"Missing… people?"
Kakashi looked at Kurenai with some surprise. Missing people in Konoha? He knew that a few people sometimes went missing, but Konoha was a big village—losing a few people here and there was normal.
So, he hadn't paid much attention.
But now, seeing Kurenai ask this question made him cautious.
Could it be that Genya had told her something?
If nothing unusual had happened, this news should have come from Genya. But what did Genya want to do?
"Yes," Kurenai nodded. She looked at Kakashi's surprised and slightly confused expression, a hint of disappointment in her eyes, before she slowly spoke.
"Do you know that in the past month, over a hundred people have gone missing? And they were all ordinary citizens of Konoha."
Hiss…
Kakashi drew a deep breath when he heard this.
This…
It was terrifying. Over a hundred people gone in a month—this was far beyond a normal number of missing people for a village. It was downright frightening.
"Really?" Kakashi frowned and asked again.
"Of course it's true. Just now, Genya took us to accept a mission investigating the missing people," Kurenai nodded before continuing, "And recently, all the missing people are from the Senju clan!"
"There's even a mission to investigate missing people?" Kakashi squinted. "Then this probably has little to do with the Konoha leadership."
From Kakashi's perspective, if these disappearances were connected to the Konoha high command or Hiruzen Sarutobi, the mission wouldn't have been released.
"It's not a normal mission," Kurenai explained. She recounted how Genya spent his own money to issue the mission and then personally accepted it, before adding, "Right now… the Third Hokage might not even know!"
Huh?
Kakashi was stunned. If things were truly as Genya said, there was probably something suspicious going on.
"Looks like you don't know either," Kurenai said with a trace of helplessness, looking at Kakashi. Apparently, these disappearances had been very secretive. Most people didn't know.
"I'll investigate," Kakashi said, frowning. He took this matter seriously.
Losing this many people meant someone was manipulating events behind the scenes, and it might even involve experiments!
Recreating the actions of Orochimaru from back then.
Hopefully this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't be involved.
"Mm… I'll investigate tomorrow too!" Kurenai nodded. Tomorrow, she would go with Genya to check things out and see the advantages and disadvantages for herself.
The two spoke for a while before preparing to leave.
But at that moment, two masked figures appeared in front of them, blocking Kurenai's path.
"ANBU ninja?" Kurenai frowned as she looked at the two standing before her. She didn't recall having any dealings with ANBU, so why were they stopping her?
Kakashi also stopped, his expression growing serious as he studied the ANBU before them.
These ANBU seemed hostile. Though no longer active ANBU, he still knew certain things.
If they were urgently seeking Kurenai, something must be important.
"Kurenai!" One of the ANBU addressed her directly. "The Hokage has selected you to be a examiner for the Chūnin Exams. Report to the preparation room starting tomorrow."
"Huh? A Chūnin Exam examiner?" Kurenai was stunned. She looked at the two ANBU. "I never wanted to be an exam examiner. Why was I chosen?"
"That, we don't know. It's an order from the Hokage!" The ANBU explained as they observed Kurenai's confused expression. "He wants you to report tomorrow."
"But—" Kurenai wanted to protest. She was responsible for this batch of students taking the Chūnin Exams. Why should she be the examiner?
The ANBU clearly didn't intend to let her question further. "The Hokage also said he hopes you'll accept this assignment for the sake of Konoha. Don't make things difficult for him."
"But I have—" Kurenai tried to explain that having her as the examiner might be unfair to other examinees.
Her words were cut off by Kakashi. He looked at the ANBU and said, "You may report back. Kurenai will go to report tomorrow."
"Understood. We'll report back then!" The ANBU didn't argue further when Kakashi agreed on her behalf. They turned and left immediately.
Now, only Kurenai and Kakashi remained.
Kurenai frowned at Kakashi. "Why didn't you let me finish? I'm the sensei for this batch of students. Why should I be an examiner in the exams?"
Until now, Kurenai still felt a bit confused.
Kakashi should have known this, yet he still agreed on her behalf.
"Heh. Even if I didn't agree for you, do you really think you could refuse?" Kakashi looked at Kurenai, his tone turning heavy.
"Why not?" Kurenai asked in surprise.
"You know the Third Hokage's methods. If you refuse today, tomorrow news that you betrayed the Will of Fire will spread through Konoha, and your reputation will be ruined!" Kakashi stared at her. "If you don't want that, you have no choice but to agree!"
Hiss~~
Thinking of this, a flash of shock crossed Kurenai's eyes, but she quickly realized the truth.
The tragedy of Kakashi's father at the hands of the Third Hokage was still vivid in her mind!
Just now, she had been conflicted.
"But why does the Third want me to participate in the Chunin Exams? He must know I'm the mentor of the Genya trio!" Kurenai frowned at Kakashi. "If I serve as an examiner, even if Genya and others pass the Chunin Exams, it will still be controversial."
At that moment, Kurenai only considered the trio. If they participated in the Chunin Exams, it would spark debate.
As she thought this, her eyes suddenly widened, and she looked at Kakashi. "Could it be… the Third wants to target Genya?"
Just this thought felt like the correct answer in her mind.
"You're too close to the situation to see clearly!" Kakashi shook his head at her. "I'm afraid it's not just that. Have you forgotten the mission you accepted today?"
"Mission?" Kurenai murmured, then her eyes suddenly brightened. "You mean the Third doesn't want me to help Genya investigate the missing people?"
Kakashi nodded, narrowing the one visible eye. "That's probably the truth. The Third wants to stop you from investigating the missing persons case."
"But the more he tries to stop it, the more the missing people case becomes tied to the Third himself."
"Looks like there's really something hidden in all this."
Kakashi's reasoning was already close to the truth, and his expression gradually grew colder.
If the missing people case really involved the Third Hokage, then, as Genya said, Konoha's higher-ups were already rotten to the core.
****
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