The latest issue of the Ninja World Big Events Weekly dropped, and everyone's eyes locked onto the new bounty.
"Bounty for any information on Kakashi Hatake's whereabouts? Three hundred thousand ryō?"
The number made people's eyes go wide. That wasn't pocket change. It was full A-rank mission pay. For civilians it was life-changing money. Most people couldn't look away.
"Three hundred thousand ryō… just for finding one guy? Sand must be serious."
"Does this mean Sunagakure already knows Kakashi is dead? Killed by the Leaf?"
"If he was still alive—on the battlefield or back in the village—someone would've spotted him by now. This bounty is way too easy to collect."
"The only explanation is that Sand has inside information."
Even some Konoha shinobi started chasing the lead. They asked around the front lines, hoping for any trace of Kakashi.
They came up empty.
One Leaf ninja snapped at his comrades.
"You're really out here chasing Sand's money? Have you no shame?"
The bounty hunter shot back without missing a beat.
"I'm a Leaf shinobi taking Sand's money. That means the Leaf gains and Sand loses. How is that not helping the village? I'm doing this for Konoha."
"Besides… don't you actually want to know what happened to Kakashi?"
Kakashi's disappearance was now a confirmed fact. Only two possibilities remained: he was dead, or he had defected.
Either way, it dragged the old White Fang scandal right back into the spotlight.
Was Sakumo Hatake really driven to suicide by Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Inside Konoha, people searched too. Same result. No trace. Kakashi had vanished like he'd never existed.
Hokage Tower.
An ANBU appeared before Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The Third Hokage stared at the newspaper in his hands, face dark with rage.
"That bastard Rasa… he just won't stop. Keeps poking the Leaf even while our forces are already on the Land of Wind border. Does he really think I won't order a full assault on Sunagakure?"
Hiruzen's liver hurt from the anger. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"Any leads?"
The ANBU shook his head.
"Nothing. No sign of Kakashi at all. The only thing we have is that two people in ANBU uniforms were seen heading toward Kakashi's last known location that day. After that… no one saw Kakashi again. And those two 'ANBU' were never seen again either."
Hiruzen's stomach dropped.
He was ninety percent sure now.
It was Danzo.
Danzo loved this trick—sending Root operatives disguised as regular ANBU.
"Danzo…"
"It really was you."
"You're going to get me killed with this shit."
Hiruzen turned to the ANBU.
"Go to the Land of Wind. Tell Danzo to get his ass back here immediately."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
Once the ANBU left, Hiruzen's brows stayed furrowed.
"I hope Danzo only captured Kakashi. If he already killed him… cleaning this up is going to be a nightmare."
"This isn't the first time."
"It was the same with the Uchiha."
"Now it's Kakashi again."
"Is Danzo just incompetent… or is he doing this on purpose?"
While Hiruzen fumed, Danzo was deep in the Land of Wind, spreading his own rumors.
A fresh story was already circulating thanks to his Root agents.
"The Third Kazekage didn't go missing. Rasa assassinated him to steal the Kazekage seat."
"Rasa's Magnet Release is so strong because he developed a forbidden technique that drains the life force of other Magnet Release users. He sucked the Third Kazekage dry."
Rasa read the report in his office and raised an eyebrow.
"Absorbing other people's Magnet Release through a secret technique? Not bad creativity."
"Still pointless. I had zero reason to kill the Third Kazekage."
Everyone in Sunagakure knew the situation back then. Rasa and Pakura had both been candidates for Fourth Kazekage. Rasa had been the Third's half-disciple. The longer the Third lived, the better Rasa's chances of inheriting the hat. Killing him would have been stupid.
Danzo's agents tried to patch the story.
"Rasa made a mistake. The Third refused to pass the title to him, so Rasa snapped and killed him in secret."
A Sand shinobi immediately called bullshit.
"So which is it? Did he kill the Third for the Magnet Release secret technique, or because he screwed up and lost his shot at the hat? Pick one story and stick to it."
When the Root operative reported the question back to Danzo, the elder's face went ice cold.
"Idiot. Tell them both reasons are true. Obviously."
Just then, an ANBU operative rushed in.