Stealthy Investigation of the Abandoned Air Raid Shelter and the Shadows Left by the Old Era

Inside the Hokage's Office, lights blazed bright.

Outside the window, Konoha's nightlife was fading back into a bustling roar, but this liveliness could not pierce into the room. In the air, the dull atmosphere where various emotions intertwined after the afternoon's emergency briefing still lingered.

The protest note from the Land of Rain had already been filed into the diplomatic archives. Namikaze Minato's official document of immediate dismissal should have reached the military camp on the southern border by now.

On the chessboard, a casual move was temporarily set.

Baishi's gaze withdrew from outside the window, falling back onto the desk. There, another scroll lay quietly.

It was the preliminary investigation report regarding Abandoned Underground Air Raid Shelter Seven in Konoha, freshly submitted by Shikaku Nara.

Compared to the visible waves in the diplomatic arena, abscesses like this hidden within the body of the village required much more patience and tact to handle.

He picked up the scroll and unfurled it. His fingertips brushed across the words marked in red ink such as Orochimaru, forbidden jutsu experiment, and supplies match, his gaze calm and waveless.

A moment later, he closed the scroll, walked over to the wall, and gently tapped it three times.

An ANBU figure wearing a Crow Mask appeared silently behind him, dropping to one knee.

"Lord Hokage."

"Tit, Night Owl, Wolf Fang." Without looking back, Baishi simply reeled off three ANBU codenames, "Bring environmental monitoring equipment and barrier jammers. West Gate Three, depart in five minutes."

"Understood."

The ANBU with the Crow Mask melted back into the shadows as if he had never appeared at all.

Baishi took off the Hokage Haori, changed into a black fitted outfit without any insignia, and finally took a blank fox mask from the wall niche, placing it over his face.