Hokage's Office.
Staring at the Fourth Hokage's specialized kunai and the Uzumaki Clan's Shinigami mask on the desk, Tsunade's expression was incredibly grave: "You found all of these at that battlefield?"
"Yes!"
Kakashi nodded.
Tsunade said: "Tell me your thoughts!"
Kakashi pondered for a moment and replied: "I have already consulted the Sealing Squad and personally confirmed it. This Shinigami mask was originally enshrined in the Uzumaki Clan's Storage Hall near the village. It was taken away in the last two days and then left on that battlefield."
The Third Hokage stepped forward, picked up the Shinigami mask, and examined it: "Correct, this is the Shinigami mask made by the Uzumaki Clan, and it corresponds to the Shinigami with whom the contract is signed in the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' forbidden jutsu scroll in the village archives!"
Tsunade asked: "Then what is the function of this mask?"
The Third Hokage shook his head.
Clearly, the Third Hokage was not clear about the function of this Shinigami mask. In his eyes, the Uzumaki Clan's 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' was an unsolvable jutsu.
Putting down the Shinigami mask, the Third Hokage then picked up the Fourth Hokage's specialized kunai on the table, rubbing the characters 'Blade of Ninja Love' on it: "It's his kunai!"
The 'he' in the Third Hokage's mouth undoubtedly referred to the Fourth Hokage.
Kakashi nodded slightly: "I just went to the Ninja Tool Storage. Minato-sensei's ninja tool scroll is no longer there!"
"Could it be that the Fourth Hokage..." Saying this, Tsunade shook her head again: "How is this possible? Didn't he use the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' and have his soul sealed inside the Shinigami's body? Did someone rescue his soul from inside the Shinigami?"
Kakashi said: "If only Minato-sensei's soul was rescued, it would be impossible to leave this 'Blade of Ninja Love' on the battlefield. So I suspect someone used 'Impure World Reincarnation' on the Fourth Hokage, just like Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage to the Ninja World."
Tsunade's face was gloomy: "It couldn't be anyone other than Orochimaru. It must be that guy's doing!"
The Third Hokage's face was also not looking good.
Orochimaru repeatedly desecrated the deceased Hokage, which greatly embarrassed him, the teacher who had cultivated Orochimaru.
Utatane Koharu frowned slightly: "Kakashi, you said there were also large traces of 'Wood Release' left on the battlefield. Doesn't that mean the First Hokage's 'Impure World Reincarnation body' is still under Orochimaru's control?"
Mitokado Homura questioned: "How is this possible? Didn't the Sealing Squad already seal the 'Impure World Reincarnation bodies' of the First and Second Hokage?"
Kakashi sighed: "The sealing must have failed!"
Utatane Koharu was furious: "Damn it, how could they make such a low-level mistake? The Sealing Squad must be investigated thoroughly!"
Mitokado Homura agreed: "Correct! I propose a comprehensive screening of the Sealing Squad. If there are Orochimaru's people inside, they must be cleared out!"
"Mhm!"
Tsunade nodded.
If the Sealing Squad merely made a mistake this time, then dismissal or disciplinary action would be taken as appropriate; there was nothing more to say. What she truly worried about was that there were spies planted by Orochimaru in the Sealing Squad. If so, as the two advisors said, this spy must be caught as soon as possible.
Next, Tsunade looked up at Kakashi: "It is said that a dried corpse was also left at the scene?"
Kakashi replied: "Yes, it has been handed over to the Medical Squad for analysis!"
At this time, Shizune hurried into the office holding a document: "Hokage-sama, the Medical Squad has completed the analysis of the dried corpse. This is the report."
Taking the report and glancing at it, Tsunade became thoughtful.
The report clearly stated that this dried corpse had been dead for at least five years. The cellular tissues were completely withered, with no vitality, making it difficult to even extract biological information. However, judging from physical characteristics and clothing, this dried corpse was very likely Orochimaru himself.
This was undoubtedly contradictory, because Orochimaru was serving his sentence in prison just a few days ago.
Collecting her thoughts, Tsunade immediately informed the high-ranking officials in the office of the report's content.
After listening, everyone had different expressions.
"Orochimaru is dead? Cause of death?"
Utatane Koharu murmured while looking at the others.
Tsunade said: "Temporarily undetermined."
Mitokado Homura looked puzzled: "Then who did it?"
Kakashi, who had been to the scene, said: "It is very likely that Orochimaru used 'Impure World Reincarnation' to summon the First, Second, and Minato-sensei to the present world. And the only one in the entire Ninja World who could defeat three Hokage is probably the Akatsuki organization!"
Even if they were 'Impure World Reincarnation bodies', they were still three Hokage.
Let alone ordinary forces, even the Five Great Ninja Villages would find it difficult to win without ample preparation.
So, it was self-evident who the enemy Orochimaru faced was.
Mitokado Homura asked again: "Why would the Akatsuki organization fight Orochimaru at this time? Could it be for..."
"The Nine-Tails!"
Everyone shuddered in unison.
"How would the Akatsuki organization know that Orochimaru could undo the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' and attack him immediately to snatch the Nine-Tails?" Pausing, Tsunade analyzed: "This great battle is no coincidence. There must be some cooperation between Orochimaru and the Akatsuki organization. It's even possible that the Akatsuki organization secretly intervened in his prison break this time!"
Connecting the clues one by one, Tsunade quickly reconstructed the ins and outs of this mysterious battle.
Everyone nodded one after another.
As soon as Orochimaru broke out of prison, he immediately took the Shinigami mask from the Uzumaki Clan's Storage Hall and rescued the Fourth Hokage's soul, followed by a great battle with the Akatsuki organization. Explaining all this as mere coincidence simply didn't make sense.
So it was basically certain now that the Akatsuki organization had targeted the half of the Nine-Tails sealed inside the Fourth Hokage from the very beginning. That was why they assisted Orochimaru in breaking out of prison and participated in the whole process of Orochimaru breaking the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' and rescuing the Fourth Hokage's soul.
Only after everything succeeded did the Akatsuki organization turn against Orochimaru and snatch the Nine-Tails!
Having sorted this out, an important question lay before everyone: whether the Akatsuki organization had successfully snatched that half of the Nine-Tails inside the Fourth Hokage.
If the Akatsuki organization had already taken away that half of the Nine-Tails inside the Fourth Hokage, Naruto, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, would be much safer. However, the Akatsuki organization's strength would undoubtedly be further enhanced, and the life-and-death battle between the Ninja Alliance and the Akatsuki organization would become even more difficult.
And if the Akatsuki organization failed to take away that half of the Nine-Tails inside the Fourth Hokage, then the village's immediate priority was to find Orochimaru as soon as possible to ensure that the half of the Nine-Tails inside the Fourth Hokage would not fall into the hands of the Akatsuki organization.
Although unwilling to admit it, at this moment, all the village high-ranking officials present realized that Orochimaru had become an important link in determining the outcome of the future great war...