In another part of the village, two figures were racing toward the Hokage Building.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"...
Just as they were about to arrive, they ran into Mitokado Homura, who was slowly walking out of the Hokage Building.
Homura's expression shifted slightly when he saw them.
"Tsunade, why are you back? Has something happened on the battlefield?"
Tsunade hurriedly explained.
"No, Sakumo and I need to see our teacher. We have something urgent to tell him."
Homura adjusted his glasses and frowned as he sized up Sakumo.
Ever since Sakumo's unauthorized actions had cost the village many elite shinobi, Konoha's leadership had held little goodwill toward the man who had disobeyed orders and acted on his own.
Seeing Homura's expression, Tsunade guessed what he was thinking and hurriedly explained.
"It's something very important, something that threatens the village. Please come with us, too!"
Homura's expression froze at Tsunade's words, and he couldn't help wondering what had happened.
The three of them soon entered the Hokage Building.
Meanwhile.
Above Konoha's densely packed buildings, a dark figure flashed from rooftop to rooftop. His white hair, bristling like a hedgehog's, stood out conspicuously in the bright sunlight.
"Whoosh!"
He landed on a rooftop and scanned the area.
Suddenly!
His expression froze, and his gaze grew grave.
Sosuke... I found you!
While Sosuke was talking with Dai and the others, he suddenly felt someone watching him.
Following the feeling, he looked in that direction.
Their gazes met across the long distance.
"Jiraiya?"
Sosuke glanced toward him, a smile tugging at his lips as he murmured.
Seeing Sosuke turn to look that way, Dai and the others also looked toward Jiraiya, who was standing in the distance.
"Hey! It's Jiraiya!"
Dai's face lit up. He excitedly waved at Jiraiya and called out.
"Hey, Jiraiya! Get