Land of Fire — Konoha Village, Hokage's Office.
The three Sand Shinobi Anbu sent by Rasa arrived and handed over the Kazekage's letter to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Even with the Kazekage's seal stamped on the report, Sarutobi Hiruzen still found it hard to believe. He looked at the Sand Anbu before him, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Is this… true?"
One of the Sand Anbu spoke coldly.
"Our village's Lord Baki has been killed in action. As for Uchiha Kenya, he died under the Golden Sand Burial of our Kazekage-sama. His body was completely crushed."
The shinobi's voice carried frost despite the respectful honorifics.
"Hokage-sama doesn't really think Sunagakure would fabricate something of this scale, does he?"
To them, this was Konoha's failure. If the Leaf had dealt with their missing-nin problem earlier, it would never have spilled into their borders.
"Sunagakure has misunderstood," Hiruzen replied calmly. "The old man never doubted you. I simply did not expect those two rebels to be so reckless—to go as far as attacking Sand's senior officials."
He stood and continued:
"Please, stay in Konoha for a few days. We will work swiftly to deliver Sunagakure an explanation it will find satisfactory."
"…If that is so, then good. I'll trouble Hokage-sama with this matter."
The Anbu nodded.
"Lujiu, see them to their quarters," Hiruzen ordered.
"Yes."
Nara Shikaku bowed and escorted the three Sand Anbu out. As head of the shrewd Nara clan, Shikaku's political influence was already higher than Kakashi's, enough to grant him a seat in the village's Supreme Council.
Once they left, Hiruzen immediately summoned his three old comrades—Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō—for a secret elders' meeting.
Ever since the Uchiha massacre, Danzō had been under restriction. He had gone against Hiruzen's will, sending Root operatives to loot the Sharingan from Uchiha corpses. In the aftermath, someone had to take the blame publicly—and Danzō bore it. As for the stolen Sharingan, Hiruzen allowed it as a bitter "reward" for carrying the burden.
Twenty minutes later, in the conference room beneath the Hokage's office…
After hearing Hiruzen's account, the three elders—who had collectively steered Konoha for half a century—were shaken.
Sand's senior jōnin, Baki, killed by Uchiha Kenya and Uchiha Itachi?
And Uchiha Kenya slain by the Fourth Kazekage?
Sunagakure now demanding compensation from Konoha?
"How can that be?! Why would Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Kenya join forces?" Mitokado Homura blurted out.
Only the four of them knew the truth: Uchiha Itachi was Konoha's covert agent, a double playing the role of traitor within Akatsuki.
He was no real rogue.
But Uchiha Kenya was a genuine rebel.
"Hmph. The Uchiha have always been restless troublemakers," Danzō sneered. "Hiruzen, it seems the Itachi you held in such high regard isn't as reliable as you thought."
Hiruzen didn't even glance at him. "No. Kenya must have framed Itachi. I can't say why, but I am certain of this: Itachi has remained inside Akatsuki all this time. Since leaving the village, he has never once crossed paths with Kenya."
"So… do you believe Uchiha Kenya is truly dead?" Utatane Koharu frowned.
Kenya, who had dealt Konoha blow after blow, perishing at the hands of an outsider—it was good news, yes. But somehow, it felt unnatural.
Too smooth. Too easy. Success like that always carried unease.
"Since the Kazekage himself declared it, I see no reason to doubt," Hiruzen replied.
Homura spoke again. "I've heard the Land of Wind has been suffering droughts and famine these past two years. Could it be they didn't kill Kenya, only repelled him—and now they're using this story to extort Konoha?"
Hiruzen shook his head firmly.
"Impossible. Even if they had merely driven him off, they could still use it to pressure us politically. But if they lied—and later we discovered Kenya alive—their advantage would collapse into humiliation. Rasa is not foolish enough to gamble on such a blunder."
Homura winced, realizing it was indeed a poor suggestion, and nodded.
Danzō narrowed his uncovered eye, staring at Hiruzen.
"So what now? Will you bend to Sunagakure again? As always, compromising at the first push."
Unmoved by the jab, Hiruzen answered levelly.
"This is a grave matter. But the advantage in negotiations is theirs. All I can do is limit the damage to something Konoha can accept."
"Hmph. Dead, then. What a waste—of his Sharingan."
Danzō thought bitterly, his gaze flicking to his bandaged arm.
Ten Sharingan still isn't enough.
That night, in a bustling Konoha izakaya…
Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai, Genma, Ebisu, and several others had gathered.
"Uchiha Kenya… dead!?"
Kurenai exclaimed in shock, leaping to her feet when Kakashi relayed the news.