Danzo entered the command room and sat in the chair opposite Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He sat upright, his hands flat on his knees. Every detail radiated meticulous rigor—or rather, an inscrutable deliberateness.
"The mission was basically completed."
Danzo's voice was flat, as though reciting a report. "My unit successfully tracked Iwagakure's Boundary-Breaking Unit in the dense forests of northeastern Land of Whirlpools.
"After confirming Ōnoki's departure, we launched a disruption operation against the Iwagakure forces left behind, successfully delaying their barrier-breaking progress by at least two hours."
"What were the casualties?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.
"Four Anbu squad members were killed."
Danzo answered crisply. "Of the remainder, three suffered severe injuries and fell unconscious, while the others received light injuries.
"The Root squad... suffered no fatalities. Two sustained light injuries, and both have already been treated."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pen paused over the scroll. "What were the results?"
"We confirmed the deaths of twenty-three Iwagakure ninja, including three Jonin.
"We also destroyed three Boundary-Breaking Technique nodes and seized some Iwagakure tactical intelligence."
Danzo took a sealing scroll from his robes and placed it on the table. "The detailed battle report and inventory of seized items are here."
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not immediately touch the scroll.
Looking into Danzo's calm, unreadable eyes, the sense of discord in his heart grew stronger.
Four Anbu dead, with the rest rendered combat-ineffective. And the eight Root members... zero deaths, with only two lightly injured.
That casualty ratio was far too perfect for a behind-enemy-lines disruption operation.
So perfect... it felt carefully designed.
"Danzo."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice remained steady, but a trace of scrutiny entered his tone. "The Anbu captain is currently unconscious and cannot provide a detailed report.
"Can you explain in more detail—under what circumstances did the engagement occur?
"Why did the Anbu suffer such concentrated