Konoha New Era : Third Hokage Ascends

The night grew darker as Tsunade and the others stayed in the room prepared for them by the Miko. Although they were lying under the quilts, no one, except Kana, felt sleepy. Fumori Masaki had still not returned, and the fact that such an accomplished ninja was taking so long to investigate was unsettling, making them worry that something might have happened to him.

Kana, however, seemed either confident in Masaki's abilities or simply unbothered. She showed no concern for any possible trouble he might face and slept peacefully, reassuring everyone that he would come back. The others could only wait and try to rest.

Tsunade and her teammates, while confident in their teacher's abilities, also sensed that this enemy might not be ordinary. They knew Masaki was among the most powerful of the second-generation Hokage's students, and the thought of facing a worthy foe made the young ninjas' hearts race.

Despite their rigorous training, even young ninja are often eager for action, especially during their first mission. Curiosity about the enemy's strength was high, mingling with excitement and anxiety.

After Kana fell asleep, Tsunade snuck out of her room and knocked softly on the door of her companions. She knew they'd recognize it was her, and soon, the door opened slightly, letting her slip in for their secret meeting.

"What do you think of the people at the Ninshū's former site?" Tsunade asked quietly. "It's unusual that Masaki-sensei hasn't returned after so long."

"I'm not sure, but I think the person he's dealing with is likely a ninja," said Hatake Sakumo, glancing over at Hattori Heizo. "What's your take, Heizo?"

"It's probably a ninja. There aren't many samurai skilled enough to trouble someone like Masaki-sensei. Besides, sneaky tactics like this are more in line with a ninja's approach," Heizo replied thoughtfully.

"But if it's a ninja, which village would they be from? The closest would be the Kumogakure, right?" Sakumo speculated.

"If that's the case, then it's an old rival of Masaki-sensei's," Heizo chuckled. "I heard that during the Ninja Wars, the Kumogakure gave him quite a few headaches. You all know that the 'Silver Horn,' the pride of Kumogakure, died by his hand."

"Oh, that's what made Masaki famous," Tsunade replied with a grin. "They clashed three times. The first time, Masaki-sensei severed the Silver Horn's arm. The second, he took the Six Paths treasure—the Bashōsen fan—from him. And the third, he killed him."

"A real nemesis," Heizo commented. "If I were from Kumogakure, I'd probably hate Masaki-sensei, too."

"Yet, when they signed the peace treaty, the Gold and Silver Brothers conspired to assassinate the Second Raikage and the Second Hokage. Masaki-sensei's precautions exposed the plot and saved them," Sakumo noted. "Some in Kumo even respect him for that."

"Well, whoever's here now may feel differently," Tsunade said, as if concluding that their opponent must be from the Hidden Cloud Village.

"When do you think Masaki-sensei will be back?" Sakumo peered out through the slight opening in the door. "It's getting late."

"The enemy must be skilled; this mission may be more dangerous than we thought," Heizo muttered, narrowing his eyes.

"Afraid, Heizo?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow with a teasing grin.

"Not at all. The stronger the opponent, the more worthwhile the challenge," Heizo replied with a hint of a smirk. "I just hope they're not on Masaki-sensei's level, or we might not get a chance to join in."

While Tsunade and her teammates were eager to prove their abilities, they were also practical. They wouldn't rush into a fight against an opponent clearly beyond their skill level; they understood that underestimating an enemy could mean the difference between life and death.

Just then, they heard a soft footstep at the door, which opened slightly. A young girl in a miko robe stood there, her clear eyes observing them. "You're still awake?" she asked, surprised.

"I should be asking you that," Tsunade replied, equally surprised.

The girl was Maitreya, the miko's apprentice and daughter. She appeared calm and wide awake, without a hint of fatigue. In response to Tsunade's question, she replied, "This is part of our daily training. But you don't need to keep such hours. Why aren't you resting? Is something wrong with the rooms?"

"No, not at all! The room is perfect," Sakumo replied quickly, seeing her serious expression.

"Good. I was worried the shrine might not be up to your standards," Maitreya said, visibly relieved. "But you all seem restless. Is it because of Masaki-dono?"

"Exactly," Sakumo admitted. "We're just concerned about our teacher. By any chance, have you seen him return?"

Maitreya shook her head. "No, he hasn't returned. He may be elsewhere, still gathering information."

The three exchanged glances, a bit disappointed but not entirely surprised.

"So, it's because of Masaki-dono that you're unable to rest," Maitreya concluded. "As the Second Hokage's student, it's hard to imagine he'd have trouble with an investigation like this."

"You've certainly given us a puzzle to solve," Heizo said dryly. "But you still don't have any information on these people?"

Maitreya shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. The samurai of the Land of Demons can't compete with these people. They're filled with malice, not only toward this land but also toward the rest of the Ninja World. Whatever they're planning is dangerous."

"Why would they?" Sakumo asked, astonished. Maitreya's warning sounded like a dire omen.

Stepping inside, Maitreya knelt gracefully in front of them. "My mother dreamed of a black mist, eroding everything around it like it was feeding on people."

The three exchanged uneasy glances. Heizo scoffed, "You treat dreams as real? Do all miko think like this?"

"Indeed, we do," Maitreya nodded solemnly.

Heizo and Tsunade exchanged doubtful looks, while Sakumo noticed Maitreya's seriousness. She seemed to genuinely believe in the vision she described.

"It's well known in the Land of Demons," Maitreya continued. "Our lineage holds a revered status here not only for tradition but for our power as well."

"What power?" Sakumo asked, intrigued.

"The power to foresee the future," she answered softly. "Sometimes, we miko see glimpses of the future in our dreams. They're not illusions but events that truly unfold."

The three of them stared in surprise, digesting her words. The idea of predicting the future was difficult to grasp.

"Can you really see the future?" Tsunade asked, hesitant yet curious.

"Yes, I've seen it myself. The dreams are vivid, almost real. I thought it was just a dream at first, but events proved otherwise. The people of the Land of Demons know this well."

"Your clan truly has this power? Where does it come from?" Tsunade asked, still skeptical.

"I don't know," Maitreya admitted. "I once thought it was a bloodline ability like a kekkei genkai, but the miko lineage has broken several times in history, and each successor still had this power. It doesn't seem to stem from bloodline or training alone."

Her uncertainty underscored the mystery of this ability. Even with careful study, its origins remained unclear.

"Do you practice chakra like we do?" Sakumo asked.

"We do, but we focus on the spiritual aspects rather than chakra nature transformations," Maitreya explained.

"That's Yin release chakra, then," Heizo murmured thoughtfully. "But it's still chakra."

"No, it's not a transformation," Maitreya clarified. She extended her hand to Sakumo. "Allow me to show you. Please, hold out your hand."

Sakumo hesitated but extended his hand. Maitreya gently held his wrist and closed her eyes. Tsunade and Heizo sensed a faint chakra presence, though they couldn't see it.

Sakumo's eyes widened in surprise. "I... I can feel your emotions."

"Is it similar to the Yamanaka clan's Mind-Body Transmission Technique?" Heizo asked.

"It's different," Sakumo replied, still processing. He realized Maitreya's technique was a form of chakra connection rooted in spirituality.

Just then, a familiar voice cut through the room. "Interesting technique, Chibi-Miko. Is this the power you've inherited?"