Just as Yagami finished eavesdropping and quietly withdrew from the wall, an urgent message was delivered straight to the Hokage Building.
Not long after, Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Konoha's official advisors.
Inside the Hokage's office.
"Hiruzen… what's going on? Why call all of us here so suddenly?"
Mitokado Homura frowned slightly as he looked at the Third Hokage.
Shimura Danzō and Utatane Koharu wore similar expressions.
Under normal circumstances, unless something truly serious had happened, the three elders would never be summoned at the same time.
Which meant—whatever this was, it wasn't small.
"I've just received a piece of intelligence," Sarutobi Hiruzen said calmly, exhaling a slow breath of smoke from his pipe.
"Take a look."
With a solemn expression, he handed the report over.
Danzō, Homura, and Koharu gathered around and began reading.
"What… the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure has gone missing?!"
Before she could finish reading the first half, Utatane Koharu exclaimed in shock.
The Kazekage was the highest authority of an entire village—how could someone like that simply disappear without a trace?
For a moment, all three elders were stunned, confusion filling their expressions.
"Keep reading," Sarutobi Hiruzen said quietly.
The three continued.
And with every line, their faces grew heavier.
The report stated that after the Third Kazekage vanished, Sunagakure's authority had temporarily fallen into the hands of Elder Chiyo.
And among all of Sunagakure, there was no one who harbored more hatred toward Konoha than her.
Her son and daughter-in-law had both died on Konoha's battlefield during the Second Shinobi World War.
Now that Chiyo had assumed control—however temporary—it was undeniably bad news for the Leaf.
"Is this information reliable?" Homura asked, lifting his gaze.
"Could it be a smokescreen released deliberately by Sunagakure?"
Koharu nodded in agreement.
Their doubt was reasonable.
After all, the Third Kazekage was widely regarded as the strongest Kazekage in Sunagakure's history.
A shinobi of that caliber vanishing so cleanly made no sense.
"There's no mistake," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied, his tone firm.
"That's precisely why I called all of you here—to discuss how we respond."
If it were false, he would have welcomed it.
At least then, the fragile balance between Konoha and Sunagakure could remain intact.
But with Chiyo now holding the reins, the situation was filled with uncertainty.
"Hah… what's there to discuss?" Danzō suddenly laughed.
The sound was harsh and unsettling.
He lifted his head, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Isn't this perfect timing?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze darkened.
"If that old woman Chiyo dares to stir trouble," Danzō continued coldly,
"then we finally have a legitimate excuse to seize the Ryūmyaku."
"…The Ryūmyaku?" Homura frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Koharu also turned toward him, clearly confused.
Danzō didn't bother hiding it any longer.
He explained—Rōran, the underground Ryūmyaku, and the chakra it produced.
"An infinite source of chakra…"
Homura's pupils contracted.
"Who would have thought… the Land of Rōran possessed something like that…"
Koharu inhaled sharply as well.
But before either of them could say more—
"Enough!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood abruptly, his pipe striking the desk with a dull sound.
"Don't even think about it. Do you truly believe war is something to toy with?!"
The Land of Fire was not like the other nations.
It sat at the center of the continent, bordered by multiple great powers, and was the most prosperous country of all.
If war broke out, the consequences would spread in every direction.
Unless there was absolutely no other option, Sarutobi Hiruzen would never allow Konoha to initiate a conflict.
"Tch. Indecisive as ever," Danzō snorted, clearly displeased.
"The priority right now is Sunagakure, not some fantasy about Rōran's Ryūmyaku," Sarutobi shot back, irritation evident.
His fingers tapped lightly against the desk as silence fell over the room.
After a long pause, Mitokado Homura finally spoke.
"How about this…
Before Sunagakure officially appoints a new Kazekage, we strengthen border surveillance.
At the same time, increase the number of intelligence operatives sent into the Land of Wind."
Sarutobi nodded slowly.
"Anything else?"
His gaze shifted toward Danzō and Koharu.
But both of them shook their heads.
"…Then we'll proceed as Homura suggested," Sarutobi said after a moment of thought.
Without a clear objective or concrete threat, there was little else they could do for now.
At the same time...
As Sarutobi Hiruzen and the elders discussed countermeasures in Konoha,
news of the Third Kazekage's disappearance spread rapidly through the shadows.
Spies returned one after another.
Before long, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure—all received the same report.
It had only been a few years since the end of the Second Shinobi World War.
Every great village had recovered enough strength to fight again.
And so—
Emergency meetings were convened.
High-level discussions began.
The stillness of the shinobi world… was beginning to crack.
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