That night, 10:00 PM.
The Third Hokage had already clocked out for the day, but his bodyguards were still hard at work.
A quick reminder: the Anbu ninjas in the Hokage Building work in 12-hour shifts. This ensures they remain at peak physical and mental energy throughout their entire watch.
Lupin the Third and Kaito Kid... wait, no—it was Kushina and Hagoromo who walked boldly into the Hokage Building, one after the other.
Their swagger was so blatant that no one would ever suspect these two were here to commit a felony. Tonight, the Hokage Building was about to host a "Heist of the Century."
Kushina led the way. Entering this building relied almost entirely on her "Face-ID" status within the village. Hagoromo followed closely behind; tonight, he wasn't just there to stand around looking busy.
As they walked, Kushina whispered in a voice only Hagoromo could hear:
"Plan T, initiate action."
Hagoromo was curious. Since when did stealing something require a codename? And why was it Plan T instead of Plan A? It made it sound like they had dozens of backup strategies ready to go.
"Plan T, initiate action. Team member Hagoromo, please respond." Kushina repeated.
Hagoromo immediately realized that silence was not an option.
"Hagoromo, acknowledged."
Big Sis, can we be serious for a second? This is a robbery.
Then, as if answering his wish, Kushina's tone turned dead serious. "Please act with caution. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill!"
"Understood!" Hagoromo practically hissed through his teeth.
Sister, you've definitely wandered onto the wrong movie set.
The two maintained a casual appearance and, just as Hagoromo predicted, they reached the third floor without a single obstacle.
According to Hagoromo's own senses, there were quite a few Anbu ninjas in the building—certainly more than the number Kushina had mentioned earlier. There were also many general staff members present, but in terms of combat effectiveness, they could be safely ignored.
Yes, Hagoromo possessed sensory abilities. While his range was limited and he wasn't exactly equipped with a "Phased Array Radar" like Karin Uzumaki, he could function as a sensory ninja in a pinch. As for the scientific principles behind this... that information currently falls under the "Classified" category.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Hokage's office.
Of course, this didn't mean getting here was easy. Kushina could do it only because her name was Kushina. If a ninja from another village tried to invade this place, they'd likely be neutralized before even passing the identification barrier at the front door. Because of this, there was zero chance of them being mistaken for imposters.
Kushina stole a cautious glance at Hagoromo, then pushed the door open without hesitation.
It was best to maintain her usual rhythm. Normally, when she wanted to enter this room, she wouldn't pause at the door—the fact that she hadn't kicked it open was already a sign of great restraint.
Anyone entering this space would be under the surveillance of the four Anbu in the office, so Kushina had to act naturally. If those Anbu were on guard, it would be virtually impossible to incapacitate them silently while they were resisting.
The Anbu deal in the business of wetwork and sabotage; their alertness is naturally off the charts. Squad-leader-level ninjas are formidable. While experts like an adult Kakashi aren't exactly common, if you were to compare Kakashi to a standard squad leader:
In a 1 vs. 1, Kakashi wins comfortably. In a 1 vs. 2, Kakashi likely gets trashed. In a 1 vs. 3, Kakashi would be dead within minutes.
Therefore, from start to finish, Kushina and Hagoromo had no intention of a frontal confrontation.
Fortunately, Kushina wasn't just strong in Ninjutsu; her Sealing Jutsu was even stronger. When it came to backstabbing acquaintances, her repertoire was specialized.
Since the Third Hokage wasn't there, an Anbu ninja appeared immediately after they entered.
"Kushina-sama, is there something you need? If you are looking for the Hokage, he has already gone home."
"Rei-atsu, it's you guys on duty today," Kushina replied casually, her eyes surreptitiously scanning different corners of the room.
Through her senses, she knew exactly where the other three were hiding.
"Yes. If there is an emergency—"
Kushina knew this ninja. By his mask alone, she could call out his codename. The two parties were well-acquainted, so while the ninja was alert, his guard wasn't at its maximum.
Before he could even finish his sentence, Kushina struck.
Tonight, she wore a top with oversized sleeves, perfectly hiding her hands. While she was talking and confirming the positions of the others, she had already finished her hand signs.
Sealing Jutsu: Adamantine Attacking Chains!
Four silver chakra chains erupted from Kushina's back like arrows loosed from a bow, streaking toward the four ninjas!
Without time to even register what was happening, all four were trussed up like human cocoons.
The Anbu didn't understand why Kushina was attacking, but their instincts told them exactly what to do: resist. Fast.
However, the Adamantine Attacking Chains is a technique capable of suppressing Tailed Beasts. Relying on mere human strength to break free was futile. The chains tightened around their necks, cutting off their breath and preventing them from making a sound.
At that moment, Hagoromo, who had been standing behind Kushina, moved. He blurred behind each ninja in succession, using a swift hand-chop to knock them unconscious without a shred of mercy.
Kushina released the seal and quickly located the Scroll of Seals. There was no hiding it; in this office, that massive scroll was an eyesore.
"Hagoromo, over here," Kushina called out, reaching for the scroll.
But then, she suddenly stopped. She turned around and looked at Hagoromo with a sudden realization.
"Hagoromo, I just thought of a problem. We waltzed in here in broad daylight — the Old Man won't even need to investigate to know it was me. How exactly are we supposed to walk away from this one?"
...It was a very good, very practical question. Even if they managed to learn the jutsus from the scroll, they couldn't exactly outrun the Hokage's wrath.
The only thing wrong was the timing of the question. You're supposed to ask that before you start the heist! Asking now is a bit late, don't you think?!