Chapter 198: definite Loss
A ninja from Team Shadow sent a hawk to Konoha informing about partial success of plan A, and that no one died.
As the Root ninja finished preparations, two large caravans stood ready to depart. The captives and scientists were securely loaded inside, guarded by the Root operatives. Toshiro approached Shisui one last time before their departure.
"I assume we have to destroy the base, right?" Toshiro asked.
"Those are the orders. And being a capable ninja you are, I don't think you would have to ask this question. Why would we leave anything behind that could lead anyone from Land of Iron to Konoha?" Shisui asked back.
"I think you are underestimating Root too much. We have made enough preparation for such a case. Even if we leave everything, I mean everything behind, no one from Land of Iron or any other ninja village would be able to guess that we are from Konoha.
Even those scientists working on those experiments didn't know who they were working for. So it is not mandatory for us to destroy the base, but since those are the orders, we would do so," Toshiro said.
Even though he was arrogant and a little angry in his tone, he knew no capable ninja would buy his act.
The reason he was doing that was to give Danzo a way out. Since his words have to be reported in the report and also since the base is going to be destroyed, those words will be the last clue about the base and how that could have affected Konoha.
With those words getting out, if any mess created by reveal of the base information will be child's play for Danzo, in any other case that is, but Toshiro didn't know that.
Shisui controlled his smirk very skillfully, knowing what Toshiro was trying to do, and all the political play that would have been going on in his mind only for all of them to shatter when he would return to Konoha.
Maintaining his composure, he went to Shingi and said, "Take a close look. We don't want any, not a single seal to be left behind. Satoshi, you will be with him too. Please make sure no clue will be left behind."
Both of them nodded their heads and went to the base along with Toshiro and team, with the rest of the team members going to the captive location to make sure they would remain safe. With an addition of 9 Jonin, 50 Root ninja, and nobles' caravan, the group was as safe as it could be in the world.
Well, except if you are traveling with some S-rank ninja, or the protagonist, that is.
After around 1 hour, there was no trace of any base at that location. Everything under the ground was either stored or destroyed. Toshiro and team were sure that now no one would be able to put a single finger on Danzo.
With a positive attitude, both teams and the caravan started their journey. It was a long journey, but since they took the shorter route, the same one Team Shadow used to come to the base, the journey was not going to be that big.
If they had taken the route going through Land of Snow, the time would have been enough to increase the blood pressure of many people in Konoha.
With so many ninja, the journey was obviously safe, and other ninja, even ninja from Iwagakure, thought that someone closely related to the Fire Daimyo was using the caravan and didn't decide to do anything about it.
Though it was certainly not because they didn't want to, but the team had 19 Jonin and 40 Chunin, a team that would be deadly even at the time of war. Any capable ninja with a little bit of sensory technique would not want to mess with a group like that.
The one who actually tried to do something didn't go very far, with both Byakugan and Mangekyo Sharingan, it was almost impossible to make a successful sneak attack.
...
(After 5 hours when the discussion about the closing of the base happened between Shisui and Toshiro)
A hawk landed at the information collection center at the Hokage's building. The message was swiftly delivered to Hiruzen.
"Finally, a piece of good news," Hiruzen said, reading the message.
"I assume that my plan worked, Lord Third," Shikaku said, with a smile on his face. One could also call that a smirk, a smirk that would make your face very much punchable.
But Hiruzen was in a happy mood from the news and just decided to go with the flow.
"Yes, the start was good. Now let's make sure that nothing bad will happen when they reach Konoha," Hiruzen said.
"Don't worry, Lord Third. We have planned a 3 to 1 ratio for immediate welcome of the guests. Along with thousands of ninja in Konoha, I don't think those ninja would even try something," Shikaku, the Jonin Commander of Konoha, said.
"It's your task. Make sure nothing goes wrong. I already had many bad news on my table," Hiruzen said.
"Don't worry, sir. I will make sure to not make any mistake, even though this is a drag," Shikaku said.
...
Within one week, Team Shadow and company reached Konoha.
A hawk landed on Shisui's shoulder. Shisui checked the letter and said, "We have to drop all the captives and scientists at the Hokage building." Obviously, his target was Toshiro Yamanaka.
"We are already at Konoha. So I think you could handle things for now," Toshiro said.