Chapter 400: The Third Kazekage Disappears

In the quiet halls of Konoha Hospital, the sterile smell of antiseptics lingered in the air. The rhythmic beeping of medical equipment provided a steady backdrop to the soft murmurs of nurses tending to their patients.

Obito Uchiha slowly blinked open his heavy eyelids, his vision adjusting to the pale light of the hospital room. As his senses returned, a familiar and comforting face came into view.

"Obito, you're finally awake!" Nohara Rin exclaimed, a relieved smile spreading across her face.

Obito groaned softly, trying to sit up but feeling the soreness radiating through his body. He recalled fragments of his last conscious moments—Minato-sensei carrying him, his battered body barely holding together after the exhausting Chunin Exams.

"How long was I out?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Three days and two nights," Rin replied, her tone tinged with both concern and reprimand. "You were so reckless this time."

Obito chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I had to give it my all," he said, but his expression quickly turned serious. "Wait, what about the results of the exam? Did they come out?"

Rin giggled at his sudden urgency, her amusement lighting up the room. "Congratulations, Obito," she said warmly. "You're officially a Chunin of Konoha."

Obito's eyes widened in disbelief before a wide grin spread across his face. But his excitement didn't stop there.

"Then Rin must have made Chunin too!" he exclaimed. "What about Shisui? And his fight with Guy? What happened there?"

Rin chuckled again at his rapid-fire questions. "The match between Shisui and Guy was declared a draw," she explained. "But with their strength, it was clear they both deserved to pass."

Obito let out a whoop of joy. "That's amazing! Everyone in our class made Chunin!" His enthusiasm was contagious, and even Rin couldn't help but smile.

"What about Minato-sensei and Shisui?" Obito asked after a moment, his excitement giving way to curiosity.

Rin's smile faded slightly. "Minato-sensei was assigned an emergency mission yesterday," she said. "And Shisui was recalled by the Uchiha clan. It seems he's no longer part of our team."

Obito's face fell, but only briefly. "Well," he said with a determined grin, "even if we're not in the same class anymore, we're still comrades of Konoha. That will never change."

Rin nodded, her heart warmed by his optimism. She stood, brushing off her tunic. "You must be starving. I'll get you something to eat."

As she left the room, Obito leaned back against the pillows, his mind racing with possibilities for the future.

A few days later, at Konoha's ninja equipment distribution center, Obito tossed his newly acquired Chunin vest into the air with childlike glee.

"Hehe, now I'm officially a Chunin!" he declared proudly, puffing out his chest as he glanced at Kakashi Hatake, who stood nearby with his usual stoic expression.

"Oh," Kakashi responded flatly, his tone devoid of emotion.

Obito's jaw tightened in frustration, but before he could retort, Rin stepped between them, her soothing presence diffusing the tension.

"Now that everyone in our class is a Chunin, let's continue to work hard together," she said with a bright smile.

Though neither boy responded, they both turned their heads slightly, a silent truce formed in Rin's presence.

As winter descended upon Konoha, the chill in the air became a constant reminder of the changing seasons. The village buzzed with the usual activity, but an undercurrent of tension began to creep in.

In the Hokage Building, the atmosphere in the large conference room was heavy with unease. More than a dozen of Konoha's elite had gathered, seated around a long table with Hiruzen Sarutobi at its head.

Hiruzen's Hokage hat cast a shadow over his solemn expression as he produced a file from the stack before him. Passing it to Tsunade, he said nothing, letting the information within speak for itself.

Tsunade's golden eyes scanned the document, her brows furrowing deeper with each passing second. "This can't be true," she muttered, her voice trembling slightly.

Her reaction drew the attention of everyone in the room. The file made its way around the table, each person's face reflecting the same disbelief.

When it reached Minato, his piercing blue eyes flickered with a mixture of understanding and concern. "It's happening," he thought, a chill running through him as he skimmed the report.

Once the document returned to Hiruzen, the Hokage looked around the table. His voice was grave as he addressed the room. "This news is difficult to believe, even for me. But the intelligence department has been compiling this for over a month. It is unlikely to be baseless."

The file detailed a shocking development: the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure had disappeared.

Gasps filled the room as the implications sank in. The Kazekage was not just the leader of a hidden village but one of the strongest shinobi in the ninja world.

"How could such a powerful figure vanish from his own village?" Hatake Sakumo asked, his voice laced with incredulity.

The room fell silent as the weight of the situation settled over them.

Hiruzen continued. "What's more concerning is that a suspect has emerged—a young puppeteer named Sasori, the grandson of Elder Chiyo. At just fifteen years old, his skill rivals Chiyo's. This makes him the prime suspect in the Kazekage's disappearance."

Tsunade's hands clenched into fists. "A fifteen-year-old capable of such a feat? That's absurd!"

Orochimaru, seated nearby, added his own analysis. "Most puppeteers rely heavily on poison. Given that Sasori was the Third Kazekage's personal guard, it's likely he used some form of treachery."

Minato listened quietly, his mind piecing together the puzzle. Unlike the others, he knew this wasn't just speculation. The disappearance of the Kazekage wasn't a rumor—it was a fact.

Hiruzen's voice cut through the tension. "This development has dire implications. If Sunagakure's internal turmoil becomes public knowledge, the other great nations will exploit the situation, possibly reigniting large-scale conflict."

The words hung heavy in the air. Everyone in the room understood the unspoken truth: the Third Great Ninja War was looming on the horizon.

"We must be cautious," Hiruzen said firmly. "From now on, any ninja leaving the village on missions must avoid direct confrontation with Sunagakure at all costs."

"Understood," the room echoed in unison.

Minato's gaze remained fixed on the table. His thoughts swirled with concern not just for Konoha but for the countless lives that would be caught in the storm brewing on the horizon.

As the meeting adjourned, the chill of winter seemed to seep into every corner of the Hokage Building. The fate of the ninja world hung by a thread, and Konoha prepared itself for the inevitable chaos to come.

The Third Kazekage's disappearance was only the beginning.

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