The return to Amegakure was a somber procession.
Mumei moved stiffly, his bandaged hands held close to his chest. The steam burns were severe—not life-threatening for a shinobi of his resilience, but painful and debilitating. He'd need proper medical-nin attention, and even then, scars were likely.
Tetsu did not talk at all. The interaction with the Jotaki Monk Toryu seemed to have struck a chord. They were not warriors defending land like he had pictured when he was younger. They were blades, loyal to Amegakure, regardless of morals.
Ameruyi looked satisfied. They had respected protocols, and more importantly, safeguarded a deep secret of Amegakure. As she sought honour before all, this was a worthy military achievement. But at the same time, she started to question the rot in the village. How could the council allow something like that? Or...did they know at all?
Ryugo walked a half-step behind and to his right, a silent shadow. His pack felt heavier, not with loot, but with the sealed scroll case—the monk's ledger, the "truth" they had chosen to bury and yet preserve. A hot potatoe they planned to pass upward, to the council of the rain.
They passed through the giant watergate, the cold, filtered rain of the village proper washing the mud of the marshes from their clothes. They went directly to the Dark Hall Tower, bypassing the usual decontamination protocols—their mission status demanded immediate debrief.
Inspector Kosuke was waiting for them in the same sparse briefing room.
His sharp eyes took in Mumei's bandaged hands, the subdued air of the genins, and the lack of any prisoner, or survivor from the two previous genin cells sent by the General Amegakure Corps.
"Report", he said, no greeting wasted.
Mumei gave it, his voice flat and professional. He outlined the investigation, the elder's betrayal, the confrontation with the Jōtaki monk Toryu. He described the monk's claims, his attempted justification, and the fight that led to his neutralization.
He presented the six recovered forehead protectors as evidence of the fate of the previous teams, three more found by Tetsu in the mill itself before they burnt it. He did not mention the scroll just yet.
Kosuke listened, his face an impassive mask. When Mumei finished, the inspector's gaze shifted to Ameruyi. As a Takeda, he had assumed her to be the team captain in Mumei's absence. Since he was injured, she was the one who should have dealt with the aftermath.
"And the contamination source?"
"The monk was synthesizing and testing toxins at the old mill," Ameruyi answered smoothly, "We destroyed his equipment and notes with fire release before departing. The aquifer should begin to clear naturally. We advised the village elder on purifying the well with charcoal and lime—basic methods, but effective for the residual traces"
It was a lie to the villagers, but a plausible one. The monk's "poison" had been the evidence itself. Its removal ended the sickness. The village was already recovering to begin with.
Kosuke's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he could smell the omission. He looked at Mumei's hands. "A Jōtaki monk did this? With fire release in the Rain?"
"A final, desperate technique", Mumei confirmed. "He converted my Water Prison Jutsu into steam. It was… effective"
"Hmph", Kosuke leaned back, "A rogue element from a noble clan. Troublesome. The magistrate will receive a report identifying Toryu as a missing-nin with a grudge, poisoning the border to frame Amegakure. Good job, team 11", he didn't sound entirely convinced, but he accepted the narrative. It was the one that served the Tower and the Council.
Then his eyes flicked to Ryugo's pack. "You recovered something else."
It wasn't a question.
Ryugo didn't hesitate. He placed the sealed scroll case on the table.
"Intelligence recovered from the target. He claimed it was evidence of internal corruption. We deemed it outside our operational parameters to evaluate. It is for the Dark Hall's strategists."
The room went very still. Ameruyi tensed. Tetsu held his breath.
Kosuke stared at the scroll case as if it were a live serpent. The soft blue glow of the Jōtaki purification seals showed. He did not touch it.
After a long moment, he let out a slow breath through his nose. "I see." He looked at Ryugo, then at Mumei. "You showed discretion. And pragmatism. The correct choice for operatives of your rank. Wait here"
He took the scroll case, his movements careful, and left the room.
The silence he left behind was thick. Mumei sank onto a wall. "That's your plan, Ryugo, huh? Pass the hot potatoe upstairs. Let them decide what to do with it"
"Will we be punished?" Tetsu whispered, afraid of his clan's reputation
"No," Ameruyi said, his voice certain, "We followed protocol. We completed the mission. We secured potentially vital intelligence. If anything, this is high military achievement by the Dark Hall Tower's standards"
"Military achievement, huh?" Ryugo echoed, the word alluring, "I wonder what the full reward will be"
Nearly an hour passed. The only sound was the distant hum of the tower and the ever-present vibration of rain on metal.
Then the door slid open again.
Inspector Kosuke entered, but he was not alone.
Behind him was a man who seemed to draw the light and warmth from the room. He was tall and whip-thin, clad not in standard Ame gear but in form-fitting black armor reinforced with dark green plating at the joints.
A heavy, rain-proof cloak of a deep, murky purple was draped over his shoulders. His face was sharp, angles and planes, with eyes the color of tarnished silver. His mouth was covered by a gas mask. His hair was black, short.
"This is Doki, one of the JITE captain. He wanted to meet you in person", Inspector Kosuke spoke
["Doki" – Lv. 90 Jonin (JITE Captain)]
[Inspector Kosuke - Lv. 62 Jonin]
Ryugo's breath hitched. Level 90. That was far more than Kosuke, who was their inspector.
That was elite jonin strength. One of Hanzo's personal hunting dogs. The stories said they were monsters who had fought through the worst of the First War at Hanzo's side and lived.
The man's gaze swept the room. It felt less like being looked at and more like being dissected. It lingered on Mumei's burns, dismissed Tetsu and Ameruyi with barely a flicker, and settled on Ryugo.
"This is the one?" His voice was a dry rustle, like dead leaves scraping stone.
"Kagutsu Ryugo", Inspector Kosuke confirmed, his posture subtly more rigid, "Genin, Team 11. He recovered the item and advocated for its secure delivery."
"Doki" took a step forward.
The air grew heavier, charged with an intangible pressure—killing intent, so controlled it wasn't a wave, but a vise tightening slowly around the heart. Tetsu made a small gasp. Ameruyi's hand twitched toward her sword, a futile instinct she fought down.
"You read it?" Doki asked Ryugo.
"No, sir", Ryugo answered, his voice steady despite the pressure. He met the silver eyes. "The seals were Jōtaki fuinjutsu work. Breaking them would have destroyed the contents or alerted the caster. It was evidence, not intelligence for field consumption"
A pause. Then the pressure vanished so abruptly it was disorienting.
"Sharp senses," Doki acknowledged, a ghost of something that might have been approval in his metallic eyes. "And a hunter's instinct. The scroll will be… dealt with. You did good. As of now, the matter is closed, the Council of the Rain will take over, and the Jotaki elders warned"
Closed. The word hung in the air, final and absolute. The truth, whatever it was, would be buried deeper than any corpse in the Rain's marshes.
Doki's hand went to a pouch at his belt. He withdrew a small, carefully wrapped package about the size of a fist. It was bound in waxed leather and sealed with a complex knot. He tossed it to Ryugo, who caught it neatly.
"Your reward for your outstanding contribution to village security," Doki stated. "A Salamander Venom Sack. B-Rank. Harvested and refined under the personal supervision of the Amekage's toxin masters. Do not open it carelessly. A single drop can paralyze a summoning beast. It is a component for advanced poisons...or a very expensive trophy. Use it well. Or don't. It is yours from now on"
The casual delivery of such a rare and deadly item was staggering. Ryugo felt the weight of it in his hand. It was cool, and a faint, acrid scent seeped through the leather.
[Item Acquired: Salamander Venom Sack (B-Rank) – A concentrated gland of the Giant Salamander, source of Hanzo the Salamander's legendary toxins. Can be used in advanced poison crafting, alchemy or certain bloodline techniques]
"Thank you, sir," Ryugo said, bowing slightly.
Doki's eyes glinted. "The Kagutsu have always had an eye for valuable things. See that your eye remains on the village's value." The warning was clear.
He turned to leave, then paused at the door, glancing back at Mumei. "Your hands. See the Jōtaki healers. Tell them Doki sent you. They will prioritize you"
It was less kindness and more an order to restore a useful asset to functionality.
Then he was gone, as silently as he had arrived, Kosuke following in his wake with a final, unreadable look at the team.
The room exhaled.
Mumei let out a long, shaky breath.
"Well," he said, a weak grin touching his lips. "That was an experience." He looked at Ryugo, his expression turning serious. "He's right. That venom sack…Treasure it. I spared no details in my report. The reward came from the Council, maybe even from Hanzo-sama's faction. It says 'we acknowledge your service, and we are watching.' Use it wisely."
Ryugo nodded, tucking the precious package away. The system notifications finally cascaded into his vision.
[C-Rank Mission: Mizuha Sickness Investigation – COMPLETE.]
[EXP Gained: 1000]
[Dark Hall Promotion Points Gained: 10]
[Ryô Gained: 20,000]
[Reputation with Dark Hall Tower: +20]
[Reputation with Team 11: +30]
[Path of the Loyal Blade – COMPLETE.]
[EXP Gained: 1200]
[Reputation with Dark Hall Tower: +30]
[Reputation with Amakawa Clan: +50]
[Item Received: Salamander Venom Sack (B-Rank)]
[Team 11 Promotion Points: +20]
[Level Up!]
[Ryugo Kagutsu – Lv. 18 → Lv. 20]
[Attribute Points Gained: 20]
[Promotion to Chunin available upon reaching 300 Dark Hall Promotion Points and passing examination. Current Points: 35]
Power flooded his system, a warm, electric surge. Two levels at once, and a mountain of EXP still leftover, pushing his progress bar for Level 21 nearly halfway. The rewards were immense, as he'd hypothesized. Real missions, with real stakes, fueled growth like nothing else.
He looked at his teammates. They had received their own share of EXP and points.
[Ameruyi Takeda - Lv. 21 (↑1) Genin]
[Tetsu Waraiko - Lv. 14 (↑1) Genin]
Mumei pushed himself to his feet. "Dismissed. Three days' rest. Report to Medical for chakra exhaustion and minor injury checks. Then… we train. The next mission won't be an investigation." He looked at each of them, his gaze lingering on Ryugo. "Outstanding work, Team 11."
The growth was immense.
The ranks were as follow: Genins (Lv. 10-25), Chunins (Lv. 25-50), Jonins (Lv. 50-75), Elite jonins (75-100), Kage (Lv. 100+). Or at least, this is what he had inferred from the people he met. Doki just confirmed his elite jounin theory. As for super-kage powerhouses, he could not tell yet. Was it at Lv. 150+, or perhaps even exceeding 200? It was difficult to tell at this stage, but he knew that the higher the realm, the slower the growth.
This was true for NPCs and players alike.
That's why he could not help but rejoice at the fact that his teammates had leveled up. As long as they could keep up and followed his orders, he would have an edge. He might not have other players to rely on, but he trusted those NPCs more than he trusted otherworldly players like him, so he was fine with it.
'Ameruyi, Tetsu...You will become strong, for my sake...', he thought inwardly.