The Third Hokage glanced around the conference room. Everyone had arrived, so he nodded.
"I called you here today mainly to discuss the disappearance of the ANBU squad Guangtai belonged to.
"I recently learned through a confidential source that Kumogakure planned the attack. The Cloud shinobi reportedly sent two Elite Jonin, with Guangtai as their primary target.
"After all, a ninja capable of Wood Release doesn't appear in Konoha every day. I'd like to hear your thoughts," the Third Hokage said.
A brief silence fell over the conference room. Yamanaka Keichi of the Intelligence Department was the first to speak.
"Whoever obtained the ANBU squad's route and sent ninja to intercept and kill them must hold some authority in Konoha."
Fugaku listened quietly without saying a word. As far as he knew, the Security Force was still clean. Its members were all Uchiha.
The Sharingan was too distinctive. In the forty years since Konoha's founding, countless Uchiha ninja had died in battle, yet he had never heard of a single successful Sharingan transplant.
The Sharingan reacted too violently to anyone without Uchiha blood. In that respect, it was the complete opposite of the Hyuga's Byakugan.
A Sharingan was easy to obtain but nearly impossible to transplant successfully. A Byakugan had a high transplant success rate, but those who possessed one rarely went to the battlefield.
Kakashi, of course, was an exception.
Even now, in Konoha's fortieth year, there had been no other known case of either of the village's two great dōjutsu clans losing one of their eyes to an outsider.
The meeting continued. The heads of the various departments spoke in turn, but none had much to offer.
"Fugaku, you haven't said a word since the meeting began. Do you have any ideas?"
Fugaku looked around at the assembled