In a strange quirk of history, the Land of Lightning had once tried to capture the Nine-Tails, and two of its shinobi, the Gold and Silver Brothers, were swallowed by the beast.
They had survived by eating the Nine-Tails' flesh from the inside, eventually gaining its chakra. This raised an odd question: If tailed beasts were made entirely of chakra, where did their flesh come from?
Thrilled at the thought of a special meal and her master's praise, Ophis curled up in Xin's arms, drifting off to sleep. In the back of her mind, she was already plotting her next move- keeping an eye on more Root operatives and swiping whatever else she could. If she brought back more loot, her master would be even more pleased with her.
Meanwhile, over at Konoha Hospital, Danzo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, his nerves tingling with unease.
Late at night, two Anbu operatives returning from a mission approached the secret exit where Ophis had attacked the Root shinobi, intending to pass through the barrier to reenter the village.
"Something's wrong," One of the Anbu whispered, sniffing the air.
There was a heavy scent of blood nearby. The two operatives approached cautiously, and when they saw the scene in front of them, their eyes widened in alarm.
A Konoha ninja had died, likely at the hands of an enemy who cleverly used wild animals to cover up the crime.
The scene was a mess, with wolf tracks scattered around, a lingering stench of blood, torn clothing, leftover bones, and the animal masks of the Anbu agents.
"You stay here and gather information. I'll return to the village and report this to Lord Hokage," Anbu agent codenamed "Black Hawk" said before opening the barrier and heading back to the village as quickly as possible, racing toward the Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, had only just laid down after working late into the night when he was abruptly woken up. Groaning, he pulled on his robes and got out of bed.
"Hokage-sama."
Black Hawk knelt on one knee as Hiruzen rubbed his aching temples, his voice raspy from fatigue. "What is it?"
"Sir," Black Hawk began, recounting everything. "On our way back from a mission, my partner and I discovered the remains of fellow Anbu near one of the hidden exits. Their bodies had been mauled by wild animals, but there are plenty of tracks. They were dressed in standard Anbu gear, complete with masks."
"What?"
The shocking news instantly cleared the Hokage's fatigue. He felt as though someone had just slapped him across the face.
Anbu agents, killed right near the village's outskirts, with wild animals used to destroy the evidence? This was not only an insult to Konoha but a direct affront to him, the Hokage. Anbu was his personal unit, under his direct command.
"Find out their identities immediately. Summon all Anbu operatives and launch a full investigation. Bring the barrier squad leader to me as well," Hiruzen ordered, his voice sharp.
The fact that the attack occurred so close to one of the barrier's hidden exits meant the enemy knew of its location. In addition to investigating the deaths, the exit would need to be relocated to prevent further infiltration.