After some time had passed, the three Root members lay lifeless, their bodies turning cold.
At that moment, a White Zetsu emerged from the ground beside A Fei. Upon seeing the corpses, he couldn't help but remark, "Tsk, tsk, tsk… Which team was this?"
A Fei tilted his head in thought before responding, "I think it was the fourth team. By the way, why hasn't Danzo arrived yet? I need you to inform Madara-sama as soon as he does!"
Even White Zetsu was surprised. A Fei had already killed so many people, yet Shimura Danzo didn't seem to care. He kept sending more men to search for him, as if losses meant nothing to him.
"Who knows? Maybe that guy is just too cautious," White Zetsu muttered.
"Forget it, I don't want to think about such complicated matters. Let's move to a new location and wait for more Root members to come," A Fei said as he and White Zetsu left.
A Sudden Encounter
A short while later, a white-haired ninja wearing a green vest arrived at the scene, accompanied by three young shinobi. Among them, one had particularly striking blond hair.
"Jiraiya-sensei, can we take a few days off when we return? This mission was exhausting," complained Shiranui Genma, a young shinobi with a headband and a blade of grass in his mouth.
Namikaze Minato, walking beside them, was also reminded of the mission. Though it had been a simple escort task, their employer had been extremely eccentric, making the experience all the more tiring.
Jiraiya, their sensei, didn't hesitate to agree. "Alright."
Truthfully, he too had been unsettled by their employer's odd behavior. Now, all he wanted was to return to Konoha and unwind at the custom shop, where he could let the company of young ladies soothe his weary heart.
Just as Jiraiya was lost in his fantasies, a sharp, metallic scent filled his nose. His relaxed expression vanished as he abruptly stopped his students.
"Something's not right. Do you smell that? Blood."
Hearing this, Minato took a deep breath, and sure enough, the scent was unmistakable. Though faint, it lingered in the air.
"Jiraiya-sensei, it's coming from that direction." Minato pointed toward a path on their left.
Jiraiya's frown deepened. "Stay here. I'll check it out."
Minato, however, immediately stepped forward. "I'll go with you, sensei."
Seeing the determination on Minato's face, Jiraiya glanced at the other two—Genma and Raido. Though they said nothing, their expressions showed their resolve.
"Alright, but spread out. Don't stick together."
A Gruesome Discovery
When they arrived at the source of the scent, all they found were three lifeless bodies.
Jiraiya's face darkened as he recognized the uniforms.
"These are Root members…"
Minato, confused, looked at his sensei. "Root?"
"It's a special division. You don't need to know about it yet," Jiraiya replied, shaking his head.
Before they could discuss further, Raido pointed at the surrounding vegetation. "Sensei, look at this. The plants here… something's not right."
Minato turned his attention to the area and immediately noticed thick, vine-like growths around the bodies. The abnormal vegetation stood out sharply from the natural surroundings.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed as a possibility struck him. "Seal the bodies. We're returning to Konoha immediately."
Though Minato and the others weren't sure why Jiraiya had suddenly become so serious, they nodded and quickly followed his instructions.
The Third Hokage's Office
Back in Konoha, after submitting their mission report, Jiraiya headed straight for the Hokage's office.
Without hesitation, he kicked the door open—only to catch the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, hastily hiding a crystal ball.
Even though it was only for a moment, Jiraiya had seen what was displayed inside the ball.
"Old man, spying on girls again?" Jiraiya teased, his tone filled with envy.
Truth be told, he had always wanted that crystal ball for himself. He had even asked Hiruzen for it multiple times, but the Hokage never agreed to hand it over.
Hiruzen coughed awkwardly. "Ahem, Jiraiya, you're far too old to still be this reckless. Now, what do you need?"
Jiraiya's teasing mood faded as he remembered the urgency of his visit. Without a word, he pulled out three scrolls and tossed them onto Hiruzen's desk.
"Just open them. You'll see."
Though puzzled, Hiruzen caught the scrolls and quickly unsealed them.
The moment the bodies materialized in his office, the Third Hokage's expression changed drastically. He immediately stepped forward, not to check their identities, but to examine the cause of death.
He murmured in disbelief, "This… this is Wood Style?"
After the First Hokage's death, he had never expected to witness the effects of Wood Release ever again. Yet here it was, right before his eyes.
His gaze snapped back to Jiraiya. "Where did you find these bodies?"
Jiraiya wasted no time explaining the situation.
Hiruzen's expression darkened further. "So you didn't see anyone else? The bodies were already like this when you arrived?"
"That's right. But we did notice something unusual—there were thick vines growing around the corpses, some as large as a bowl."
Hearing this, Hiruzen clenched his jaw. He had no doubt now—these men had been killed by Wood Style ninjutsu.
Then, he recalled a recent Anbu report: many of Danzo's Root operatives had left the village.
At the time, he had dismissed it as just another one of Danzo's secretive schemes.
Now, he realized how wrong he had been.nts!