After exchanging glances, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others began recounting what had happened. They started with the Wood Release experiments that began after the Second Great Ninja War, then explained how the experiments were eventually banned.
Finally, they told Minato Namikaze everything: how Shimura Danzō had secretly restarted the Wood Release experiments and obtained a successful test subject who had remained hidden to this day.
"Minato, I think our top priority is to find Kinoe. If someone with ulterior motives gets their hands on him, the consequences could be disastrous."
There seemed to be an implication in Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, but Minato Namikaze didn't catch it at first.
Seeing Minato Namikaze's puzzled expression, Sarutobi Hiruzen was just about to explain when Shimura Danzō abruptly cut in. "Forget Wood Release for a moment. Kinoe disappeared from a Root training base. That alone warrants a thorough investigation. In Konoha, apart from us, there's only one person capable of pulling this off: Masaki Uchiha."
When Minato Namikaze heard Shimura Danzō say this, he was about to defend Masaki Uchiha, but after a quick mental turn, he held back.
He'd wait and see what else Danzō had to say.
He might have been trying to lessen his own responsibility.
But that was one hell of a stretch.
Everyone knew he had a grudge against the Uchiha Clan, but his attempt to pin the blame on them was so clumsy that no one would buy it.
Shimura Danzō saw the sarcastic look on Minato Namikaze's face and felt a little displeased, but he patiently explained, "In all of Konoha, only you, Hiruzen, and Masaki Uchiha could abduct Kinoe from a Root base without being discovered on the spot."
"I'm not bragging, but even Jiraiya, Hiruzen's student, couldn't sneak into the Root Base unnoticed and abduct someone."
"Although Masaki Uchiha and I don't get along, I recognize his strength."
"So that's why I suspect him on the basis of ability. Now, as for motive..."
"Everyone knows that the Uchiha and Senju Clans fought for over a thousand years before the village was founded. They know each other extremely well."
"Especially after Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju fought in the Battle of the Valley of the End, the Uchiha Clan's desire for the power of Wood Release grew even stronger."
"So he has a motive, too. That's why I suspect him."
After speaking at such length, Shimura Danzō felt a little thirsty. He casually picked up the teacup on the table and drained it.
The others were dumbfounded. Going by Shimura Danzō's logic, Masaki Uchiha really could have done it.
But how did he know the Uchiha Clan was so eager for the power of Wood Release?
Was that genuine intelligence, or had he made it up to shift the blame?
As everyone looked at him suspiciously, Shimura Danzō seemed to know what they wanted to ask. He said expressionlessly, "I have a spy in the Uchiha Clan."
"That spy has been helping me gather intelligence on the Uchiha Clan for a long time, so it's perfectly normal that I know this."
How was that normal?! Minato Namikaze roared inwardly. Who went around planting spies in the ninja clans for no reason?
If they were discovered, wouldn't it be the Hokage whose reputation took the hit?
So Danzō had become untouchable? When something went wrong, the Hokage took the blame; when nothing happened, he just kept causing trouble?
Good grief. The moment I became Hokage, I found myself surrounded by countless traps.
While Minato Namikaze was silently lamenting his lot, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke up. "In that case, we'll add him to the list of suspects."
Minato Namikaze cut him off as soon as the words left his mouth.
"No. Without evidence, no one can be listed as a suspect."
"This would do us no good. It would only make our comrades in the village lose faith in us."
"I firmly oppose it!"
Minato Namikaze immediately stepped in to stop Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Phew."
"Then what do you suggest?"
After exhaling a cloud of smoke, Sarutobi Hiruzen stared straight at Minato Namikaze.
"Before you arrived, I examined the scene carefully and found some clues," Minato Namikaze said confidently.
The others perked up at once.
A battle between ninja usually left traces behind.
Those traces could be used to reconstruct what had happened.
Of course, when ninja of Kage Level fought, the area involved was vast, making it difficult to reconstruct the scene.
That made Minato Namikaze's discovery all the more important.
"Please, Fourth Hokage. Tell us what you found," the two elders said after exchanging a glance.
"At the site where the Wood Release was discovered, I saw the tracks of three people. The traces were fresh, so I was able to examine them closely."
"There were probably two adults and one child. The child was about ten years old, so he must be the Kinoe you mentioned, right?" Minato Namikaze paused and looked at Shimura Danzō.
Shimura Danzō simply nodded to confirm that he was right.
"Judging by the footprints, the two adults brought Kinoe here and waited for a while—or perhaps they woke him up. Then a fight broke out. From the outcome, Kinoe was subdued with a single move, then taken away from the Forest of Death."
"It was as if they deliberately let Kinoe use a jutsu for us to see—or, rather, for everyone to see."
"That would explain the traces of Wood Release. Considering everything at the scene, I think those two definitely did this on purpose—and this isn't over yet."
Minato Namikaze rubbed his chin and thought for a moment before continuing, "I just can't figure out why they'd abduct him, then briefly wake him up along the way—and in such a remote part of the Forest of Death, at that."
Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others also wondered what the two people had been trying to achieve.
While the others were still thinking it over, Shimura Danzō suddenly shouted, "I've spotted something suspicious!"
Everyone turned to look at him.
Seeing their confused faces, Shimura Danzō gave a faint, pleased smile. "Fourth Hokage, when you arrived at the scene, were there villagers and members of the Police Force gathered there?"
Hearing Shimura Danzō ask about that, Minato Namikaze suddenly understood. "They were already there by the time I arrived."
Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other two members of Konoha's F3 understood what Shimura Danzō meant, too.
Normally, when Wood Release appeared, even if the villagers were the first to hear about it, they would certainly report it to the Hokage.
They wouldn't just stand around watching, especially with so many people gathered there.
And the Anbu who received the news had reported it to the Fourth Hokage as quickly as possible.
But it seemed the villagers had heard about it even before the Anbu.
The Police Force had also responded unusually quickly.
But everyone had forgotten that members of the Uchiha Clan were now part of Minato Namikaze's Anbu.
"It had to be him!"
Shimura Danzō's voice brimmed with delight.