Konoha Notes

Chapter 413 Setting Sail
Yu Gao held the transfer order he had just received in his hand.

The paper was light, with neatly trimmed edges. Rows of black printed text indicated his new position, department, and reporting date.

He recognized each word individually, but they seemed unfamiliar when put together.

He's leaving.

We'll be setting off with the secret service's rapid response team at noon.

Before setting off, Yu Gao was allowed to see his master.

Haruyu's attempt to detach the tailed beast from his body without authorization was naturally punished. However, considering his past achievements and the current manpower shortage in Kirigakure, the final punishment was only temporary confinement.

The place where they were imprisoned was not a dungeon, but a quiet room on the edge of the village. There was only one Hidden Mist ninja quietly guarding the door, more like a guard than a jailer.

When the guard saw Yu Gao, he didn't ask any questions and silently pushed open the wooden door.

The interior was so simple it was almost empty: a low couch, a kettle and cups in the corner, and the only light source was a narrow window high up.

Chunyu sat down against the wall, his body wrapped in bandages from his shoulders to his waist.

Hearing the noise, Chunyu raised her head. Her face was pale, but her eyes were clear, even clearer than Yu Gao remembered at many times.

“Master.” Yu Gao stopped at the door.

"Yugao."

The response was very simple, no different from the greetings given upon returning from every mission in the past. There was no explanation, no guilt, and no deliberate attempt to be friendly. That was just the tone.

Yu Gao originally thought he would question, be angry, and feel the sting of betrayal.

But when he actually met the person, the anticipated turmoil subsided. He simply walked into the room, stopped two steps away from his master, and briefly explained where he was going.

"I'm leaving the Land of Water."

Chunyu was clearly surprised. He asked, "Where has the village assigned you?"

"Joint Secretariat".

"Really..." Chunyu braced herself against the ground, trying to stand up.

This simple movement caused fine beads of sweat to appear on his forehead. Yu Gao stepped forward and reached out to support his arm.

"It's been a long time since you left the village, hasn't it?" Chunyu steadied herself with his help. "Be careful out there."

"I've heard that the work of the Joint Affairs Bureau is extremely complicated."

"You're like me, seemingly calm, but actually easily anxious. Handling paperwork and coordinating affairs is different from carrying out previous tasks. You need to stay calm, observe more, listen more, and don't rush to make judgments."

“I understand,” Yu Gao replied in a low voice.

"Will the village send someone with you?" Chunyu asked again.

Kisame Hoshigaki.

"Stay away from him." Chunyu frowned.

“I understand,” Yu Gao replied obediently.

There was another silence, this time lasting a little longer than before, but it didn't seem awkward.

Judging that it was about time, Yu Gao told her that he had to leave. Chun Yu didn't try to stop him, but insisted on seeing him to the door.

The guards at the door did not close the door immediately, allowing Chunyu to stand there and watch her apprentice's figure disappear around the corner of the corridor.
-
After turning two corners, the shark-faced ninja was leaning against a pillar, waiting.

Kisame Hoshigaki carried Samehada, a sword carefully wrapped in bandages, and his massive figure was quite imposing in the corridor.

When Yu Gao approached, he simply grinned, revealing his signature row of sharp teeth, a friendly but not particularly warm gesture.

Yu Gao was the same.

The two headed together to the streets and alleys of Houkigakure.

The rapid response team's temporary residence was located near the port; it was a two-story building with light gray exterior walls.

When Yu Gao stepped into the lobby on the first floor, there were already more than ten people gathered inside. Ninjas wearing different styles of armor and different headbands stood or sat, talking in hushed tones, tidying up their gear, and checking their ninja tools.

His gaze was first drawn to the tall figure in the center of the hall.

The red armor covering his entire body is a very distinctive feature of Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.

He heard the voice, his gaze lingered on Yu Gao for a moment, and he nodded slightly as a greeting.

Yu Gao nodded subconsciously and returned the greeting.

"Everyone's here."

Jiraiya's voice came from the direction of the stairs.

"The Cloud Village ship will depart in half an hour." Jiraiya scanned the hall. "The Raikage will return with us. Upon arrival in the Land of Lightning, the rapid response team will temporarily stay in Cloud Village to rest and await further instructions from the Secretariat."

"Hadeo and Kisame, you two will also come along."

"Understood," Kisame replied.

Yu Gao simply nodded again.

“Well then,” Jiraiya closed the scroll, “Let’s do a final check of our luggage and meet at the port in fifteen minutes.”

The crowd dispersed in response.

Yu Gao stood still, watching the people in the hall busy with their own things.

He let out a soft sigh; it was really time to leave.
-
The wind was much stronger at the dock than in the village.

The sea surface shimmered with tiny, dazzling silver light under the midday sun, and the waves rhythmically lapped against the wooden piles of the pier, producing a dull thud.

The Cloud Hidden ships were anchored in the deep water, their dark gray hulls undulating slightly in the shimmering light.

The ninjas boarded the ship one after another.

Yu Gao followed at the back of the group. As he stepped onto the gangplank connecting the dock to the ship's side, he felt a slight springiness in the wood beneath his feet. He subconsciously turned around and looked towards the dock.

Mei Terumi stood there.

Her deep blue dress fluttered gently in the sea breeze, and another person stood beside her. The two were about a step apart and were talking.

“Shuji-kun also took one more person with him,” she said with a smile.

"The Joint Affairs Bureau offers generous benefits and has a transparent promotion path, so it's natural that it's very attractive to young ninjas."

"But the rumors I've heard seem to say that there's so much work that people just want to escape."

“That’s because you’ve never worked there,” Shuji said. “If you had, you’d know it’s not just a rumor.”

Mei Terumi laughed upon hearing this, the smile in her eyes briefly dispelling the melancholy and weariness between her brows.

Then, she naturally reached out her hand.

Shuji glanced at the hand, then raised his own and grasped it.

There were no solemn instructions, no verbally cumbersome words of comfort, not even much eye contact. Just a simple and brief handshake, palms touching, conveying warmth, and then naturally letting go.

Then Shuji turned to the ship that was about to set sail.

As he passed Yugao, he said, "Let's go."

Utaka pulled his gaze away from the dock, took one last look at the silhouette of Kirigakure stretching along the coastline, and turned to step onto the deck.

The gangplank was retracted, and the mooring lines were released. The low hum of the engine came from deep within the hull, and the ship slowly sailed away from the harbor, cutting through the calm sea and leaving a white contrail that gradually spread outwards.

The figures on the dock grew smaller and smaller, more and more blurred, until they finally blended into the bluish-gray background of the coastline, becoming indistinguishable. Only the familiar outline of that land gradually sank below the horizon in the field of vision.

The sea breeze caresses my face, carrying the scent of a long voyage. A new journey begins.

(End of this chapter)