-3rd Person-

The air inside Tsunade's office is thick with tension. Even Shikamaru, with his typically indifferent expression, can sense it. He stands alongside his teammates, Ino and Choji, their eyes all focused on the Fifth Hokage seated behind her desk. The curtains are drawn, casting a dim light in the room, making it feel more like a war council than a routine mission briefing. Tsunade's gaze is sharper than usual, her fingers tapping lightly against the wood of her desk in a rhythmic, almost anxious pattern.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," she begins, her voice low and serious.

Shikamaru crosses his arms lazily, pretending not to notice the tightness in her jaw, but his mind is already working overtime. This isn't the tone Tsunade usually takes for simple missions. There's something heavy, something ominous lingering in the way she holds herself. He glances at Ino and Choji from the corner of his eye. Ino's brows are furrowed, her lips pursed in concern, while Choji shifts uncomfortably, his usually cheerful demeanor replaced by unease.

"Is this about another border patrol mission?" Shikamaru asks, his voice casual, masking the spike of worry coursing through him. Tsunade rarely called them in personally for these kinds of tasks.

The Hokage's eyes flick to him, sharp and assessing, before she shakes her head. "No, this isn't just a patrol. It's an investigation. One that I'm assigning specifically to Team 10 for a reason."

That piques Shikamaru's interest. He tilts his head slightly, his gaze narrowing. "Go on."

Tsunade sighs, running a hand through her blonde hair, and for a moment, she looks tired. "Several of our shinobi have gone missing along the eastern border near the Fire Country's border with the Land of Hot Water. We've lost contact with them over the past week, and none have returned."

"Wait, missing?" Ino's voice rises slightly, her eyes widening. "As in, completely vanished?"

"Yes." Tsunade's expression darkens. "No traces. No bodies. It's like they just disappeared."

Shikamaru's mind begins to race, sifting through possibilities. If it were a routine border skirmish or an enemy shinobi attack, there would be evidence. A struggle. Signs of combat. But for a group of trained shinobi to vanish without a trace? It's not something that happens easily. Something—or someone—formidable must be involved.

"And you want us to find out what's going on?" Choji asks hesitantly, a frown creasing his usually friendly face.

Tsunade nods. "Exactly. But I want to make one thing clear: this mission is highly sensitive. I'm trusting you three to handle this quietly and discreetly. We don't know what we're dealing with yet, but I have my suspicions." Her gaze flickers briefly to the open file on her desk. Shikamaru can't make out the details, but he catches a glimpse of a familiar black cloak embroidered with red clouds.

The Akatsuki.

A chill runs down his spine. If they're involved... this could be catastrophic. Shikamaru straightens, dropping his casual posture as a heavy seriousness settles over him. The Akatsuki aren't like other enemies. They're powerful, elusive, and incredibly dangerous. The idea that they might be targeting their forces is enough to make even him nervous.

"You think it's them, don't you?" Shikamaru asks softly, his eyes locking onto Tsunade's.

Tsunade doesn't answer directly, but the tightening of her jaw and the flicker of unease in her eyes is all the confirmation he needs. His stomach twists uncomfortably.

"Shikamaru, Ino, Choji," she says quietly, her gaze shifting between them. "I'm not going to sugarcoat this. If the Akatsuki are involved, this mission could be extremely dangerous. I chose you three because I believe you can handle it—but you must prioritize your safety above all else. If things get too risky, you are to pull back immediately and report to me. Understood?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," they respond in unison, their voices firm.

Shikamaru forces himself to focus, burying the rising sense of dread deep within him. His father once told him that a good shinobi never lets fear cloud his judgment, and right now, he needs to be calm and clear-headed. He needs to think. Strategize.

"Do we have any leads?" he asks, his voice steady despite the turmoil churning beneath the surface.

"Not many," Tsunade admits, leaning back in her chair. "But I've marked the last known locations of the missing shinobi on this map." She unrolls a large scroll, revealing a detailed layout of the border area. Red X's are scattered across it, marking the points where their comrades were last seen. "You'll start here," she says, pointing to a small village on the outskirts. "It's the closest settlement to where the disappearances occurred. Ask around, gather what information you can. But be discreet."

"Got it," Shikamaru replies, already memorizing the layout. He glances at his teammates again. Ino's face is set, her eyes sharp with determination, while Choji's fists are clenched at his sides. They're ready—nervous, maybe, but ready.

"One more thing," Tsunade says, drawing their attention back to her. "I'm assigning you this mission, not as a typical team exercise, but as a high-level reconnaissance. This means no contact with other shinobi unless absolutely necessary. I don't want to tip off whoever's behind this. If the Akatsuki are involved, any sign of us investigating might provoke them to act more aggressively."

A heavy silence follows her words. Shikamaru feels the weight of the responsibility settle on his shoulders. It's rare for Tsunade to show this level of concern, which only underscores the gravity of the situation.

"We understand, Lady Tsunade," he finally says, his voice low but resolute. "We'll be careful."

"Good." She nods, her gaze lingering on them for a moment longer, as if she's weighing something in her mind. Then she sighs softly. "And Shikamaru... I know you. Don't take unnecessary risks. I'm trusting you to bring your team back safely."

There's something almost pleading in her tone, and Shikamaru feels a pang of guilt. He knows Tsunade is still haunted by the losses they've suffered at the hands of the Akatsuki. Asuma's death, in particular, looms over her—and over them. The reminder is enough to harden his resolve.

"I won't let anything happen to them," he promises quietly.

Tsunade nods, satisfied. "Then you're dismissed. Be ready to move out at dawn."

With a final nod, Team 10 turns and exits the office. The hallway outside is quiet, their footsteps echoing softly as they make their way toward the exit. The tension from Tsunade's office follows them, a silent presence hovering over their shoulders.

"Shikamaru..." Ino's voice is hesitant, and Shikamaru glances at her. "Do you really think it's the Akatsuki?"

He considers lying, brushing off her concerns with some lazy excuse. But he can't. Not when the stakes are this high.

"Yeah," he admits, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I think it's a strong possibility. And if it is, we need to be extremely careful. These guys are dangerous, Ino. More dangerous than anything we've faced before."

Choji swallows audibly, his face pale. "But we've dealt with dangerous enemies before, right? Like when we fought Sound ninja... or when we went after Sasuke..."

"This is different," Shikamaru murmurs. "The Akatsuki are in a league of their own. We can't afford to be reckless."

A heavy silence follows his words. They continue walking, the gravity of the situation settling in. Shikamaru can almost feel their resolve hardening, the weight of the mission pressing down on them.

"Then we'll just have to be smart about it," Ino says finally, her voice steady. "We can't let fear control us. If we're careful, we can do this."

"Right," Choji agrees, nodding firmly.

Shikamaru smiles faintly, pride swelling in his chest. Despite everything, his team is strong. Stronger than they realize. And he'll be damned if he lets anything happen to them.

"Let's get some rest," he suggests, turning toward the direction of their respective homes. "We'll need to be sharp tomorrow. Stay on your guard and be ready for anything."

"Got it," Ino and Choji echo.

As they part ways for the night, Shikamaru glances up at the moon, his mind already spinning with strategies and counter-strategies. He knows they're heading into dangerous territory. But he also knows that if anyone can handle it, it's Team 10.

"We'll figure this out," he murmurs to himself, clenching his fist.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Honesttlyyy, I don't remember how the arc started but we're finally entering the Hidan and Kakuzu arc! 

GUYS??? My Highschool self here in the notes before talked about her prom- and how I got a pimple the night before- Proud of my young self though since apparently I danced with 8 dudes.

Hope you guys are enjoying the chapters! and like the new style, I kinda wanna lean more on a serious side now on the tone of writing since as far as I remembered that Shippuden is cannon based soo not a lot of comedy.

Bye Potatoes!

Stay Fab!