-

"Itsuko, Ibiki. This is a mission that required you two to work closely together. It's not a hard one, it's a short one too. I'm hoping for teh two to you to succeed, after all, this mission pays well." The Third Hokage instructed. He chose the both of them, without foreseeing something terrible.

He had found out that the two of them were going out not very long ago

Thus he thought it was a good idea for them to work together. but he wasn't informed of something else, they broke up.

"Just for this mission, work together alright?" Ibiki rubbed his forehead, walking towards the main gate beside her. He let out a heavy sigh when he received no reply. He still blamed himself, he knew he shouldn't have done it. He shouldn't have broke her like that. He regretted it deeply, he missed her laugh, her everything. But he knew he didn't deserve it, not anymore.

She didn't even give him a glance and sped up her walk. She hated it. She hated how she had to work with him. She didn't even want to see him. But she didn't want to explain her stand to the Hokage, knowing he would give her a lecture. Besides that, she just didn't want to remember. It pained her, she missed it but she had to move on. She wanted more but there was nothing left. It was always like that. She was tired of it. She was tired of everything being temporary.

"Just ignore him. He doesn't deserve your attention." Kurama grunted in annoyance. He despised Ibiki for what he had done to Itsuko. He knows Ibiki felt sorry but sorry didn't fix anything.

-

"Are you the ones Konoha sent over? Itsuko and Ibiki right?" The client, a grey-haired middle-aged man walked up to the both of them, greeting them.

Itsuko gave him a nod, her eyes attracted to the calm farm, surrounded by a forest, isolating the place.

"You can take a rest or get started straight away, your choice." He smiled, gesturing towards a small hut beside the large farm. "You can rest inside."

"We'll get started." Itsuko stated sternly, not even giving a care about Ibiki's well-being. She just wanted this over and done with.

"Alright, there's a pack of ferocious wolves inside the forest further down. The forest is the only place I can get the herbs from. I'm in desperate need of those herbs to cure a disease that is spreading amongst the animals." He explained, giving them a brief description of the herbs he needed.

Itsuko gave him a gentle nod of acknowledgement before she turned and headed straight into the woods. Ibiki followed after her, their speed matching. At their speed, it took them less than ten minutes and they already found the pack of wolves the man mentioned. The pack of wolves weren't any normal wolves, they belonged to a clan.

"Itsuko Uchiha and Ibiki Morino? What are the people of Konoha doing all the way inside our home base?" The leader of the clan, Kaari transformed into her wolf form, growling at them. Behind her stood the whole clan, transformed as well.

Itsuko's hand rested on her katana, ready. "We're on a mission, to collect the herbs you are protecting."

She growled once more, her claws growing sharper. "You shall not lay a hand on those herbs."

It meant war. Itsuko was ready to slaughter all of them the minute she stepped into their territory. She knew they wouldn't surrender the herbs. The world didn't work that way.

"We should negotiate." Ibiki grabbed Itsuko's arm, stripping her from withdrawing her katana. She pulled her katana out, giving Ibiki a deep wound at his chest due to the close distance. Ibiki fell on the ground, coughing. He didn't expect such a reaction from her, for a moment, he wished she would even agree with him. He coughed again. Monster. He frowned. What a monster.

Itsuko had already dived in and started going up against the clan. It was an easy task for her despite being over numbered. She was used go it. Without breaking a sweat, she easily massacre the whole clan, the leader was the last one standing. She was bleeding severely but she wasn't dead yet.

"I'll serve under you, master. Please, don't destroy the village. It's the only thing left of this clan." She begged on her knees, closed to passing out.

Giving it a thought, she nodded. "I'll let you talk with Kurama while I deal with things." She answered, sealing Kaari into a seal, giving her a string of Kurama's chakra, allowing them to communicate.

For the first time of the day, Itsuko glanced at Ibiki who leaned against a tree, breathing heavily due to the deep wound.

She shrugged it off, walking into the village. Finding a pouch, she filled it with the necessary herbs and went back to the employer, leaving immediately after. He stared in shock of the speed they completed the mission but he was curious, where did Ibiki go?

-

Ibiki struggled to even catch his breath, but he knew he'd die if he stayed there. But he couldn't even stand, how was he to get back?

Using the little amount of chakra, he forced himself to teleport to the gates of konoha. He passed out as soon as he fell on the ground. He was in front of the gates, he knew he was safe there. Someone would definitely notice if it was here. His heart ached for the past but he knew, there was nothing he could do now. Not anymore.