Has the intelligence been leaked?
Or...
Though no change showed on the young man's face as he looked at the document being handed over, his heart was far less calm than he appeared.
"Of course."
Even so, though his heart was unsettled, he calmly extended his hand and accepted the rolled document, already stamped with the Hokage's seal.
He knew exactly what this scroll was. He had already seen the intercepted intelligence before, and roughly understood what the Third Hokage was handing him—and why he was giving it to him.
"You've come a long way. You must be tired."
Seeing the young man accept the document, the Third Hokage rose to his feet and spoke.
So this was Kusagakure's new leader. He looked about the same age as Chiba. Though his sharpness had yet to be fully restrained, he already possessed the bearing a leader ought to have. Originally, he had thought Hada Ichiba was Kusagakure's most promising and capable figure, but it now seemed Kusagakure still had someone capable of keeping him in check.
This new leader possessed the aura of one in power despite his young age. He was likely an exceptionally rare genius. Had he been placed in the Third Great Ninja War, the brilliance he displayed might well have surpassed that of Kusagakure's former leader.
Remarkable!
Kusagakure, as it was now!
Fortunately, it had essentially been confirmed that Kusagakure would become Konoha's staunchest ally. Otherwise, if a minor shinobi village with such strength and potential became an unstable force whose allegiance was unclear, it would be quite a headache.
As he spoke, this thought passed through the Third Hokage's mind.
As for why the Third Hokage was certain that the person before him was Kusagakure's new leader, it was naturally because the investigation into that new