My Brother's a Jinchūriki!

Chapter Eighty-Six- Trust and Tactics

A small sound awakened Hiruzen and his eyes opened and he turned to look at the open window, where an ANBU agent knelt.

"Pardon the intrusion, Lord Hokage. But there is something you must see right away. It's regarding the Abe incident."

The old man sat up and nodded, then stood to put on his Hokage cloak.

"By all means, lead the way."

----

The masked man led the Hokage to a small room in the ANBU compound and the old man blinked at the woman there.

"Kiri. You've returned."

"Lord Third." She bowed her head and stepped aside to reveal a young girl wrapped in a blanket.

"Who is this?" Hiruzen took a step toward the girl, who was trembling and wide-eyed.

"This is Kanna." Kiri answered softly. "She's a survivor."

"Survivor?" He repeated and closed his eyes briefly. "I take it that the situation was graver than we had thought."

"You could say that." Kiri bit her lip and knelt to touch the girl's shoulder. "It's alright. You're safe here, and Lord Hokage is a kind man. You don't have to worry."

Kanna nodded and Kiri looked back at the Hokage.

"Yuuri told me that you would recognize this right away." Kiri carefully moved the blanket from the girl to reveal her neck and the man's eyes widened.

"That mark..." His expression shifted and his brows furrowed as he met the girl's eyes. "How did you receive that mark?"

"I-I don't know." Her lip quivered. "The other kids and I... our heads were covered. I heard them scream and cry... and then something bit my neck." She bit her lip and her eyes watered. "It hurt so much... I thought I was dying."

"Did you hear any names spoken?" The old man pressed. "Did you see any faces?"

"N-No..." The girl shook her head. "After a long time, someone did come back in... he took off our hoods and looked at us." She swallowed. "But... I was only half awake, and my vision was blurry... so I didn't see what they looked like. He said that the others were dead and that I was dying. Someone in the doorway called us failures, and they left. After that... I fell asleep but I thought that I really died..."

Kanna turned to Kiri and wrapped the blanket around herself more tightly. "Where's Koji? Can I see him now?"

"Koji?" He raised his brow and met Kiri's eyes.

"Her brother." Kiri answered. "Another survivor."

"Brother?" Hiruzen repeated. "Does he also possess a mark?"

Kiri shook her head. "He's only a baby."

"I see." The man frowned and stroked his beard. "This is more serious than I had thought. If he is behind this... we must not be careless and allow any stone to go unturned."

"You." Hiruzen glanced over his shoulder to the masked man, who dropped to his knee and bowed his head. "Have a room prepared in my estate for this girl and her brother to stay in. They are to be fed and examined right away, and select four from your team to guard them. Then, gather team Ro. They are to immediately go to the Abe estate. This incidence has been escalated to S rank."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." The man stood.

"Also... have Anko Mitarashi come to me as soon as you can." Hiruzen clasped his hands behind his back. "We will need her expertise."