"I understand."
Night Namikaze nodded solemnly. "As long as it's within my ability, I will definitely do my best."
He didn't make an absolute guarantee, but this promise carried enough weight.
A relieved smile appeared on Mito's face, making her look both aged and serene. "Good, good child. Since that's the case, entrusting Tsunade to you puts my mind at ease."
This sudden turn of topic almost made Night throw his back out, and Tsunade beside him instantly flushed red.
"Grandma Mito!"
Tsunade called out in shameful annoyance, and the previous gloomy atmosphere vanished instantly.
Mito acted as if she hadn't heard her granddaughter's protest, pulling the two into small talk and asking about trivial matters in the Police Force. The atmosphere gradually relaxed.
About half an hour later, weariness appeared on her face.
"I'm old, my energy is failing. You two go on." She waved her hand gently.
Tsunade carefully helped her lie down, her eyes full of worry.
The two tiptoed out of the room and closed the sliding door.
Standing in the silent courtyard, Tsunade's perpetually tense shoulders finally slumped slightly.
Back facing Night, she remained silent for a moment before whispering, "Thank you."
"It was my duty." Night's response was light.
Dusk deepened, and the lights in the Senju clan grounds gradually lit up, making the place brightly illuminated.
Tsunade still had her back to him; her figure seemed somewhat frail in the evening breeze.
Without hesitation, Night took a step forward and gently hugged her from behind.
He knew what she needed at this moment. The hug was restrained, using almost no force, but his warm arms made Tsunade relax involuntarily.
"It will be okay," he whispered in her ear.
Tsunade's body stiffened slightly, but she didn't break free or respond. The two just stood quietly.
After a long time, she gave an extremely soft "Mm."
The hug didn't last too long. Night let go, looked at the slightly red tips of her ears, and took a step back at the right time.
"Shall I walk you back?" Night asked.
"No need."
Tsunade finally turned around. There was still a lingering blush on her face, but her eyes had regained some of their usual vitality. "I'm staying here tonight. I want to spend more time with Grandma."
Night nodded slightly. They walked out of the clan grounds side by side. When parting at the intersection, Tsunade suddenly spoke.
"The shrimp tempura... was delicious."
This out-of-the-blue remark stunned Night for a moment. Then he understood, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth as he waved goodbye to her.
---
In the following days, the atmosphere in Konoha became tense at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Affairs at the Police Force increased abruptly. Not just daily patrols and dispute mediations, but they also received a large number of reports regarding suspicious individuals and abnormal chakra fluctuations.
Although the Uchiha members maintained their usual efficiency—immediately dispatching teams to arrest and interrogate upon any suspicion—this method, which might have drawn criticism in the past, went uncommented on now.
Even more unusual were the movements of the ANBU.
Those masked figures appeared frequently in every corner of the village like ghosts. Sometimes they didn't even hide their figures as they skimmed over rooftops, starkly different from their usual mysterious ways.
Night sat in his office, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desk.
Within the sensory range of his Mind's Eye of the Kagura, at least three ANBU were hovering near the Police Force building alone.
"Looks like the time is approaching," he whispered to himself.
Amidst these undercurrents, Orochimaru also returned to Konoha silently.
He reported to the Hokage Building immediately, bringing news that Jiraiya was on his way, rushing back to Konoha at full speed.
All these unusual movements heralded that something big was about to happen.
Several more days passed. Night chose to stay in the Police Force building.
The superficial reason was the surge in affairs requiring his presence to handle.
In reality, he was also intentionally or unintentionally avoiding the newly returned Orochimaru. The "busy" official duties of the Police Force became his perfect excuse.
He didn't want his keen teacher to realize that his talent in experiments and ninjutsu development was far less astonishing than previously shown.
Those epoch-making inspirations that didn't belong to him would eventually run out. Once they delved deeper, his somewhat mediocre nature in this aspect would likely be exposed.
Fortunately, Orochimaru seemed busy with higher-level affairs and didn't summon him for research discussions as usual.
Master and disciple tacitly maintained this "mutually beneficial" distance.
---
At this moment, Night was in the interrogation room.
Before him was a merchant from the Land of Grass. To someone like Night, who had successfully executed deep-cover missions, the man's disguises were so clumsy they were disdainful.
But the biggest issue was that under the probe of the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, the deliberately suppressed chakra fluctuations within the man were as conspicuous as fireflies in the dark night.
"Speak. Who sent you? What is the target?"
Night's voice was flat but carried the characteristic cold hardness of the Police Force.
He hadn't used any torture methods yet, but the naturally emitted menacing aura already had the spy sweating profusely.
Just as the spy's psychological defense was about to crumble and he wanted to make a last-ditch struggle...
Bang.
The interrogation room door was pushed open without warning.
An ANBU wearing an animal mask stood at the doorway, ignoring the ongoing affairs in the room. His voice came through the mask, carrying an unquestionable tone. "Special Jonin Night Namikaze, Lord Hokage summons you urgently. Proceed to the Hokage Building immediately."
Night frowned slightly. Being somewhat obsessive-compulsive, he didn't want to leave just like that. Seeing the spy opposite him showing joy, as if celebrating escaping a calamity...
"Lock him up directly. Death row, done."
Without further nonsense, he followed the ANBU and quickly left the Police Force building.
Along the way, he noticed Konoha's defenses were significantly strengthened today. The streets were full of hurrying ninjas, and even the villagers were wrapped up in the tense atmosphere.
Stepping into the Hokage Building, the oppressive feeling intensified.
When the heavy door of the office was pushed open, even Night's pupils constricted slightly.
In the not-so-large space, almost all of Konoha's current top combat power was gathered.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head, his face solemn, rarely without his pipe. Standing on his sides were Danzo Shimura and the two advisor elders, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
Two of the Sannin—Orochimaru and the just-returned Jiraiya—were prominently present.
Orochimaru's slit pupils swept over him the moment he entered, carrying an elusive meaning; Jiraiya stood with arms crossed, his usual playful smile gone, replaced by heavy solemnity.
Additionally, Night saw Fugaku Uchiha standing quietly in a corner of the office, seeming out of place yet so conspicuous.
The heads of various Konoha clans and elite Jonin representatives almost filled the entire room.