[Konoha · Hokage Office · Early morning]
Minato had not slept all night.
The candle on his desk had burned out, its wax congealing into a white mass on the holder. Outside, the sky was brightening. Dawn streamed through the windows, gradually driving the darkness from the office.
Three intelligence reports lay open before him.
The first came from an Anbu outpost on the border of the Land of Rice Fields-Shennong's "Sky" organization had suddenly vanished three days earlier. All its known bases stood deserted, as though its members had disappeared into thin air. This did not look like a retreat. It looked more like... a relocation. Someone was helping them, someone with enough resources and ability to move over thirty rogue ninja without a sound, right under the Anbu's noses.
The second came through an intelligence-sharing arrangement with Kumogakure-the Fourth Raikage A had discovered an abandoned laboratory along the northern border, with extensive traces of human experimentation remaining inside. Its equipment came from the Land of Rice Fields and matched the style of Shennong's "Sky" organization. But the research records found there showed that they had been studying more than forbidden techniques. They had also been researching an artificial tailed beast called "Zero-Tails."
The third was the strangest. It came from Konoha's sensory Barrier Team-between eleven last night and three this morning, Konoha's sensory barrier had registered three faint disturbances. They had been so slight that they would have gone unnoticed had the sensory ninja on duty not happened to increase the barrier's sensitivity. The three disturbances had occurred at the old Uchiha residence, Kage Rock, and... the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Hall.
Minato tapped his fingers lightly against the third report. Sasuke's lingering presence at the old Uchiha residence could explain that one. But what about Kage Rock