Chapter 306 - 306: 306 - Jinchuuriki under Attack!!!

Konoha Venue District, top floor Jonit Affairs Bureau

The view was excellent. Through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see both the noisy, bustling Venue District below and, farther away, the quiet silhouette of Konoha's Hokage Building.

Kakashi sat sunk into a soft leather sofa. His body was relaxed, but his exposed right eye held no trace of laziness.

Iwagakure's proposal had gone through him to Konoha, then been circulated within the Bureau.

The preliminary stance in Konoha was to agree. Kakashi had assumed that Roshi, still away at the time, would be strongly in favor as well—just like his usual tendency to drag every major and minor shinobi village into the joint system.

But when Roshi finally returned from the Land of Waterfalls, travel-worn and dusty, and heard the report, his reaction was unexpectedly indifferent.

"You haven't gotten sick of Iwagakure, have you?" Kakashi asked.

Roshi stood by the window with his back to the room. At Kakashi's words, he turned around. His face showed no particular expression, only a faint twitch at his brows.

"So now it sounds like not only am I bad at handling personal relationships, but even my attitude toward official matters is starting to leave a bad impression?" He walked around to the other side of the sofa, sat down, and added, "No, that's not it."

"In my view, this will most likely just be an ordinary meeting."

"Ordinary?" Kakashi echoed. Something involving attacks on two Jinchuriki was anything but ordinary.

"Yes. Ordinary," Roshi confirmed.

"First, look at the level of the participants. Aside from Sunagakure, would the Kage of the other villages really leave their villages so easily at a time like this?

"Second, and more importantly—what is Iwagakure's real purpose in proposing this meeting?"

Kakashi thought it through. "Naturally, to look for ways to deal with the Akatsuki threat, protect the Jinchuriki, and try to discuss the possibility of getting you back."

"Exactly." Roshi nodded. "But what is the concrete goal of 'seeking methods'? Can the Five Great Ninja Villages actually concentrate their main forces for an assault? Even if Iwagakure would agree, the others wouldn't."

"They already paid the price last time. They won't be tricked so easily again."

"So under the premise that each village's Jinchuriki must remain under their own control, what they actually want from this meeting are plans or guarantees that will strengthen their own defense."

Listening to him, Kakashi had to admit that Roshi's analysis was spot-on.

Since the Joint Affairs Bureau was founded, the villages had indeed made progress in things like intelligence sharing and coordinated operations. But once it involved command over troops and deployment of core combat power, the resistance shot up dramatically.

Every village was happy to accept help from others. What they couldn't accept was letting others command their own fighting forces.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be a representative from every village stationed at the affairs bureau—working together on the surface while carefully guarding their own interests.

Roshi concluded, "So, unless this meeting can produce a real breakthrough result…"

"For example, if all parties agree to temporarily gather the Jinchuriki in one place for unified protection. Short of that, it's very difficult for the meeting itself to achieve any substantive progress."

"So you mean we don't need to take this meeting too seriously? Just go through the motions?" Kakashi looked over at him. That didn't sound like Roshi. Even when he saw the limits of a situation, he usually managed to squeeze out every bit of value.

"Not just go through the motions," Roshi corrected, shaking his head. "The meeting has to be held. The procedure must be followed, our attitude must be proper, and we have to fully express the necessary respect and intent to cooperate."

"This is both a posture we must maintain for the joint framework and a way to calm Iwagakure and the other villages that might be just as anxious."

"However, the real key to solving the problem isn't in this meeting. It's in the lab—at the technical level."

"You mean… those white spores?" Kakashi caught on immediately.

Roshi nodded. "Yes."

"The 'better protection methods' Iwagakure hopes to discuss at the meeting all assume that their own defense systems can be trusted to function normally."

"But what if the enemy's technique can parasitize key personnel without being detected by any conventional sensory methods?"

"What if even the Anbu guarding the Jinchuriki are already the enemy's eyes—or their bombs?"

Kakashi's back straightened instinctively. This was exactly the core issue revealed by the Takigakure incident.

"I understand," the silver-haired jonin said. "So aside from reassurance and routine procedures, what else do you want to gain from the meeting itself?"

"Just one thing." Roshi held up a single finger. "To push the nations to further open their emergency border corridors and build a faster, more efficient cross-regional emergency support mechanism."

"It won't involve military command—only transit efficiency and synchronized information. Within the current framework, that's the most realistic form of 'protection' we can provide."

He leaned back against the sofa, his expression easing a little. "Other than that, we just proceed with preparations for the ninja village alliance as usual. There's no need to let their moves throw off our own rhythm."

Kakashi thought of the latent traits described in the intel—perfect synchronization with the host's chakra. "… Those high-level officials from the various villages coming to the meeting, could they—or their attendants—already be…"

"It's possible," Roshi said without hesitation. "So security checks during the meeting and follow-up health inspections afterward will be crucial. I'll find someone to assist with that."

——

That night, Roshi left the Venue District building and headed into the Ninja Apartments, moving upstairs with practiced familiarity.

He raised his hand and knocked.

Hurried footsteps sounded from within, and a few seconds later, the door slid open.

A familiar face peeked out, eyes wide in surprise. Anko Mitarashi's deep purple ponytail was a bit loose, a few strands sticking to her cheek as if she'd just rushed out from the kitchen.

"Roshi?" She blinked. "When did you get back?"

"Today."

"Wow, perfect timing!" Anko's smile lit up at once. "Come in, come in! I just made some dango and experimented with a new dipping sauce! Although I still think sweetness is the essence…"

"But I made a less sweet version."

Roshi slipped off his sandals, stepped into the apartment, and settled at the low table.

On the table was a plate of freshly made, steaming glutinous rice dango, perfectly round and plump. Beside it sat several small dishes of dipping sauces in different colors, from a dark brown soy syrup to a milky, yogurt-like white.

Soon, Anko came over carrying a pot of hot tea and two cups.

Roshi picked up a bamboo skewer, speared a dango, and dipped it into the yogurt-like sauce.

"Not bad. Not sweet."

"Hehe!" Anko bobbed her head proudly, grabbed a skewer of her own, and boldly smothered it in a thick coating of sweet sauce. "I specifically adjusted the flavor for the Captain's palate."

"So, the captain came to see me right after coming back. It couldn't be because you knew I'd already finished the flavor adjustments, right?"

Roshi picked up another dango and, as he ate, began talking about what had happened in Takigakure.

Anko listened while she ate.

"So," she said at last, "you need a user of Natural Energy, right?"

"Mm. Starting tomorrow, go to the Affairs Bureau to help out. You've been practicing Senjutsu for a year; even if you can't use it in battle yet, you can still mobilize some natural energy."

Anko shot up a hand. "Subordinate awaiting orders!"

Then she added, "That guy Itachi is also at the Bureau. In that case, I'll be working with him again."

"To be precise, he's currently Kakashi's assistant," Roshi said evenly. "So it's not really working together; his position is a bit higher."

"Eh—?! Anko's voice jumped an octave. "Assistant?! Kakashi's assistant?! Th-this is too much! I'm clearly the senior here!"

She waved her bamboo skewer like a weapon. "Captain! This isn't fair! I want one too! Set me up with… no, wait, arrange an assistant status for me too!"

"I want to be your assistant, Captain! That way I'll be on the same level as Itachi! Both assistants!"

Roshi chuckled. "I don't hold any official position. I can't compare to Kakashi-senpai, who's the face of the Joint Affairs Bureau and actually has authority."

"However, since you want it, so be it."

Anko instantly put down the skewer and gave a crisp bow. "Yes! Assistant Anko Mitarashi, at the captain's service at any time!"

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