Not long after the new year had passed, a rumor spread throughout the entire shinobi world.
Kumogakure had allegedly tried to use the Heavenly Transfer Technique at the New Year Conference to send Konoha's core technical personnel straight to Kumogakure, only for them to be Reverse Summoned back. They had thrown away an Envoy Group and several jonin in the process.
The story sounded bizarre and convoluted, something no normal person would ever do. But once people considered that Kumogakure was behind it, it somehow gained a measure of credibility. Coupled with testimony from numerous embassy personnel who had seen the distinctive streams of light left by the Heavenly Transfer Technique at Kumogakure's venue, it seemed to confirm that Kumogakure had truly committed such an outrage during the new year.
Intelligence officers working overtime across the shinobi world groaned bitterly at the news. Couldn't they have picked a better time and done something proper? Did they have to pull this kind of weird stunt? And with Konoha's Reverse Summoning technology right there, couldn't they just have called them back from home? Did they really have to cling to that idiotic Heavenly Transfer Technique of theirs? Did they honestly think their own jutsu was the best in the world and nothing else could compare?
Kumogakure also issued a statement, saying that they had warmly invited Kakashi Hatake and Sosuke Aizen to visit Kumogakure, and that after friendly discussion, everyone had amicably agreed to send them off.
They had even added many earnest and sincere phrases, saying that if necessary, they hoped the two could remain there permanently, along with other such remarks.
It sounded perfectly reasonable. It looked that way too.
Of course, everyone knew what had really happened. Kumogakure had tried to abduct them with the Heavenly Transfer Technique, only