Inside the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi was busy handling a stack of documents.
"Hokage-sama, something's happened in Kirigakure!"
A member of the ANBU appeared before Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"What's the big deal?"
Orochimaru, sitting nearby, looked at the ANBU with curiosity.
Sarutobi furrowed his brows slightly. "What happened?"
"Lord Jiraiya failed to intercept the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. They've headed west."
"West?" Sarutobi let out a heavy grunt, glanced at the map—and his eyes widened in shock.
"Damn it! Weren't the Seven Swordsmen stopped?"
Sarutobi suddenly erupted in fury. The intensity of his chakra made even the ANBU shudder.
Orochimaru continued listening with interest.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. Lord Jiraiya was hit by a sound-based attack."
It was bad. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen—an elite squad of high-ranking shinobi directly under the Mizukage—were powerful enough to destroy an entire village overnight.
Their current destination appeared to be the forest where it was believed Takayama Haru might be hiding. That was also where Nightwind was headed!
If anything happened—if Nightwind was harmed—Konohagakure would be in serious trouble.
But it might already be too late.
Orochimaru asked, "Did Jiraiya realize he was being deceived? Is there no way to fix this?"
"Lord Jiraiya said he already sent the fastest wind-style messenger to Mount Ninja Gate."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and said, "Too easy to fool."
The ANBU quickly added, "It was the intelligence division's mistake."
"Who's responsible for intelligence?" Sarutobi demanded.
"Mito Ryosuke and Shinto Shuto are in charge."
Sarutobi's eyes widened in rage. "Mito Ryosuke and Shuto Shinto? What the hell are they trying to do?!"
Menyan, Koharu... is this how you protect the Will of Fire?
You know how important the First Hokage's legacy is to Konoha, and you still choose to act this way?
Sarutobi took a deep breath, a glint of cold fury flashing in his eyes.
Even if Nightwind and Namikaze Minato could take on the Seven Swordsmen, others would likely suffer heavy casualties.
The Mito and Shuto clans, driven by personal vendettas, had launched an attack on Nightwind without any warning. This was outright defiance of the Hokage's authority.
"Send in the report—"
Knock knock.
Before he could finish his sentence, Mito Menyan and Shuto Koharu arrived with two younger shinobi—none other than their sons, Mito Ryosuke and Shuto Shinto.
"Hokage-sama."
"Hokage-sama."
Sarutobi's gaze turned ice cold. He looked at Orochimaru. "You, guard the door. Menyan, Koharu—sit. Everyone else, leave."
"Yes, sensei." Orochimaru smiled slightly and left with the others.
Now, only Sarutobi, Mito Menyan, and Shuto Koharu remained in the Hokage's office.
A heavy tension filled the room, like the stillness before a storm.
Sarutobi stared silently at his two former classmates.
The mood was grim.
Mito Menyan couldn't hold it in. "Sarutobi, this was all a mistake, not something we did on purpose."
"Is that so?"
"Don't be angry, Sarutobi."
"Takayama Haru's origins are a mystery. No one knows if he's a hidden threat or not!"
"Everything we did—wasn't for ourselves, but for the safety of Konoha."
"It's also a lesson for him. We can't let him think he can do whatever he wants here."
Sarutobi understood clearly.
Danzo's recent return, with two of Kumogakure's Tailed Beasts and six divine relics, was mainly due to the efforts of the Shimura, Mito, and Shuto clans.
Not to mention their alliance with the demigod Hanzo of Amegakure.
These clans had control over immense resources and powerful families backing them.
Now, they were trying to force Sarutobi to choose: who mattered more—Takayama Haru or their three major clans?
These weren't clans to be trifled with.
And they hadn't gone all the way—just sabotaged Haru's first mission. It was meant to be a warning.
Mito Menyan and Shuto Koharu were clearly showing their cards. In fact, they were subtly threatening him: if he blamed them, other clans might join in to eliminate Haru—and perhaps even turn against Sarutobi himself.
Sarutobi remained silent.
The corners of Mito and Koharu's mouths curled up slightly, satisfied.
"Sarutobi, Takayama Haru will be fine. What we need to focus on is Danzo's return."
"This situation needs your leadership."
Sarutobi glared coldly at Menyan and Koharu.
Just then, Orochimaru's voice came from outside: "Sensei, Namikaze Minato has returned."
"Let him in!"
The door opened. When Namikaze Minato saw Mito Menyan and Koharu, he hesitated for a second, then bowed.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Welcome back safely, Minato."
Minato half-knelt. "I returned first. Nightwind is still in the Land of Water."
"What happened?"
"Reporting, Hokage-sama. Due to heavy casualties, I brought the wounded back. Eight-Leaf's divine shinobi are still on duty."
Menyan and Koharu suddenly smiled.
Word was that Nightwind's own Team Seven had fought with everything they had. The casualties were heavy.
Sarutobi frowned. "Even with casualties, you're still on the mission?"
"Yes," Minato answered respectfully. "Nightwind has already dealt with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. We only had one injured shinobi on our side."
"What?"
Minato's words left the room dead silent.
Everyone was stunned.
The entire Seven Ninja Swordsmen... defeated? And Konoha only had one injured ninja?
Was it really... Takayama Haru who wiped them out?