After getting a clear account of the situation, the Third Hokage dismissed the Anbu Squad Leader. Before long, the two Hokage Advisors arrived at his office, looking haggard.
Although the village's reconstruction had sharply increased their workload lately, what weighed on them most was what had happened to Danzo.
Danzo had become a vegetable in the most literal sense, a consequence of forcibly activating Wood Release. The other Root ninja capable of using Wood Release had largely met the same fate.
Although Danzo had done wrong before, they still grieved his passing.
Of the subordinates Teacher Tobirama had once valued, only the two of them and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained. All the other old comrades lay buried in the Heroes' Cemetery, with the exception of Danzo.
Once the two advisors arrived, the Third dispensed with pleasantries and began discussing matters concerning the Akatsuki.
Other matters could wait, but the members of the Akatsuki posed a very real threat to the village's survival. In the wake of the Five Kage Summit, the major shinobi villages were all investigating the Akatsuki's new base.
After hearing the Third's explanation, Mitokado Homura said, "Hiruzen, you mean there may have been more defectors within the Akatsuki? That's good news. As long as we find their new base, we can launch another surprise attack... and stop living in fear."
Of course, that assumed a new base existed...
Although their previous attack on Amegakure had succeeded, it had also turned the Akatsuki into a completely nomadic organization. A nomadic organization was nothing to fear, unless its ranks included ninja capable of destroying entire nations...
In other words, the attack had seemed successful, but it had actually made things worse.
The Third Hokage nodded, then said, "I intend to send the Fire Squad out to search for the Akatsuki's