and said, "Regardless we need to check the corpse. Even if we aren't forensics specialists there may be some clues."

…

It was a grisly job but everyone kept the contents of their stomachs down. "More mud but no signs of hair; broken teeth or anything else foreign." said Hinata looking a bit green. "All damage to the body points towards animals."

"There is no evidence that a human was even involved in the murder." said Maya. "There was no evidence of rape either but then again it's hard to say without further surgical examination on that front."

"I doubt that was an issue in this case." said Yugao. "That was one of the few parts of the corpse untouched. We really don't have a motive at this point."

Naruto sighed, "Did any of these girls have anything else in common other than their line of work? Looks, age, anything?"

Yugao looked at the dossiers that the guards had assembled on each victim. "They were all under twenty-five years of age and prostitutes. They were all known in their own social circles."

"What about the other four bodies?" asked Maya.

Kitashi said, "We can only preserve things for so long. They were cremated."

Hinata sighed. "We need to examine the other murder scenes then."

The guard nodded. "They are all similar, but I'll take you to them."

…

Over the next day the ninjas investigated the other four murder scenes that were roped off.

"…More dried mud…" said Naruto. "Has anyone else noticed or is there no mud to be tracked in? The streets are mainly brick and it hasn't rained recently."

Hinata looked outside and then looked at the mud. She pressed into the imprint with a kunai and said, "I assumed the red color was blood stains. We've missed something obvious. This is red clay."

Yūgao face palmed and said, "Clay jutsus. We're dealing with someone from Iwa. They mainly use special chakra conductive clays. One of the common types is blood red."

"That would explain why the tracks don't look right and why there is no hair or other foreign matter either." said Maya.

"So, we theoretically have an Iwa ninja killing prostitutes." said Naruto. "Now we have to figure out why."

"Were any of those girls originally from Iwa?" asked Hinata.

"Good question…" said Yūgao. "Let's find out."

…

Captain Masaru looked puzzled and said, "From Iwa you say? Let me get in the archives and pull out their citizenship papers…"

The ninjas quietly conversed among themselves and Maya said, "Spies from Iwa perhaps?"

"If that's the case we need to verify with Jiraiya-sama." said Yūgao. "Naruto, we could send a bird, but it would be faster to run flat out. You know Jiraiya-sama better than the rest of us so head out now."

Naruto gave a thumbs up and rocketed off in a trail of dust.

Masaru came back and said, "All five of the victims were reported as being from Fire Country but no background checks were done because of their occupation. It was simply word of mouth."

Hinata had her byakugan active and reported, "Naruto-kun is already outside the Otafuku Gai gates."

"It's alright." replied Yūgao. "Jiraiya-sama may know something that we don't. The ninja may have already blown out of town after accomplishing their mission."

…

Konoha, Senju Compound

Jiraiya was a bit surprised to see Naruto there so soon after their last visit. He greeted the blonde and asked, "What brings you by? I thought you were on a mission in Otafuku Gai."

Naruto nodded and said, "I am. We think an Iwa ninja is killing spies posing as prostitutes. Do you know of any in Otafuku Gai?"

The white haired sannin sweat dropped and said, "There are at least two dozen that fit that description in Otafuku Gai Naruto. Bars and brothels are the best places to get information as a spy."

Naruto's eyes widened before Jiraiya held up a hand and said, "Come inside. I trust you have a list of the victims?" When the blonde nodded Jiraiya motioned him into the compound.

It wasn't long before the two men were sitting at a table in Jiraiya's office going over the list. The Toad hermit had out a list of contacts and said, "There are seven Iwa spies in Otafuku Gai, each one of these five girls were loyal citizens of Iwa."

"Why didn't you wipe them out then?" asked Naruto in shock.

The spymaster smiled and said, "Because that's not the way the game is played Naruto. If a potential war with Iwa broke out, then we'd capture them but right now it's best to feed them false information so they'll report it back to Iwa. Sometimes spies become double agents and sell information to both sides. Spies, even enemy ones, are useful. That's the nature of espionage."

Naruto blinked and asked, "Still, isn't that a security risk?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "Everything is a security risk in the spy game. These five girls that died…I'm sorry to say they were pretty much innocent. They didn't have high level secrets and only one of the two remaining does. She's a double agent and has leaked a great deal about Iwa to me. It's her they are after. Whoever is killing those girls only knows there is a leak and in order to plug it he or she is killing them all."

Naruto asked, "Who is she then?"

Jiraiya pulled out a dossier and said, "She goes by Momo but her real name is Futaba Minori. She's been feeding me information and disinformation for years so she's a bit of a puzzle. I suspect whoever is killing those girls has her on their list. Looks like we'll have to extract her. Spies of her caliber don't grow on trees you know."

Naruto looked at the picture on the dossier and saw a very pretty young woman. The dossier showed she was about twenty-three. The blonde's gut reaction was 'What a waste.' "So how do we extract her Jiraiya?"

The Toad sanin pondered a moment and said, "You'll go to see her with the appropriate coded message and offer to get her out of there. If she agrees then you pull her out pronto. If she doesn't agree, then you report it back to me and observe her with your team. Have you identified who is after her aside of an Iwa ninja?"

Naruto shook his head. "He or she uses red clay for clay jutsus and makes dogs or wolves of clay to tear the victims apart from what we've gathered."

"Is the head left intact?" asked Jiraiya.

"The head was missing on the one body that is left." said Naruto. "The others were already cremated."

"Odds are you are dealing with a member of the Akahitsu clan that is serving as an Iwa Hunter Nin then." said Jiraiya. "Seems kind of overkill but the Tsuchikage Onoki can be kind of heavy handed at times. Find out if the other girl's heads were missing. If they were then I'm pretty positive it's a hunter nin. They always take the heads whether it's a military target or not."

Naruto thought about hunter nins for a moment and asked, "Shouldn't they have destroyed the bodies then?"

The white-haired man shook his head. "If it was a former Iwa nin they were after then yes; but a low to mid-level spy's body wouldn't require it. They have no state secrets on their bodies."

The blonde seal master asked, "So this extraction; are you going to be involved?"

"No; I'm well known in Otafuku Gai so the minute I showed up your killer would blow out of town." explained Jiraiya. "Team 11 is more than capable of pulling this off. Let me get you the appropriate passwords…"

…

Konoha, Yakushi Kabuto's apartment

While Naruto was conversing with Jiraiya, Yakushi Kabuto was finishing up his report to the White Snake…

…

Orochimaru-sama-

The nature of the talks between the Hokage and Kazekage are still a well-guarded secret but rumor has it that Konoha and Suna have reached a new trade agreement that will help Suna financially. Also, the Kazekage's daughter Temari seems to have entered a relationship with the jinchuriki of the nine tails, Uzumaki Naruto. Whether this will influence the Kazekage's intentions on the upcoming war in debatable. He could be using his daughter to lure Uzumaki away from Konoha but as an untrained jinchuriki Uzumaki doesn't pose a huge threat anyway.

In the last week I have thoroughly checked every last ROOT Base I know of and all have been sealed presumably by Jiraiya-sama. I have confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that Shimura Danzo is indeed dead. During my rounds at the hospital the forensics team spoke of dissecting Danzo's body and the arm and sharingan eyes he had implanted. There is no way that he would reveal that were he alive. I have also heard rumors that it was Hyūga Hanako-sama killed him in single combat but I have no way to confirm this without spying more directly on the Natsume Estate she is living at.

Our spies in Konoha have nearly all been eliminated and the many of the ones spread out through Fire Country have gone silent. I believe this is due to Jiraiya's spy network. The guard and barrier teams have been beefed up considerably since Tsunade-sama took her position as Hokage. I have no evidence as to why other than she is more militant than the Third Hokage was.

I have not been able to discover any more about Uchiha Sasuke since the failed attempt to extract him with our false ROOT squad. I have followed up on the ANBU kunoichi that has the scorch release and it is a dead end at the hospital. I can only assume her secret has been buried deep for a long time but other than ANBU Headquarters there are no records to be found.

I await your further instructions.

Your humble servant,

Yakushi Kabuto

…

Kabuto finished translation his report into the latest Oto cipher and burned the original with a small fire jutsu. Sending the bird out by messenger hawk; he was finished for the day.

All Kabuto could do now was sit back and wait…

…

Otafuku Gai, that night…

Naruto nervously entered the brothel The Painted Lady that 'Momo' worked in under henge as a normal teenager. The Madam grinned at his obvious shakiness and asked, "First timer?"

The blonde pulled out five hundred ryos (courtesy of Jiraiya) and said, "I'm here to see Momo."

The woman raised her eyebrows and said, "Ummm, Momo might be little too wild for someone inexperienced."

Naruto shrugged. "I can handle myself."

The Madam giggled, "You are a brave young man." She snapped her fingers and said, "Nami take this young man up to see Momo. She has a new toy."

The now named Nami escorted Naruto up the stairs to a room and knocked. She said shakily, "Miss Momo, you have a customer."

"Ohohoho!" A woman's laughter was heard from beyond the door. "Send him in Nami dearest. The door is unlocked."

"Y-yes Ma'am!" said Nami. "Please go on in sir. Good luck!" Nami took off like a bat out of hell.

Naruto thought, 'What has her so spooked?' He opened the door to a large room full of whips, chains, muzzles and a lot of paraphernalia he could not identify. The room looked like a dungeon with 'barred' windows (obviously fake). Momo was lounged on her bed in black leather gear with spikes and chains. She was brandishing a bullwhip and said, "So you are my toy for tonight little boy. I hope you are prepared to serve your Mistress well. Ohohoho!"

Naruto face palmed and thought, 'Gods above. She's a friggin' dominatrix.'

She cracked her whip menacingly and said, "On your knees boy! Your Mistress commands it!"

Naruto said, "The Toad eats the fly before he can land on your lily pad."

Momo suddenly looked wide eyed and said in a small voice; "You're with Jiraiya? I-"

A red clay wolf crashed through a barred window and headed right towards Momo with its jaws wide open. Naruto body switched with Momo and had his family blades out. The wolf was cut into fourths by a pair of wind blades in an x-shaped slash. A hunter nin was coming in the window when the weakened wind blades plowed into her and cut her and the surrounding wall up badly. "Agggggggh! God damn it!" she shrieked as she fell back outside.

Yūgao and the others saw the enemy kunoichi appear as well as her bloody altercation with Naruto. When the kunoichi hit the ground, she went through some hand signs and vanished. The purple haired sword Mistress said, "Shit! Hiding camouflage technique!"

"I'm on it sensei!" said Hinata. She activated her byakugan as four clay wolves emerged from the area the Iwa kunoichi ran to. The three kunoichi of Team 11 soon were trading blows with the wolves in a furious sword/claw fight in the darkened street.

Yūgao had one of the wolves bisected and was fighting a second one when Maya flipped completely over the wolf she was fighting. The silver haired kunoichi was airborne and whispered, "Shadow shuriken jutsu!" The three shuriken she threw multiplied into fifty and peppered the wounded Iwa kunoichi. The clay wolves fell apart before the girls and Yūgao rushed over to the downed hunter nin.

Looking at the grievous wounds the purple haired swordswoman radioed her team. "Target is down, repeat; target is down. Hinata, get over here. Everyone be on guard for more hostiles. Naruto, stay with the enemy's target just in case."

"Hai sensei!" answered Team 11.

Hinata moved forward and Yūgao asked, "Can you save the hunter nin? We could use her alive you know."

The Byakugan Princess shook her head and said, "She's already gone, she had a suicide pill in a fake tooth from what I can tell here in the dark with my byakugan…this is a job for forensics now."

The samurai guards arrived quickly after that and within the hour the body of the Iwa nin was sealed up by Naruto in a scroll for transport.

'Momo' (or Futaba Minori) requested to return to Konoha with Team 11 to see Jiraiya so she could hopefully relocate or quit being a spy and live in Konoha.

Team 11's mission in Otafuku Gai was mostly over…

…

Otafuku Gai, Wednesday morning…

Yūgao and the others were rather shocked seeing 'Momo' outside of her work attire and in a kimono. She looked surprisingly normal without her wild makeup and X-rated clothing. She said, "Please just call me Minori. I think it's safe to say Momo is dead."

Naruto just cringed at the memories…. 'Tight leather outfits are one thing but whips and chains are quite another.' thought the blonde.

Hinata wondered how the hell such a (apparently) mild mannered girl ended up as a cackling dominatrix but decided it would be better not to ask. 'Maybe it was all just an act…' thought the Hyūga heiress.

Yūgao finished up their mission by speaking with Captain Masaru and getting the reluctant Lord Hare Chō to sign off that the job was complete. "All this money for a bunch of hookers…" griped the overweight Lord. He signed his name with flourish before handing it back to Yūgao. "Inform your Hokage that the job was well done just as I asked."

Yūgao bowed and said, "By your leave Lord Hare." Being dismissed the purple haired kunoichi met up with her team at the town gates and escorted Futaba Minori/Momo back to Konoha…

…

Rice Country, Oto Village, Orochimaru's Headquarters

The Snake sanin was carefully reading over Kabuto's latest report. "Suna and Konoha are entering a trade agreement…." he thought aloud. 'Hmmm…I need to verify this with my contacts in Suna. Just what is going on Rasa? Using your own daughter to lure away the Kyubi brat is quite a bold move. All of this could be to support the upcoming war effort or it could be a way to avoid the war and betray me. I'll have to figure out a way to contact Rasa in person and find out the truth of the matter.'

As he looked over the rest of the letter, he sighed seeing Danzo had been eliminated. 'That old crook had his uses but obviously he ran out of tricks. Kabuto-kun doesn't have any idea how dangerous old Lady Hanako is. It wouldn't surprise me if she saw through Danzo and decided to take him out. Unlike Sarutobi-sensei she has zero tolerance for treason…' "Seeing her active again is truly regrettable. I don't know why she would have come out of retirement after all these years and become an advisor to Tsunade but I need to reiterate to Kabuto-kun to avoid that old woman at all costs."

Orochimaru had a lot to think about…

…

Fire Country, Konoha, Hokage Tower

"…And that concludes Team 11's verbal report Hokage-sama." said Yūgao. "The mission went far smoother than I estimated but if we hadn't been so close to home and weren't able to contact Jiraiya-sama about the matter then it wouldn't have worked out so well."

Tsunade nodded and said, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth Yūgao. You and your Team did well and combating an enemy ninja bumps it up to B rank. A three-day turnaround is good for such an investigation. Turn the red clay you sampled and the body over to forensics. Jiraiya and I will decide how we can help out Miss Futaba. You are dismissed."

Yūgao turned to Team 11 and said, "Lunch is on me guys. Let's go eat Team 11!" She chuckled as the three genin cheered. 'I really do have a great bunch of kids…'

…

POSTSCRIPT:

Well, how about that? A one-chapter mission that didn't evolve into a multi chapter saga! Honestly, I have a hard time believing it worked out that way. Naruto learned a bit about the spy business this chapter and Team 11 was able to solve the mystery without incurring further injury from S-Class missing nins. See you next time. Blue out. 7/19/23