After parting ways with Minato Namikaze, Kei Yamanaka strolled slowly back home.
Quietly activating the Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques again, he accessed through the back channel to the Sensing Barrier covering all of Konoha.
Following the chakra signatures of Maito Gai, Kurenai Yuhi, and Genma Shiranami, he easily located the trio sitting under the rain shelter by Amaguri Candy Store, snacking on warabi mochi while watching the rain.
He performed the Summoning Jutsu, intending to call forth the most familiar Corpse Crow from Konoha's Bird Summoning Aviary—the one most familiar with the village, almost as if it knew the back of its own wing.
This particular Corpse Crow was different from the usual "swift-type" crows he had summoned before in Tea Country or on the Summoning Island.
It was clearly smarter than the rest.
A few brief interactions during free time were enough for it to pick up simple blessings like "Congratulations and prosperity" or "Smile often."
It could also understand and carry out not-too-complicated commands.
Its favorite activity was wandering around Konoha during its free time at the aviary's outdoor hours, flying over whenever it saw someone holding food and chirping one of its lucky phrases just to scrounge a bite or two.
As a result, its body was nearly half again as large as others of its kind—plump and rotund—yet considerably slower in flight than other crows.
Seeing how clever it was, Kei didn't mind at all. Instead, he even gave it a special name—Gailiu-zi (The Clever Dodger).
But...
"What the hell?! Where's Gailiu-zi?"
Kei stared blankly at the now-empty summoning array.
Still not believing it, he dipped his finger into a blood storage tube and performed the Summoning Jutsu again.
Unfortunately, that sweet-talking little black fatty still didn't show up.
Feeling uncertain, Kei tried summoning some other crows.
Cawing sounds immediately echoed through the mansion.
"Dead?!" Kei muttered, absently canceling the summoning jutsu as he stood up, completely bewildered.
If it wasn't his problem...
Then it must be something wrong with the summoned beast itself.
There were only two possible explanations when a summon didn't respond to the Summoning Jutsu.
Either it was trapped within a sealing barrier or bound by a seal... or it had already passed into the afterlife.
Why would anyone go to the trouble of sealing a plump crow for no reason?
So...
Why had Gailiu-zi vanished so suddenly?
Yesterday when he returned, he had personally brought his eagle-falcon Bidiao to the Summon Aviary for birds to be kept there.
The staff hadn't said a word!
Could this have happened between yesterday noon and now?
Wait...
Flashbacks rapidly flickered in Kei's Memory Palace.
The subtle expressions of the staff from yesterday were now zoomed in and replaying clearly in his mind.
Back then, he had been in a hurry with Minato to hand in the mission report at Hokage Tower, so he hadn't paid attention.
Looking back now, weren't their eyes somewhat evasive?
One or two could've been coincidence, but if none dared to meet his eyes directly... that was definitely suspicious?
"What the hell?! I pay these people so much every year! They didn't even tell me my Corpse Crow died?!"
The more Kei thought, the angrier he became.
He couldn't shake the suspicion that his summoned beast had vanished due to negligence at the aviary.
This was no time to think about preparing a special breakfast. He got up in a hurry, left the house, and made his way straight to Konoha's northeastern side.
The Summon Aviary, where bird summons were kept, was located at the northeastern corner of the village, built into the cliff face behind Kage Rock.
On nice days, one could always see flocks of summoned birds soaring freely and playing in the sky or resting somewhere along the cliffside.
However, due to the poor weather, most birds had remained indoors to stay out of the rain.
From far away, one could already hear the chirping and tweeting sounds of many birds.
Kei Yamanaka had barely stepped through the entrance of the coop.
He hadn't even had a chance to ask a single question yet.
The staff members within spoke not a word and immediately performed a deep ninety-degree bow in unison.
The supervisor of the coop himself came rushing over, still bowing without lifting his head, and began apologizing frantically.
"Yamanaka Jonin! Please accept our deepest apologies! Unfortunately, your summoned beast 'Gailiu-zi' encountered an incident twelve days ago during its outdoor time. Previously, because I myself was taken in by Anbu for questioning, and the staff were placed under a secrecy order, we weren't able to inform you in time. That was entirely our fault! We will thoroughly reflect on our mistake and do our best to compensate you so as to alleviate your grief from losing your summon. Please believe that..."
After finishing the lengthy apology, the supervisor hurriedly retrieved an envelope already prepared from under a nearby desk and respectfully presented it to Kei with both hands.
Judging from its thickness, it probably held around 50,000 ryo.
Kei had ten crows boarded at the aviary, costing approximately 80,000 ryo annually.
That meant each crow cost about 8,000 ryo per year.
Don't think it's a small amount.
At present, the monthly living expenses for a war orphan in Konoha were only six hundred ryo. The boarding fee for a single crow summon easily surpassed that budget.
Gailiu-zi had been with Kei for three years, costing approximately 24,000 ryo in boarding fees alone, not including the initial hatching costs or summoning training, which brought the total to around 30,000 ryo.
So, the 50,000 ryo compensation was actually quite generous by usual standards.
"...Anbu? What happened?"
Seeing the employees still locked in deep bows, Kei hesitated multiple times before letting out a helpless sigh.
He had come here full of rage originally.
But their reasoning held up, and their attitude was respectful. Given that Anbu had intervened and imposed confidentiality restrictions, this wasn't really their fault.
What was he supposed to do now?
"When your summon's outdoor period was nearly over, it flew past the Hokage's office building and collided with Lord Advisor to the Hokage, who had jumped out of a window. It was truly a tragic loss."
The supervisor's expression was mixed with fear and regret.
He really took a financial hit over this!
Previously, when approached by the 'Anbu ninja,' he'd been dragged away and suspected of intentionally attacking a high-ranking official in Konoha.
He nearly scared himself to death back then.
Had it not been for the reverse hypnosis and memory reading confirming that he had no intention of harming the leadership—everything had been a complete accident—he might never have made it back alive!
And even then, the coop still ended up paying a significant sum as compensation to the Hokage's advisor.
But who could really be blamed for something like this?
Was it the Corpse Crow's low flight and poor defense?
Or was it Danzo's fault for leaping too high while wearing a steel helmet?
"Twelve days ago? Danzo?! I hadn't even fully left the Hokage Office before he went and killed my summoned beast! Are you telling me it died from the impact and not because he stabbed it with a kunai?"
Kei Yamanaka's temper, which had begun to cool down, now boiled over in an instant.
That old bastard Danzo must've been targeting him!
It definitely was on purpose!
Given how slowly Gailiu-zi usually flies—like casually strolling through Konoha—there's no way just bumping into someone could kill it.
"It was said that Lord Advisor Danzo was in a hurry to carry out a top-secret mission back then. He used Body Flicker to leave instantly and was also wearing a battle helmet. Your summoned beast just so happened to..."
"Crash straight into his helmet?"
"Yes. Please accept our deepest condolences. Also, regarding the compensation procedures related to Lord Advisor Danzo, our coop has already taken care of everything. You don't need to take any responsibility or worry about this matter at all."
"Compensation? That old bastard actually dares to ask for compensation?!"
Kei Yamanaka was utterly stunned.
His summoned beast was killed by Danzo's helmet headbutt, yet that guy turned the tables and demanded compensation?
"Cough... Jonin Yamanaka, here is your summoned beast's ashes. Would you like to take them with you, or would you prefer we bury them in our Summoned Beasts Cemetery?"
Upon hearing Kei Yamanaka curse Danzo, the coop manager visibly shuddered and swiftly changed the topic.
He had no desire to face another Anbu interrogation—so regardless of whose fault it was or who ended up on the hook, he just wanted to put an end to this mess as soon as possible!
"...Bury them in the cemetery then."
Looking at the small white urn in the caretaker's hand—scarcely larger than a pack of cigarettes—Kei Yamanaka felt furious, frustrated, and speechless all at once.
It was him who assigned Danzo the [Wild Imagination] skill listing.
And it was him who lost his summoned beast.
Damn it!
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