The Third Kazekage's Disappearance!

July 20, Konoha Year 43.

Having only just become Chūnin, Asuma and the other two were summoned by an Anbu ninja and arrived together at the Hokage Office.

Hatake Sakumo was there as well.

"Lord Third Hokage!"

"Teacher Sakumo!"

Asuma and the other two greeted them in unison.

Hatake Sakumo smiled and nodded. Sarutobi Hiruzen wore a kindly expression as he said with a smile, "Your performance yesterday was outstanding. After Sakumo's evaluation, he believes you have sufficient ability and experience to complete missions independently."

Asuma and the other two were all startled.

Then Sarutobi Hiruzen continued, "From this point onward, the three of you will form an independent team. Asuma, you will be the captain."

Asuma exchanged glances with Kurenai and Shizune before they answered together, "Yes, Lord Third Hokage!"

"Asuma, Kurenai, Shizune, congratulations. You can stand on your own now," Hatake Sakumo said with a smile.

Asuma quickly bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Sakumo. We learned a great deal during the time we followed you!"

Kurenai and Shizune also bowed to Hatake Sakumo in thanks.

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched quietly, greatly pleased, before saying, "I called you here today not only to announce this matter, but also to assign you a mission."

"Recently, Sunagakure's ninjas have been mobilizing everywhere on a large scale. According to intelligence, the Third Kazekage has disappeared."

"Asuma Squad, you are to enter the Land of Rain and confirm this information."

Asuma immediately accepted the mission. "Understood!"

"Mm."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "Then go make your preparations."

After signaling to Hatake Sakumo, Asuma and the other two immediately left the Hokage Office.

Only after they had gone did Hatake Sakumo speak. "Third Hokage, Root has always been active in the Land of Rain, and that place is exceptionally chaotic. Wouldn't it be too dangerous to send Asuma and the others there now?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze fell upon the documents laid out on the desk before him. "Based on intelligence from multiple sources, we can now confirm that Sunagakure's Third Kazekage has disappeared."

"We still cannot determine why the Third Kazekage vanished, but if he cannot be found, once the Fourth Kazekage takes office, war will likely break out."

"Therefore, we must prepare in advance."

"Sakumo, go make preparations at the border."

"As for the Land of Rain, at a time like this, he will not act recklessly."

Hatake Sakumo stopped dwelling on it and lowered his head slightly as he accepted the order. "Understood!"

Half an hour later, at Konoha's gates, Asuma met up with Kurenai and Shizune before leaving the village.

"Asuma, you're dressed differently today," Shizune said once they had left the village.

Previously, when Asuma went on missions, he generally wore a set of fitted black clothes beneath armor in the style of the Warring States Period.

Now, the armor had been replaced by a green Chūnin flak jacket, and over that jacket he wore a White Fire Pattern Robe.

He looked far more handsome than before, but he seemed to lack that hard, battle-hardened air. It actually left her a little unaccustomed to seeing him like this.

Kurenai was also curious. She knew that Asuma placed great importance on defense.

That was why he wore armor and Arm Guards on missions.

Now he had taken both off, retaining only fingerless gloves with metal plates on the backs of his hands.

Could it be because he mastered Wind Release Chakra Mode?

Yūhi Kurenai silently guessed.

After all, too much weight on his body would be detrimental to flying.

But that did not seem right either. Asuma usually carried weights on him.

"Of course it's because my status is different now. As the captain, I naturally have to look the part," Asuma said with a smile, absolutely refusing to admit that it was for the sake of looking handsome.

After hearing him, Kurenai and Shizune could not help examining Asuma carefully.

Did this make him seem more like a captain?

It seemed... like it really did?

After nodding, Kurenai asked, "Asuma, do you think it's true that Sunagakure's Third Kazekage has disappeared?"

"He's a Kage just like the Hokage. How could someone like that simply vanish?"

Shizune immediately added, "The Kazekage should be Sunagakure's strongest person, right? How could someone like that disappear?"

"Could Sunagakure be deliberately diverting attention, creating the illusion that the village has fallen into chaos, then using the opportunity to start a war?"

The Third Kazekage's disappearance was certain.

But no one yet knew that Sasori of the Red Sands had killed him.

Unfortunately, Asuma could not say that.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "The fact that we received news of the Third Kazekage's disappearance shows that Sunagakure must be searching for his whereabouts."

"I think there's a very high chance that it's true."

"What?"

Kurenai and Shizune cried out together.

Asuma said, "If the Kazekage truly cannot be found, war will probably break out."

Shizune hurriedly asked, "Why?"

"Wouldn't Sunagakure, having lost the Third Kazekage, need to restrain itself even more to prevent its enemies from attacking it while it was weakened?"

Yūhi Kurenai pondered, "From the current situation, the Third Kazekage's disappearance must have been an extremely sudden event."

"In that case, determining the candidate for the Fourth Kazekage will certainly cause internal turmoil within Sunagakure."

"Especially now that intelligence regarding the Third Kazekage's disappearance has become known to all the major ninja villages. The Fourth Kazekage will take office in an extremely unstable situation."

"Furthermore, confrontations and conflicts between the major ninja villages have already been gradually increasing recently. The shadow of war is already looming."

Shizune had already realized it and took over, "So, in order to stabilize the situation quickly, the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage will shift the village's internal conflicts outward by launching a foreign war!"

Asuma smiled when he heard that. "I completely agree with your analysis."

"Moreover, I think war is already on the verge of breaking out."

"Sunagakure is searching everywhere for the Third Kazekage's whereabouts, and the intelligence has already become known to the major ninja villages. They must choose the Fourth Generation in an extremely short time, or Iwagakure and Kirigakure will likely strike them first!"

Kurenai and Shizune both nodded. The latter then asked, "Asuma, how are we supposed to complete this mission?"

"To confirm the intelligence, should we capture a Sunagakure ninja, then have Kurenai use Genjutsu to hypnotize and interrogate them?"

Asuma nodded. "That's the most direct method."

"However, I think the village has probably already confirmed the intelligence regarding the Third Kazekage's disappearance."

"Huh?"

Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune were both stunned.

After thinking it over, Yūhi Kurenai furrowed her brows. "Could it be that Lord Third Hokage actually wants us to search for the Third Kazekage's whereabouts?"

Asuma shook his head. "He probably wants us to investigate whether Sunagakure will use the Third Kazekage's disappearance as an excuse to wage war against us."

"If Sunagakure intends to start a war, their first target will definitely be our Land of Fire!"

Kurenai and Shizune's expressions immediately turned grave. "In that case, we would need to capture at least one Sunagakure Jōnin for interrogation before we could obtain that kind of intelligence!"

Asuma nodded. "That would naturally be the best outcome!"