At this moment, inside Konoha Sanatorium.
A certain third generation Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was lying on the hospital bed, eating fruit and flipping through scrolls of forbidden arts.
Beside the hospital bed, Sarutobi Asuma, who looked sad, was also peeling fruit for Sarutobi.
"Asuma, is there still no news about Yuhi Kurenai?"
Sarutobi asked.
As a father, how could he not feel Asuma's worries?
Since the last war, Yuhi Hong disappeared.
Asma has been depressed and depressed...
Obviously, he is thinking about his childhood sweetheart!
"No……"
"According to the battle report from Yanyin Village, she should have been killed..."
Asuma said helplessly, feeling very lonely.
If Yuhi Kurenai is captured by [Iwagakure Village].
I have already redeemed it through operation.
But until now, there is no news about Yuhi Kurenai in the list of prisoners on Iwagakure's side.
Obviously, there is a high probability that she has been killed...
"Why……"
Sarutobi sighed sadly.
Even though he is Hokage, even Sarutobi Hiruzen cannot reverse his death.
That Yuhi Hong is a good girl.
Her talent is also good, and he once guided her in the practice of illusion.
It was such a pity that he died in [Iwagakure Village] like this!
However, since it is a war.
Death is inevitable...
Looking at it from another direction, it's not bad, he already has his eldest grandson, Konohamaru.
There is no rush to rush Asuma into marrying her.
After a few years, after time has smoothed over his pain, he can choose a good girl for him again.
"Asma, please forgive me and accept the change."
"It's also my fault for insisting on launching this war..."
Asuma shook his head, clenched his fists, and responded:
"I don't blame you, father, you are doing this for the village too."
"If it weren't for this battle, we would have won. If [Iwagakure] were to invade Konoha, there would only be greater casualties!"
"Red and the others' sacrifices are worth it!"
Obviously, Asuma also approves of this war.
only.
For a while, it was difficult to get over the grief of losing my childhood sweetheart.
Sarutobi Hiruzen patted Asuma's shoulder and comforted him again.
And asked Asma to go back first, take a good rest and relax her body and mind.
As for Sarutobi himself.
Except for the lost half of his left hand, which is difficult to recover.
His injuries have basically healed.
The reason why he continues to stay in the sanatorium is just to hide behind the scenes and manipulate him secretly.
It's not much different from when the fourth generation succeeded to the throne.
…
"call out--"
As soon as Asuma left, another figure wearing an ANBU mask rushed into the room and came to Sarutobi's side.
"The sacrifice of that female ninja was a big blow to my second brother!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke secretly sighed.
Even as the eldest brother, he couldn't comfort Asuma on such a matter of affection between children.
"It's okay, time will smooth everything out."
"Trust him and he'll cheer up."
Sarutobi waved his hand and responded.
Having experienced several ninja wars, he also had deep feelings about separation and death.
But compared to these little things.
More than half a month ago, the shocking changes that took place in the Hyuga clan made Sarutobi even more worried.
Overnight, hundreds of ninjas from the Hyuga clan defected collectively.
This is unheard of in the entire history of Konoha!
Ahem...
Except for the Uchiha clan who defected before...
"What's the current situation with the Hyuga clan?" Sarutobi asked.
"very bad."
"The Zong family has recalled all the remaining branch ninjas and banned them all at home. We can no longer use [White Eyes] to assist in peripheral surveillance of the village."
Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Grounded all the remaining branch ninjas? Why?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke: "There are rumors that the defected Hyuga branch ninjas have a way to lift the 'Caged Bird Curse Seal' of the Hyuga clan!"
"In order to calm people's hearts and avoid any more defectors, the Hyuga clan has banned all remaining branch ninjas..."
"Once we find someone leaving without permission, we will immediately activate the curse seal to obliterate the branch ninja!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was shocked.
"How to remove the curse mark of a caged bird? How is this possible?"
The [Caged Bird Curse Seal] of the Hyuga clan is not simple. Even the second generation Tobirama-sama was unable to crack it back then.
Nowadays, how can there be a way to crack it!
Eighty percent of them are just rumors used to confuse people.
However, with Hinata and Hinata's experience, he shouldn't be easily fooled by such rumors, right?
Could it be that there is really a way to crack it?
"Separate some ANBU manpower and quietly investigate."
"Let's see if this rumor is true."
"By the way, let's also step up surveillance on the Hinata family."
"The Hyuga clan, as a famous family in the village, is also the mainstay of the village."
"No more defections are allowed!"
Sarutobi ordered seriously.
First the Uchiha clan defected, and now the Hyuga clan...
If we don't stop it, the entire ninja clan in Konoha will escape!
Is that okay?
"yes!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke led the way.
"By the way. It was said before that the people who attacked the Hyuga clan were ninjas from Kumogakure Village. Has it been verified now?"
"It has been basically verified!"
"The spies lurking in [Yunyin Village] over at Genbu reported that [Yunyin Village] got a new pair of white eyes half a month ago and are looking for a suitable transplant..."
Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen became furious again:
"It was indeed Kumogakure's beast that did it!"
"Damn it! Four years ago, it was those beasts who forced Hinata Hizashi to death."
"I didn't expect that now I'm still evil."
"After our battle with Iwagakure, take action again!"
"What a beast!"
Sarutobi cursed loudly.
I can't wait to pounce on Yunyin now and make them pay the price!
"Hokage-sama, please calm down!"
"Even if it was Kumogakure who did it...our village can't withstand a second war!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke quickly advised.
"Why……"
"I know, don't worry."
"I am measured."
"Write down this account first. You must let Yunyin repay it later!"
Sarutobi took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.
He naturally knew it after the battle with Iwagakure.
Although Konoha suffered little loss, it was almost drained.
It was only thanks to Iwagakure's compensation, Jiraiya's funding, and the Daimyo's assistance that he managed to survive.
It was no longer possible to start a war with Kumogakure.
I'm afraid Yunyin has also figured this out.
Only then do you dare to launch a surprise attack on the Hyuga clan unscrupulously?
…
"How long will it take to repair the village's big barrier?"
"It will probably take about half a month."
"Make them speed up!"
"In addition, pay attention to strengthening defenses and not giving other hidden villages another chance to invade!"
"Okay, you go and do your work too."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and warned again.
"As you command!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke received the order and was about to leave.
But, just now.
Bang.
The door to the healing room was suddenly knocked open.
A figure rushed in hurriedly.
Scared, Sarutobi Shinnosuke quickly alerted, thinking that an enemy had broken in.
After taking a closer look, he discovered that it was actually the acting Hokage: Lord Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya, don't you even know how to knock on the door?"
Sarutobi scolded him angrily with a straight face.
But at this time, Jiraiya had no time to pay attention to these details.
He quickly said loudly:
"Something big has happened. The [Akatsuki] organization is about to raid Konoha!"
"What Xiao?"
"It's the increasingly famous rebel ninja mercenary organization in the underground trading market of the ninja world!"
"Oh! It's them!"
Sarutobi suddenly realized that he seemed to have occasionally seen information related to it when handling official documents before.
However, Sarutobi didn't know much about it.
After all, as Hokage, there are too many government affairs to deal with.
How can I spare the time to investigate and understand every mercenary organization in the world in detail?
"It's just a mercenary organization, why should we be so panicked?"
Jiraiya: "Their leader has the Rinnegan Eye! It's the Eye of God possessed by the Sage of Six Paths, who is regarded as the [Forefather of Ninja]!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen: 0ДQ! ! !
Sarutobi Hiruzen: "How could that happen?! Jiraiya, where did you get the news? Is it reliable?"
Jiraiya: "It was the news sent to me by Orochimaru. Moreover, I have seen those eyes with my own eyes!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen:...
…
