By the time everyone arrived at the scene, Hyuga Sho had already taken down the Third Kazekage and witnessed the wondrous sight of a soul ascending.
This completely confirmed the existence of souls to Hyuga Sho.
Soon.
The area was illuminated by torches.
ANBU and rank-and-file Konoha Ninja arrived one after another, surrounding the Third Hokage.
The kidnapping of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was a major incident.
Following the Third Hokage's orders, they began searching the surrounding area.
Unfortunately...
The caster had already fled.
"Lord Hokage, I just fought the Third Kazekage. He possessed an immortal body. It seemed to be some kind of jutsu that summoned him from the Underworld to the living world. The Aki Village ninja here was the sacrifice for that jutsu..."
Hyuga Sho wasn't surprised in the slightest by the arrival of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others.
If Konoha couldn't sense an invasion of the village at all, it would become a laughingstock.
"It was Impure World Reincarnation."
Before Utatane Koharu and the others could question Hyuga Sho,
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and stated the name of the jutsu.
"It was probably... done by Orochimaru..."
The only ninja Hiruzen Sarutobi could think of who might use Impure World Reincarnation was Orochimaru.
"What?!"
Upon hearing the name of one of the Legendary Sannin—a Konoha taboo and a defector, Orochimaru—
Everyone's expressions changed.
Disbelief appeared on every face.
The forbidden jutsu, an S-Rank forbidden technique invented by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, became known to everyone with Hiruzen Sarutobi's explanation.
Amid the pile of useless scraps of paper,
the Aki Village Chunin's face, eyes wide open in death and frozen in a twisted expression, was deeply imprinted in their minds.
"Sir... the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki, was kidnapped by the Masked Man..."
Yakushi Kabuto pushed through the crowd, his