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Two days after Kenshin had collapsed in the Hokage's office, he woke in a hospital bed.
The moment his eyes opened, a nurse appeared at his side—checking vitals, asking questions in a soft, clinical tone. When she finished, she leaned closer, her voice careful.
"You're to report to the Hokage's office as soon as you're able. Those were Lady Tsunade's orders."
Kenshin nodded, the motion sluggish.
Now he walked the streets of Konoha, boots scuffing against packed dirt, the midday sun warm on his shoulders. His body still ached—dull, persistent throbs where the black rods had pierced him—but he moved easily enough.
Ahead, he spotted Hinata's team crossing the street.
"Yo."
He raised a hand, voice casual.
Kiba's jaw dropped. His eyes snapped wide, finger shooting up to point.
"Wait—isn't he a rogue-nin?"
Shino adjusted his glasses with one finger, his tone flat and unhurried. "We were notified he was on an undercover mission. Did you forget, Kiba?"
"Hello, Kenshin." Shino inclined his head slightly. "It seems you've made a speedy recovery."
Kenshin nodded back, then stepped past Kiba, clapping a hand on his shoulder with a faint grin.
"Still got that quick mouth. For your own good, let wisdom catch up."
He glanced at Hinata, his expression softening just slightly. "Nice to see you, Hinata."
Then he kept walking, boots crunching gravel as he moved past them.
"You bastard!" Kiba shouted after him, lunging forward. Shino caught his shoulder, holding him back. Akamaru barked twice, sharp and indignant.
Hinata murmured something too quiet to hear—something like long time no see—but Kenshin was already gone.
---
Kenshin knocked once on the Hokage's office door.
"Come in."
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
"Finally you show up." Tsunade's voice was dry, edged with irritation. She sat behind her desk, arms crossed, amber eyes fixed on him. "Did you have a nice stroll through the village? Or do you need another one before we start?"
Kenshin bowed slightly, a smile pulling at his lips. "Nice to see you too, Lady Tsunade."
He straightened, turning his attention to the other figure in the room. "Lord Shikaku. Long time no see."
Shikaku gave a single, curt nod. "Mm."
Tsunade leaned forward, fingers drumming once against the desk. "Boy—"
"I know," Kenshin interrupted smoothly, raising a hand. "You want to thank me. But there's no need—I did my job and failed. Still, I'll take the thanks of the most beautiful and most powerful kunoichi in the Leaf."
Tsunade's eye twitched. "You brat. How dare you interrupt me—and who said I wanted to thank you—"
"To be honest," Kenshin cut in again, his grin fading into something quieter, "after everything I've been through, I don't have much respect for bureaucracy. Especially after fighting the new god of shinobi… and surviving."
His voice was light, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
The room stilled. The humor bled out of the air, leaving only silence and the faint rustle of papers shifting on Tsunade's desk.
Shikaku spoke first, his tone measured. "What did you learn about the Akatsuki's leader?"
Kenshin shrugged, tilting his head. "Like I said—he's the god of shinobi. And a lunatic."
---
A few minutes later, after Kenshin had laid out the details—Nagato's ideology, the Six Paths, the plan for the Tailed Beasts—Shikaku exhaled slowly, folding his arms.
"Everything you've told us coincides with what we heard from Fukasaku and Shima."
"Well," Kenshin said, leaning back against the wall with exaggerated casualness, "other than my heroics. I fought the real body. Showed my glamor. The power of youth."
Tsunade's expression flattened. "And you lost."
"Hehe." Kenshin scratched his cheek, grinning weakly. "Anyway—I believe we should prepare for the inevitable. I told you what Nagato's planning. Which means he knows we know. He'll hasten his timeline."
Tsunade's jaw tightened. Her fingers curled into a fist on the desk. "With this much proof, rallying the other villages will be easier. But still…" Her voice dropped, softer now. "I can't believe that child would do this."
She was talking about Nagato killing Jiraiya.
Kenshin's grin sharpened, edged with something dark. "He bit the hand that fed him. Stabbed the shoulder, too."
Silence.
Tsunade stared at him, her expression unreadable.
Kenshin shrugged. "That's how I deal with grief."
A beat passed. Then he straightened, his tone shifting back to casual. "Where's Naruto? He'll need a lot of cheering up."
"He's not in the village at the moment," Tsunade said evenly.
"Oh. But he's heard?"
"Yes."
"Ah. I see." Kenshin pushed off the wall, rolling his shoulders. "I'll be touring the village now. I think I've earned a year's break after all that."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Come closer, kid."
Kenshin paused, suspicion flickering across his face. But he stepped forward anyway, slow and wary.
BOOM.
Tsunade's fist connected with his chest like a battering ram. The impact launched him backward, crashing clean through the door in a spray of splintered wood. He tumbled across the hallway floor, skidding to a stop against the far wall.
"Repairing the door's on you," Tsunade called after him, her voice carrying through the shattered frame.
Kenshin groaned, pushing himself upright. "I suspected it," he muttered, brushing splinters from his shirt. "You just had to go near her."
Inside the office, Tsunade smirked, glancing at Shikaku. "Told you I'd beat him when I saw him."
---
As Kenshin limped out of the Hokage's building, still dusting himself off, two familiar voices called out.
"Boss! You're back!"
He looked up. Taro was jogging toward him, grin wide, arms already opening for a hug. Hana trailed behind, her expression more reserved but her eyes bright.
Kenshin raised one hand, stopping Taro mid-stride. "Hold it right there. Men don't hug."
His tone was serious, but there was a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Hello, Captain," Hana said, stopping a few paces away.
Kenshin's expression softened. He looked her over—older now, sharper. "Hana. It's been a while. You've grown into a beautiful young woman."
Then he shoved Taro aside and spread his arms wide, grinning. "Come on. Give me a hug."
Hana didn't move. "I'd prefer not to hug you."
Kenshin's arms dropped. His jaw went slack. "Eh?"
He turned sharply to Taro. "Find me a mirror. It seems the beating I took made me ugly."
"I don't walk around with mirrors, Boss."
"Then tell me—have I gotten ugly?"
"No, of course not." Taro scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Hana's just angry with you. We both are."
Kenshin blinked. "You're angry?" He placed a hand on Taro's head, ruffling his hair roughly. "You look as lively as ever. Seems you lost a lot of brain cells while I was gone."
"Seems you've become more jovial since you left," Hana said coolly.
Kenshin shrugged. "That's what espionage does to a person." He glanced between them. "So—what's the problem?"
"Everything you did for the last three years."
"It was a necessary approach. I don't even see why you'd fault a shinobi for being a shinobi."
"That's what I told her," Taro muttered, nodding from the side.
Kenshin grinned, turning on his heel. "You see? That's all in the past. Let's go eat at Yakiniku Q. It's on you."
"Nuh-uh," Taro protested, jogging to keep up.
---
When they arrived at the restaurant, Kenshin stopped just inside the doorway, a knowing smile spreading across his face.
"I knew I'd find them here."
Hana tapped his shoulder lightly. "Have you stopped this scheming attitude of yours?"
Kenshin glanced back, shrugging. "What can I say? Old habits die hard."
He walked over to where Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino sat at a corner table. He tapped Shikamaru's shoulder once.
"Scoot over."
Shikamaru looked up, eyes widening slightly. "Kenshin?"
"Kenshin!" Choji's voice was louder, surprised.
Kenshin slid into the seat Shikamaru vacated, gesturing for Taro and Hana to take the next table over.
Ino smiled warmly. "We heard about your mission. Welcome back."
Kenshin's grin returned, easy and charming. "Hello, Ino. The only scenery I missed in Konoha was your beautiful face—which has only grown more beautiful since I last saw it."
Ino blushed, looking away.
Kenshin stood, stretching. "It's been a long time since I've seen any of you. I'll catch up properly later—sooner rather than later for you, Miss Ino." He winked, then turned and walked over to Taro and Hana's table.
Shikamaru sighed, slouching back into his seat. "What a drag. You made me move for nothing."
Kenshin waved a hand over his shoulder without looking back. "It's been a long time, Shikamaru."
As he sat down, Hana raised an eyebrow. "Friends?"
Kenshin shrugged. "Well, we're not teammates anymore. And I've talked to you two for longer than a month."
Taro gave him a thumbs-up, grinning. "I like the new you, Captain. Very cool."
Kenshin smirked. "You're not bad yourself. I saw the way the ladies were looking at you on the way here. You've been busy."
Taro scratched his nose, grinning wider. "Hehe. I've been told I'm quite popular with the ladies."
Hana tapped his shoulder, her tone flat. "What ladies?"
Kenshin leaned back, grinning. "Aww. Is Hana jealous?"
---
Elsewhere—Amegakure
"I can't believe you can't play shogi."
Aizen laughed, loud and unrestrained, as Madara glared at the board where his king had just been cornered for the fourteenth time that day.
"Brat," Madara growled, leaning back with crossed arms. "You must be cheating. How are you this good at the game?"
Aizen's grin widened. "Heh. Sore loser. This is the part where you declare me the strongest shogi player you've ever met."
"Why would I say such nonsense?"
"Heh." Aizen gave him a teasing, knowing smile.
Madara's gaze drifted, his expression shifting to something more contemplative. "That Uchiha brat looks a lot like my brother."
"Is he the reincarnation of Indra, as I am?"
"Yes." Aizen nodded. "So you do listen when I speak."
"When you're not spouting nonsense." Madara's tone was dry. "I thought you said he was one of the good ones. What's he doing in the Akatsuki? And why have so many members died already? Such a lousy group."
"He is one of the good guys," Aizen said lightly. "He's just lost. Like you were. You really are reincarnations of the same soul." He paused, tilting his head. "As for the Akatsuki—what did you expect? It's a ragtag group. Nagato's death isn't far off either."
Madara's eyes sharpened. "You're killing him?"
"Not me. He'll betray the cause. Most likely sacrifice himself." Aizen's grin returned. "And wouldn't you like that? I see the way you look at your Rinnegan."
Madara scoffed. "Why wouldn't I look at it? You refuse to revive me properly."
"I think you're just jealous I finally have my own Rinnegan."
Madara stood abruptly, pushing back from the table. "Hmph. Play your game yourself. I'm going to my room."
As he walked away, Aizen leaned back in his chair, singing softly in a mocking, sing-song tone.
"La la la la—Madara is jealous~"
Madara paused at the doorway, glancing back. "Brat."
Then he was gone.
Aizen grinned into the silence, fingers drumming lightly on the shogi board.
---