A fine rain fell from the sky, shrouding all of Konoha in an atmosphere of grief.
Atop the Hokage Office Building stood the memorial portrait of the Third Hokage, with Asuma Sarutobi's portrait beside it.
Minato Namikaze stood at the very front of the crowd, his expression dim as he looked upon it all.
Beside him stood Konoha's many high-ranking officials, all with their heads lowered in silent sorrow.
Tsunade and Jiraiya stood off to the side. Even now, it still felt unreal to them, as though heaven had played a cruel joke on them. They had been only one step away, yet had returned too late.
As for Asuma Sarutobi's death, the others mostly felt sorrow and regret as well. Hiruzen Sarutobi's eldest son had already died in the Third Ninja World War. Asuma had been his only remaining son, yet he too had perished in this calamity.
But this was also the fate of a ninja. No one dared claim that they were absolutely safe.
At this point, the only surviving direct bloodline of Hiruzen Sarutobi's family was Konohamaru. Though the Sarutobi clan still had many members, none of them were Hiruzen Sarutobi's direct descendants.
"Konohamaru isn't here yet?" Minato Namikaze asked softly.
The moment he finished speaking, an Anbu ninja came rushing over in panic. He shouted, "Lord Hokage, something terrible has happened! Young Master Konohamaru passed by a reconstruction site on his way here and was struck by a falling boulder. He has unfortunately died!"
"What?" Minato Namikaze shuddered, disbelief flashing through his eyes. For an instant, he even suspected he had misheard. How could something like this happen?
Tsunade had already dashed forward and grabbed the Anbu ninja by the collar. She demanded furiously, "What happened? No—where is Konohamaru? Take me there immediately."
The Anbu