Chapter 301: Sasori of the Red Sand as a "Whetstone"; New Developments with Aoki [HN]

The atmosphere inside the Hokage’s office was so heavy that it seemed almost tangible.

Chiya sat behind the large desk.

Standing before him was the squad leader of the Hokage Guard Squad, who had just finished his report.

His head was lowered, and his voice beneath the mask carried a faint trace of barely perceptible shame.

“Hokage-sama, regarding Uchiha Aoki’s disappearance… No, his death, we used every conventional and unconventional investigative method available.

We examined the traces, analyzed the remaining chakra, questioned the people living nearby, and cross-referenced all records of people entering and leaving the area where he was last seen…

The result was nothing.”

The ANBU squad leader’s voice remained steady, but the contents of his report were alarming.

“The killer covered their tracks extremely well and left almost no clues pointing toward their identity.

Although the soil beneath the cherry tree in the backyard had been disturbed, the method used to conceal it was extremely sophisticated. If you had not specifically ordered us to conduct a thorough excavation beforehand, we would probably have overlooked it as well.

Other than having both eyes violently removed, the corpse had no other obvious external injuries, and there was no chakra residue of any particular nature in his meridians.

The cause of death has been confirmed as acute shock caused by the intense pain at the moment his eyes were removed and the resulting chakra backlash.

The time of death is estimated to have been more than two months ago, which basically matches the recorded time of his disappearance.”

Chiya knew the investigative capabilities of the ANBU well.

If even they could not find the slightest trace, it meant that their opponent was no ordinary person and was extremely skilled at concealment and countertracking.

“Understood. Continue the investigation in secret, and pay attention to any reports of Sharingan being circulated through the black market or any other suspicious channels.”

Chiya’s voice revealed neither anger nor joy.

“Yes!”

The ANBU squad leader looked relieved and quickly accepted the order before disappearing.

Silence returned to the office.

Chiya turned his gaze toward the window, his eyes deep and contemplative.

This was not an ordinary case of revenge or a dispute over interests.

The method was professional, and the target was clear.

It was all for the Sharingan.

In Konoha, someone with both the motive and ability to accomplish something like this…

The first person who came to Chiya’s mind was Shimura Danzo.

Without hesitation, Chiya moved and disappeared from where he stood.

At that moment, Danzo was at home.

He sat in his usual chair with his one eye closed, seemingly dozing.

But Chiya’s appearance immediately made him open his eye.

There was none of his usual ambition or scheming in that exposed eye.

There was only absolute obedience, with even a trace of emptiness.

“Hokage-sama.”

Danzo stood and respectfully bowed.

The power of Kotoamatsukami had already completely twisted his will.

The man he was now was Chiya’s most loyal tool, not the ambitious schemer hiding in Konoha’s shadows.

“Was Uchiha Aoki killed by you or someone acting behind you?”

Chiya asked directly without wasting words.

Danzo shook his head without hesitation.

“No. The Uchiha had been keeping a very close watch on their clansmen. All operations were carried out according to the approved list, and none involved Uchiha Aoki.”

His answer was straightforward, without the slightest hesitation.

Under Kotoamatsukami’s control, it was impossible for him to lie.

Chiya stared at him for several seconds.

After confirming that he was telling the truth, his brows furrowed slightly.

It wasn’t Danzo?

Then who was it?

Who had the ability to eliminate an Uchiha Chunin with an awakened Sharingan so cleanly inside Konoha while perfectly concealing all traces…

Suddenly, a figure flashed through Chiya’s mind.

Orochimaru!

That scientific madman possessed an almost obsessive desire to study bloodline limits and the Sharingan.

Although he had been restrained by Chiya’s warning and did not dare lay a hand on Haku, Kimimaro, and the others, would an Uchiha clan member whose whereabouts were unknown have tempted him?

With his methods, he could indeed accomplish it without leaving a trace.

“I understand. Continue with your work.”

Chiya said this to Danzo before disappearing again.

After returning to the Hokage’s office, Chiya immediately summoned the ANBU.

“Secretly transfer Uchiha Aoki’s corpse to Orochimaru’s underground laboratory.

Tell him that I want to know every secret hidden in this corpse, the cause of death, the method used, and any characteristics that might identify the killer.

And… the whereabouts of those Sharingan.

Tell him to handle it carefully and not damage any critical parts of the corpse.”

“Yes!”

The ANBU accepted the order and left.

Chiya rubbed his brow.

Handing the corpse to Orochimaru was no different from throwing a piece of meat in front of a starving wolf.

But right now, perhaps only this “wolf’s” scientific methods that surpassed common sense and his profound understanding of bloodline abilities could uncover the truth.

He only hoped that under the restraints of Kotoamatsukami, Orochimaru would know how far he could take his “research.”

He had just finished dealing with Uchiha Aoki’s matter when someone knocked on the office door again.

A shinobi from the Communications Division hurried inside, a trace of urgency on his face.

“Hokage-sama, an urgent report from the border!

The Daimyo’s residence of the Land of This, which has always maintained friendly relations with us, was attacked by an unidentified force last night…

The entire Daimyo’s residence has been reduced to ruins, and there are no survivors.

The scene is extremely gruesome.”

“The Land of This?”

Chiya’s eyes narrowed.

It was a small country surrounding the Land of Fire that had always maintained good relations with the Land of Fire.

“Where is the report?”

The communications shinobi immediately handed over a sealed scroll.

Chiya quickly opened it.

The scroll contained both written descriptions and illustrations documenting the devastation at the Daimyo’s residence of the Land of This.

Broken walls and ruins covered the area, while scorched earth stretched across the ground.

Fragments of puppets and fine, magnetic iron sand particles could be seen everywhere.

Judging from the scale and methods of destruction…

According to the intelligence assessment, there should have been around a hundred attackers.

The number of attackers far exceeded that of an ordinary shinobi unit, and their methods were both ruthless and efficient.

“Puppets… Iron sand…”

Chiya muttered under his breath, a look of realization and coldness flashing through his eyes.

“Sasori of the Red Sand…”

With around a hundred puppets under his control, Sasori had probably already completed his “transformation.”

He had gone from being a human to becoming “Puppet Sasori.”

Someone capable of controlling around a hundred puppets was already beyond what an ordinary “human” could possess.

His destructive power was enough to rival a small army.

Moreover, Sasori was a missing-nin of the Sand Village.

He was meticulous, skilled in poison and puppetry, and extremely dangerous.

Chiya immediately began issuing orders.

“Summon Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin, Might Guy, Yamashiro Aoba, Raidō Namiashi, and Genma Shiranui immediately. Have them report to the Hokage’s office!”

“Yes!”

It was time to take Konoha’s younger generation out for some training as well.

Before long, seven figures stood neatly before Chiya.

Kakashi still wore his usual calm expression.

His ANBU uniform had already been replaced with standard shinobi attire, and the short sword on his back radiated a chilling aura.

Obito still had a trace of fatigue on his face, but his eyes were exceptionally determined.

Rin stood beside him, her gentle expression carrying a hint of firmness.

Might Guy wore his usual green jumpsuit, his face filled with excitement.

His shining teeth were on full display, radiating youthful energy.

Yamashiro Aoba, Raidō Namiashi, and Genma Shiranui represented Konoha’s experienced middle generation.

Their expressions were serious as they waited for their orders.

Chiya coughed lightly.

He briefly explained the situation in the Land of This and handed the intelligence scroll to Kakashi.

“Kakashi, you will have full command of this mission.

Your objective is to investigate the destruction of the Daimyo’s residence in the Land of This, confirm the identity and movements of the attackers, and assess the level of the threat.

If you confirm that the attacker is Sasori of the Red Sand, you are permitted to track and probe him as long as you can ensure your own safety.

But remember, your priority is intelligence gathering and personal safety. Do not engage him directly unless absolutely necessary.

His puppetry and poison are extremely dangerous.”

“Understood.”

Kakashi quickly scanned the scroll and answered in a solemn voice.

When he heard Sasori’s name, his eyes became sharper.

Obito clenched his fists even tighter.

“Guy, your taijutsu is one of the effective methods for dealing with puppets.

Aoba, Raidō, Genma, you have extensive experience, so you will be responsible for support and intelligence analysis.

Rin, I’ll leave the medical support and antidotes to you.”

Chiya’s gaze swept over every member of the team.

“Remember, the enemy is a missing-nin of the Sand Village who killed the Third Kazekage. He is extremely powerful, so you must not be careless.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama!”

The seven answered in unison, their voices filled with determination.

“Set out.”

Watching the seven leave after receiving their orders, Chiya quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

The team’s composition was well balanced.

They had offensive power, a strategist, support, and medical assistance.

Against Sasori’s threat, they should be capable of protecting themselves while obtaining the intelligence they needed.

After dealing with these urgent matters, the sky outside was already approaching dusk.

Chiya remembered the Snow Country princess who had been placed under Konoha’s protection.

A thought crossed his mind, and he got up and left the Hokage Building.

In Konoha’s southern district stood a quiet courtyard.

When Chiya arrived, he saw Koyuki Kazahana sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, holding a book titled An Overview of Basic Ninja Theory and reading with great concentration.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell over her, covering her in a warm golden light.

She seemed to have completely adapted to life here.

She wore the common children’s clothes of Konoha, and her complexion was much healthier than when she had first arrived.

The female shinobi responsible for looking after her was about to announce Chiya’s arrival, but he raised his hand and stopped her.

He quietly walked over.

It was not until his shadow covered the book that Koyuki suddenly realized someone was there.

She raised her head and, upon seeing Chiya, her large eyes instantly lit up.

Her little face blossomed with undisguised surprise and joy.

“Hokage-sama!”

She almost jumped off the stone bench and ran toward Chiya like a cheerful little bird.

She raised her head and looked at him with sparkling eyes.

“How… how come you’re here?”

Chiya crouched down to meet her at eye level and smiled warmly.

“I came to see you. How are you doing? Are you getting used to living here? Is studying difficult?”

“Not at all! It’s not difficult at all!”

Koyuki shook her head vigorously.

Her small hands held the theory book tightly, as though she were holding a precious treasure.

“It’s very nice here. Everyone has been very kind to me…”

Her voice gradually became quieter, as if she had remembered something.

But she quickly pulled herself together, raised her little face, and looked at Chiya with admiration and dependence.

“The sister taking care of me said that Hokage-sama was the one who saved me and gave me such a safe and wonderful place to live… Thank you!”

Chiya reached out and gently rubbed her soft hair.

“You don’t have to thank me. It’s what we should do. I’m glad to see that you’ve adapted.”

He noticed several drawings on the stone table.

They were crooked sketches of Konoha’s symbol and…

An abstract portrait of the Hokage Rock, one of which was clearly him.

“Did you draw these?”

Chiya picked up one of the drawings and asked with interest.

Koyuki’s cheeks instantly turned bright red.

She lowered her head shyly and twisted the corner of her clothes with her small hands.

“Yes… I… I’m not very good at drawing…”

“It’s very good.”

Chiya praised her sincerely and pointed at the portrait of the Hokage Rock.

“Is this supposed to be me?”

Koyuki quickly looked up at him before immediately lowering her head again.

She gave a tiny “Mm” that was almost inaudible, and even the tips of her ears turned completely red.

Chiya looked at her shy and adorable appearance and smiled inwardly.

He knew that this little girl was beginning to regard Konoha as her new home.

And he was undoubtedly her greatest source of security and emotional support in this new environment.

“Do you like learning about ninja knowledge?”

Chiya put down the drawing and asked.

“I do!”

Koyuki immediately nodded, her eyes filled with determination.

“I want to become strong, as strong as Hokage-sama!

Then… then I’ll be able to protect the people I want to protect, and I won’t… I won’t lose anyone important to me again…”

Her voice became choked at the end, but she stubbornly held back her tears.

Chiya sighed inwardly and patted her shoulder.

“You will. As long as you keep working hard, you will definitely become strong.

Konoha will provide you with the best environment for learning and growing.

Once you’re a little older and have built a solid foundation, I’ll find a suitable teacher for you and personally teach you how to train.”

Feeling the warmth of Chiya’s embrace and the reassuring presence around him, Koyuki’s tense body gradually relaxed.

She buried her little face against Chiya’s shoulder and nodded firmly.

“Mm! I’ll definitely work hard! I absolutely won’t disappoint you, Hokage-sama!”

At that moment, she no longer felt like the princess of a fallen country who had fled through the snow and lived in constant fear.

Instead, she felt like a member of Konoha who was valued, protected, and entrusted with hope.

The sense of security and joy filled her completely.

It was something she had never experienced before.

Just then, an ANBU shinobi appeared beside them using the Body Flicker Technique.

“Orochimaru-sama has new information…”

“He wants you to go over there, Hokage-sama.”

New information?

A flash of light crossed Chiya’s eyes.

Could it be related to Aoki?

Seeing that Chiya had something to attend to, Koyuki spoke obediently.

“Hokage-sama, I’ll go study first!~”

Chiya smiled at her.

Only after watching Koyuki return to her room did he leave with the ANBU shinobi.

They headed toward Orochimaru’s laboratory.