The Disappearance of Chiba

Chapter 41: The Disappearance of Chiba

Suddenly, Rosa laughed hysterically, seemingly unfazed by his injuries, as he placed his hands on the sand.

A brilliant light emerged from the sea of sand, enveloping both Chiba and Rosa.

"What's happening?" Chiba exclaimed.

Boom!

In an instant, Chiba felt himself being pulled by a spatial force as if being transported to another location. Simultaneously, Rosa vanished.

"Where did they go?"

"They both disappeared."

"Is Chiba dead?"

The three on the mountain wall, Fujiki, Shizuka, and Asuma, witnessed this bewildering scene, their expressions filled with shock.

"How did they vanish?"

Fujiki couldn't believe her eyes as she scanned the surroundings but found no trace of them.

Shizuka felt a sense of sadness, believing that Chiba must have been incinerated, otherwise, why would he disappear?

Only Asuma noticed the clues.

"No! It must have been a combination of Summoning Technique and enchantment just now."

But their disappearance left them with no other choice. The three hurriedly descended from the mountain wall and headed back to the village.

As for their mission, without Chiba, they dared not continue.

Meanwhile, in the conference room of the Hokage building...

Sarutobi Hiruzen was in a good mood today. He had resolved his son's employment issue and now Chiba was no longer in the village. He believed that with Chiba gone, Asuma and the others would be safe.

Four individuals sat in a circle, discussing when to launch an attack on the Land of Rain and establish a second front channel.

Hiruzen cleared his throat, signaling the start of the meeting.

"Our strike force has been assembled, and I believe we should act promptly," Danzo spoke directly, feeling the urgency to open a second front against the Land of Rain.

The Sand Shinobi have been reinforcing their troops on the frontlines, and it is crucial for us to establish a second front.

"In your opinion, Homura?" Hiruzen turned to Mitokado Homura, knowing his deductive skills were valuable.

"I believe we have lost our advantage," Homura began, collecting his thoughts. "Hanzo of the Rain Village not only informed us but also notified the Sand Village. As a result, the Sand Shinobi might have the same plan as us..."

"Our surprise attack may not be effective. I suggest abandoning the element of surprise and opting for an open attack."

Homura's analysis wiped the smile off Hiruzen's face. Danzo and Koharu also wore unhappy expressions.

The unanimous decision to raid the Land of Rain was now being challenged, and the proposed change to an open attack seemed daunting. Were there enough ninjas in the village?

As they observed the reactions, Homura realized he was outnumbered, but he stood firm in his opinion.

"I stand by my recommendation. If we proceed with a surprise attack, we may fall into traps set by the Rain Shinobi and the Sand Shinobi. We could potentially lose our defense line on the Kingdom of Rain's border, and the consequences would be disastrous."

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Interrupting the discussion, hurried footsteps echoed outside the meeting room.

Homura ceased speaking, while Koharu and Danzo turned their attention to the door. Hiruzen also glanced over, finding the frequency of interruptions during meetings unusually high. He recalled being interrupted in the previous meeting.

Bang!

The meeting room door swung open forcefully.

"No, Chiba has been abducted by the Sand Shinobi!"

...

When Sarutobi Hiruzen and the high-ranking officials arrived at the sea of sand, they were astonished by the scene before them.

"With such a vast expanse of placer gold, it can only be Rosa," Danzo remarked softly.

However, his comment went unnoticed by the others.

There was no doubt that only Rosa the disciple of the Third Kazekage, could manipulate placer gold. This fact was well known to everyone present.

"Did Chiba create this mountain wall?"

Danzo's voice rose slightly as he gazed up at the towering structure. The feces that covered the wall had now disappeared, leaving it indistinguishable from a normal mountain surface.

"Yes, Master Danzo! If it weren't for this wall, all three of us would have perished," Asuma replied, expressing her deep gratitude towards Chiba.

"Hiruzen, it seems Chiba's mastery of Earth Style surpasses yours," Danzo remarked, noticing that Hiruzen remained silent.

"Tell me exactly what happened when Chiba disappeared," Sarutobi Hiruzen demanded.

And so, the three narrated the events, each providing their account of what transpired.

"Concealment Barrier and Reverse Summoning Technique!"