Chapter 142

Konoha's reinforcements arrived quickly, but the battlefield held few traces of what had happened.

Several shinobi searched the area, examining the wounds on the dead.

"Captain, we've confirmed the victim's identity. It's Elder Ito. The fatal wound was to his throat, likely from a kunai. An Explosive Tag destroyed his body."

"Captain, there are two more bodies in the forest. Both died from having their throats slit."

"The wounds on these shinobi are clean and smooth. They were probably caused by Wind Release."

The captain nodded, his heart heavy. Elder Ito's attempted assassination a few days earlier had not become common knowledge in the village, but it had caused an uproar among the Jonin. As a Konoha Jonin himself, he knew the broad outlines of the case.

Now, just days later, Elder Ito had been attacked again and killed. This was no simple matter.

"Collect the bodies and take them back to Konoha. Send word to the Hokage immediately. No one is to offer an opinion on what happened."

"Yes."

In Konoha, Fugaku had already made a circuit of the streets. He went to Back Mountain and began practicing various Ninjutsu.

The reinforcement team returned to Konoha with the bodies. By the time word reached the village, the Elders Council had already heard. The Hokage, the Two Advisors, and the council gathered once more in the meeting room.

Elder Ito's body had been pieced back together. There were nine bodies in all.

The Third Hokage and the Two Advisors frowned at the bodies on the floor. Elder Ize spoke first. "Where's Danzo? Lord Hokage, you'd best summon him. Only five days have passed, and Elder Ito is dead. Who would believe this wasn't Danzo taking revenge?"

The Third Hokage knew how difficult this had become. The case was riddled with