Home at last

Five minutes later, Haruto and his team returned, grinning from ear to ear. Their faces were flushed with excitement, knowing that this battle would be another remarkable entry in their mission records.

"That was insane, Tetsuma-sama!" Haruto laughed, clapping his hands together. "You took down those jonin like they were nothing! I bet the higher-ups won't believe we ran into a full Kusa ambush and still made it out unscathed."

One of the other shinobi, a younger kunoichi, shook her head in amazement. "If only we could fight like that… we barely did anything."

Tetsuma sheathed his Chidori-infused Kusanagi blade, his green eyes scanning the battlefield one last time. The bodies of the fallen Kusa shinobi lay sprawled across the dirt, the scent of blood lingering in the air.

"Enough chatter," he said calmly. "Seal the bodies. We need to keep moving."

Haruto nodded and pulled out a storage scroll, quickly performing the hand seals necessary to seal the corpses inside. A small puff of smoke, and the bodies vanished.

As they finished, Tetsuma turned toward the darkening sky.

They were still deep in enemy territory. The sooner they reached the Land of Fire, the better.

"We move," he commanded. "Konoha is still far, and we can't afford any more delays."

With that, the team resumed their difficult journey—wounded, weary, but victorious.

The journey back to Konoha was anything but peaceful.

For two grueling days, Tetsuma and his team pushed forward, navigating treacherous terrain and evading enemy scouts. For the newly promoted chunin, the experience was exhilarating—and terrifying.

Ten ambushes.

Ten desperate clashes against rogue shinobi, enemy patrols, and opportunistic hunters.

Tetsuma led with calm precision, his green eyes sharp and unwavering even as their path was drenched in danger. Every enemy that came for them fell swiftly, their attacks countered with ruthless efficiency.

Lightning-infused strikes. Earth barriers. Swift executions.

To the younger shinobi, it was a harsh introduction to real warfare—no hesitation, no second chances.

Haruto, despite his earlier enthusiasm, had grown silent. His usual grins replaced by a wary expression, his hand never leaving his kunai pouch.

They were deep in enemy-infested territory. And every hour that passed proved just how many forces wanted them dead.

By the time they reached the towering gates of Konoha, their bodies were scratched, bruised, and utterly exhausted.

But they were alive.

The massive wooden gates stood tall, flanked by vigilant Konoha guards who immediately stiffened upon seeing them. One of them, a senior chunin, stepped forward.

"ANBU and a returning escort team?" he observed, scanning the blood-stained uniforms and Tetsuma's unmistakable dog-faced mask with twin lightning bolt markings. His eyes widened slightly. "Tetsuma-sama… You're back."

Tetsuma, still radiating an air of controlled intensity, gave a short nod. "We need immediate medical attention for the injured. And a full debriefing."

The guard wasted no time, signaling for backup. "Understood! I'll notify the Hokage's office immediately."

As reinforcements rushed to assist, Haruto finally exhaled, looking up at the village walls with a weary smile. "We actually made it."

Tetsuma removed his ANBU mask, revealing his sharp green eyes, now filled with exhaustion—but also the silent satisfaction of a warrior who had survived another mission.

They were home.