Bang!
"What do you mean the entire unit has been wiped out?!"
The Third Kazekage, who had been in a meeting, looked at the ninja who had barged in. The man was one of the commanders of the vanguard force, but the report he delivered next sent towering waves crashing through their hearts.
Even Chiyo and Ebizo, who were usually unflappable, came over at once.
"Lord Ueno led his men in a forceful assault on the canyon. For some unknown reason, they launched a suicidal attack and were all killed!"
The man repeated himself, then lowered his head and dared not say another word.
The Third Kazekage frowned deeply. His heart trembled. Such losses were undoubtedly devastating to Sunagakure.
"What exactly happened before they died? He was definitely not a reckless man."
The Kazekage had chosen him to command the vanguard because of his caution. With the war already in their favor, there should not have been any accidents. Yet why had he abandoned his life to launch a suicidal attack?
"There must have been some irresistible reason. They knew they were doomed, which was why they launched that suicide attack."
Chiyo spoke up. She understood Ueno Juri's character. Turning to the ninja kneeling on one knee, she continued, "Has the scene been investigated?"
The ninja placed the detailed intelligence report on the table, then gave an oral report. "We brought back some of the bodies. Preliminary examinations showed that they had been poisoned with an extremely potent toxin. Several ninja were also poisoned during the examination."
Konoha's medical ninja were no secret, and Chiyo had dealt with them before. They had not studied poisons very deeply. Suspicion rose in Chiyo's heart as she muttered to herself, "What kind of poison was it? Could it have been concocted by Tsunade?"