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  Hokage Tower.

  Hiruzen was behind his desk going through various dots from the patrol squads. A Special Jonin stood in front of him aed the current situation.

  "All the escaped prisoners have been captured and are in custody. We've ated for everyohe correal facility is operational with 4 teams of guards w in three shifts."

  "Has there been any suspiovements he vilge?" Hiruzen asked and the ninja shook his head. "No sir. Nothing out of the ordinary."

  Hiruzen nodded and leaned ba his chair. "Good. Dismissed."

  The ninja vanished and Hiruze out a long breath of air. 'It's been a long time since I've had a troubled night like the one I've had. Looks like Orochimaru hadn't used the ce to cause any chaos. That's good. Still… Why do I feel so uneasy…?'

  At that time Genma appeared and looked at the kage with on his face. "Lord Hokage, you're tired. You haven't slept or eaten anything since yesterday. Perhaps you should get some rest."

  "It's tempting but there is still much work to be done Genma." The old kage yawiredly just as he finished his sentence. He rubbed his eyes a out another deep breath. "Maybe a short nap isn't such a bad thing."

  Genma smiled as he looked at the leader of the vilge. "Yes. Everything's resolved without any plications… So that's good news."

  Raido and Iwashi also appeared and stood near Genma. They were ready to transport Hiruzen to his home but suddenly there was a kno the door.

  "e in." Hiruzen spoke and soon two highly respected members of the Leaf ninja fortered the room. The head of the interrogatioment Ibiki Morino and leader of the Analysis Team Inoichi Yamanaka.

  "Inoichi, Ibiki. What have you learned from the Mizuki and his aplices?" Hiruzen asked and Inochi replied first.

  "I have good news and bad Lord Hokage."

  Hiruzen sighed hearing that. 'Of course there's bad news. Just my luck.' He looked at the blonde haired man and o tiell me the good news first."

  "I've gohrough the memories of Zefrek, Haroshi, Seijo and the others Kakashi's team captured. Mizuki was their tad he's the ohat supplied them with ons and shinobi gear. He's been pnning this for months. The pn was to take the forbidden scroll and leave the try. Their goal was to go to Orochimaru prote and the Scroll of Seals was their bargaining chip. It was Mizuki's pn. The team that caused havo the vilge was a distra so Mizuki could kill Naruto and the others ahe scroll. From what I've learhere is no one else involved. So we don't have to worry about araitor helping Zefrek. That's the good news" Inoichi stopped and looked at the Kage.

  "Alright. Now what's the bad news?"

  It was Ibiki who answered. "It was Mizuki's pn for them to go to Orochimaru. Unfortunately he didn't share it with his team. And when Inoichi did a Mind walk on Mizuki he came across powerful barriers and prote in his mind. And because of his unique dition I 't employ other tactics without the risk of killing him. The intelligend whereabouts he has on Orochimaru will be of great use to us. So I've refrained from any drastic measures to get your opinion, Lord Hokage."

  "That curse seal really did a number on him didn't it?" Hiruzen mumbled but everyone heard him.

  "It pletely destroyed his body. It's far different from the one used on Anko. If I had to make a guess, I'd say this seal was developed well before the one he gave to Anko." Ibiki spoke.

  Inoiodded. "Mizuki doesn't have much time. If he hadn't done what he did, I'd feel sorry for him."

  Hiruzen leaned bad thought about the predit they were in regarding Mizuki. "The barriers inside Mizuki. Do you know how long it will take you to break through them without causing any damage to his mind?" He asked the Yamanaka.

  "If I put all my focus and energy into that task, then a day or two. That's if nothing goes wrong..."

  Hiruzen looked at Inoichi and saw that there was something else the man wao say. "What is it?"

  "The barriers. It was as if they were created to specifically protect against an intrusion from a Yamanaka. Only someone from the Yamanaka could have created the barriers he has in his mind." Inoichi's fists ched as he thought about the traitor that came from his .

  "I take it you're talking about Ko Yamanaka."

  "Yes sir. He has a certain style and signature to his jutsu. I reized it. This is his work."

  Hiruzen exhaled and csped his hands together. "You're right. I have ihat says Ko Yamanaka has joined Orochimaru. Or at the very least, w for him. We'll have to capture him soon. He'll have valuable intel on that man's operations."

  "How should we proceed Lord Hokage? Shall I trate ohers while Inoichi interrogates Mizuki?" Ibiki asked and after a few seds of ption Hiruzen nodded his head.

  "Yes. I think that's best. We-"

  Before Hiruzen could plete his sentence everyone in the room felt a chakra fir and it was headed straight for them. They sehe fast approach of a strong chakra. The guards along with Ibiki and Inoichi were te Hiruzen quickly reized the chakra. "Stand down. It's Daichi."

  Only a couple seds passed after he said the words and Genin suddenly appeared in the room in a strong gust of wind.

  He was carrying a small pig that Hiruzen immediately reized as Tsunade's pet.

  "Daichi. What is the meaning of this?" Hiruzen asked in a calm tone as he looked at the boy. 'He must have a reason to burst in here like this.'

  "Lord Hokage. It's Tsunade sensei. She and Shizune were attacked by Orochimaru." Daichi's words shocked everyone in the room.

  It took a moment tister those words for Hiruzen but his eyes immediately narrowed. "What? How do you know this information Daichi?"

  The Genin took out the paper Shizune wrote and ha to the Hokage.

  Hiruzehe tents and his fists ched and anger was visible on his face. Genma sighed seeing the kage's response. "So much for resolving everything without any plications."

  "That damn Orochimaru. He knew about Mizuki's pn and used the opportunity to attack her. He knew our patrol squads would be busy dealing with the escapees. He ambushed her at the Fire try border he road to the Hidden Waterfall vilge. Aook a team with him. He's gooo far this time." Hiruzen was furious as he looked at the note.

  "Are you sure that's from Shizune?" Inoichi asked Daichi.

  The Genin nodded his head as he addressed the man. "That's Shizune Senpai's handwriting. I reize it anywhere. She also used a code that only I would know. And I'm pretty sure she wrote that in her own blood. Orochimaru has them, Lord Hokage." "Oink oink." Daichi spoke and the small pig also s head.

  "Daichi's right. This is Tsunade's pet pig. She and Shizune wouldn't leave it behind for any reason. So for it to be here…" Hiruzen spoke as he looked at the small pet.

  "Lord Hokage, If Orochimaru has attacked Lady Tsuhen do you think it's possible she's…" Ibiki didn't finish the sentence as he looked at the angry Kage.

  "She's not dead!" Daichi's strong reply brought everyone's attention to him. He looked at them and spoke with vi. "Tsunade sensei isn't someone who'll go down without a fight. She's not someone who'll die so easily. Even when fighting someone like Orochimaru."

  "But even if that's true, we have to take into at Shizune's presence. What if Orochimaru uses her against Tsunade?" Inoichi asked. He has seen such tactics used in the previous war on several occasions. Taking down a strong enemy by exploiting their weakness.

  "What's Orochimaru pnning? Why attack her? She hasn't been here for years. What is he thinking?" Genma looked at the kage and khat ohis news gets out things will beuch more chaotic.

  At that sed someone knocked on the door a few times.

  "What now?... e in." Hiruzen ordered and a masked niered the room.

  He kneeled greeting the kage and stood. He was silent as there were several others present but Hiruzen didn't have time for secrecy. "Speak. What is it?"

  On the Hokage's orders he gave the scroll in his hands to Hiruzen and spoke. "This just came in through the secret Anbu els. The two Anbu who were Kabuto's movements were killed st night. But they mao send this scroll."

  Hiruzen quickly ope ahe information and cursed in his head. 'A rge team of high level shinobi ambushed the Anbu team. Kabuto has escaped. This isn't a ce.'

  Daichi was surprised but he didn't show any outward rea when he heard that name. 'So the Hokage has already put Kabuto under iigation and observation huh. That's good. If his men had iigated Kabuto's background thhly then there is a ce that the old guys knew Kabuto was once part of Root. That's good.'

  Inoichi remembered the name Kabuto. "Wait. Kabuto? Kabuto Yakushi? Isn't he a mediin in the vilge?"

  Hiruzen nodded and spoke, shedding light ouation. "Yes. Kabuto's rank is Genin but in truth he is Orochimaru's close aide and his spy in the vilge. Last night he escaped Anbu surveilh the assistance of a rge team."

  "That's not good news. First Orochimaru attacks Lady Tsunade and now he removes his spy from the vilge. He's pnning something big." The long haired Yamanaka spoke.

  "Yes. Orochimaru is taking precautions." Hiruzen had doubts in his mind. 'Does he know? Is he simply taking a precaution or has he picked up on my team's surveilnce before tonight?'

  Daichi ksunade was alive thanks to the quest that appeared. 'If they believe she is alive then they'll be far more motivated to find her as soon as possible. But if they think she's dead they'll still iigate but they'll spend valuable time on preparing battle pns on how t down Orochimaru. Right now the most important thing is to save Tsunade.'

  Hiruzen turo Raido Namiashi and spoke. "Make sure the vilge is o. Inform the patrol squads to stay vigint. But before that, get me Kakashi, Asuma, Guy and a Jonin trag squad."

  "Yes sir." Raido nodded vanished in a swirl of leaves.

  Hiruzen walked back to his chair and sat with a heavy heart. "If anything happens to Tsunade… If he killed her…"

  "I don't think Lady Tsunade is dead, Lord Hokage." Daichi spoke, gaining his attention.

  "What makes you say that? He hates me aes the vilge. He could have goer her in the hope of hurting me and redug the strength of the vilge." Hiruzen didn't want to believe his own words but he had to be prepared for the worst case sario.

  Daichi shook his head hearing that reasoning. "From what I heard from sensei and what I learned of the man, Orochimaru is a ruthless person but he also isn't an idiot. He would know that going after sensei would mean dealing with severe repercussions. I think that's the reason he hadn't goer Tsunade sensei all these years. "

  "But he has now." Ibiki spoke up.

  Daichi turned and nodded. "Yes. And that means something's ged… Something fual. I think Orochimaru attacked Tsunade sensei and Shizune, not to kill them but to abduct them."

  "What are you thinking Daichi?" Hiruzen asked the Genin. He knew Daichi had good insight and wao know what he thought of the situation.

  Daichi let out a deep breath and focused. "There are two main reasons why Orochimaru would go after Tsunade sensei. I don't think it's to kill her. One. I think it's to use her talents. To use her medical skills for some nefarious pn he has in mind. Maybe using Shizune senpai and f Tsunade seo help with some medical experiment. Or maybe to heal someone. Someone who could be a threat to the vilge."

  Hiruzen ched his fist as she listeo the sarios. "On her own, Tsunade would never help him. But if Orochimaru threatens Shizune's life… That girl is family to her. If Orochimaru has a sword over neck…" Hiruzen sighed and closed his eyes tight. 'Damn it. This is all my fault. I should have dealt with him when I had the ce.'

  Genma sighed seeing the Hokage's troubled face. "What's the sed reason?" He turo the boy and asked.

  At that question Daichi's face became even mrim and the people in the room had an ominous feeling creeping up in their hearts. After a few moments of silence Daichi spoke.

  "Reason wo... To use Tsunade sensei as an experiment."