Torifu Akimichi's honest, good-natured face had been full of smiles.
But the moment Mito Uzumaki finished speaking, his smile vanished.
"Has something serious happened?"
Mito Uzumaki looked at him without answering, asking instead:
"Are the village's defenses still fully in place?"
Hearing that, Torifu Akimichi realized the gravity of the situation.
Mito Uzumaki was asking whether, if a major Change of Circumstances arose within the village—
Something serious enough to throw Konoha into turmoil and draw the attention of outsiders—
He, the jonin in charge of Konoha's defenses, would be able to guard against it.
At that moment, it might have been the gravest situation Torifu Akimichi had faced since taking responsibility for the defense of Konoha Village.
"Please rest assured, Lady Mito. Every one of Konoha's defensive measures can withstand the test."
Mito Uzumaki nodded, then finally answered his original question.
"Someone in the village has laid hands on children, and they are one of Konoha's high-ranking officials."
"But most importantly, the Third Hokage is very likely involved as well."
Torifu Akimichi's face filled with shock as he stared at her in disbelief.
He found it hard to imagine that what he had just heard with his own ears could be such a shocking revelation.
A high-ranking official targeting children was already hard enough to believe.
Why would even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, be implicated in this matter?
But Mito Uzumaki would never joke about something like this.
Since she had convened the Jonin Council, she must have obtained crucial evidence.
Then, a face flashed through Torifu Akimichi's mind.
Danzo, was it you?!
Though he found it difficult to accept for the moment—
As a member of the Second Hokage's Shadow Guard, he had been close with the others in the guard.
Otherwise, the Third Hokage would not