Naruto: The Strongest

"You have arrived?" In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the three kindly. 

"How have things been? I trust your recent recovery and team coordination have gone well?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage. We are getting along well," 

Uchiha Shisui responded with a slight bow, though his tone was somewhat unnatural. 

Whether it was that, despite seeing each other over the past few days, Shuuzawa and Yuugao spent most of their time practising swordsmanship rather than actual team coordination or the lingering guilt from questioning the Hokage's decision, his heart felt uneasy.

"That is good to hear." Hiruzen Sarutobi knew their team's situation but did not point it out. 

The formation of bonds required time, and he was in no hurry, whether it was for Shisui or Shuuzawa. He aimed to resolve the issues with the Uchiha Clan. 

Though the Nine-Tails Incident had caused him to suspect them, he refused to make the same rash judgments as Danzo. 

Besides, he knew that not all Uchiha shared the same views. Perhaps, in the future, he could rely on Shisui to help resolve these troubles.

As for Shuuzawa, while his entry into the Anbu was not entirely pure—having been sent under Danzo's orders—his willingness to protect his comrades and confront Orochimaru directly in their last mission had left a positive impression on Hiruzen. 

Moreover, considering Naruto's situation, he was determined not to let the boy fall into Danzo's grasp. 

Naturally, he would find a way to ensure Shuuzawa was no longer influenced by Danzo.

"This time, I have a mission for you—one that is quite dangerous. I hope you are mentally prepared."

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" the three responded in unison as Hiruzen stood up, spread out a map, and continued, "For this mission, I need you to head to the Land of Wind."

The Land of Wind? Upon hearing this, Shuuzawa's expression darkened. That place was practically a wasteland!

Surrounded by sandstorms, with a hidden village that constantly had its funds cut by the feudal lord, forcing its Kage to find gold on the side—it was not exactly a place Shuuzawa held in high regard. 

Although, wasn't Kabuto currently hiding out in that godforsaken place? Serves him right.

"As you all know, Sunagakure is our ally. However, our dear ally has been engaging in some rather dangerous activities," 

Hiruzen said as he pointed at the map. "According to reliable intelligence, Kirigakure has been appearing within the Land of Wind, harassing Sunagakure, while Iwagakure seems to be making moves toward the south." 

"These two villages may soon enter direct conflict, which will undoubtedly affect us in Konoha." 

"If we also factor in Kirigakure's involvement, the situation becomes even more volatile." 

"For the sake of Konoha, I need you three to gather intelligence on the actual circumstances."

In the Shinobi World, conflicts and wars between the Five Great Shinobi Villages were never isolated events. 

With Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure now stirring in the Land of Wind, Konoha, positioned at the continent's centre, had every reason to be concerned. 

Sunagakure's ally, Konoha, might get dragged into the mess if the situation escalated further. 

Right now, Konoha was truly at a low point, with weakened forces and internal struggles. Every step needed to be taken with caution.

The three responded immediately, "Understood." Regardless of the internal details, anything that could negatively impact Konoha must be addressed.

"Also, be cautious of Sunagakure's people," Hiruzen reminded them. 

"Although we are allies, they rarely share crucial information with us." 

"Moreover, their alliance with us was born from their defeat in war, making their position more complicated."

Konoha did not fully trust Sunagakure. Otherwise, there would have been no need for an Anbu mission—this could have been resolved diplomatically.

"We will be careful," the three nodded again, recognizing the mission's complexity.

"Then go make your preparations," Hiruzen said as he sat back down, sighing. 

"Originally, I had planned for Kakashi to accompany you, but unfortunately, we've found traces of Orochimaru again, and he has been sent to investigate." 

"I regret not providing additional reinforcements, but I trust in your abilities. Protect yourselves, and I will be waiting for your safe return."

Though his tone was calm, his words deeply moved Shisui and Yuugao. 

Even Shuuzawa, normally indifferent to such things, had to admit that this Hokage's Anbu was entirely different from his former leader in Root. 

Root operated under the philosophy: "Complete the mission, or don't return at all." 

Here, it was: "Protect yourselves, I'll be waiting for you." 

While it was meant to inspire, it also carried a genuine sense of trust—something Danzo could never offer.

"No wonder he's the Hokage," Shuuzawa muttered as he followed Shisui out of the office. 

They soon dispersed to make preparations, agreeing to regroup that evening before setting out.

[New Mission Acquired]

[Investigate Sunagakure's Secrets]

Walking home, Shuuzawa glanced at his mission panel while analyzing the situation. 

"Kirigakure's raids… Iwagakure moving south…" He had a strong sense of déjà vu, and after thinking for a moment, he grasped the key issue.

"Wait a second. Isn't this the whole situation where the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, wanted to focus on fighting Iwagakure for control over the border nations and ended up selling off that Kekkei Genkai user, Pakura, to Kirigakure in exchange for peace?" 

Pakura, the wielder of Scorch Release, was someone Shuuzawa remembered well. 

She was similar to Uchiha Madara in many ways—a glass cannon with overwhelming offensive power but lacking in defence. 

The only difference was that Kunai turned her into a pincushion, whereas Madara was "persuaded" by Black Zetsu.

"So that's what's happening. Well, this just made my job a whole lot easier," Shuuzawa muttered. 

However, what irked him was that his system had not given him a mission reward. 

That meant he had to follow through with the investigation properly first. Shuuzawa suddenly halted, his gaze shifting toward the shadows nearby.

"Impressive. You haven't let your guard down since leaving Root," a voice remarked as a figure stepped out from the darkness. 

Seeing the man, Shuuzawa's brow twitched slightly. 

This was one of the individuals who had dragged him into Root alongside Danzo and Orochimaru—Danzo's ever-loyal lapdog, Aburame Ryouma.

"Lord Danzo knows that you are heading to the Land of Wind, and so he has a task for you," 

Ryouma stated flatly, pulling out a scroll and handing it over. "The details are inside. Lord Danzo expects results."

"Understood," Shuuzawa nodded before suddenly recalling something. 

With an odd expression, he asked, "Am I handling this alone? Can I request backup?" 

"The Land of Wind isn't exactly our turf. Maybe someone like Kinoe could come along?"

"Hmph. Don't you have your Anbu teammates?" Ryouma scoffed. 

Though his eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, Shuuzawa could practically feel his cold gaze. 

"Kinoe and the others have their own assignments. Do not disappoint Lord Danzo." With that, Ryouma turned and vanished into the shadows.

Watching him leave, Shuuzawa fell into thought. "Kakashi is investigating Orochimaru. Kinoe has another mission. Could it be…"

Shaking his head, he quickened his pace home. Once inside, he locked the door and unrolled the scroll. 

Upon reading it, his expression quickly turned complicated, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath.

"That old bastard is really pushing his luck!"

[New Mission Acquired]

[Eliminate Pakura of the Scorch Release]

A few days later, deep in the desert of the Land of Wind. Shuuzawa, Yuugao, and Shisui moved forward at a steady pace. 

The climate of the Land of Wind certainly lived up to its name—clear skies and bright sunshine. 

However, within this so-called "pleasant weather," there were some extreme elements. 

For example, along the way, Shuuzawa spotted many people enjoying a "sunbath." 

Perhaps they could still be considered people until they turned into bleached bones under the scorching sun.

"Is this really a place for people to live?" Shuuzawa couldn't understand how hardened souls would choose to settle in such a harsh environment.

At least he could see wild boars and clueless deer baring their teeth in Konoha. 

But here, he felt like he was the one who needed to bare his teeth at the animals. 

"The climate here is truly extreme," Shisui commented, clearly suffering from the heat. 

Yet, to protect himself from the sandstorms and sunburn, he kept his head wrapped in the region's traditional headscarf. "But for the mission, we have to endure it."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Shuuzawa nodded. Shisui was always talking about missions as if he were more dedicated than someone like Shuuzawa, who made a living off them.

"By the way, Shuuzawa, you seem to have recovered quite a bit?" Yuugao suddenly turned to look at him. 

After observing him momentarily, she continued, "When we first set out, you seemed a bit out of it. 

The environment here may be harsh, but you've perked up. I suppose I don't have to worry anymore."

"Oh? So, Senpai, you've been keeping an eye on me? I'm honored," Shuuzawa teased, raising an eyebrow. 

However, he knew his mood had been slightly off for the past few days. After all, his superior had given him a ridiculous mission.

Eliminate Pakura? With what? His bare hands? Sure, he was a numbers freak, and his strength was roughly on the level of a jōnin. 

He might qualify as jōnin. But that woman? She was anything but simple. 

For all he knew, she was already an elite jōnin or even stronger! And to make matters worse, she was likely heading to Kirigakure to die anyway—he might not even be able to find her in the first place.

Thinking about it further, Shuuzawa suddenly realized—could Danzo, that old schemer, be using this as an opportunity to eliminate Uchiha Shisui?

After all, Aburame Ryouma had hinted, "Don't you still have your Anbu teammates?" 

"As expected, working under Danzo means you're always one step away from getting sold out." 

What was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission had now turned into an assassination mission—one that was practically a suicide mission. 

Danzo was the textbook example of "always ready to take credit but never take responsibility."

Not to mention, the mission he assigned directly contradicted Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders. Hiruzen wanted stability, whereas Danzo thrived in chaos. 

Though things might have worked out by accident, Shuuzawa firmly believed that Danzo was simply trying to seize more power.

Fortunately, after some deep thought, Shuuzawa had made up his mind. His mission was to complete the objective—nothing specified how he had to do it. 

That left him with plenty of room for creativity.

"You idiot. Looking out for your teammates is natural!" Yuugao huffed, slightly flustered by his words. She quickly changed the subject. 

"We should focus on the mission now. There are a lot of patrols here—it seems Kirigakure's attacks on Sunagakure have been quite severe."

"That's right." Shisui also spoke up, his gaze sweeping over the distant dunes. He sighed lightly. 

"To be honest, this mission won't be easy. Regular patrols won't have much useful intel, and as for Sunagakure..."

Shisui trailed off, but Shuuzawa and Yuugao understood his implication. Sunagakure was in crisis, facing both internal and external threats. 

Their defences would be tighter than ever, making infiltration nearly impossible. Without enough intel, their mission would be nearly impossible to complete. 

At that thought, both Shisui and Yuugao frowned.

"Actually, we don't have to worry so much," Shuuzawa suddenly said, rubbing his chin in thought. 

"We can't get into Sunagakure, but who says we can't find an opening from Kirigakure's side?"

"Kirigakure?" Shisui and Yuugao were momentarily taken aback. Shuuzawa, however, flashed a mischievous grin. 

"Exactly. Kirigakure is constantly launching attacks on Sunagakure. The ninjas they send won't be pushovers. And Sunagakure will have to send some of their best to deal with them. If we 'happen to run into them,' then..."

Shisui and Yuugao immediately understood. Their gazes toward Shuuzawa shifted slightly. 

They could exploit the situation by identifying and " encountering" these forces. 

They would gain valuable intelligence if they supported the weaker side or waited until both factions were exhausted before cleaning up the battlefield.

However, there was a slight issue—this plan was undeniably ruthless.

"But wouldn't that risk exposing Konoha's involvement?" Yuugao frowned.

Shuuzawa had already considered that. "We can disguise ourselves as Iwagakure ninjas." 

"They've also had their share of conflicts with Sunagakure. Besides, Sunagakure already disguises themselves to attack our outposts."

"Understood. Shuuzawa's plan makes sense. Let's go with it." Shisui agreed after a brief moment of consideration.

Anyone who had experienced war knew that moral high ground meant nothing on a battlefield. 

Sunagakure had caused trouble for Konoha before, so there was no need for hesitation now.

"Then, we—" Shisui started, but he suddenly stopped, looking up at the sky. 

At the same time, Shuuzawa and Yuugao also lifted their heads. In the sky above them, a signal flare had just risen.

The three exchanged glances, and Shuuzawa raised an eyebrow.

[New mission acquired] [Obtain valuable intel from Sunagakure and Kirigakure ninjas]

"Another mission? That makes three now." Shuuzawa was slightly surprised, having accumulated three missions, but more missions meant more opportunities. 

With a grin, he turned to Shisui and Yuugao. "Looks like our luck isn't too bad."

Before his words had even fully landed, the three of them quickly concealed their presence and moved toward the source of the signal flare. 

Releasing a flare so openly in the desert—only Sunagakure's people would be reckless enough to do that. This was an opportunity they couldn't afford to pass up.

Their pace was steady, cautious. With Sunagakure's patrols swarming the area, they had to be extra careful. 

Fortunately, the signal's origin wasn't far from them. 

As they approached, the sounds of exploding tags, jutsu detonations, and clashing ninja techniques echoed in the distance.

"We've entered the battlefield. Stay alert," Shisui murmured, slipping on his mask. Shuuzawa and Yuugao followed suit. 

Before they advanced further, Shuuzawa glanced at Yuugao and said softly, "Don't worry, Senpai. As long as I'm here, you'll be fine."

"You—!" Yuugao immediately thought back to their encounter with Orochimaru. 

A mix of frustration and amusement crossed her face, but Shisui's serious voice cut in before she could respond.

"Everyone, we have a problem." His gaze locked onto a figure in the distance. 

"That woman... she appears to be Pakura of the Scorch Release."