Inoichi nodded, a faint smile crossing his face. "It's good you're unharmed."
Inoiki looked up, his curiosity evident. "What was Danzo's response about the ROOT ninja?"
Inoichi's expression darkened. "As you predicted, he pushed the blame onto the Hokage. He claimed the ROOT ninja who attacked you—and whom you later killed—was a Missing-nin. He said he'd already provided a list of missing operatives, and that it's the Anbu's failure for not capturing him. After that, I did a little digging myself, and it seems Danzo wasn't lying about that part. But both of us know he orchestrated this, even if we lack solid proof."
Inoiki nodded, unsurprised. He had anticipated Danzo's evasion.
"I'll continue searching for any information I can extract from the minds of the other nine dead ninjas," Inoichi added, though his voice held a hint of doubt.
Inoiki gave a faint smile. "I doubt you'll find anything useful—they're ROOT ninjas, after all. But good luck."
After a thoughtful pause, Inoichi sighed and nodded. "We'll see what comes of it." With that, he rose and left, leaving Inoiki to rest under the tree. Eyes closed, Inoiki let the calmness of the courtyard settle over him, grateful for a moment's peace after ten days of travel.
Inoichi entered the Hokage's office, handing Hiruzen a file filled with the results of his investigation. Using his Psycho Mind Transmission technique, he had extracted memories from the brains of the nine other deceased ninjas. But he couldn't touch the ROOT operative's mind—the 'Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal' made any mental interrogation useless.
Hiruzen scanned the report carefully. The information painted a grim picture: the group had been involved in robbery and bounty hunting in the black market. According to their memories, this last mission was supposed to be a simple caravan robbery, orchestrated by their leader—the ROOT ninja. But it was now clear that the so-called "mission" had been a ruse. The ROOT operative's real objective had been to target Inoiki.
However, without concrete evidence linking Danzo to this scheme, Hiruzen knew they could not act further. He set the report aside, frustration and resignation visible in his eyes.
After submitting his report, Inoichi quietly exited the Hokage's office. As the door closed, Hiruzen leaned back, deep in thought, then summoned an Anbu Ninja. "Call for Izumo and his team," he instructed.
Within the hour, Izumo arrived with his team: Inoiki, Kotetsu, and Kosuke. They entered the office, and Hiruzen handed them the report Inoichi had just submitted. Izumo accepted it first, quickly scanning through before passing it to his teammates. Inoiki only skimmed the report—he already knew the details from his father.
As Kotetsu and Kosuke read, the truth sank in: Inoiki had been the target. The ambush was not random; the ROOT ninja had manipulated the mission with the sole aim of eliminating him. Izumo returned the report to Hiruzen, a look of understanding shared among the team.
Hiruzen met their eyes gravely. "Although your mission was originally classified as C-Rank, this ambush—by such a large, skilled group—requires a reclassification. I'm officially elevating it to an A-Rank mission."
The team exchanged glances, surprised but pleased by the recognition. But Hiruzen added, "However, there will be no increase in remuneration. The village will not cover additional expenses for this, as it was an escort mission already completed before the ambush occurred."
Izumo nodded, accepting the logic. Since they'd been attacked only on the return journey, the Caravan's leader, Mr. Baki, hadn't been asked for any additional fee. Had the ambush occurred mid-mission, they might have renegotiated the terms with him.
After bowing respectfully, the team left Hiruzen's office and headed to the mission counter to collect their payment. When it came time to split the reward, Izumo hesitated. By tradition, the team captain took the largest share. But this time, he felt a pang of guilt. Though he had led the mission, it was Inoiki who had single-handedly defeated the enemy team, while he, Kotetsu, and Kosuke had stayed back, following Inoiki's request to let him handle the attackers alone.
Izumo cleared his throat, addressing the group. "Inoiki, you should have most amount of time. You carried us all in that fight."
Inoiki shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "I did what I needed to do. We're a team, and you're our captain. Let's split it according to the tradition."
Izumo shook his head firmly. "This isn't some binding law—just a tradition we ninjas follow. Honestly, if I'd contributed anything in that fight, I wouldn't hesitate to take my usual share. But I did nothing, and if I took the money now, I'd only feel guilty."
Kotetsu and Kosuke nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute. "Inoiki," Kotetsu said, "you're the one who faced them alone. You should take the largest share."
Kosuke chimed in, "You saved us all. It's only right."
After a bit of discussion, Inoiki finally accepted their reasoning. They agreed he would take 40% of the remuneration. Izumo would take 25%, Kotetsu 20%, and Kosuke the remaining 15%.
As they split the reward, an unspoken respect deepened among the team.
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