"...Thanks for the gift," said Fox, still wearing her ANBU mask, clearly touched.
But when her eyes landed on one unusually shaped gift, she couldn't help glancing again at Nara Kazuki.
"Captain, what do you think?" Kazuki rubbed his hands together, looking eager.
"So you already figured it out," Fox smiled as she examined the gift—a full grooming kit, with shampoo, conditioner, and the like, all top-shelf brands made in Konoha.
Kazuki gave a knowing smile but said nothing. He had, of course, figured it out. After the mask had partially melted during their last mission, he'd seen her face. He could even guess her clan.
The Yamanaka clan—Konoha's famed mind-style users, partnered with the Nara and Akimichi clans as part of the classic Ino-Shika-Cho formation. A clan with their own secret techniques.
"Figured what out?" asked Kakashi, curious. They were all seated in a private booth at a yakiniku joint—naturally, the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant.
"That I'm a woman," Fox said simply, removing her mask to reveal the same pretty face Kazuki had seen before: a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty.
Kakashi's eye twitched. He hadn't seen that one coming. Their captain had always acted and talked like a seasoned male veteran, full of dry jokes and no-nonsense discipline.
Kazuki just smiled. This was getting interesting. Now the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was complete—especially fitting, given they were sitting in an Akimichi-owned restaurant.
"I've officially retired from the ANBU. From now on, I'll be a jonin serving the village in a more normal capacity," she said cheerfully, then gave her real name:
"Captain... so we'll be getting a new teammate?" Kazuki asked. Now that Fox was retiring, their team would be down to just him and Kakashi.
Standard ANBU squads usually had three members, sometimes four, so they'd definitely be assigned someone new.
"Yeah, after I step down, the ANBU will assign a replacement. Kakashi, you'll be squad leader now," Mai said casually, clearly thrilled to be done with ANBU life.
If not for pressure from the clan head, she'd have left long ago. But now she was free, and loving it.
Kazuki shrugged. That much had been expected.
In ANBU, strength and experience ruled. Kakashi, being a jonin, naturally had the seniority. Kazuki had no interest in leading anyway.
Kakashi, however, didn't look thrilled. His expression turned dark. Kazuki guessed his mind had gone back to Obito and Rin... to what happened the last time he was given command.
Kazuki gave his shoulder a silent pat but didn't say anything. Those scars would never heal—but they had made Kakashi into the kind of ninja who had a true ninja way. That meant something.
The meal was lively enough—drinks were passed, meat grilled, conversation light. Mai was clearly in high spirits. Retirement suited her. Kakashi, meanwhile, was unusually quiet.
Just then, a voice shouted from the street:
"Big news! Big news! Jiraiya-sama's latest masterpiece Icha Icha Paradise is officially published!"
Kazuki's eyes lit up.
Kakashi—stoic, quiet, deadpan Kakashi—visibly flinched. His whole body tensed. Meanwhile, Mai perked up with curiosity and walked to the window to buy a copy from the shouting vendor.
"Ahem... I'll take one too," said Kazuki, getting up.
After all, he'd helped Jiraiya with some inspiration for it.
He checked the cover—nothing too inappropriate on the outside. The name Jiraiya was proudly stamped on the bottom in bold lettering.
Kazuki couldn't help admiring the man. This was Icha Icha Paradise, after all. He knew exactly what was in it. That Jiraiya had no qualms about publishing it under his real name... took guts.
"Kakashi, want one?" he asked.
Kakashi shook his head violently.
Kazuki smirked, bought a second copy, and tossed it to him anyway.
You'll thank me later.
Kakashi's face turned red, but he didn't reject it.
On the other side of the table, Mai had flipped through two pages and gone completely red-faced. She shut the book immediately and tucked it away like contraband. Some things were better read in private.
She looked at the two boys across from her and opened her mouth, probably to warn them.
But Kazuki didn't even glance at his own copy—he just passed it to Kakashi without a word.
"...They already knew?" Mai thought, her expression hard to read.
Still, she didn't press it.
"Kazuki, Kakashi—be careful on future ANBU missions. Some of them can be very dangerous," she said, rising from her seat. Her tone had softened with genuine concern.
They both stood and wished her well in her new life. She paid for the meal and left.
Kakashi vanished quickly after that—Kazuki suspected he was headed home to study the illustrated version of Icha Icha Paradise. Kazuki wasn't far behind; he wanted to check out the printed version himself.
He'd read Jiraiya's drafts already, but now that it came with illustrations? That was a whole different experience.
"Still need to work on body conditioning and chakra nature transformation..." Kazuki muttered, glancing at his skill progression bars.
His physical stats and chakra affinity were both close to leveling up. If he kept grinding hard enough, he'd unlock the next set of attribute upgrades soon.
Meanwhile, at the Sarutobi clan residence...
"You bought the book?" Biwako Sarutobi asked, narrowing her eyes.
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed his chest proudly. "Of course. It's Jiraiya's latest work! As his teacher, it's my duty to support him."
Her face twisted with horror.
"SARUTOBI. HIRUZEN." she growled.