In the conference room of the Hokage Building.
"I don't know why we've been called here so urgently, even the Third Hokage and the two advisors have been summoned."
"Could it be that war is imminent? Otherwise, there would be no need to trouble the Third Hokage for an ordinary matter."
"I have no idea. There hasn't been any news leaked."
The jōnin who had arrived early were whispering among themselves. At the head of the table, Minato sat with a serious expression, his hands resting under his chin, deep concern evident in his eyes.
At that moment, the door of the conference room was pushed open, and Uzumaki Raiden slowly stepped inside. The moment the jōnin present saw him, the entire room fell into a hushed silence.
"Even Lord Raiden has been summoned? What's going on? Could it really be war?!"
Raiden's arrival intensified the heavy atmosphere in the room. Everyone knew that since he had taken charge of the Ninja Academy, he had never attended a shinobi meeting. In Raiden's own words, "whether big or small, you all can handle it."
Now, even he was here. That alone was enough to show the gravity of the situation.
After Raiden arrived, more and more shinobi entered the room. Those who came later saw him sitting there and immediately grew serious. No one was relaxed anymore. Everyone understood that today's matter was far from simple.
"When everyone has arrived, we'll begin," Minato said, his voice steady.
"Shikaku, give a brief explanation."
At Minato's cue, Nara Shikaku nodded, stood up, and pulled a scroll from his robes, spreading it across the table.
"Four months ago, the village accepted a mission within the Land of Fire."
"The mission was to investigate a massacre in a border village."
"After accepting the task, we dispatched a four-man team led by a chūnin."
"The investigation went smoothly. Based on the evidence, it was determined that the culprit was a black bear from the forest. The team hunted it down and returned after confirming the threat was eliminated."
"However, after that incident, more murders occurred near the original crime scene. The methods were brutal—gruesome even—including cases of cannibalism."
"This time, Minato and I decided to send another chūnin team to reinvestigate. But the report we received was beyond our expectations."
"This team discovered that the perpetrator was not a wild animal, but a Demons."
"A being that cannot be killed with kunai, swords, or even explosive tags—a Demons!"
Shikaku's words gripped everyone's attention. Even Uzumaki Raiden, who had remained composed, looked at Shikaku in shock.
"A Demons?"
"What kind of nonsense is this? This is the shinobi world—are we really talking about Demons?!"
Raiden's heart trembled at the revelation, though outwardly, he maintained his calm demeanor and listened intently.
"Something like this actually exists? Has someone developed a new type of ninjutsu?"
"If it can't be killed by explosive tags or weapons… could it be?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts immediately turned to his former disciple, Orochimaru, and his research into the forbidden technique Edo Tensei. But he quickly dismissed the idea. Cold-blooded as Orochimaru might be, he wasn't the type to resort to cannibalism. Hiruzen still believed in that much.
No matter how far Orochimaru had fallen, he was still human.
"The team was ultimately able to subdue this 'Demons' because one of the members knew sealing techniques," Shikaku continued.
"And with that, the mission was officially closed."
"However, Minato and I found the situation suspicious, so we began a broader investigation."
"What we discovered was that this phenomenon did not start four months ago. In fact, similar incidents have been occurring for at least four years."
"And the first place it happened was in the Daimyō's mansion!"
"It turns out that these occurrences near the Daimyō's estate were handled by the Guardian Twelve Ninja. No reports ever reached Konoha because there was never an official request for aid."
"This time, if not for the border villagers reaching out to Konoha, we would have remained unaware."
"After months of research, we have confirmed that the enemy is not just a single 'Demons.' Rather, it appears to be an organization—one with a complete system and structure!"
Shikaku's voice grew heavier as he reached this conclusion. He then activated a seal on the scroll. In the next instant, a strange humanoid creature materialized on the table.
"Is this the Demons?"
"It has no chakra presence—is it dead?"
"What is this thing? It's not human!"
The sudden appearance of the bizarre creature sent waves of shock through the conference room. Even the veteran jōnin struggled to process what they were seeing.
"Silence!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's sharp reprimand cut through the murmurs, restoring order to the room.
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Raiden, who had remained seated and composed, slowly stood up. He walked closer to the 'Demons,' examining it carefully.
The creature was completely bound by sealing techniques. From it, Raiden sensed no trace of chakra. By all known laws of the shinobi world, this being was not alive. In this world, all living things possessed chakra. Even those who exhausted their chakra would soon die.
This principle was the very reason the Uzumaki clan had such long lifespans.
"Minato, break the seal. Let them experience its power firsthand."
Raiden's words made the jōnin tense. What did he mean by letting them fight this thing?
"Actually, I was considering that as well," Minato admitted.
"There isn't just one of these creatures. This meeting is to make sure everyone understands the situation."
"A single chūnin managed to subdue this Demons, but only with the assistance of several genin."
"Hizashi, you will handle this test."
"Let everyone witness it."
Minato pulled out a special Flying Thunder God kunai. In the next instant, the entire room shifted.
By the time the shinobi regained their bearings, they found themselves in an open training ground outside the village, illuminated by the moonlight.
"Minato's mastery of the Flying Thunder God… it's beyond what I imagined."
Raiden's eyes narrowed slightly. This level of teleportation—relocating an entire conference room in an instant—was something Minato hadn't displayed before.
"Hizashi, it's your turn," Minato signaled.
He made a one-handed seal, and the curse binding the Demons began to fade. The crowd instinctively stepped back, clearing the battlefield.
Hyuga Hizashi adjusted his stance and calmly approached the Demons.
The moment the seal fully released, the Demons let out a piercing roar.
However, instead of attacking, it turned and bolted for the forest.
"Huh?"
"It has intelligence?!"
Hizashi frowned. He hadn't expected the creature to flee. In the next instant, he reacted. With a swift strike, a powerful wave of air shot through the distance, slamming into the Demons.
Its chest caved in, and it coughed up dark crimson blood. But even after crashing into the ground, it quickly stood and kept running.
"Jiehahaha!"
"You fools! Just wait until my King comes back! He'll kill you all!"
The Demons's high-pitched laughter echoed as it fled. Hizashi's expression darkened. He was being mocked.
With a single step, he vanished.
In a flash, he reappeared before the Demons, his hand already striking its abdomen. The creature flew backward, only to be hit repeatedly in rapid succession.
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
A flurry of strikes rained down. By the end, Hizashi calmly adjusted his robes, looking as composed as when he started.
Meanwhile, the Demons lay motionless on the ground.
"It... can't regenerate?"
"Why can't I heal?! What did you do to me?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"
Even as it writhed in pain, the Demons's voice remained unwavering.
Raiden, deep in thought, raised his hand. A bolt of lightning shot forth, striking the Demons. In an instant, it disintegrated, vanishing into nothingness.
"Lightning Release... it actually works?"
Raiden blinked, then exhaled.
"So, these Demons aren't as much of a threat as I thought."
(End of Chapter)