Influence and Missions

"For now, that appears to be the case."

The Anbu ninja below heard Ōnoki's murmur and nodded, confirming his statement.

But immediately after, he said, "However, according to the results of our latest investigation, within Konoha, and even throughout the entire Ninja World, the only one who currently seems able to use the Flying Thunder God Technique is the Fourth Hokage."

At that point, he stopped. He did not say the rest aloud, but his meaning was obvious. It could not possibly have been the Fourth Hokage personally sneaking over to abduct the Four-Tails, could it?

Putting aside what reason he would even have for doing such a thing, his status alone would not allow it.

No matter how one put it, he was the Kage of a village. If he rashly entered another ninja village's territory and even did something like this, then once he was discovered, Konoha would become the laughingstock of the entire Ninja World.

Therefore, this Anbu ninja believed that either someone in Konoha had secretly mastered this ninjutsu and carried out the act.

Or there was someone else in the Ninja World who had developed another, similar space-time ninjutsu they did not know about.

Then, through a few ambiguous clues, they had deliberately steered the direction of their investigation toward Konoha in order to clear themselves of suspicion.

If one thought even deeper, was that person, or that force, trying to use this opportunity to sow discord and provoke a great war, so they could profit from the chaos?

All of this was unknown.

And since even the Anbu ninja below could think of these things, the shrewd and experienced Ōnoki naturally could as well.

Even so, however, he would still not stop sending more troops to the border.

First, he wanted to lull the