Everyone immediately sprang into action.
The young Chunin stood nearby, his gaze constantly sweeping across the battlefield.
His lips moved several times before he finally could not hold back any longer.
"Wasn't Lord Jiraiya here to negotiate?"
"Why did it turn into this?"
The Jōnin leading the team suddenly turned around.
"Shut up!"
The harsh rebuke made the young Chunin's body stiffen.
The Jōnin stared at him, his expression exceedingly stern.
"We are carrying out a rescue mission."
"Do not ask about things you shouldn't."
Several older ninjas nearby also looked over.
They said nothing, but their gazes carried an unmistakable warning.
The young Chunin lowered his head.
"Yes."
He did not speak again.
Yet his doubts did not disappear.
All the ninjas stationed at the border knew that Lie Yang's departure differed from that of an ordinary rogue ninja.
He had not attacked the village, stolen mission intelligence, or defected to an enemy ninja village.
It was more like leaving after a clash of ideals.
Jiraiya had originally come with the intention of negotiating.
Konoha had already offered its bargaining chip as well.
Logically, such a fierce conflict should not have broken out between the two sides.
The same question quietly arose in even more people's minds.
Yet bound by orders, no one continued speaking.
Still, the doubts quietly spread among the people at the outpost.
Information from the border battlefield reached Konoha in only half a day.
The ANBU responsible for delivering the message rushed straight into the Hokage Building.
Inside the conference room, nearly all of Konoha's remaining Jōnin had gathered.
The clan heads of the major ninja clans sat in the front row.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table, with Tsunade seated to his right.
Fugaku Uchiha, Nara Shikaku, and representatives of the