Upon hearing Team 10's defection declarations, the three clan heads of Ino-Shika-Chō felt their brains short-circuit.
Wait...
What did they just hear???
Defecting... from Konoha?
And joining Amegakure?
The Third Hokage, Asuma's father, wore an expression so twisted it resembled a steamed bun. At this moment, he was utterly bewildered.
Had Asuma not appeared in the footage, the Third would have suspected the Ino-Shika-Chō clans of secretly colluding with Amegakure to overthrow Konoha.
Yet, Asuma was there—the squad's jōnin instructor.
The thought of Asuma, the Hokage's son, leading the future successors of Ino-Shika-Chō to defect from Konoha and openly declare allegiance to Amegakure left everyone involved at a loss.
The Third remained silent, puffing away at his pipe. Shikaku kept glancing anxiously at the Hokage, desperate to convey that this had to be some misunderstanding.
No one else dared speak or continue watching the footage, all silently studying their shoes instead.
Pretending nothing had happened.
Even their breathing became cautious.
"The footage is compromised," the Third muttered between puffs, his face lined with worry. It was an excuse—for himself and everyone else.
If they pursued this...
Konoha would become the Shinobi World's biggest laughingstock.
"As expected of the Third Hokage," Shikaku chuckled, offering praise before sharing his observation.
"Shikamaru's eyes reflect someone else... Clearly, Team 10 was coerced."
The room collectively exhaled in relief, as if saved. Even those feigning ignorance now wore expressions of "I knew it."
For a shinobi village, defection was the gravest crime. Once branded a traitor, the ANBU would hunt them down relentlessly.
An entire squad's betrayal would bring unparalleled shame to the village.
At least now, they could justify Team 10's actions as forced—understandable under threat of death.
"Asuma may be a fool, but defection... He'd never do it."
"The bond between us as father and son, his ties to the village—they're unbreakable."
After a pause, the Third defended his son. The Ino-Shika-Chō clan heads promptly applauded, affirming the Hokage's reasoning.As parents and leaders of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, they firmly believed their children would never willingly commit the heinous act of deserting the village.
Other clan heads quickly followed suit, praising the Hokage's wisdom while cursing the despicable tactics of Amegakure for attempting to test the bonds of Konoha.
Ridiculous!
Bonds were the strongest force in the world!
How could they possibly be severed by Amegakure's underhanded schemes?
The office atmosphere shifted from eerie silence to palpable agitation.
Perhaps this was one reason why the Uchiha clan always faced discrimination in Konoha.
Had Uchiha Fugaku been present today...
He would undoubtedly have objected to some of the Hokage's statements.
Despite the heated emotions, the video playback continued uninterrupted.
When the Third Hokage's name echoed from the speakers, beads of sweat formed on every forehead.
"Damn you Sarutobi Hiruzen! I've had enough of you peeping at women's baths with your crystal ball every single day!"
"You old pervert********"
Asuma's rapid-fire delivery packed three minutes' worth of insults into one, with crystal-clear enunciation ensuring every word reached the audience.
Pure, unfiltered emotion - zero technique required.
The raw anger in his expression, the venom in his tone, and the creative profanity no one knew he possessed all planted a disturbing thought:
This Asuma...
Didn't sound coerced at all???
The Third Hokage always considered himself thick-skinned, but hearing his peeping habits exposed by his own son brought his first true experience of social death.
"Ahem..."
"Let's all understand... Asuma was under life-threatening circumstances..."
The Third's drawn-out pause prompted Shikaku to intervene: "Understandable."
"Leading three genin on a mission... Asuma likely acted under threats to his team..."
Even Shikaku sounded unconvinced, recognizing Asuma's genuine fury.
"Old bastard! I've been wanting to say this!"
Right on cue, Shikamaru's voice joined the chorus, first with standard Hokage-bashing before airing his father's dirty laundry.
Ino and Choji followed suit, shattering whatever comfort the leaders had offered the Hokage moments earlier.
Several contemplated issuing S-rank assassination missions.
Finally, the Third "accidentally" spilled water on the projector, easing tensions.
After a long silence, he redirected the discussion.
"Amegakure... is formidable."
"Recall all outbound teams immediately. No delays en route."
Shikaku frowned at this.
"If memory serves..."
"Team Seven left days ago?"
His concern was valid - that squad boasted three Sharingan users and the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.This team composition is bound to draw the attention of the Hidden Rain Village.
Hearing this, everyone realized the severity of the situation. The Third Hokage quickly dispatched elite jonin from the village to the Land of Waves to search for Team 7...
Meanwhile.
Team 7, currently on a mission in the Land of Waves, had just finished their first clash with Zabuza.
Sasuke stared at the mist-hidden ANBU ninja in the tree, then glanced down at the man who appeared dead on the ground, his brows suddenly knitting together.
"You can take the corpse."
"But..."
"I'm going to stab it ten more times."