Just as Jiraiya and Ueno Kei had left the underground facility, Kakashi ordered the search team to depart from Konoha and hunt down the two Akatsuki members who had murdered Chiriku!
Along the way, Asuma's face remained tense, completely devoid of his usual relaxed, humorous expression.
"Where is the nearest black market?" Asuma asked in a bleak tone, though his words brimmed with killing intent. Asuma was not someone who angered easily; almost nothing could make him lose his temper or lose control of his emotions. The Third Hokage's death had been one such thing. No matter how many conflicts he had had with the Third Hokage in his younger days, no matter how much they had argued, that man had been Asuma's father—one of his few remaining relatives in Konoha!
The Third Hokage's death had dealt Asuma a severe blow. His father had already been an old man who ought to have been enjoying his retirement, yet he had still died on the battlefield. To Asuma, it was an unspoken pain, as though it were condemning his weakness and incompetence for being unable to protect his aging father!
And now, it was the same. His close friend had died just like that! There might have been all sorts of unavoidable reasons, but no matter what was said, it would all sound terribly hollow. Asuma felt that the only thing he could do now was avenge his friend! Find those two Akatsuki members! Kill them! And bring peace to Chiriku's spirit!
"It should be somewhere around here!" Kotetsu pulled out a map and pointed to a landmark on it as he spoke to Asuma. Kotetsu and the others could all hear the abnormality in Asuma's tone. They understood his current feelings and expression as well. The ninja world was like