"You do, in fact, have the technical ability to cause fairly arbitrary international incidents whenever you feel like it." He sounds like he's very patiently explaining basic human interaction to a stubborn five year old, and like he's not particularly concerned about whether she'll actually do that.

"Oh, you're very clever, aren't you?"

"Depends on why you're saying that, really."

"Mostly because I want to take the measure of the sort of chunin Konoha is putting out these days." She's abruptly much more serious. "You don't ruffle easily. Good. It has been some time since Hidden Mist participated in the world at large, and we need to reacquaint ourselves with it. I will provide you with a ship back to the mainland, and a sealed scroll for your Hokage."

He nods. "You have my thanks, then."

"Of course I do." She gestures at the man, who produces a scroll and passes it over.

He takes it. "Anything else?"

"We will be talking about that sword. Later. Ao here will escort you to your ship."

He nods.

Eyepatch man takes them down to the docks, and sees them on to a small boat with a stern expression.

They leave with the tide.

How long will the boat ride take?

It'll be about a day.

Well, if his team has anything urgent, they can tell him, but he'd rather keep the talking to a minimum until they're on the mainland.

That suits everyone else.

He doesn't show off a single spell on the way, nor does he set aside time to memorize new ones from his spell book in the morning.

Otherwise, he seems unruffled as the journey continues.

The crew doesn't bother the passengers.

They reach the main continent without any further run-ins with rogue jinchuuriki, Akatsuki, or Tailed Beasts.

Oh thank fuck.

Then they can start on their way back to Konoha.

(And now would be a good time for questions, while they're away from prying ears.)

Neji would like to know what the fuck, if not in so many words.

What the fuck with his techniques, what the fuck with how he behaved in Mist...

Techniques, Akatsuki, that turtle...

"The techniques are - a variant sealing tradition. I have a daily limit on which ones I can use, but they're orthogonal enough to what's in common use that it balances out. The Akatsuki are probably classified. The turtle was I think one of the Tailed Beasts."

"Are all your missions like this?"

"Not all."

"But some, yes? I suppose that is why you were nominated for the first set of exams."

"Some. And it's possible, yeah."