The two years following Kimimaro's integration into Team Guy had passed with an unexpected tranquility. The initial friction of being an outsider... had gradually smoothed out into a comfortable routine.
Soon enough, the Hokage shuffled the board. Kimimaro was reassigned to the ANBU. There weren't many left to monitor his every move, save for one glaring exception: his partner.
Neji Hyuga had joined the ANBU shortly after, a calculated order from Hokage Tsunade. It was a tactical move. Sakura Haruno had stepped in to replace Neji on Team Guy, freeing the Hyuga prodigy to keep a permanent eye on Konoha's second most volatile asset after Naruto.
Over those two years, Kimimaro had executed countless critical missions, his Shikotsumyaku bone-pulverizing techniques proving invaluable to the village. Yet, his true, hidden objective remained unfulfilled. He had yet to establish contact with Lord Orochimaru's spies.
With Neji's Byakugan constantly active during their travels, finding a single unmonitored second to slip away or leave a signal was an impossible feat. The veins bulging around Neji's eyes were a constant reminder of his leash.
And because of this vigilance, Kimimaro was made comply to a strict point to take his medical dose right always in front of Neji.
Inside their shared ANBU staging quarters. "Here is your dose for the day," Neji said, his voice flat without any room for argument. He was tightening the straps of his arm guards, his movements practiced. He reached over, picked up his hound mask, and with a casual flick of his wrist, tossed a pre-filled syringe across the room.
Kimimaro caught it effortlessly between two fingers. He held his own mask... a bone-white dragon... to the side of his face, letting out a soft, weary sigh. "Yeah, yeah... another day, another routine." He plunged the needle into his forearm, pressing the plunger down without flinching. "I suppose it will be another boring mission. It has been far too long since any assignment was actually worth my time." He wiped a stray drop of blood away, looking over at his partner. "Tell me, how are you coping with the cursed seal? If you need any pointers on managing the chakra flow, I can assist."
Following the invasion, Tsunade had meticulously dissected the cursed seal mechanics from the corpses of the Sound Four, utilizing Kimimaro's unique, firsthand knowledge of the brand to stabilize it. Neji had willingly accepted a modified version of it... a tool to bridge the gap between their power levels which Neji effortlessly mastered it over the past.
Neji casually adjusted the collar of his dark uniform, his fingers carcassing against the dark markings etched into the skin of his neck. "Unlike your technique, mine has no master leeching onto my life force from afar."
Kimimaro didn't argue. He simply slid the dragon mask from the side of his head, letting it click into place over his face, his pale green eyes gleaming through the narrow slits.
"Let's go," Neji commanded, turning toward the door.
~~
The atmosphere inside the Hokage's office was suffocatingly tense. Tsunade sat behind her massive desk, a mountain of high-priority documents flanking her. Her amber eyes were locked onto a freshly unrolled mission scroll bearing the official wax seal of Takigakure... the Village Hidden in the Waterfall.
Standing before her were the two ANBU operatives, a striking contrast of monochrome. Kimimaro's snow-white hair was pulled back into a sharp ponytail, while Neji's midnight-black hair was pinned up in a neat traditional bun.
"This mission is entirely different from anything you have done," Tsunade began, her voice dropping an octave as she leaned forward, resting her chin on her interlaced fingers. "The request comes directly from the Daimyo of Takigakure. A rogue shinobi named Kakuzu... a high-ranking defector from their village... alongside an unidentified flying combatant, were sighted just before their Jinchuriki was abducted. They are almost certainly members of the Akatsuki."
She paused. "Your objective is high-stakes reconnaissance and recovery: bring back the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, a kunoichi named Fuu. For this operation, you are permitted to requisition additional personnel to fill out your squad. Furthermore, due to the political sensitivities of operating near the Waterfall border, this mission does not require you to wear your ANBU masks. You will operate as standard leaf jounin."
Hearing this, Kimimaro walked over to the sofa and sank into the cushions, pulling off his dragon mask and letting it rest on his knee. A rare smirk played stretched at the edge of his lips. "Finally... a worthy assignment. We can have Guy-sensei in our team. But the mission would be too boring as it would end too quickly."
Tsunade offered a dry, humorless smile. "Well, good for you. Team Guy was deployed on a long-range border excursion yesterday. They're out of reach."
Kimimaro leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. "A shame. Still, Neji's replacement seems remarkably capable. She's your personal apprentice, isn't she? Tell me, Lady Hokage... did you really have to pull out Neji from the team just to monitor me?"
Tsunade's eyes twitched. "Such baseless allegations, Kimimaro. If I were truly that paranoid, perhaps I should just stop authorizing your daily doses entirely and see how well you fare."
Kimimaro smoothly changed the topic. "Let's get back on mission details. Do we have any data on the opponents' specific abilities or combat styles?"
Tsunade shook her head with irritation crossing her face. "The employer was frustratingly tight-lipped. Standard political paranoia. They likely fear that exposing the rogue's capabilities will inadvertently leak the secrets of their village's forbidden jutsu. They are prioritizing their pride over their Jinchuriki's life."
Neji, who had remained standing like a statue, finally spoke up. "How much time has elapsed since the capture? And what is the Akatsuki's objective?"
Tsunade sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "It has been roughly twenty-four hours. As for their ultimate goal, we are still piecing the puzzle together. They made an attempt to abduct Naruto Uzumaki two years ago, but Jiraiya managed to force their retreat. Now, with this sudden move on Takigakure, it's undeniable: the Akatsuki are actively hunting and collecting the Tailed Beasts."
"Which trajectory are they maintaining?" Neji asked, his mind already calculating distances and mapping terrain.
"According to the latest scout reports, they have crossed into the northern borders of the Land of Fire and are currently making their way toward the west," Tsunade replied.
Neji's eyes squinted, his brow furrowing. "Lady Tsunade... if they are moving deeper into our territory rather than fleeing toward the outskirts, do you believe their primary stronghold is located within the Land of Fire itself?"
Tsunade fell silent for a long moment, contemplating the terrifying implications. "It is highly unlikely given our internal security... but hold that thought, nothing is impossible."
Kimimaro stood up from the sofa, strapping his mask back onto his belt. "There is no point in trying conclude the unknown. We will extract the answers directly from them once we run them down."
Kimimaro knew exactly how formidable the Akatsuki were. Lord Orochimaru was once among their ranks, and even the he had spoken of the organization with a rare note of caution. They were not just mere missing-nin.
"Is Kakashi in the village?" Kimimaro asked, adjusting his cloak.
Tsunade glanced up, her expression grim. "If Kakashi were within the walls, Kimimaro, I wouldn't have needed to call the two of you into this office. You leave immediately."
~~
A/N: I always wanted to bring Neji into ANBU. So, what do you think? I had fun writing this chapter.
And seven tails was captured before shippuden. So, a perfect mission for a 2 year time skip.
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