"What are you talking about?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi staggered back several steps, nearly losing his footing and collapsing onto his backside.
Dealing with the Nine-Tails had already taken a great deal out of him, and he had been conducting rescue operations ever since.
His body was already weak.
Now, hearing the terrible news that his old friend had turned into a mist of blood and dissipated into the air, he felt utterly unwell.
His first reaction was to think the boy was joking.
But when Hiruzen Sarutobi saw that there was not a trace of humor on Uchiha Jin's face, his smile froze. His mouth hung open, and he did not even notice his pipe falling to the ground.
His mind went blank, and his ears were filled with buzzing.
The surrounding clamor gradually faded away.
Only Uchiha Jin's words kept echoing in his mind.
"Turned into a mist of blood and dissipated into the air."
"A mist of blood and dissipated into the air."
"Dissipated into the air."
"..."
What kind of joke was this?!
During the Warring States Period, the Sarutobi and Shimura had been on good terms, forming an alliance and helping each other.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō had met back then.
One could say their bond had formed in childhood.
Later, Konoha was founded, and they had the good fortune to become Tobirama Senju's students. After Tobirama Senju succeeded as the Second Hokage, they smoothly became the Hokage's personal guards.
Both of them dreamed of becoming Hokage.
After Konoha's delegation was ambushed by Kinkaku and Ginkaku during their coup, the Second Hokage covered their escape and appointed Hiruzen Sarutobi as Hokage.
After returning to the village, he could sense that something was wrong with his friend's mood.
Not long after succeeding as the Third, he delegated