No one knew what Mizuki and Yakumo Kurama had talked about that afternoon. But a few weeks later, on a night when security at the Hokage Building was lax, an uninvited guest arrived.
Autumn had arrived. Autumn nights were supposed to be clear and cool, but thick, dark clouds blanketed the sky above Konoha. Even the village was shrouded in dense fog. The strange weather didn't suit the season at all.
"This weather really is strange. There wasn't any sign of rain this evening, but now we can't even see the moon."
Two guards stood watch at the entrance to the Hokage Building. The dull, uneventful duty was enough to make anyone sleepy, and the two of them were talking to keep themselves alert.
Ever since Minato Namikaze had taken office, Konoha had begun to develop at a rapid pace. The village carried great prestige abroad, and there were hardly any other nations willing to challenge it. Even the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, two of the Five Great Nations, only dared to stir up trouble along the borders. They couldn't affect Konoha itself.
Within the village, Minato Namikaze was approachable, and his governing methods were gentle. These days, even street fights were rare in Konoha.
And a job like standing guard at the Hokage Building was far too easy. It was so easy that it was hard to get excited about it.
"Yeah. The weather's always changing. I hope it doesn't rain."
One of the guards, a young man, covered his mouth with his hand and yawned, looking perfectly relaxed. Just then, his eyes suddenly widened. Blood vessels filled the whites of his eyes, and terror shone in them, as if he'd seen something horrifying.
The next second, the young man raised both hands and clutched