Missing Sarutobi Clan Members

Takashi Sarutobi was leading the Sarutobi Clan Members toward the rendezvous point.

He felt deeply uneasy as well, but Konoha's relentless oppression and the constant dragging away and hanging of clan members...

had robbed most of the Sarutobi Clan Members of the courage to keep living in Konoha.

If Orochimaru did not arrange somewhere for them to go, they would ultimately only be crushed to death by the oppression.

That was why Takashi Sarutobi had so easily brought so many people out.

After traveling through the night, dawn was beginning to break, and some of the genin were exhausted beyond endurance.

Takashi Sarutobi could only wave his hand and order a rest on the spot. Everyone lit fires, ate, and recuperated.

No one was in high spirits, and hardly anyone spoke.

Then, they suddenly noticed a vast shadow falling from the sky...

Konoha

If time had truly been tight, Natsuki's Shadow Clone could have used the Flying Thunder God to send Orochimaru back.

But Orochimaru was not in a hurry.

So he returned with the others.

It was the perfect chance to let the incident ferment for a while.

After waiting another day, when Orochimaru and the others returned to Konoha, the entire village had already exploded into uproar.

The villagers were naturally buzzing with discussion.

Every other ninja clan, without exception, thought the Sarutobi Clan Members had gone mad.

This was three thousand people, not thirty.

Where could so many people possibly go?

They could not exactly live on thin air.

Yes, they were all ninja, so they would not starve to death surviving in the wilderness.

But they could not keep surviving in the wilderness forever.

At least they needed somewhere to settle, with so many people.

If a small village took in the Sarutobi Clan, the