Dawn was quietly breaking.
Along the way, Akira Sarutobi told Katsuyu about Hatake Sakumo being set up and murdered.
But he said nothing at all about Senju Nawaki from years ago.
There was no rushing such a matter. Telling Katsuyu rashly would only make it fall into a state of "I'm not listening, I'm not listening."
"Is that true?"
Katsuyu hesitated, not quite believing Akira Sarutobi's words.
"..."
Akira Sarutobi did not respond and simply continued on his way.
Katsuyu sank into thought. How could it not have guessed the truth of the matter?
If someone in Konoha's upper ranks could kill Nawaki and Dan Katō, then naturally, they could also plot against Hatake Sakumo.
"The Hokage election, the struggle for the Fourth Hokage... Human society is simply like this..."
As a sage of Shikkotsu Forest, one of the Three Great Sage Regions, Katsuyu had lived for over a thousand years.
It had seen too many tragedies and witnessed human history.
It believed... some people were capable of doing such things.
"I will witness this to the end." At last, it squirmed and pressed itself tightly against Akira Sarutobi.
"No problem."
Akira Sarutobi nodded.
I will definitely save Hatake Sakumo!
Boom!
Just then, a dull sound swept across the earth like a shockwave.
Before dawn arrived, a scarlet pillar of Chakra shot straight into the sky, piercing the clouds like a laser.
Akira Sarutobi: "!"
Katsuyu: "!"
Even from far away, they could clearly sense the disturbance caused by that immense Chakra.
"This is... Tailed Beast power?"
Katsuyu was the first to identify what that light signified.
It was scarlet in color and gave off an ominous feeling.
"It's the Eight-Tails." Soon afterward, Katsuyu accurately identified the source of the Chakra.
"That must be A's sworn younger brother... Killer B