Jiraiya hurried to the Hokage Office and reported Menma's suspicions and all the relevant details to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After listening, Hiruzen furrowed his brow, took a deep drag from his pipe, and said slowly, "This is a serious matter. If someone is deliberately inciting war between the ninja villages, the Shinobi World will fall into chaos once more."
In the Anbu interrogation room, Yamanaka Inoichi's forehead was beaded with sweat as he examined the memories of the impostors posing as Kirigakure Ninja with all his might.
The surrounding shinobi watched him tensely. The air seemed to have frozen. As Inoichi's chakra delved deeper into the men's memories, the truth seemed ready to surface.
"I see it. They were indeed acting on someone's orders. The person giving those orders is a little blurry, but judging by the voice, it should be a man. They were told to go to the various villages and sow discord. He looks..." Inoichi's words suddenly cut off, and his eyes widened.
The impostor shinobi lying on the ground suddenly began convulsing. Then black smoke rose from their bodies, and they all died as if their life force had been drained away.
"What's going on?" The Anbu shinobi erupted in commotion.
"It seems they triggered some kind of seal. Their memories were protected." Yamanaka Inoichi wiped the sweat from his forehead and said helplessly.
At that moment, a ripple appeared above Kage Rock in Konoha. A man wearing a Tiger-patterned Mask emerged from it.
"It really brings back memories, Konoha." Standing atop Kage Rock and looking down over the village, he couldn't help but sigh.
No one knew how long he watched. Another ripple appeared, and he vanished.
The next time he appeared, he was at the Konoha Warehouse. His purpose was simple: to cause as much