Orders and Departures

The Hokage Tower stood in hushed reverence as dawn broke over Konoha. Its tallest window caught the sunlight first, casting golden rays across the office where a desk sat cluttered with scrolls, half-drunk sake, and silence.Tsunade stared at the sealed scroll before her, the mission order she'd revised half a dozen times. She wasn't a woman easily shaken, but today was different. Today, she was handing over the future of a man she considered family… and the legacy of one they'd lost.A knock echoed—three crisp, even raps."Enter," she called, voice steady.Naruto stepped inside with a confidence he'd earned, wearing the dark navy flak jacket of a Konoha Jōnin. The uniform fit him well—tight at the shoulders, clean at the waist, with orange accents beneath the coat like flickers of the boy he once was.He looked older now. Sharper. Taller. There was still fire in his eyes, but tempered now, like steel folded over and over again."You called for me, Granny?"Tsunade smirked, though her heart ached with pride. "Still can't bring yourself to say 'Hokage,' huh?"He scratched the back of his head. "Old habits."She gestured to the chair across from her. "Sit down. You've got a mission."Naruto didn't hesitate.Tsunade reached into her drawer, pulled out a dark scroll sealed in red wax, and slid it toward him. "Classified S-rank. Long-term. Multi-objective."Naruto raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he took the scroll."You're going to be our envoy to Kirigakure."He blinked. "Wait—Kiri? As in… Mizukage?"Tsunade nodded. "Mei Terumi's government has extended an invitation to formalize a long-term alliance. It's delicate. And I don't trust the council to send anyone competent."Naruto frowned. "Why me?""Because they trust you." She held his gaze. "And because I do."She leaned back in her chair, then pulled out a second object: a thick, leather-bound notebook.Naruto recognized it immediately."That's…""Jiraiya's journal," Tsunade said softly. "Every known safe house. Dead drops. Ciphers. Contacts. His entire network. We've lost eyes and ears everywhere since he died."Naruto took the journal with reverence, hands firm. The scent of old ink and faint sandalwood filled the air."I'm giving you his legacy," Tsunade said. "Not to fill his shoes—but to walk your own path."Naruto looked down at the book, jaw tight. "I won't let you down.""I know."She leaned forward."That's not all."He raised an eyebrow."As of today… you're officially a Jōnin."Naruto blinked. "Wait… seriously?"Tsunade pulled a metal insignia from her drawer. Sleek, polished, and unmistakable: a Jōnin's badge."You've earned it ten times over, but the council was… reluctant."Naruto took the badge slowly, the weight of it sinking in. He wasn't a kid anymore. He'd already known that—but now the village was forced to acknowledge it too."They'll push back," he said."They already did," she replied. "And I pushed harder."They shared a look—equal parts amusement and shared understanding.Tsunade smirked. "Now for the rest of your team."Naruto blinked. "Team?""You didn't think I'd send you alone, did you?"She stood, walking to the window overlooking the village. "You're strong. But this is more than brute force. You'll need support. You'll be traveling through multiple territories—some neutral, some hostile—and we need a team that can adapt, survive, and think.""Who is it?" he asked."Ino Yamanaka. Her sensory abilities are top-tier, and her clan techniques make her ideal for gathering intel."Naruto nodded. "Smart pick.""Sakura Haruno. Medical support. And no, this wasn't a favor to her or to you—she's qualified, she's reliable, and she's strong."He tilted his head. "That'll be… interesting."Tsunade smirked. "Understatement of the year.""And the third?""Sai," she said.Naruto's expression darkened just slightly."Danzo insisted," Tsunade said. "Officially, he's ANBU support. Unofficially… he's there to watch you.""I figured."Tsunade turned and faced him fully. "I'm telling you this so you're prepared. Sai's blunt, cold, and unsettling—but not an enemy. That said, don't show him anything you don't want Danzo knowing."Naruto nodded. "Understood.""And if anything about him crosses the line," she added, "you report to me directly.""Got it."Tsunade exhaled. "Good. The team leaves tomorrow at sunrise. Pack for extended travel. You'll be gone for weeks, maybe months. If you do this right, we'll rebuild what we lost—and Konoha will be stronger for it."Naruto stood, journal in one hand, badge in the other."Thanks, Tsunade."She blinked. "No more 'Granny'?"He grinned. "Just for today."⸻The next morning, Team Naruto gathered at the front gate beneath a still-rising sun. The air was brisk, laced with dew and the scent of fresh soil.Sakura stood in her travel gear, a fresh pack strapped to her back, gloves tightened. She gave Naruto a nod when he approached—cool and controlled, but with a flicker of something else behind her eyes.Ino arrived next, wearing a dark-purple tunic over her flak jacket. Her hair was tied back tighter than usual, and her expression—while playful—had a tension beneath it."Well, well, look who finally got the upgrade," she teased, tapping Naruto's new Jōnin badge. "Guess I'll have to start calling you 'sir.'""Please don't," he muttered.Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't inflate his ego.""Too late," Ino said, stepping a little closer to Naruto than necessary.He cleared his throat. "Where's Sai?""Right behind you," came the flat, emotionless voice.Naruto turned to see Sai standing a few feet away, carrying a sealed scroll case and wearing that same neutral smile."Good morning, Naruto," he said. "I've reviewed the outline of our mission and will be compiling performance data along the way. I look forward to observing your… capabilities."Naruto narrowed his eyes just slightly. "Right."Sakura crossed her arms. "You could try sounding less creepy."Ino muttered, "Try being less creepy."Sai blinked. "Is that an insult or an observation?"Naruto sighed. "Alright, listen up. We've got a long mission ahead, so let's not kill each other before we leave the gates."Ino snorted. "No promises."Sakura gave him a sidelong glance. "You sure you're ready for this?"Naruto adjusted the scroll case over his shoulder, slipping Jiraiya's journal into a pouch on his hip. "I've never been more ready."⸻From the high balcony above the gates, Tsunade watched the team disappear into the morning mist.Shizune stepped beside her. "Do you think it's too soon?""No," Tsunade said. "But I think the rest of the world is about to realize it's too late."The dirt path beneath their feet had turned into a quiet forest trail by midday, the leafy canopy casting shifting shadows across the group as they moved. Birdsong filtered through the trees, but the silence between the four shinobi carried its own kind of weight.Naruto walked at the front of the formation, eyes sharp, posture calm but alert. Every step forward didn't just carry the weight of his rank—it carried the burden of leadership.Behind him, Ino kept pace on his right, occasionally brushing against him "accidentally." She stole glances when she thought he wasn't looking—at his broader shoulders, the way the sunlight caught on Tsunade's green pendant resting against his chest, the confident rhythm of his stride.To Naruto's left, Sakura walked stiffly, pretending to scan the area but clearly keeping one eye on Ino. Her mood had shifted the moment she noticed Ino drifting a little too close to Naruto. And Naruto—being Naruto—seemed either completely oblivious or was choosing not to address it.Sai, meanwhile, trailed a few steps behind, silently observing everything. He made a quick, neat note in a small journal strapped to his wrist."You're writing again," Sakura muttered, not bothering to hide her suspicion.Sai didn't look up. "Yes. I'm logging emotional responses within the team. Yamanaka seems to be exhibiting signs of heightened infatuation. Haruno appears increasingly irritable. Uzumaki is—""Don't finish that sentence," Naruto said without turning around.Ino narrowed her eyes. "Infatuation, huh? You sure that's not just admiration for someone finally getting his act together?"Sakura scoffed. "Please. Naruto's always had potential. That's not new.""You never seemed to notice it before," Ino replied, voice cool but sharp.Sakura's eyes narrowed. "That's not your business.""Isn't it?" Ino's smile was sweet, but her tone was barbed. "We're on the same team now. I think it is."Naruto stopped walking.The group halted behind him.He turned, arms crossed, voice level. "If you two are done, I'd like to focus on the mission."Ino blinked, caught off guard by the authority in his tone.Sakura stiffened. "We are focused—""No, you're not," Naruto said firmly. "This isn't a schoolyard spat. You're both chunin-ranked shinobi now—or close enough. I expect you to act like it. If we're going to rebuild Jiraiya's network, survive Akatsuki, and carry Konoha's future on our backs, we don't have time for personal drama."A beat of silence passed.Then Ino gave a slow, admiring whistle. "Okay, okay… look at you, Boss."Sakura sighed, clearly biting back something else.Naruto turned back around. "Let's move."They obeyed.⸻Later that evening, they made camp by a riverbank just off the trail. Sakura began setting up a perimeter seal while Sai quietly prepared his ink. Ino was crouched near the fire pit, stacking kindling.Naruto sat with his back against a tree, flipping through the pages of Jiraiya's journal under the dim light of the evening sun.A page caught his attention—Demon Country.He remembered the rumors about , the priestess who once helped seal a demonic entity. Jiraiya's notes confirmed a contact point there, someone who'd remained loyal even after the last crisis. That would be their first stop."Whatcha reading?" Ino asked, settling beside him and peering over his shoulder.He tilted the journal away slightly. "Classified.""Aw, come on. I'm on the team.""You're also three inches from being tackled by Sakura."Ino smirked. "She's jealous."Naruto blinked. "What?""You seriously haven't noticed?" She arched a brow. "You've changed, Naruto. You're not the same boy from before. You're… I don't know. Confident. Strong. Focused."He frowned. "Is that a bad thing?"Ino shook her head. "No. It's just… new. And for some people, change is hard to deal with."Their eyes met for a brief moment, and something warm flickered between them.Then—"You're sitting too close," Sakura said from behind them.Ino didn't move. "We're just talking.""Doesn't look like just talking."Naruto sighed. "Guys—""I'm just making sure no one's distracting our commander," Sakura said pointedly."I'm sure our commander can handle a simple conversation," Ino shot back.Sai looked up from his ink scroll. "The emotional friction in the group has increased 17% in the last ten minutes. Fascinating."Naruto ran a hand down his face. "Kami help me."⸻As the fire crackled and the stars emerged, Naruto sat alone on a large stone overlooking the water. His badge glinted faintly under the starlight. He felt the weight of Jiraiya's journal against his hip. The village behind him. The future ahead.He wasn't afraid.But he knew this was just the beginning.And somewhere, far beyond the trees, dark things were stirring.But for now… his team was whole. His path was clear and Naruto Uzumaki was leading the way.Author note:just a reminder if you have any questions at all or would like to suggest ideas for future chapters or you just want to share your opinion on something in the story please leave a review I promise to read them all, I might not respond to all of them but I will read them.