"Itachi, Kimimaro, Haku."
"You're all here!"
Xia Le waved, then looked at Sasuke.
"Well, little Sasuke's here too."
Sasuke broke into a smile when he saw the familiar faces. "Uncle Xia Le! And Hikaku!"
Who else could the man beside him be but Hikaku?
"Hey, Sasuke!"
Hikaku waved in greeting.
Besides Hikaku, Xia Le's group included Hikaku's wife and child, along with two others.
"Orochimaru!"
"What exactly did you use the Chunin Exams to do?"
Fugaku looked up at the figure standing quietly there, his expression utterly unchanged.
"I merely saw an old man off."
Orochimaru spoke evenly.
The child beside him wore glasses and looked rather guileless.
"What do you mean?"
Fugaku frowned.
"He killed the Third Hokage."
Xia Le spoke.
Those words stunned everyone present. Their pupils contracted, and their expressions swiftly turned to shock and disbelief.
"Is that true?"
"The Third Hokage is dead?"
"No, that can't be..."
Fugaku looked up, his gaze sharpening. "Are you sure this isn't a joke?"
"I have no interest in joking with you."
Orochimaru spoke flatly.
"This is a major incident!"
"It could very well start a war!"
Fugaku's voice was grave.
"Can't you handle it?"
"This has nothing to do with the Land of Rain. It was my own doing."
Orochimaru's tone was faintly amused.
Fugaku frowned. "I'm not worried about that, but Konoha..."
"There's something else you may find more interesting."
Orochimaru cut him off.
"What?"
Fugaku stared at him in confusion.
"You've grown awfully comfortable as the Rain Shadow. Haven't you even heard the latest news from your own village?"
Orochimaru shook his head and sighed.
"Yagura Karatachi, the Three-Tails Jinchūriki, was defeated by a mysterious group. They took the Three-Tails."
Fugaku's expression changed sharply.
"At the same time, two mysterious people extracted the Tailed Beast from the