Konoha, Ushima family.

It is a two-story residential house with a slightly larger area. It is surrounded by a wide courtyard wall. There are a large number of flower pots placed in the courtyard. Since it is winter, the flowers planted in the flower pots have basically withered.

Covered with white snowflakes.

At this moment, this two-story residential building is being blocked by security personnel. In addition to Tenzo, a trusted jounin, there are also two groups of eight ANBU ninjas accompanying Tsunade.

When we arrived at the living room of Ushima's house, we could see the blood stains on the floor and walls.

There were several kunai stuck on the sofa in the living room, and there were a few more shurikens fixed on the blood-stained wall.

Not only that, the tea table, which was originally used to place things, was burned by the fire, and some places were burnt black.

There is also a hole in the floor in the center of the living room, which is a mark of flames.

Tsunade just glanced at it, and with her years of eyesight, she understood that these traces were leftover from the fire escape technique.

"Something strange..."

Not paying attention to the security personnel who were here to survey the scene for traces, Tsunade pinched a handful of black ash on the floor. The burned floor had already cooled down.

"It's a bit strange." Tianzang also nodded and glanced around casually. He also found many abnormalities: "Judging from the battle scene, Ameshima Ninja should have encountered a strong opponent here.

, many places in the living room were damaged. However... the people around did not notice it at all. It was not until the ANBU patrol did they discover what happened here."

Generally speaking, this is simply impossible to happen.

In such a fierce battle, the noise must be huge, and it is impossible not to attract the attention of the people around you.

The fact is that until the ANBU arrived, residents said there were no unusual sounds coming from here.

More importantly, Amejima is a jounin of Konoha Village. Although his level is still at a special jounin level, he has also reached the threshold of jounin.

Ninjas who have reached this level should have enough time to ask for help from the outside even if they encounter a surprise attack by a Jonin.

Moreover, the fighting time at the scene seemed a bit long, which proved that the Ameshima ninja was not controlled by the enemy in the first place, but that he was subdued by the enemy after a fierce battle.

Therefore, the Ameshima ninja had full time to ask for help from the patrolling Anbu and together they could subdue the attackers.

"Are you sure that when the fighting broke out here, no one around you was alert?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly and asked again.

"Sure."

Tianzang nodded.

He asked the ANBU and security force personnel in charge to ask this question more than ten times, repeatedly confirming the testimonies of surrounding residents.

"If that's the case, then there's only one possibility. This place has been blocked with magic, and there seems to be a fierce battle. From the outside, it looks very normal here."

Tsunade guessed like this.

This is the only guess that is consistent with the current situation.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain that the traces of battle here would be so intense that outsiders would not notice it.

"A complex illusion barrier that blocks vision and sound, and disrupts illusions..."

Tianzang was speechless.

In this way, the person who made the move was very strong. Among jounin, the strength was also extremely strong.

Moreover, he is proficient in enchantment and illusion, and can easily perfectly combine the two techniques to achieve the effect of blocking outsiders' vision and sound.

In this way, in the eyes of outsiders, the place was naturally calm and calm, and Amejima Ninja could not ask for help from the patrolling ANBU until he defeated the enemy.

"Hokage-sama, what should we do next?"

Tenzo asked.

Tsunade frowned and thought, within a few days, so many people had disappeared, including chuunin and a jounin... To be honest, the seriousness of the incident was escalating.

It must be resolved as soon as possible before panic is created.

However, no matter how you think about it, there seems to be no connection between these consecutive disappearances.

And why did the attackers make these people disappear?

Judging from the report, there was no loss of property here, and all kinds of valuables were well preserved. It can be seen that it was not a money crime. Moreover, it is not worth it to commit such a big battle and commit a money crime. It is a bit overkill.

"Keep following up."

After thinking for a moment, Tsunade couldn't understand the connection. The disappearance of all the people was extremely strange.

A vendetta? Or simply want to cause panic in the Konoha village in order to take revenge on Konoha?

"So, Vice President Asami's side..."

Tianzang hesitated for a moment.

This serial disappearance case really needed to be followed up, but in this way, he would not be able to be distracted by investigating matters in the medical department.

"I will handle it personally over there, and I will hand it over to you for follow-up investigation. Find the whereabouts of the missing persons as soon as possible. You must see the people alive, and you must see the bodies after death."

Tsunade said.

"I see."

Tianzang's expression became serious and he nodded.

◎

Sitting on her own desk, Masumi Asami scanned the documents in front of her and tapped her fingers on the tabletop, pretending to be thinking.

Her attention was not on the report on the medical condition of the wounded before her, but on the safety of the main members of her team.

Although the "disappearance" case successfully misled the Anbu's investigation direction, turning the members' voluntary disappearance into disappearance after being attacked. In this way, the root of the problem is not the missing person, but the reason that caused the person to disappear.

On the mysterious attacker.

And this mysterious attacker actually does not exist at all.

When investigating a non-existent person, no matter how experienced Konoha Anbu is, they would never imagine that this is an evacuation operation. It is just disguised as a serial disappearance in order to avoid suspicion.

Most of the personnel have been safely evacuated... only a small half of the personnel are left. As time goes by, the intensity of dark patrols will increase. Whether it is communication or evacuation, the next steps will become more and more complicated.

The more complicated the steps, the slightest carelessness may arouse the ANBU's suspicion.

Unfortunately, she no longer had any cards in her hand to attract the attention of ANBU and Hokage.

Being stared at by ANBU all day long, she could feel ANBU ninjas lingering nearby even when she was taking a break or sleeping... From the Hokage's point of view, her suspicion had risen, and it was unknown how long she could sustain it.

It might be tomorrow, it might be the day after tomorrow, or it might be that he is suddenly surrounded by Anbu and arrested and imprisoned in the next second... But what is certain is that it will not be over until this month at the latest.

The space for maneuver is getting smaller and smaller.

If you continue to sit still and wait for death, will you fall into passivity? Asami Masumi is not thinking about this possibility, but thinking about how to deal with this possible incident.

That bastard superior, shouldn't he keep the general here at this time? Thinking of this, Asami Masumi couldn't help but complain.

If the general was still in Konoha, things would be much easier.

Talking about upgrading the 'system' for the clones regularly, asking her to wait a few more days... If there is plenty of time, it doesn't matter. The key now is to race against time.

The letter also said that if unfortunately she was caught, he would take rescue measures, saying that there was no need to worry... Has it been assumed that she would be caught?

This feeling made Asami Masumi feel as uncomfortable as having relatives come.

◎

"Ah sneeze!"

Shiraishi sneezed without warning in the laboratory, picked up a tissue from the side and wiped his mouth and nose.

"What's wrong, Teacher Shiraishi? Is it because you have a cold?"

Lin, who was adjusting the machine, heard sneezing from behind and turned her head to ask.

Shiraishi threw the paper towel into the trash can and piled it with the discarded experimental materials.

"No, maybe someone was cursing me behind my back."

Shiraishi said this.

His eyes fell on the machine that Lin was adjusting.

The floor-standing transparent cylindrical building is about the size of a standard single room in a house. The bottom is a control machine with a display screen and buttons on it. It is about the height of an adult.

In the transparent cylinder above, an earth-yellow creature that resembles a humanoid curls up quietly, soaking in a green solution full of vitality, quietly sucking in this energy to nourish its body.

It was his doppelgänger, General Tu.

"That's right. Teacher Shiraishi is outside now, but he is an abomination to humans and ghosts. Moreover, the more famous a person is, the more valuable his head is. In the future, Teacher Shiraishi should be more careful when going out. Keep an eye on your head.

Not only the other big countries, but also some desperadoes want to get your precious head."

People die for wealth and birds die for food. This is a famous aphorism that remains unchanged throughout the ages.

In this world, it is not just the big countries that control ninja weapons. In the invisible shadows, there are countless ninjas who want to take away Shiraishi's 'golden head'.

After all, the reward is two billion taels, which is a lot more than the total bounty on the heads of the Five Shadows.

As long as you take this head off, you will have no worries about food and drink for the rest of your life.
To be continued...