The Forest of Death was one of Konoha's distinctive locations and could be considered one of its forbidden areas—though that designation only applied to ordinary Konoha residents.
To Konoha's ninja, the Forest of Death was merely an excellent training ground.
Or a place for routine simulated examinations and combat training. There was no such thing as real danger there; after all, the most dangerous things in it were the large wild animals.
But those creatures posed no threat to ninja at all.
Ueno Kei was standing atop an earthen slope not far from the Forest of Death. Several Konoha ninja dressed as Anbu stood beside him.
Ueno Kei's expression was grim as he looked at the three corpses on the ground. He crouched slightly, his gaze flickering as he examined the manner of their deaths. A gust of wind howled past, stirring up a cloud of dust.
"Can you confirm it?" Ueno Kei asked after pondering for a long while.
"Yes, Lord Kei. It can almost certainly be confirmed. Lady Anko has already verified it," one of the Anbu replied gravely.
"Anko?" The image of that valiant woman surfaced in Ueno Kei's mind. If it was her, then it was practically certain. In all of Konoha, aside from the Third Hokage, Danzō, and the others, no one was more familiar with that person than she was.
Only Anko Mitarashi, his former student, truly understood him—the Cold-Blooded Orochimaru, one of the Sannin!
"Senior brother... welcome back," Ueno Kei murmured, a glint of severity flashing through his eyes.
"Immediately notify the Hokage. Also, put everyone on alert and seal off the Forest of Death!" Ueno Kei ordered in a low voice. "And bring the Mitarashi jonin to me!"
"My lord, Lady Anko has already entered the Forest of Death," the Anbu from