Silent Oath 3

As the team approached the towering gates of Konoha, the air around them felt heavier, charged with the weight of the journey they had just endured. The village, once a symbol of security and home, now seemed distant, the fires of battle still smoldering within the hearts of those who had fought.

The moment the reinforcements arrived at the gates, they were met by the Hokage himself, standing with his ever-watchful Anbu Commander at his side. The Hokage's presence was imposing, his sharp, calculating eyes scanning each member of the returning group. There was no word spoken immediately, only a heavy silence that hung between them all.

Silver, still carrying the weight of his comrades' injuries and the bloodshed of the mission, met the Hokage's gaze. It was a look that said everything—sharp, expectant, and cold. The Hokage's eyes flickered over to the wounded operatives being carried into the village. His gaze lingered longer on the battered forms of the Anbu members, but his face remained unreadable.

But beneath the calm exterior, the Hokage was fuming.

In the deepest recesses of his mind, he cursed. He had not anticipated such an outcome. He had known the Iwa would be a threat, but this was beyond what he had expected. The Anbu, the heart of Konoha's intelligence and security, were shattered—four members in critical condition, the rest either dead or severely injured.

The Hokage clenched his fists, feeling a surge of frustration at the loss. Eight Anbu operatives had been sent on that mission, and only four had been rescued—the others had either perished or been captured. The thought of what those captured operatives might be enduring at the hands of the Iwa made his blood run cold.

He took a breath, his anger simmering, before turning to Silver, the captain of this broken mission. "Report, Silver," his voice was calm but laced with a quiet fury. "I want to know exactly what happened."

The Anbu Commander, standing just behind the Hokage, had the same sharp, calculating gaze as she studied the situation. But unlike the Hokage, her eyes held something else—a silent worry. Though her face remained as unreadable as ever, there was a hint of concern in her posture, and the tightness around her mouth betrayed her emotion. She had always kept her professional composure, but Silver knew her better than anyone. Behind the mask of the Anbu Commander, his mother was conflicted—her concern for her son and his team was obvious, even if she tried to bury it beneath her duty.

"Well?" the Hokage pressed, his voice growing more impatient.

"Eight operatives were sent on the mission," Silver began, his voice steady, betraying nothing of the anger and frustration he had buried deep inside. "We were ambushed by the Iwa Explosion Corps, led by Yukio Tetsu, an S-rank Iwa operative. They had been planning this attack for weeks, if not longer. We were outnumbered and overwhelmed.

The Hokage's jaw tightened as he listened, his eyes flashing momentarily with a rage he could not hide. He clenched his fists, fingers digging into the fabric of his cloak, his knuckles turning white.

"And the others?" The Hokage's voice remained deceptively calm, though there was an edge to it that made Silver's spine straighten.

"Dead," Silver replied, his gaze hardening. "We couldn't save them. We tried. But Iwa's forces were too much. Even Falcon's squad was overwhelmed."

The Hokage turned his attention briefly to the Anbu Commander, his eyes narrowing. Silver could feel the weight of the unspoken words between them, the tension thick in the air. His mother, the Anbu Commander, didn't flinch. Her expression remained stoic, but Silver could tell she was as concerned as he was.

There was a long silence, broken only by the sound of the injured Anbu being carried into the medical tents. The Hokage seemed to weigh his next words carefully.

"Iwa is escalating their aggression," Silver continued, his voice growing more determined. "This wasn't just a random attack. They were sending a message. They want to destabilize Konoha. We were their first target, but I'm sure they'll come for us again if we don't respond."

The Hokage took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. The village was already in a delicate balance, and this new development only made matters worse. He couldn't afford to show weakness—not now.

"Understood," the Hokage said, his voice colder than ever. "We'll need to escalate our defenses immediately. Prepare the village. Gather the intelligence we can, and make sure the operatives are taken care of." He turned to the Anbu Commander, his eyes narrowing. "I want you to start moving our forces. Iwa's aggression is only the beginning."

The Anbu Commander, still as composed as ever, gave a slight nod, her expression unchanged. But Silver saw the tightness in her jaw, the way her hand flexed as if holding back the weight of her emotions. She was his mother—the woman who had raised him as both a warrior and a protector. She had seen him through the harshest of training, but he knew this moment was different. She was trying to keep her duty to the village and her love for her son from overwhelming her.

"Understood, Hokage-sama. We will mobilize the Anbu immediately. We'll start with reconnaissance, but we'll need a plan to retaliate."

As the Hokage turned away, signaling the beginning of their preparations, Silver stood motionless. He watched as the Anbu Commander walked off to give her orders, the reinforcements from the field moving in the background to report their findings. Despite the tension that thickened the air, Silver knew this was just the beginning.

The Hokage may have been composed outwardly, but Silver had seen the fire in his eyes—the same fire that burned within himself. Konoha would not let this go unanswered. And though Silver had been prepared to face the wrath of Iwa, he knew now, the village was about to do the same.

One way or another, Iwa was going to pay.

"Commander," Silver muttered under his breath, feeling the weight of his decision. "I won't let them get away with this."

The fire inside him burned brighter, and as the Hokage left the scene to handle matters, Silver knew it was only a matter of time before the storm hit.

For now, they would heal, they would prepare—but the war was far from over.

And Iwa would soon learn the price of crossing Konoha.