Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

Chapter 140 Next time, use the best offering for the monkey.

(Bonus chapter 5/6, please subscribe)

Ignoring his brother's self-pity, Tobirama Senju began to inquire in detail about the situation in Konoha Village.

He believed that with such an outstanding Fifth Hokage selected, Konoha Village must have had a very smooth history.

But as Xia Zuo narrated, Tobirama Senju first froze, then his face twitched as if he had been hit on the little toe by a hundred-pound hammer.

It's heartbreaking.

Even the carefree Hashirama Senju stopped wallowing in self-pity.

The two brothers stared wide-eyed, exclaiming repeatedly in surprise.

Hashirama: "What? The monkey didn't send reinforcements, just watched the Land of Whirlpools perish, and let the Uzumaki clan wander the ninja world?"

Hashirama & Tobirama: "What? The Senju clan's elite ninja went to provide support, and they were all wiped out?"

Hashirama: "What? Nawaki is dead?"

Tobirama: "What? Sakumo committed suicide?"

Hashirama: "What? The Fourth Hokage was killed by the Nine-Tails? How is that possible? How could the Nine-Tails kill a Hokage?"

Tobirama: "What? The monkey has regained the Hokage position and is going to continue as the Third Hokage?"

Hashirama: "What? The monkey? The monkey allowed Shimura Danzo and the outside enemies to annihilate the Uchiha clan?"

Hashirama Senju was furious: "Tobirama! What kind of trash did you choose as the Third Hokage? And that damned Danzo, why didn't you kill him when you died?"

Tobirama Senju gritted his teeth: "I was so damn blind!"

The two Hokage were so angry they were practically fuming, their bodies trembling as the Edo Tensei (impure earth) scattered.

The collapse of their impure bodies signifies that their time has come, and they are about to return to the Pure Land.

Tobirama Senju pulled Natsume back: "Don't kill Orochimaru, let him properly improve the Impure World Reincarnation technique—"

""

"Next time, next time wake me, my brother, and Hiruzen all together, remember that!"

Hashirama Senju comforted his younger brother, saying, "Don't be angry. We're all dead now, and Konoha has welcomed its best Fifth Hokage. All the disasters are over."

Tobirama Senju wouldn't listen to a word he said. He emphasized again, "To awaken that bastard Hiruzen, we must use the best sacrifice—the kind that can be resurrected even after dying a hundred times!"

Seeing the Second Hokage grinding his teeth, Xia Zuo nodded and agreed to his request.

When Tobirama Senju saw that Natsume had agreed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned into a pile of filthy ashes.

Hashirama Senju shook his head, then smiled and made his request: "Fifth Hokage, if possible, prepare a better offering for me next time, and we'll have another proper fight."

Xia Zuo laughed and said, "First Hokage, I will become even stronger by then, and you will definitely not be my match."

Hashirama Senju laughed as he turned to ashes.

After seeing off the two Hokage, Xia Zuo calmly used Wood Release.

[Wood Release: Natural Recovery]

He released his chakra in the gentlest way, controlling the proportion of trees, shrubs, and grass, and preventing the trees from growing too large.

At the same time, Xia Zuo expanded the range of the Wood Release technique until all the affected land was covered.

Afterwards, he returned to the Konoha ninjas and was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from them.

"Long live the Fifth Hokage!"

"Konoha Village is the best in the world!!"

Amidst the fervent cheers, even the prisoners from the Sound Village revealed a hint of fanaticism in their eyes.

Xia Zuo raised his hand to quiet everyone down, and everyone immediately fell silent.

He looked at Orochimaru and said, "I originally wanted to go back to the village to see you, but since I've seen you here, I'll ask you all the questions I need to ask right now."

"Orochimaru, is there more to your reasons for defecting? Did you kill those Konoha ninja who were brutally experimented on?"

Orochimaru let out a hissing, hoarse laugh: "Of course there's more to it than meets the eye. I didn't kill a single Konoha ninja."

"You should know that all the experiments I conducted were approved by the village, and the materials were also provided by the village."

"I have so many experiments to do, where would I find the time to hunt ninjas?"

"Besides, my experiments require living people. Dead corpses are of no use to me, and I don't eat human flesh."

Xia Zuo nodded, changed his form of address, and asked again, "Orochimaru-senpai, when you defected from the village, did you have any shady dealings with the village that prevented them from sending ninjas to hunt you down?"

Orochimaru sighed, "Yes, but my teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, is dead, and I have no evidence to prove it."

Xia Zuo smiled slightly and changed his form of address again: "Lord Orochimaru, would you be willing to return to Konoha Village?"

Orochimaru paused for a moment, then smiled and asked, "What kind of treatment will I receive if I return? What if I don't want to return to Konoha?"

Xia Zuo smiled broadly: "Lord Orochimaru, if you return to Konoha, I can grant you special permission to reinstate your rank as a Konoha Jonin."

"You don't have to take on any combat missions, but you will be responsible for research on ninjutsu, the human body, and the mysteries of chakra. You can conduct your own personal research when you have time, and the village will not interfere."

"For research tasks assigned by the village, all expenses will be borne by the village. For your own research, you will naturally bear the expenses yourself, but of course you can also sell your research results to the village."

Then Xia Zuo's smile faded, and he said, "If Orochimaru, you are unwilling to return to Konoha, then I will have no choice but to consider you a rogue ninja and take your head back with me."

"Of course, I will then collect all the children you have placed the curse mark on, either kill them or remove the curse mark to prevent you from being resurrected."

"That's ruthless, Fifth Hokage, but it makes sense."

Orochimaru, seemingly unconcerned, inquired about the question that truly concerned him: "I'd like to know, when I conduct my own research, can I utilize the village's resources to purchase equipment and supplies?"

Xia Zuo agreed without hesitation: "Of course."

Orochimaru asked again, "Then one last question: what will happen to my children?"

Xia Zuo chuckled and said, "The children Orochimaru collected are all very talented. I will accept them as Konoha ninjas."

"Of course, those under the age of 12 must attend the Ninja Academy."

Orochimaru asked in surprise, "Fifth Hokage, some of these children are from the Kaguya clan. Aren't you afraid the Hidden Mist Village will cause trouble?"

Xia Zuo sneered, "I am the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. Why should I care about Kirigakure's attitude when I do things?"

"If the Mizukage is unhappy, he can keep it to himself, but if he dares to make a sound, I will beat him until he shuts up."

Orochimaru sighed: "I'm fine now."

"Fifth Hokage, I choose to return to Konoha and become a Konoha ninja once again."

Xia Zuo waved his hand, signaling Uchiha Shisui to release Orochimaru's restraints.

Then he pulled out a headband he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and handed it to Orochimaru with a smile: "Welcome back, Lord Orochimaru."

As Orochimaru's identity changed, all the prisoners were transformed into Konoha ninjas or students of the Ninja Academy.

Then the Konoha ninjas regrouped and quickly left the Land of Rice Fields.

Such a massive war that alters the landscape cannot be concealed, even if it takes place in the heart of the Land of Fire, let alone in the Land of Fields.

When Xia Zuo and his group returned to Konoha, the Tsuchikage Onoki of Iwagakure and the Raikage A of Kumogakure both received the information.

The Fourth Raikage sighed and said to Tsuchikage, "It seems that the Fifth Hokage didn't use his full strength when he fought us last time."

"If he were to use this technique of unleashing a thunderstorm from the sky, ninety percent of the Cloud Village ninja would probably be killed or injured."

Tsuchida sighed, "I've always felt that the First Raikage's last words were too desperate and despairing."

"Now I actually feel like I can understand the First Generation."

"But there's good news too. The Fifth Hokage, Natsume, not only has strength close to that of the First Hokage, but also personality. He seems to be actively avoiding killing more people."

"Lord Raikage, if we just be patient, we'll eventually see the Sixth Hokage."

"Konoha will always produce another idiot like the Third Hokage."

The Fourth Raikage shook his head and said, "How old was the First Hokage when he became Hokage? The First Raikage only waited 12 years, and his energy and spirit were completely destroyed by the waiting."

"The Fifth Hokage isn't even 18 yet, I definitely won't live to see him die, but can the Fifth Raikage live to see him?"

"If the Fifth Hokage had served as Hokage for 50 years straight, would Kumogakure have become the village begging and pleading to join Konoha?"

Tsuchida was stunned. He offered a half-hearted attempt at comfort, saying, "Probably not. There will always be determined Cloud Village ninjas who will step forward. Cloud Village won't be so despondent."

The Fourth Raikage scoffed, "To leave one's life and hope to fate is not in the nature of a Kumogakure ninja!"

"Accelerate the research on 'Earth Platform, Chakra Cannon,' and 'Heavenly Delivery Technique.'"

Tsuchida was a little confused: "Ah, Raikage-sama, why are you speeding up the research on these two?"

The Fourth Raikage replied irritably, "The 'Heavenly Delivery Technique' allows me to intercept the Fifth Hokage at any time, while the 'Chakra Cannon' can blast us both to death while I'm entangled with the Fifth Hokage."

"I, the Raikage, am no match for the Hokage, and my successor will not be such a prodigy. But we must have a means to take down the Fifth Hokage together."

"Only by taking the Fifth Hokage's life can we find a way to protect Kumogakure."

Tsuchikage had nothing more to say. He stood at attention and bowed, saying, "I understand, Fourth Raikage. I will do my best to supervise them."

After reading the intelligence, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, collapsed weakly onto his desk.

When his granddaughter, A Heitu, came in, she saw the old man using his desk as a bed, rolling around and wailing, complaining about everything.

"Damn old man, he just won't listen to my orders as the Tsuchikage, and he still wants to leave the village and live in seclusion!"

"If it weren't for the fact that we're classmates, I would have killed you long ago, treating you like a rogue ninja!"

"Alas! My foolish disciple, why couldn't you think straight?"

"Who the hell instilled this idea in you that explosions are art? You bastard."

"Deidara, you brat, hurry up and come back to be my Fourth Tsuchikage!"

Suddenly, the pen holder that had been knocked over rolled right behind the Third Tsuchikage, making a crisp "crack" sound.

Onoki immediately let out a bloodcurdling scream: "My back! My back! I've twisted my back!"

Kurotsuchi quickly stepped forward, lifted her grandfather off the table, and called for a medical ninja to treat the Tsuchikage. After some fuss, the Third Tsuchikage returned to his office, lay on the stretcher, and continued to handle various tasks.

But his complaints continued: "Sigh, Konoha has produced some amazing ninjas. He defeated that kid, the Fourth Raikage, and even kicked that old guy, the Third Hokage. It's really enviable."

"If only there were a young ninja like this among the Iwagakure ninjas, who could plot a coup and oust me from power, how wonderful that would be."

"I don't even expect him to be as good as the First Hokage. If he's even just a little bit stronger than me, I'll happily step down to him."

"I'm not like that idiot Hiruzen Sarutobi, who's almost 70 years old and still fighting for power with a 17-year-old, forcing people to drown him in a pond."

"Oh, no."

"I trained Deidara myself, yet he has absolutely no ambition and runs off to pursue art!"

"I'm 73 years old, can't I retire?"

Kurotsuchi spat inwardly. Despite the Third Tsuchikage Onoki's constant complaining, he hadn't actually "given up" to him.

"Retirement" and "decentralization" are just empty words.

If a ninja similar to the Fifth Hokage were to actually appear, this old man would definitely jump up and down shouting, "This is outrageous!" "This is unbecoming!" and then beat the person to death.

How did Deidara become so twisted?

It was all because the Tsuchikage, Onoki, was pushing Deidara too hard. Not only were his studies demanding, but he also gave him no privacy whatsoever, driving Deidara to the brink of insanity.

Fortunately, Deidara only became a mentally ill artist, not a mentally ill explosion demon, otherwise Iwagakure would not have been able to survive.

Kurotsuchi sighed softly. "Grandpa is an old stubborn man, Dad is a big idiot, and my senior brother is a mentally ill artist. None of the men in Iwagakure can be trusted."

The future still depends on my Heitu!

The Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure received the information a little later, but he learned about the battle on the third day. He was also informed of Orochimaru and Tsunade's return to Konoha.

With Jiraiya still staying in Konoha, all three legendary Sannin have actually returned.

With three more top-tier Kage-level ninjas suddenly appearing, Konoha Village's strength is simply outrageous.

The Fourth Kazekage sighed. The decline of Sunagakure was too severe; only he, Chiyo, and Ebizo remained as Kage-level ninjas.

Apart from the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, who is still in his prime, the Chiyo siblings are both nearly 70 and should have retired long ago.

In two years at most, I will be the only Kage-level ninja left in Sunagakure.

At that point, Sunagakure would be unable to withstand any further turmoil and would have no room for maneuver. A slight misstep could cause it to fall out of the ranks of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

Luo Sha stood up, hurriedly left the office, and headed to the secret base outside the village to check on his son's progress in adapting to his Jinchūriki.

As long as Gaara can adapt to and master the power of the One-Tailed Beast, even if he is only 10 years old, he will have the strength of a Kage-level ninja, enough to provide a guarantee for the village.