Chapter 16: Reckoning and Reward

The weight of their actions pressed heavily upon them as Ryūsei, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru stood in the Hokage's office. Though they had secured undeniable proof of Sunagakure's plans, their infiltration of enemy territory had been unsanctioned. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, remained silent for a long time after reading through the documents they had brought back.

Tsunade stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching her teammates with a mix of concern and frustration.

Finally, Hiruzen spoke.

"You three disobeyed direct orders." His voice was calm but carried a sharp edge. "You acted on your own, without informing your superiors, and you took a great risk. If any of you had been caught, it could have provoked an early war or led to an international incident."

Ryūsei remained still, his face unreadable. He had expected this reaction.

Jiraiya scratched the back of his head. "Well… technically, we didn't get caught."

Orochimaru smirked. "And we now have proof of the Sand's intentions."

Hiruzen exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "That does not change the fact that what you did was reckless. The lives of the entire village could have been put in jeopardy."

Tsunade took a step forward. "With all due respect, Lord Third, if they hadn't gone, we would still be waiting in the dark while Danzo plotted in the shadows."

Hiruzen's sharp gaze flickered toward her. "And what would you have done if they had failed? If they had been killed or captured? Do you understand what could have happened?"

Tsunade's fists clenched, but she stayed silent.

Ryūsei finally spoke. "With all due respect, Lord Third, the risk was necessary. The Sand has been making their moves, and you know as well as we do that Danzo was going to take action. If we had waited any longer, we might have lost the opportunity to get solid proof. Now, you have leverage. The question is—how will you use it?"

Hiruzen studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

Then, he sighed. "You are not wrong."

Jiraiya blinked. "Wait, really?"

Hiruzen gave them all a tired look. "Yes. I am grateful that you succeeded. This evidence will allow us to prepare properly. I will summon the council immediately, and Konoha will begin its defensive preparations."

Jiraiya grinned. "So… we're not in trouble?"

Hiruzen sighed again. "You will still be punished."

Orochimaru's smirk widened. "Of course."

Hiruzen turned serious. "For your unauthorized actions, you will all be temporarily suspended from missions outside the village. You will be placed on internal duties—guarding key locations, training younger shinobi, and assisting in village defense. This will ensure that you remain under supervision while still contributing to Konoha's safety."

Jiraiya groaned. "Babysitting duty?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "You deserve it."

Ryūsei remained silent, accepting the punishment. It was a fair trade for the intelligence they had gathered.

But then Hiruzen's expression softened slightly. "That said… your actions have also earned you a reward."

Jiraiya perked up. "Reward?"

Hiruzen nodded. "Due to your performance, you will all be granted early graduation from the Academy. You will also be permitted to take the Chūnin Exam immediately to prove your readiness for the next rank."

Orochimaru's smirk remained, but his golden eyes gleamed with interest. Jiraiya looked like he had been struck by lightning.

Ryūsei simply nodded.

"Additionally," Hiruzen continued, "as recognition for your contributions, you will each be allowed to select a technique from the Scroll of Seals."

Silence filled the room.

Tsunade's eyebrows shot up. "That's… a serious reward."

The Scroll of Seals contained some of Konoha's most forbidden and powerful techniques. The fact that they were being given access to it—even in a limited capacity—was a rare honor.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Wait, we can pick anything?"

Hiruzen's gaze hardened. "Only one technique. And I expect you to choose wisely. The technique must be something you can handle, not just something powerful for the sake of power."

Orochimaru's smirk widened. "How generous."

Hiruzen ignored his tone. "You will be given time to make your selection. For now, you are dismissed."

Danzo's Response

As the four of them left the Hokage's office, Ryūsei knew this wasn't over.

Sure enough, as they walked through the dimly lit corridors of the Hokage Tower, a familiar presence blocked their path.

Danzo Shimura.

The elder war hawk stood with his arms folded, his one visible eye staring directly at them. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in the air was suffocating.

"You took an unnecessary risk," Danzo said flatly. "You should have brought this information to me first."

Jiraiya scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like we'd just hand this over to you."

Danzo's gaze flickered to Ryūsei. "This information could have been used more strategically."

Ryūsei met his stare without flinching. "And yet, we ensured it reached the Hokage, where it belongs."

Danzo's expression darkened slightly. "You are naive if you think war can be avoided through mere diplomacy."

Orochimaru chuckled. "And you are naive if you think manipulating the battlefield will always work in your favor."

Danzo studied them all for a moment longer before speaking again. "War is coming. When it does, I wonder if you will have the resolve to do what is necessary."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows.

Jiraiya let out a breath. "Creepy old man."

Tsunade shook her head. "He's dangerous."

Ryūsei exhaled, feeling the weight of things to come. "He's more than that. He's prepared."

They all knew what Danzo was capable of. And when war finally came, he would move in ways they couldn't predict.

But for now, they had done their part.

Now, they had to prepare for the Chūnin Exams.