Konoha Notes.

Chapter 424 A Person of Duty

Chapter 424 A Person of Duty (Two Chapters Combined)

For Kisame Hoshigaki, even in the era after the Fourth Mizukage, his time as a ninja was not significantly different from the past.

Accept the task, find the target, and complete the task.

That's about it.

Upon arriving at the Joint Affairs Bureau, he did not switch to an administrative position, as that was not his forte.

Instead, as a member of a subordinate team stationed at the Kirigakure Affairs Bureau, he was theoretically under the Bureau's jurisdiction, but in terms of direct relationship, he only obeyed the orders of the Kirigakure leader.

Kisame requested to come here. In the future that the new Mizukage has planned for Kirigakure, there is no more he can do in Kirigakure than here.

Bi, the person in charge of the area, welcomed his arrival.

"It seems like the secret service is progressing through negotiations among all parties," Bi said during their first meeting, "but many operations are actually carried out directly by the ninja villages using their own forces. Konoha has done a lot of work this way. Your arrival has been a great help."

It seems that placing most of the village's hopes on the Joint Affairs Bureau is not entirely the right choice.

Was the thing that the man who once spoke eloquently at the Kirigakure meeting, outlining a future that transcended the boundaries of ninja villages, ultimately just a convenient door for Konoha itself?

Such a thought briefly surfaced in Kisame's mind.

Kisame was a patient man. While waiting for Ao to officially issue the operation orders, he reviewed all the operation records since the establishment of the Joint Affairs Bureau. Every mission and every report carried out by Konoha in the name of the Affairs Bureau was neatly arranged in the archives.

After reviewing the materials, he came to a conclusion.

In essence, it was a way of putting ahead of time the functions that the secret service might undertake in the future, relying on Konoha's own military strength and the authority within the secret service.

This practice is not honorable, and is even somewhat unsightly.

But Kisame actually felt a sense of agreement because of this.

For him, all the long-winded explanations only gave him a direction to take; feasible operations and plans were what he, a person who had long done dirty work, preferred to accept.

After confirming that the current situation in this place was almost identical to what Shuuji had said at the meeting in Kirigakure, Kisame suddenly had some free time.

The Joint Secretariat is by no means a quiet place—but that's mainly true for the clerical and coordinating staff. The busiest units, as the executive forces, are the mobile squads whose command is entirely subordinate to the Secretariat.

This does not include Kisame.

"You can go check out the venue area if you have nothing to do," Bi suggested. "It's much more bustling than the village."

Kisame has gone.

The freshness of the seafood can't compare to that of Wuyin, but the cooking methods for some river delicacies have their own unique flavor. At the end of August, he would find a small shop on the street almost every day, order a plate of steamed crab or boiled river shrimp, drink some cold barley tea, and watch the bustling crowds in the venue area.

Utakata and the others often rehearse in the venue all day long, while Kisame just follows from a distance, not getting close or disturbing them.

With the arrival of September and the start of the Konoha Ninja Academy, the Jinchuriki's rehearsal time was adjusted to the evenings.

As a result, Kisame spent more time in the secret service building.

On the first morning of September, Bi invited him to her office for tea.

"The details of the fund pooling plan have been finalized, and it is estimated that the pilot program will begin next month."

"At that time, the village will need you to lead the team and coordinate the operation."

Kisame can do anything; if a formal mission comes down, he'll just do it.

It's been free for a while now.

Watching the ninjas in the secret service department, all wearing different headbands, running around busily, I felt like I didn't have much to do besides looking at people. Although it wasn't bad and I was quite happy, it was also nice to stretch my muscles and handle some other matters.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

Aoi got up and opened the door, where a messenger ninja dressed as a member of the Hidden Mist Village stood. The two exchanged a few words in hushed tones, and Kisame noticed Aoi's brows furrow slightly.

"I see."

"Kisame, I have an emergency meeting here." Ao turned around and explained, "The Akatsuki directly harassed Konoha headquarters from the air, dropping a large number of leaflets, claiming that they would decide the Jinchuriki through a martial arts exercise. Konoha has handed this matter over to the Joint Affairs Bureau."

After saying that, he hurriedly left the office.

Kisame sat quietly in the empty office for a while, then got up and pushed open the door to leave.

The corridor was quieter than usual. Occasionally, a ninja would hurry past, but no one spoke.

Kisame walked towards the rest area where the Jinchuriki usually stayed.

There was no sign of anyone.

So he went to Yugao's room and knocked on the door.

no respond.

Kisame silently took out his tools and skillfully unlocked the door.

The room was empty. The bed was neatly made, the window was closed, and a sheet of music lay on the table, half-open.

Kisame stood at the door for two seconds, then turned and went downstairs.

The lobby on the first floor was a bit more crowded, with people wearing different headbands mixed together, and hushed conversations rose and fell like tides in the space.

He headed toward the logistics area, where Kirabi would often go to ask for things during this time.

A person was standing by the window at the end of the corridor.

Uchiha Itachi, the young Konoha ninja, stood by the window, backlit, holding a stack of documents in his arms, his gaze fixed on the view outside the window, in the direction of Konoha headquarters.

At this moment, those eyes were red, Sharingan with three tomoe.

Kisame stopped in his tracks.

"Mr. Itachi," he greeted.

Hearing the sound, the boy by the window turned his gaze from the distance to Kisame. His red Sharingan did not immediately close, calmly reflecting the appearance of the newcomer.

"Mr. Hoshigaki".

Kisame walked over and stopped beside him, glancing out the window in the direction of his gaze. There was nothing to see there.

"That little one isn't here today," Kisame said. "So you're the one who came to collect these documents."

"Shikamaru is a student at the Ninja Academy," Itachi replied. "School started today, and he went back to class."

"He was just visiting last month."

"A tour?" Kisame asked. "It seems the little one doesn't think so. The students of Konoha really have it tough. The students of Kirigakure just fight more often and don't need to face so much pressure so early."

Then Kisame asked, "Speaking of which, does Itachi-san know where the Jinchuriki are now?"

"They went to the venue area to purchase some items needed for the opening ceremony."

Upon hearing this, Kisame prepared to leave the Joint Affairs Bureau building: "Running around at this hour is really just causing trouble for others."

"Mr. Hoshigaki".

Itachi's voice came from behind, and Kisame stopped again.

"The reason why the final measure exists is fundamentally to protect the Jinchūriki himself, so that the enemy will have something to worry about and dare not take risks easily."

Kisame turned around, a slight smile on his face: "I don't deny this method at all, Mr. Itachi."

"It sounds like you and I are the same kind of people."

Itachi said, "Preserving an extreme option as a deterrent and using it as a regular means are two completely different paths, Mr. Hoshigaki."

Kisame's smile faded slightly as he carefully examined the thirteen-year-old boy before him, whose eyes were frighteningly calm.

There was a moment of silence between the two, with only the faint sounds of activity from the Secretariat coming from afar in the corridor.

In the end, Kisame did not leave, nor did he say anything more.

He simply nodded slightly to Itachi, then turned and walked towards the stairs.

Itachi watched him leave, his eyes returning to their usual black, and walked back to his office in Konoha to continue his unfinished work.

It went on until the afternoon.

Kakashi returned to his office carrying a thin folder.

His first reaction upon entering the room was to raise his hand to shield his left eye, then lower it again, staring at the window that had been replaced with a closed one.

"Hey, Itachi," Kakashi complained, "Even though I left for a little while the other day, it was to guide your brother's training, right? That's the important thing."

"Turning this place into this state can hardly be considered repayment; it can only be described as revenge."

Itachi didn't look up: "This is a necessary upgrade based on security considerations, Kakashi-senpai."

"The closed design can effectively reduce illegal entry routes, control the entry and exit points to one door, and improve overall security."

"Even if you read some books that are not suitable for public viewing in your spare time, you can ensure that no unexpected visitors will appear behind you."

Kakashi was silent for a moment: "Are you serious, Itachi?"

"Yes," the boy replied, "that's an objective statement about why we need to modify the windows."

"...Then I really have to thank you for your thoughtful consideration." Kakashi waved his hand weakly, as if he had exhausted his last bit of strength, and tossed the folder in his hand onto Itachi's desk.

"That guy is getting more and more blatant about his nonchalance, throwing all sorts of issues here. It's not like there aren't communication devices in the Hokage Building. Things that could be decided by the five Kage talking directly can be decided by the secret service."

The emergency meeting this morning did not reach any substantial conclusions.

Akatsuki's proposal to "determine the Jinchuriki's ownership through martial arts exercises" lacked the most basic guarantee—they could not offer any incentives that would convince the five great ninja villages of their sincerity.

Apart from Kirigakure, which had just suffered a major blow and clearly stated that "it is worth considering taking this opportunity to counterattack," the attitudes of Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure were all quite ambiguous.

"After all, all the Jinchuriki are currently concentrated in Konoha and its surrounding areas." Itachi quickly flipped through the meeting minutes summary, his voice soft but incisive, "Even if the negotiations ultimately break down and anger Akatsuki, Konoha will be the first to bear the pressure of the final battle, not the other ninja villages."

"Directly agreeing to use Jinchūriki as a bargaining chip, even a fake one, on the negotiating table is not a situation they want to see."

Even from the most ideal, unbiased perspective, they might think that an early, relatively clear final showdown, even if it happens near Konoha and causes damage, is better than a long, drawn-out period of vigilance, harassment, and a deadly attack that could strike at any time or place.

"Solving the problem once and for all aligns with the short-term interests of the majority."

"As expected of Itachi-kun, you've already seen this far ahead with composure." Kakashi rested his chin on his hand, his tone unreadable, neither praising nor expressing admiration. "Well then, I'll leave the subsequent paperwork and preliminary analysis to you for now. I need to go to the village to report to those two about the meeting's inconclusive outcome."

"I can convey this message to you, Kakashi-senpai," Itachi suggested.

"I can give a report, but you can't replace him in training Chidori," Kakashi said. "By the time I finish the report, it'll be almost time for the Ninja Academy to close. Your brother's technique is still far from being mastered."

Before he could finish speaking, Kakashi had already left.

Itachi looked around his office, now empty, and silently finished organizing and filing the latest meeting minutes before methodically tidying up the other scattered documents.

As the clock hands quietly slid past ten o'clock at night, Itachi finally finished the tasks that had to be completed that day, sorted out the remaining work, turned off the lights, and locked the door.

Leaving the brightly lit secretariat building and stepping into the connecting road of the venue area shrouded in night, the hustle and bustle fades away, leaving only sparse streetlights and scattered lights in the distance.

Just as he was about to turn onto the tree-lined path leading to Konoha headquarters, a figure slowly emerged from the dense shadows of the trees beside the road and blocked his way.

The person was dressed in casual clothes, with silver-gray hair, similar to the runaway Kakashi, and wearing glasses.

"You are..." Itachi's gaze lingered on the newcomer's face, "Yakushi Kabuto."

"This should be considered our first official meeting, Uchiha Itachi-kun." Kabuto Yakushi pushed up his glasses, a perfectly timed smile playing on his lips, and stepped forward.

He was a few years older and taller than Itachi, who was not yet fully grown, and he had a deliberately composed demeanor.

"You're working so late, that must be tiring. I've been waiting for you here for a while."

Itachi looked at him quietly, without saying a word, waiting for him to continue.

"Itachi-kun probably doesn't know, but I'm currently working for Shuji-sama..."

"I know," Itachi interrupted him calmly, his tone completely indifferent.

Kabuto's smile remained unchanged despite being interrupted, but his gaze behind his glasses flickered almost imperceptibly: "Since Itachi-kun knows, that's all the better. I happen to have something regarding Shuji-sama's project that requires coordination from multiple parties, and I might need your assistance and cooperation."

Itachi continued to watch him silently, without responding immediately.

"Things that need to be arranged," he said after a moment, "If the senior deems it necessary, he will give me instructions directly."

"Indeed, Lord Shuji has his own pace of doing things." Kabuto's smile remained, but his voice softened slightly. "But as subordinates, if we need Lord Shuji to personally intervene and give detailed instructions on everything, it would make us seem too passive and incompetent, wouldn't you say, Itachi-kun?"

"Acting without authorization or concealing your intentions will only bring unnecessary variables and troubles to your plans, Kabuto Yakushi," Itachi pointed out calmly, looking directly into the other's eyes behind his glasses. "Before receiving clear instructions, staying in place and fulfilling the assigned duties is the foundation for avoiding chaos. I think this is also the duty of a subordinate."

The smile on Dou's face froze slightly for a moment before returning to normal, but the meaning in his eyes deepened.

"It seems that Itachi-kun has a rather strict understanding of his duty."

"It's just a reasonable judgment based on the current situation," Itachi replied, then nodded slightly and walked past Kabuto without saying anything more.

(End of this chapter)