Jiancheng entered the Hokage Office and spoke without preamble. "Lord Hokage, advisers... Lanyu has fallen."
At those words, the three other than Danzo were also torn...
On the one hand, they certainly understood how much the Uchiha Clan had sacrificed. First Kagami had met an untimely death, and now Lanyu was dead too.
On the other hand, Clan Head Jiancheng's unusual behavior at this moment really did make them uncomfortable...
Danzo had no such conflicting feelings—this was all an Uchiha Clan conspiracy!
"We've heard as well... Clan Head Jiancheng, who exactly killed Jonin Lanyu? Konoha will not let this matter rest!" Sarutobi spoke as though they shared a common enemy.
Jiancheng shook his head instead. "Lord Hokage, allow me to ask something first... where is Orochimaru?"
Hearing Jiancheng ask about Orochimaru rather than immediately discuss Lanyu, Sarutobi frowned, but still answered, "Wasn't this announced at the previous jonin meeting? Orochimaru is the commander-in-chief of the war in the Wetlands."
"I don't know how Lanyu died. I only know he must have been ambushed. He barely managed to send back a few coded words... I've already deciphered them. There are only three terms." Jiancheng's expression grew solemn as he spoke.
At this, Sarutobi and the others focused their attention on him...
"The Jashin Cult, immortality... Rashomon!" Jiancheng looked solemnly at Hiruzen Sarutobi as he spoke. Clearly, the circumstances had been desperate when Lanyu sent the message; he had only managed to transmit those three terms.
The first two left them baffled.
The last... sent a chill through them!
Only four people had contracts with Rashomon.
Canglan, formerly of the Senju Clan; the Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi; the Third's student, Orochimaru; and Akaseki of the Uchiha Clan.
The first two had never left Konoha.
If Lanyu's coded message meant that "Rashomon" was the