As the Abbot of the Fire Temple, did Chiriku know what was wrong with the boy?
Of course he did!
Perhaps he had not understood at first, but after the boy went berserk several times, if he still failed to understand, he would not have been fit to be the Abbot of the Fire Temple.
Logically, given the relationship between the Fire Temple and Konoha, Chiriku should have informed Konoha immediately upon discovering Nine-Tails Chakra in the boy.
After all, this involved a Tailed Beast. The trouble was already far too great.
The Fire Temple alone could not shoulder it!
The problem lay in the boy's identity. He was the son of Kazuma, a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, and Kazuma had once been Chiriku's comrade and friend.
It was his identity as an old friend's son that had led Chiriku to conceal the matter instead of informing Konoha.
Perhaps it was precisely this consideration that had prompted Kazuma to risk sending his son to the Fire Temple.
He knew that, given Chiriku's character, he would never betray him by sending his son to Konoha.
And things had indeed turned out just as he had expected.
But now trouble had arrived.
The secret had gotten out, and the boy had been captured by the Akatsuki!
Rather than rescuing the boy, the Fire Temple now had to give Konoha an explanation.
Chiriku laid everything out, then adopted an attitude of leaving himself entirely at the mercy of Konoha's Sixth Hokage. He closed his eyes, pressed his palms together, and said no more.
"Something like this... Chiriku, you..."
Before Shihōin Naraku could speak, Asuma Sarutobi anxiously interjected.
He truly had not expected anything so serious to happen.
The wrong his former comrade had committed was too great. Even with his