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Chapter 43: The Hokage's Briefing
"You've returned already?" Sarutobi Hiruzen's surprise was evident as he looked at the two ninja standing before his desk.
Uchiha Akira spoke first, his tone serious. "The situation was... unexpected, Hokage-sama. We determined the intelligence was too critical to delay reporting."
"Unexpected?" A grave look settled over Hiruzen's face. A bad feeling, a sense of foreboding, stirred in his gut, bringing a wave of unease.
His eyes swept over the two, noting the absence. His voice deepened. "Yamanaka Shigeyoshi and Aburame Shiigo... did they fall?"
"The enemy was formidable. Yamanaka Shigeyoshi died a hero's death in battle," Akira reported solemnly.
"Hah... A loss," Hiruzen sighed, the weight of command heavy. "And Aburame Shiigo? I do not see him."
Uchiha Akira's reply was delivered with calm precision. "Hokage-sama, there is evidence to suggest Aburame Shiigo was a spy for an enemy nation. After I engaged the primary target, he attempted a covert assassination. He failed and took his own life immediately after."
Calling him Danzo's man directly is pointless without irrefutable proof, Akira reasoned internally. This is the most we can assert for now. The time to confront Danzo is not yet here.
"What?!" For a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression went utterly blank, as if he'd misheard. He recovered quickly, turning sharply to Hyuga Kaoru. "Jonin Kaoru. Is Jonin Akira's account accurate?"
"Hokage-sama." Hyuga Kaoru bowed respectfully, her voice firm. "It is as Jonin Akira stated. After his failed sneak attack, Aburame Shiigo terminated his own life on the spot."
"Hah... Damn that Danzo..." Hiruzen let out a long, frustrated breath, his expression souring. He didn't need to think hard; the order undoubtedly originated with Danzo.
He looked at Uchiha Akira with genuine apology in his eyes. "Akira, I offer my deepest apologies regarding the incident with Aburame Shiigo. The fault lies with me, as Hokage, for failing to vet personnel adequately. I am profoundly relieved you are unharmed."
"Hokage-sama, there is no need for self-blame," Akira replied, his demeanor still composed. "Who could have anticipated a member of the esteemed Aburame clan would defect and become an enemy agent?"
"Indeed... I will instruct the Aburame clan head to investigate this matter thoroughly..." Hiruzen picked up his pipe, took a long, slow draw, then exhaled a plume of smoke as if expelling his pent-up anger.
Uchiha Akira and Hyuga Kaoru exchanged a brief glance. In unison, they each produced a sealed scroll and placed it on the Hokage's desk.
"Hokage-sama," they said together, "these contain the detailed mission reports. The full circumstances are documented within."
"Very well. Let us see what this mission has revealed." Hiruzen nodded, picking up the scroll from Hyuga Kaoru first and unrolling it carefully.
As he read, his expression froze. Shock filled his eyes, as if he were seeing something utterly inconceivable.
"The Rinnegan..." Hiruzen murmured the name, a trace of deep disquiet appearing on his aged face.
He finished Kaoru's report, set it aside, and unrolled Uchiha Akira's scroll.
"The Rinnegan's abilities vary? The first exhibited summoning... this one demonstrates repulsion and gravitational forces..." Hiruzen muttered as he read, his brow furrowing deeper. "Repulsion, gravity, the capacity to summon a colossal, unknown entity... capable of withstanding a concentrated barrage of natural lightning spanning kilometers..." The more he read, the heavier his heart became.
"Uchiha... Madara?!" When Hiruzen reached the section describing the masked figure who claimed that name, his body jolted. He nearly stumbled back into his Hokage chair.
"Does he truly call himself Uchiha Madara?" Hiruzen's voice was deadly serious, his gaze locking onto Uchiha Akira without blinking.
"He does claim to be Uchiha Madara," Akira confirmed calmly. "I suspect he possesses space-time ninjutsu capabilities. His arrivals and departures were instantaneous, without preamble."
"Space-time abilities... Did Uchiha Madara possess such a technique?" Hiruzen mumbled to himself, profound confusion etched on his face.
He continued reading the mission scroll. The first section was a narrative of events; the second was Akira's detailed analysis of the enemy's capabilities.
"'The Rinnegan's repulsive force is immense, with a five-second interval... Gravitational pull interval unknown... Subject displays limited combat experience, estimated to be young... Suspected to be a puppet, not the true body...'" Hiruzen recited the key points aloud, his expression growing grimmer by the second.
After a long moment of frowning contemplation, Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed a fist down on his desk.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
Three masked Anbu operatives materialized instantly, kneeling before the desk.
"Assemble the Council of Advisors. Summon Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Minato, and the heads of every major ninja clan. They are to set aside all current tasks and gather in the third-floor conference room within the hour," Hiruzen ordered, his voice commanding and urgent.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" The three vanished as swiftly as they had appeared.
"Jonin Akira, Jonin Kaoru," Hiruzen said, turning to them. "You will both attend the briefing."
Half an hour later, Konoha's most influential figures were assembled in the Hokage Building's conference room.
Once everyone was seated, Sarutobi Hiruzen distributed copies of the mission scroll. He looked around the solemn faces at the table.
"This is the latest intelligence from the Land of Rain," he announced, his voice resonating in the quiet room. "Review it carefully."
The Land of Rain... Jiraiya's heart gave a lurch at the name, his thoughts flying to his three disciples. Yahiko, Nagato, Konan... I wonder how they are faring? With their ideals, surely they are making life better in that rain-soaked country.
Lost in thought, he unrolled the scroll and began to read.
The contents struck him like a physical blow. Jiraiya froze, his body going rigid.
He rapidly scanned the text, his eyes widening with disbelief, as if the words described an impossible nightmare.
He couldn't—wouldn't—believe what he was reading. His face paled. "Impossible..." he whispered, the word a broken breath. "This can't be..."
Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato, seated beside him, observed his reaction with sharp interest, thoughtful expressions forming on their faces.
Jiraiya knows the Rinnegan's wielder, Orochimaru deduced instantly, a master of reading his old teammate. And their connection is not superficial.
The Rinnegan's owner has a deep, personal tie to Teacher Jiraiya, Minato concluded, his mind working swiftly.
Jiraiya's profound distress drew the attention of everyone in the room. While the reappearance of the Rinnegan was shocking enough, the scroll indicated the wielder was not yet at full power, leaving Konoha some room to strategize. But Jiraiya's visceral reaction was a more immediate, more telling concern. In that moment, similar suspicions formed in the minds of all present.
"Jiraiya!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was laced with impatience and growing anger.
Jiraiya seemed not to hear, trapped in the horror of his own realization.
"JIRAiya!" Hiruzen roared, his fury finally erupting. Powerful chakra radiated from his body, causing the very room to vibrate. Even in his later years, Sarutobi Hiruzen in his prime commanded chakra reserves that dwarfed most Kage-level shinobi.
His expression was thunderous. "Explain yourself! Do you know the identity of this Rinnegan wielder?!"
(End of Chapter)
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