"You may leave first."
Hiruzen Sarutobi set down the intelligence report in his hand and waved helplessly, dismissing the ninja. The door to the Hokage's office closed again, leaving only him and Danzō.
"What happened?" Hiruzen asked. Although Danzō usually showed little respect for him, he would not normally be this overbearing.
"Take a look at this. It's the latest intelligence concerning the Uzumaki incident." As Shimura Danzō spoke, he took a report from his robes and placed it on the desk.
"This is?" Hiruzen murmured in confusion as he picked it up and began reading. After only two pages, his expression abruptly darkened, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze.
"This was only just confirmed. The attack on the Uzumaki this time was not some sudden operation meant to steal a glimpse of their Sealing Techniques. It was a premeditated plan, secretly proposed by the Second Kazekage. He also contacted Iwagakure. The clans from those small countries were merely a smokescreen. According to intelligence from our informants in Sunagakure, no one involved in the operation returned, including the Second Kazekage. All of them have vanished. Unrest is already brewing within Sunagakure, and their upper ranks are trying hard to maintain stability. However, news recently came from there that the Second Kazekage is dead. For the time being, it has not been confirmed, but it seems they are already considering selecting an acting Kazekage if there is still no news.
However, they believe the Second Kazekage's disappearance is connected to us in Konoha. We need to prepare for the worst."
"Those bastards." After reading the report, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was incomparably grim. "They caused this themselves, yet they dare blame us? They've gone too far. Do they really think Konoha is so easily bullied?"
"Does the Senju Clan