Yellow Dog was the first to hurriedly enter the Hokage's office.
Since Black Ant, as a squad leader, had personally notified him, Yellow Dog realized something major had happened.
He quickly went to the Third Hokage's side and saw the small scroll on the desk.
It was the kind tied to a Messenger Hawk's leg, used for urgent intelligence.
His pupils instantly constricted.
Advisor Mitokado Homura was killed by Tobi?
The second to enter was Nara Rokaku.
Sarutobi Hiruzen pushed the small scroll across the desk to Nara Rokaku, who promptly picked it up.
Lord Homura... killed?
Nara Rokaku gently set down the scroll, stood to the side, and began thinking with a furrowed brow.
This matter's impact on Konoha is too significant...
Uncle Akimichi Torifu was the former Head Jōnin. During the First Great Ninja War, Uncle Torifu was poisoned by Chiyo. After using his Body Multi-Size Technique, the toxin spread, causing far more severe poisoning damage than an ordinary ninja would suffer.
Uncle Torifu retired early, maneuvering the Head Jōnin position to him.
He himself was 35 this year, the youngest among the senior leadership.
With a vacancy now open among the leadership, he wondered if the Third Hokage planned to promote someone from the mid-30s generation, seek a replacement from the older generation of ninja, or even select someone from the new generation around 20 years old.
If promoting from the mid-30s generation, the 28-year-old Orochimaru was the most likely candidate, but it was uncertain if Orochimaru was willing.
Hatake Sakumo would certainly be willing, but he placed too much importance on ninja lives, was too idealistic, to the point of being incompatible with the current Konoha.
Among the older generation, the choices were few; not many of the older ninja were still alive.
He wondered if Uncle Torifu would seize this opportunity to make a comeback.
If Uncle Torifu returned, holding both the Head Jōnin and Advisor positions, the influence of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio would reach its peak.
As for the new generation around 20... Nara Rokaku glanced at Yellow Dog.
Yellow Dog had a chance, but could he truly handle the responsibility?
Advisor Mitokado Homura was the external affairs advisor, representing Konoha on missions to the great nations and major ninja villages.
One misstep could lead to ambush and assassination en route, just like what happened to Advisor Homura this time.
Yellow Dog was an expert at assassination, but assassinating others and preventing one's own assassination were two different things.
You could fail at assassinating others countless times; you only needed to succeed once.
Preventing your own assassination allowed for only one failure. Succeed countless times, fail once, and everything was over.
Nara Rokaku calculated the candidates and the possibilities.
It was a difficult choice. He believed the Third Hokage was likely just as unable to decide immediately as he was.
The third to enter was Danzo.
Danzo had moved into the shadows. Apart from Root, his only responsibility was advising the Hokage.
His visits to the Hokage's office were mostly routine, to hear intelligence only high-ranking officials were qualified to know.
"Danzo..."
Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen call his name, Danzo didn't respond, simply taking a seat on the sofa on his own.
"Danzo, come with me to the Akimichi clan compound later."
Danzo initially wanted to refuse, but he detected something strange in Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone—a mix of despondency and pleading.
He asked, "Why go to the Akimichi compound? What about Torifu?"
The Third Hokage didn't answer immediately, lost in a daze.
Nara Rokaku's eyes shifted slightly nearby. The Hokage wants to go to the Akimichi compound.
It's Uncle Torifu!
It seems the Third's first choice is Uncle Torifu, their former teammate.
A moment later, his excitement faded, replaced by worry.
Could Uncle Torifu truly handle the missions to the great nations and major ninja villages?
Uncle Torifu's nerves were damaged by Chiyo's poison back then, leading to his retirement.
Setting aside whether the poison injury still affected him, even if it didn't, how much of his strength remained after being idle for seven or eight years?
If Uncle Torifu undertook diplomatic missions, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio would inevitably need to provide him with the highest level of protection.
Thus, the Ino–Shika–Chō would become the village's live targets.
Considering formidable enemies like Sarutobi Kanenosuke, Tobi, Uchiha Madara, and other ninja villages dissatisfied with the territorial divisions after the Second Great Ninja War, Nara Rokaku felt a headache coming on.
Being an Advisor was an honor, but it was also a responsibility.
After a long silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Homura... was killed."
Danzo turned his head sharply, his single eye staring at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
From their first day at the Ninja Academy, the few of them had been together.
Hearing the news of Mitokado Homura's death so abruptly felt utterly unreal to Danzo.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's downcast eyes didn't seem feigned.
Going to the Akimichi compound was to ask Akimichi Torifu to come out of retirement?
So, Homura really was dead?
"Homura? Killed by whom?"
"Tobi."
After the initial shock, Danzo felt a surge of regret.
If he had killed Fox earlier, Fox wouldn't have interfered with his attempt to seize Uchiha Mahiru's Mangekyō, and Tobi wouldn't have obtained the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"And Fox! Where is he? Wasn't he investigating the movements of Uchiha Madara's rogue ninja organization?"
Yellow Dog said, "Fox is in the Land of Rain. A messenger hawk brought news a few days ago. They are searching diligently but have found nothing so far."
Danzo was extremely displeased. Was Uchiha Madara also avoiding Fox's edge? Why didn't he confront Fox directly?
Remembering the deceased Mitokado Homura, Danzo said, "I understand. I'll go with you to the Akimichi compound later."
Hearing Danzo agree, Nara Rokaku frowned.
This was troublesome. What should the Ino–Shika–Chō trio choose to do?
Soon after, Utatane Koharu entered.
Utatane Koharu handled Konoha's internal affairs, busy with complicated tasks daily. She didn't speak much on major issues, at most mediating conflicts between Hiruzen, Danzo, and Homura.
The moment Utatane Koharu entered the office, she sensed the wrong atmosphere; everyone was very solemn.
She sighed inwardly, wondering which area had suffered losses this time.
"Koharu..."
A bad premonition rose in Utatane Koharu's heart. Was it related to her?
A moment later, she immediately thought of her daughter, Nozomi.
Had something happened in the Land of Rivers capital?
"Koharu..." Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was heavy with grief. "Mitokado Homura arrived outside the Land of Rivers capital. Mitokado Koshi and his wife, Mitokado Nozomi, went out of the city to welcome him."
"Tobi attacked them. Homura, his son, and Nozomi... all sacrificed."
Hearing this news, Utatane Koharu felt as if struck by lightning.
She looked disbelievingly at Sarutobi Hiruzen, then at Danzo, then back at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The two men said nothing.
Nara Rokaku handed the small scroll to Advisor Koharu. After reading it, Utatane Koharu turned around in a daze and left the office.
Every ninja would die.
When Utatane Koharu was young, she had risked her life for Konoha, knowing she could be killed at any time.
However, dying oneself and one's daughter dying were two different things.
If possible, she was two hundred percent willing to die in her daughter's place.
She had once believed that her daughter marrying Mitokado Homura's son was the best possible outcome for her.
Childhood friends, graduating together, teammates.
With the help of Mitokado Homura and herself, her daughter and son-in-law had developed smoothly.
The only regret was that they were both civilian-born ninja, unlike bloodline limit ninja who could inherit powerful abilities.
They had received over a decade of training from their teacher, the Second Hokage, and inherited many of his techniques. Mitokado Homura had tried his best to pass these on to Koshi and Nozomi.
But now, it was all too late, all over...
In the office, after a long silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up.
"Let's go, Danzo. We're both going to the Akimichi compound."
The four of them entered the Akimichi clan compound.
The news of Mitokado Homura's death hadn't spread yet; the village seemed as if nothing had happened.
Along the way, many Ino–Shika–Chō ninja saluted the senior leaders and Nara Rokaku.
However, the senior leaders seemed impatient today, walking briskly and barely acknowledging the salutes.
Entering the depths of the Akimichi compound, they found Akimichi Torifu lying on a widened and enlarged recliner, dozing by a small lake.
Nara Rokaku's heart sank. They were already thirty meters behind Uncle Torifu, and he was completely unaware.
In contrast, Akimichi Yamashiro, from several courtyards away, noticed first and used Body Flicker to arrive by the lake.
"Uncle! The Hokage and the others are here to see you!"
Hearing his nephew Akimichi Yamashiro's words, Akimichi Torifu opened his eyes and said, "The Hokage is here? Where are they, in the main hall? He'll have to wait a bit then; the main hall is quite far."
Akimichi Torifu's words clearly reached the Konoha leadership's ears.
Nara Rokaku had a bad feeling.
"Uncle! The Hokage and the others are right behind you."
Akimichi Torifu turned his head, saw several people behind him, and clumsily climbed out of the swaying recliner.
It was only after Akimichi Yamashiro steadied the rocking chair that Akimichi Torifu managed to stand on the ground.
"Hiruzen, Danzo, what brings you two here?" Akimichi Torifu said with a jovial laugh. "What, planning a class reunion?"
Danzo's voice was stiff. "Torifu, Mitokado Homura was killed by Uchiha Madara's subordinate. We need you to come out of retirement, assume the Advisor position, and take charge of Konoha's external affairs."
Akimichi Torifu's pupils contracted sharply. "What? Homura was killed?"
Mitokado Homura had gotten along well with all of them. Back when Akimichi Torifu was Head Jōnin, he had the best relationship with Homura, always advancing and retreating together.
Akimichi Torifu knew about Mitokado Homura's trump cards. He asked, "Uchiha Madara's subordinate? Is he dead too? With Homura's abilities, he could at least achieve mutual destruction."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Uchiha Madara's subordinate is named Tobi. He didn't die."
"The intelligence sent back by the Guardian Ninja states that although Tobi looked disheveled, he survived."
"He arrogantly spared the Guardian Ninja's life just to send this message back to the village."
Akimichi Torifu's eyes were sorrowful. "When Homura is buried, remember to notify me. I will attend his funeral too."
Danzo pressed on, "Torifu, prepare yourself. Assume the Advisor position in a few days."
Akimichi Torifu shook his head and said, "Danzo, Hiruzen, coming out of retirement is out of the question."
"I am willing to die for Konoha, but my death would just be slower."
"My nervous system is damaged. If a kunai pierced my calf, it would take minutes before I felt the pain."
"Making me an Advisor would only hinder Konoha, harm Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo exchanged a look. Finally, Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Alright, Torifu. For Homura's funeral, I'll have someone notify you in advance."
After Nara Rokaku saw Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others off and returned, he happened to see Uncle Torifu place one hand on the headrest of the recliner, leap up nimbly, his obese body swaying left and right in the air like a round leaf, before gently landing back in the recliner.
Nara Rokaku's heart jolted. This was not the bearing of someone with a ruined nervous system.
***
Dive deeper into the story with 50+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!
(Chapter End)