After the startling discovery of the three bodies, Jiraiya stepped closer and examined them with a sharp eye. The significance was immediately clear.
"These bodies are important," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the still air. "We're taking them back with us. There's a chance Inoiki buried them deliberately—perhaps knowing we'd find them. If so, it means he wanted us to study them. They might hold vital clues... maybe even the key to understanding what really happened to him."
Shikaku, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. Without a word, he pulled out a storage scroll, unrolling it with practiced efficiency. As he began performing the sealing technique, the bodies slowly vanished into the scroll, one after another, preserved for future analysis.
At a distance, Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi had observed the entire excavation. As the last of the bodies disappeared into the scroll, they approached, curiosity and concern etched on their faces.
Kurotsuchi's eyes narrowed as she studied the scene, while Kitsuchi's gaze shifted from the sealed scroll to Jiraiya.
"These are not just fallen enemies," Jiraiya said, turning to address them. "These corpses were most probably buried by Inoiki. Studying them could help us understand the exact circumstances of Inoiki's disappearance. If there's any way to learn what happened to him, it's through these."
He paused briefly, then added in a more measured tone, "Don't worry—we'll share whatever information we uncover with your side once our analysis is complete. However, the planned transfer of Deidara back to Iwagakure will have to be postponed. That matter will be revisited once we've concluded our investigation."
Kitsuchi exhaled slowly, his jaw tightening. He knew there was no room for negotiation here. The bodies were far too important, and with Jiraiya personally leading the mission, any attempt to intervene would only strain relations further.
"I understand," he said at last, though the words tasted bitter. "We'll inform our superiors about the delay regarding Deidara. They'll understand the situation."
After securing the sealed bodies, the Konoha team wasted no time. Their mission in the Land of Earth was complete, and with the weight of uncertainty pressing down on them, none of them wished to linger any longer than necessary. With solemn expressions and urgency in their steps, Jiraiya, Inoichi, Shikaku, and Choza began their return journey to the Hidden Leaf Village.
Upon their arrival in Konoha, the Hokage's office immediately commissioned a thorough autopsy and chakra analysis of the three bodies—each one a mystery demanding answers. The investigation was handled with the utmost care, and soon, a series of startling discoveries emerged.
All three corpses possessed the legendary Rinnegan—but the truth was more complex than it first appeared. Upon close examination, it was revealed that the Rinnegan within each corpse was not real. They were projections, or visual imitations—artificially maintained through some unknown technique.
What stood out even more were the strange metallic piercings embedded across each body. These were no ordinary ornaments—they were infused with chakra-receiving properties, acting like receivers in a larger network. It quickly became apparent that the bodies had not acted on their own at all.
After hours of discussion and analysis, combining the wisdom of seasoned shinobi like Jiraiya—whose knowledge of ancient and forbidden jutsu was unparalleled—and the razor-sharp intellect of Shikaku, the pieces began to fall into place.
"These bodies," Shikaku said during the debrief, "were never alive during the battle. They were corpses. Repurposed... controlled."
Jiraiya nodded grimly. "They weren't individual fighters. They were extensions—puppets, moved by a single will. The real controller was the actual Rinnegan user... the leader of the Akatsuki."
This theory was soon confirmed through a memory extraction technique conducted by Yamanaka Inoichi. Using his clan's mind-reading abilities, he attempted to retrieve residual mental imprints from the bodies. What he found supported their conclusion: the three had died long ago—long before their supposed confrontation with Inoiki.
The evidence was overwhelming. These were not ordinary opponents. They were puppets—dead shinobi reanimated and controlled through chakra transmitted by the strange black receivers. The mastermind behind it all had used them to engage Inoiki in combat. And, most tragically, it appeared that Inoiki had understood this just before—or perhaps during—the battle. He had buried the bodies himself, preserving them for others to uncover the truth in his absence.
It was a final act of brilliance—and perhaps a parting message.
With these revelations, the mood in Konoha shifted. The conclusion was difficult to escape: if Inoiki had been forced to go to such lengths to preserve this evidence, and if even three of these powerful bodies were taken down only through enormous effort, the odds of his survival were slim. It was estimated—quietly and unofficially—that there was a 90% or higher chance that Inoiki was dead.
The grief hit hard.
Inoiki's closest friends were somber, weighed down by the loss of a comrade they had fought beside, laughed with, and admired. But for his family, it was a blow that shattered the core of their lives. Inoichi, his father, was devastated. Ino, his younger sister, sank into a silence that no words could reach. Their home, once filled with pride in Inoiki's strength, now echoed with the pain of his absence.
Yet Konoha had seen many losses. It was not the first time its people had mourned a hero. The rest of the village grieved, then slowly began to move forward. Life resumed its rhythm—missions, training, patrols—all continued as they always had.
But for Inoiki's family, time did not move so easily. Their wounds were still fresh, and the hole he left behind could not be filled.
Not yet.
Now, with the truth about Inoiki's fate painfully clear, all that remained was a single, driving purpose—vengeance.
The goal was no longer simply to protect Konoha. It was to bring down the Akatsuki—utterly and completely. Every shinobi who had known or fought alongside Inoiki now carried that mission in their hearts.
For Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji, the pain ran deepest. They had grown up with Inoiki—shared meals, sparring matches, and childhood memories. His absence left a hole they couldn't fill, but it also lit a fire in their souls. Ino threw herself into her training with unmatched resolve. Shikamaru, always strategic but laid-back, sharpened his mind and skills with newfound intensity. Choji pushed his limits day after day. They were determined not just to honor Inoiki's memory—but to avenge him.
A month passed in this relentless rhythm.
Then, one morning, Tsunade summoned both Team Asuma and Team Kakashi to the Hokage's office.
When both squads arrived, the mood was heavy with anticipation. The summons alone was unusual—both teams rarely reported together unless the matter was of utmost importance.
Tsunade stood behind her desk, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. "I'm assigning you two teams to a new mission," she said without preamble. "And judging by your faces, you've already sensed it's something serious."
Neither team spoke, but every member nodded silently, acknowledging her words.
Tsunade pulled a sheet of paper from a file and slid it across the desk for them to see. "Three days ago," she began, "two members of the Akatsuki were sighted in the Land of Fire. Based on the descriptions, they are confirmed to be Kakuzu and Hidan. They attacked and killed a monk from the Fire Temple."
Her voice hardened. "They did it for a bounty."
The name alone sent a chill through the room. Kakuzu and Hidan—two of the most dangerous and unpredictable members of the Akatsuki. Ruthless, with abilities shrouded in mystery.
Asuma stepped forward, his expression tense. Something in his gut twisted. Even before he saw the report, he had a bad feeling.
He snatched the paper off the desk and scanned it quickly. His eyes widened.
"…Chiriku," he muttered under his breath.
Tsunade nodded slowly. "Yes. The victim was Chiriku. He was once a member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja who protected the Daimyō of the Land of Fire—just like Asuma."
All eyes turned to Asuma, the weight of expectation settling on his shoulders.
Tsunade stepped back slightly, giving him space. "Asuma can tell you more about him," she said, her voice softer now.
The room was silent, waiting for Asuma to speak.
He looked up, his gaze steady but shadowed by the past. This wasn't just a mission anymore—it was personal.
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