Three days passed slowly.
Finally, the various clans in Konoha noticed something was amiss.
Before the battle, clan members would send messages back. But these three days had gone by without a single word.
The clan leaders began secretly dispatching their ninja to the front lines to investigate. Without exception, the results they received were grim: rivers of blood, everyone had perished! Not even bodies could be found!
The Hyuga clan, the Uchiha clan, the Yamanaka clan, the Aburame clan, and others — the leaders of all the major clans could no longer contain themselves.
During these three days, Hiruzen had not made any statement. This only heightened their anxiety.
Moreover, rumors from outside the village had now spread throughout the entire ninja world! Konohagakure, leading many clans, had gone to war with Kirigakure.
Also, they had suffered a crushing defeat! All had perished! And the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, had been captured!
When this news emerged, all of Konoha was thrown into chaos! Panic spread in an instant!
The lack of news from the battlefield over these three days, coupled with Minato's absence from the village, seemed to confirm the outside rumors.
At this moment, on the ground floor of the Hokage office building, intense questioning could be heard from within his office!
"Third Hokage! Where's Minato?! Where's my Minato?!" Kushina finally exploded this morning, unable to hold back any longer.
Three days ago, after Hiruzen had completely blocked off news from the battlefield, she hadn't been able to sleep well. Now, with rumors spreading throughout Konoha, she immediately erupted.
She came to find Hiruzen to learn the truth.
"Minato is currently on a secret mission. He'll return to the village once it's complete." Hiruzen said gravely, furrowing his brow.
He was determined to keep Minato's capture hidden for as long as possible.
"Nonsense!" Kushina shouted, angrily pounding on the desk in front of her. "It's all over the village now! They're saying Minato has been captured by Kiri! And all the other ninja have died on the battlefield!"
She gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with fury.
"The rumors outside are just —" Hiruzen tried to maintain his composure, still wanting to keep this matter hidden.
Just then, a commotion could be heard from outside the door. Shortly after, the noise gradually subsided.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
A knock sounded at the door.
"Communications Department, Shikaku Nara requests an audience." A male voice called out.
Hiruzen's brow furrowed immediately. For the past three days, he had done his best to avoid people from these clans.
"Come in." He said gravely after a long pause. There was no choice; this matter couldn't be kept hidden much longer anyway.
As Shikaku pushed open the door and saw Kushina and Hiruzen, he immediately understood why she was there.
"Lord Hokage, here's a letter from the Mizukage of Kirigakure." He produced an envelope from his chest pocket.
Working in the Communications Department, Shikaku had taken over the task of delivering such messages — a duty that had previously fallen to Minato, who now seemed to have vanished into thin air.
"A letter from Kirigakure!" Hiruzen's brow twitched violently. Why now, of all times? And with Kushina present, no less!
"What letter? Let me see it!" Kushina tensed up immediately.
Over the past few days, she had been on high alert for any news related to Kiri, desperate for information.
"Kushina! This is communication between Kage! No ninja has the right to view it!" Hiruzen said sternly. He hadn't even read the letter yet — what if its contents upset Kushina?
If it provoked the Nine-Tails inside her, it could spell disaster for Konoha!
"I don't care!" Kushina snatched the letter from Shikaku's hand.
"Shikaku!" Hiruzen glared at him, but Shikaku seemed not to notice.
After all, in that brutal battle three days ago, not a single ninja from the Nara clan had returned alive. Shikaku wasn't a fool; he had already deduced the truth.
The grim reality was that Minato Namikaze had been captured, and the remaining personnel on the battlefield had all perished.
As Kushina opened the envelope, the first thing she touched was a pair of bells.
She recognized them instantly — they were the lucky bells she had given to Minato just three days ago, before he left for battle.
Upon seeing the blood-stained bells, Kushina's eyes immediately turned red. With trembling hands, she unfolded the letter.
"Within three days, send Kushina Uzumaki to Kirigakure. Otherwise, the next letter won't contain bells, but an organ from Minato Namikaze's body."
"— Yūsuke Kamizuki."
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