Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

Chapter 193 Madara: Sigh, Hiruzen! Black Zetsu is going to help the Hokage train! Reactions from other hidden villages (10,000-word chapter)

Madara Uchiha stared at Ah-Huo with a strange expression.

This sentence kept repeating in my mind:

He's been included in textbooks, and in a positive way at that!

Madara Uchiha shook his head slightly.

Why do I feel like I'm under an illusion?

I'm a little confused.

"What—" Madara Uchiha opened his mouth and found that his voice was a little hoarse.

He coughed forcefully, calmed himself for a moment, then turned around and asked in a nonchalant tone, "Oh, I see. So what exactly happened? I think there's a conspiracy involved!"

"A conspiracy? No way, Lord Madara—" Ah-Huo scratched his head.

Of all the White Zetsu, Ah-Huo now has a unique job: gathering intelligence in Konoha.

With Uzumaki Shio, Kushina, the Hyuga clan, and the Nine-Tails joining Konoha's surveillance network, the White Zetsu's movement was severely restricted, as any movement or malicious intent would reveal their presence.

So at most, he'll just wander around the Uchiha clan.

But Ah Huo is different—

Because it harbors no ill will towards Konoha and is also quite clever.

Therefore, he can disguise himself with an ordinary face and walk undetected in most public areas of Konoha.

When Madara Uchiha learned of this, White Zetsu Akane's reply was quite clever: "How could I possibly harbor ill will towards the village that Lord Madara built with his own hands?"

But the truth is, Ah-Huo kept pondering Hiruzen Sarutobi's fireside conversation—

Ah Huo thinks it can actually be considered a Konoha ninja—

If Lord Ban really understands, wouldn't it be easy to give it a formal position?

"Lord Madara, the Third Hokage posted your biography on the village bulletin board, emphasizing that you were a key decision-maker in ending the chaos in the ninja world and the founder of Konoha—"

"It's not that you betrayed the village back then, but rather that you had a disagreement with the First Hokage about the village's philosophy and development, and you had a dispute in the style of the Warring States period, which is the so-called Battle of the Valley of the End."

White Zetsu Ah-Huo tried hard to recall the words on the notice board, and polished them slightly: "The Third Hokage said that your demands back then were not wrong in a strict sense. Due to some historical reasons, the idea and actions of ninja clan integration at that time were indeed a bit hasty, ignoring the objective feelings of the Uchiha and other ninja clans."

"It also shows a lack of respect for your status as the founder of Konoha—"

Upon hearing this, Madara Uchiha's feeling of being under a genjutsu not only didn't dissipate, but actually intensified—

Is this Hiruzen Sarutobi's definition of his history?

Anyone who didn't know better would think that Izuna had become Hokage, otherwise how could someone write something so touching about him!

Tobirama Senju really went too far back then!

He constantly whispered behind Hashirama's back about him and the Uchiha clan, inciting other ninja clans to oppose him.

When it comes to the merits of building Konoha, Tobirama Senju is not qualified to compare with himself!

Madara Uchiha's lips had just curled up in a smile when he suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

broken!

Didn't I just send the Sky Ninja to attack Konoha two or three months ago?

This matter has become—

A complex mix of emotions welled up within Madara Uchiha.

However, White Zetsu A-Huo was unaware of this and continued to faithfully report the situation of Konoha to its Madara-sama.

"Your story is also included in the ninja academy's textbooks—"

"It's said that you opened your eyes very late, but it's not because you lack talent. Rather, it's because you forced yourself to keep your emotions in a stable state in order to protect your people—"

"You earned a formidable reputation during the chaotic Warring States period. Though you have a cold demeanor, you are warm-hearted. You always pretend to be casual while silently observing the development of your people, which has led to some misunderstandings and people finding you somewhat unapproachable."

"But actually, your personality is one of being firm yet not outspoken, gentle yet not submissive, fearless of the powerful and undignified, and never insulting the proud and widowed"—White Zetsu Ah-Huo awkwardly repeated these two sentences.

"They also told a few little stories about you—"

White Zetsu Ah Huo repeated.

For example, when Madara Uchiha saw a little girl fall down on the road, he rushed over to help her up, but the little girl was so frightened by Madara's murderous aura and eyes that she burst into tears.

Some worried that Madara might misunderstand, but Madara waved his hand and said, "Why would an adult argue with a child? What worries me is how to handle my disagreement with Hashirama—"

Where will Konoha's future lead?

Madara Uchiha blinked hard.

He really remembered what happened between him and that little girl back then—

Hashirama was also there at the time—

But did he actually say that?

"Um--

"That's exactly what I was thinking at the time—"

"Hmm—" Madara Uchiha was slightly tipsy from listening; it was the first time he had experienced the power of positive public opinion.

If Tobirama Senju had those skills and that kind of dedication—

It wasn't that he couldn't sit down and have a proper talk back then.

It's a pity that Project Eye of the Moon is in the works now, sigh!

"Your photos and sculptures are displayed in the corridor of the Ninja Academy. Many Ninja Academy students say you look very cool and handsome, and many Uchiha clan members are excited that you can reappear in Konoha."

White Zetsu Ah Huo said this while observing Madara's expression.

"What's the point of caring about appearance? It's just a useless shell; beauty and ugliness are the most meaningless things!"

Madara Uchiha waved his hand and subconsciously began his Sengoku-style criticism.

But his hands honestly straightened his clothes, as if Konoha ninja academy students were watching him.

Which Uchiha doesn't love beauty?

As the clan leader, he simply cannot emphasize this point too much.

"What a mess this is—"

Before anyone knew it, Madara Uchiha had stood up and was pacing back and forth.

He was a person who paid great attention to etiquette and dignity. The Hyuga clan was a powerful clan with a history of thousands of years, but wasn't the Uchiha clan the same?

The way Hiruzen Sarutobi treated him made Madara Uchiha feel a little guilty for a moment.

White Zetsu Ah Huo pressed on, saying, "Lord Madara, the Third Hokage paid a heavy price for your reputation—now that your reputation has improved, many people have some opinions about Tobirama Senju."

"Although there is an invisible hand suppressing such voices, I know the streets and alleys of Konoha like the back of my hand, and I always hear people talking about it while drinking—"

Even Hyuga Hizashi once said, "The Second Hokage has done some things that were inappropriate—"

Madara Uchiha coughed heavily, a mix of inexplicable emotions swirling within him.

To study Hiruzen Sarutobi, one must naturally study those around him.

In Madara's eyes, Hyuga Hizashi was just like Setsuna was to him—a loyal henchman.

His thinking means that Hiruzen Sarutobi also thinks the same way!

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not actually have this intention.

However, after he shouldered the enormous doubts surrounding Tobirama Senju, he was naturally able to exploit Tobirama's fact that he was dead to make some moves.

The teacher won't care.

Try using Tobirama's name to soften Madara's heart, thus buying Konoha more time to develop.

For Hiruzen Sarutobi, regardless of whether Madara is Madara or not, this is a sure-fire way to make money, so he might as well give it a try.

"Is this the whole village speaking up for me?"

"This feeling—"

Madara Uchiha stared at his hands. Even though he was once in the Uchiha clan, he was more respected and feared than loved.

Hiruzen Sarutobi cleverly employed a promotional technique.

That means those whose identities cannot be revealed are essentially dead, and dead people cannot speak. Therefore, under the premise of doing what's best for the village, they can be appropriately altered—

Clearly, the treatment of the blemishes pleased the original person.

Madara Uchiha paced back and forth, lost in thought.

White Zetsu Ah-Huo carefully observed Madara's expression and said cautiously, "However, the Third Hokage also said that we should learn from what happened between you and the First Hokage, and that when comrades encounter problems, they should sit down and talk it over first—"

"Otherwise, it will hurt our loved ones and please our enemies!"

Madara Uchiha paused in his steps.

After a moment, he slowly spoke, "Ah Huo, some things can't be said with words—if Konoha's future can truly defeat the Eye of the Moon Plan in Hiruzen Sarutobi's hands, then you must prove it to me with actions and strength!"

"It is meaningless to indulge in short-term peace. I will not make things too difficult for Konoha. I am reasonably testing the vitality of the Will of Fire, and I am considering it from a long-term perspective."

White Zetsu and Ah Huo nodded as if they understood.

It previously thought that Madara was being a bit extreme, making things awkward for both sides when there was nothing wrong with it.

However, in the past few days, White Zetsu Ah-Huo has seen some ninjas in Konoha who have already implemented the aerial ninja's flying tools, forming a de facto airspace. It feels that it has finally understood—

Lord Madara is helping Konoha in a special way!

It's just that I'm too awkward to say it directly, although there is definitely an element of testing involved.

White Zetsu Ah Huo pondered that maintaining the status quo for now would be best.

But if Madara were to ever go to extremes, it might be possible for it to use its own methods to remind the Hokage—

Ah Huo has worked so hard for this family!

"Lord Madara, what did the Hokage mean by his evaluation of you?" Ah-Huo asked, looking humble and eager to learn.

Ah Huo meant "neither yielding nor succumbing," and "not fearing the powerful, nor insulting the weak and vulnerable."

Madara Uchiha chuckled; he liked Hiruzen's cultured air.

In this respect, he is much better than Hashirama!

Hashirama, the thing I like to do most when I'm with him is laugh like an idiot.

It's cute, but it's not exactly presentable.

"Fearless and unyielding in the face of power, and never bullying the weak—" Madara Uchiha raised an eyebrow and patiently explained to Ah-Huo.

These are all self-praises!

Ah Huo said gratefully, "Thank you, Lord Ban!"

"Go, bring me some wine!"

Madara waved his hand; he still liked this White Zetsu who loved learning.

This gave him the feeling of having a pet.

"Why is it a small cup? Go and get a large one!"

Ban boldly downed the wine in one gulp, wiped his mouth dry, and exhaled a long breath.

His eyes sparkled with wonder.

"The world has misjudged me, Uchiha Madara, even Hashirama, but Hiruzen has not—"

"Furthermore, has Hiruzen discovered something? He doesn't seem to have been fooled by my illusion; I have a feeling he's interacting with me in this way—"

Madara Uchiha pondered.

The two of them were really exchanging secret signals—

He threw out the Impure World Reincarnation technique to imply that he was Tobirama, but Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately restored his reputation—

Could this be a coincidence?

Madara Uchiha couldn't be sure either.

This feeling of intellectual battles fought from afar made Madara Uchiha unconsciously curl the corners of his mouth.

"That was so much fun!"

"Now that's something to be considered interesting—"

Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes: "However, since Hiruzen has done this, then something needs to be changed—"

Ban kept it to himself, without saying it aloud.

But deep down he knew that the bond between him and Konoha had been quietly reconnected at this moment.

Therefore, the upcoming tests will still maintain stringent standards.

After all, the battle between Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Will of Fire is of paramount importance, but we still need to be careful about the methods and approaches – after all, we're all on the same side!

Madara Uchiha drank bowl after bowl of sake, constantly savoring Ah-Ho's words as he drank, which had a unique flavor to it.

He has already made up his mind—

I'll find a day to go to Konoha myself, take a walk, and have a look!

"Next—"

"I will only give Hiruzen a maximum of one year."

"Starting with Kirigakure, the flames of war will soon ignite in Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure as well—"

"Hopefully he can do better."

Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes: "This is an external conflict. Although Hiruzen did a relatively good job internally, he may not have handled some unexpected factors well."

"The spokesperson plan can still come in handy. I can use that brat Obito as my puppet and let Hiruzen understand that the hearts of people in the ninja world are unpredictable—"

"You can admire him today, but tomorrow you might be turning against him!"

Madara Uchiha pondered Obito, then turned his gaze to the ninja academy students who had graduated from Konoha's Golden Generation.

"Compared to the adult ninjas, these boys are the ones who can be molded. We need to let them know the cruelty of the ninja world, but it's too early now—"

Madara Uchiha looked up at Kinkaku and Ginkaku, then shook his head.

Sending them, along with Hozuki Gengetsu and Mu, to ambush Konoha's newly graduated ninjas has even made the ninja world's Shura a little uneasy.

This isn't a test, this is just looking for trouble.

He's still too young to see things clearly—

"Let's use me as the standard."

"In three to five years, these younger generations of Konoha will experience the coldness of the ninja world. Reality doesn't always provide them with equally matched opponents—"

Madara glanced at Kinkaku and Ginkaku, listening to them curse Tobirama Senju, and found Hiruzen Sarutobi increasingly amusing.

There are too many fools.

After Hashirama's death, only when he played Go with Hiruzen could he find that same wondrous state of fighting as Hashirama—a battle of equal strength that never truly ended, a state of mutual understanding and rivalry.

However, Madara didn't want to be killed by Obito's generation.

Similar to the methods used against the Eighth Generation, but only manifested in battle.

Madara felt it was unnecessary to let these boys who worshipped him and spoke up for him be killed by powerful figures from other villages.

This was merely to lay the foundation for these children and their Jonin leaders to support the Infinite Tsukuyomi—

He's also good at intellectual debates!

While Ban was drinking.

In the shadows, Black Zetsu quietly listened to Madara and Ah-Huo's conversation from the corner, feeling a little uneasy.

What's wrong with Ban?

Don't you know you need to team up?

If you really want to complete the Eye of the Moon Plan in one fell swoop, shouldn't you use the Sky Ninja as your base, gather these Six Paths Puppets, and then seize the opportunity to start a Ninja World War while the major hidden villages are fighting each other?

Black Zetsu will also find a way to make Madara Uchiha's body able to support the Ten-Tails.

All we need is to briefly connect with our mother on the moon through the Ten-Tails, so that she can descend using our body!

But what is Ban doing?

"This is like handing over the Sky Ninja's technology to Konoha—"

"What kind of nonsense is this? If you're going to fight, fight as a team! What's the point of sending them all rushing in one by one? Are you using Konoha as a whetstone?"

If Black Zetsu weren't outmatched by Madara, he would have grabbed Madara by the collar and given that old man a good dressing down.

But even Black Zetsu couldn't do anything about it.

Madara, at this moment, is unaware that there is a way in the ninja world to further restore his youth.

So overall, the idea is still to conquer Hiruzen Sarutobi and use Konoha to achieve the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Furthermore, Black Zetsu only has some ideas about Madara's body at the moment, and has not yet put them into practice.

Given its identity, even if a solution is found, a suitable opportunity needs to be presented to Ban, otherwise it will arouse suspicion.

"Ban's thinking has changed."

"His resolve towards Infinite Tsukuyomi is wavering; if he continues down this downward spiral, he might even give up!"

Black Zetsu, a veteran of the ninja world for a thousand years, saw through Madara's current state of mind at a glance.

"That Hiruzen Sarutobi is rather terrifying—"

"His methods are just like mine; he's far too adept at dealing with the reincarnation of Indra! He was completely fooled by Uchiha Madara from afar—"

"Moreover, his talent is also very strange. He was able to synthesize a chakra bloodline limit after birth, and it's even dual—no, if you include the technique that cancels ninjutsu, it should be triple!"

"His physical strength is also increasing rapidly, almost surpassing the range of a normal ninja—"

With the situation having developed to this point, it would be difficult for Black Zetsu not to notice Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The reforms this man implemented in the ninja world were something Black Zetsu hadn't seen in the ninja world for a thousand years.

In terms of strength, he has forged a new path that transcends the bloodlines of the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki clans—

Black Zetsu thought that if Ashura had possessed Hiruzen Sarutobi's skills back then, Indra would probably have shouted, "Little brother, you did a great job! I support you!"

It can be said that some reincarnated beings with poor talent could achieve a combat strength that, in Black Zetsu's assessment, was roughly the same as Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Reincarnations of Asuras and Indras like Hashirama and Madara are actually rare.

The chakra of these two individuals only serves as a stimulus and boost, not quite reaching the level of "marrow cleansing," as they still need to conserve some energy for the next reincarnation.

Suddenly, Hei Jue's heart stirred.

It considered another possibility!

"Wait a moment--"

"I fooled Madara Uchiha with the Sage of Six Paths' stone tablet, so maybe I can fool Hiruzen Sarutobi too?"

"I inherited some information from my mother—"

Black Zetsu's eyes lit up; it became somewhat excited, having come up with an idea to bet on both ends—

"I incorporated some of my mother's memories, which I had synthesized into the Bloodline Limit, into the Sage of Six Paths' stone tablet, but it specifically required the chakra of each Tailed Beast to fuse them together—"

"Isn't Hiruzen Sarutobi known as the 'Professor of Ninjutsu'? I sense an ambition for power in this man's actions; he's definitely not just after peace—"

"Although no one knows about bloodline limits, a ninja like Hiruzen Sarutobi, who can synthesize his own bloodline limits, must be able to see this boundless power within it—"

"Faced with such supreme power, who could resist the urge to pursue it?"

"Hehehehehe—" Black Zetsu laughed silently, thinking of Hiruzen Sarutobi's experience again.

A pitiful person tormented by the position of Hokage, after having a change of heart, suddenly rises up and will never give up the idea of ​​pursuing higher levels of power.

Besides, it's only natural for a Hokage to want to become an immortal.

And if Hiruzen Sarutobi listens to it, begins collecting the chakra of various tailed beasts, and tempers his physical body as Black Zetsu instructed, and achieves some success—

Even without the Gedo Mazo, and even though the absorbed tailed beast chakra wasn't all of it—

As long as the fusion of the tailed beast chakra reaches a certain level and Hiruzen Sarutobi's physical strength reaches a certain benchmark.

Black Zetsu could then use the trump card Kaguya gave him to set a trap and implant a special mark into Hiruzen Sarutobi's body, so that Kaguya in the moon would respond to this power and descend into the ninja world in the body of a Hokage!

Two conditions are required to revive Kaguya.

One requirement is that the offering's physical strength is high enough, otherwise it would be difficult to withstand the process of Kaguya's descent.

Another requirement is to have enough tailed beast chakra or the Gedo Mazo as a wedge to serve as the coordinates for Kaguya's consciousness to anchor.

By doing this, although Kaguya didn't regain all her power, she didn't actually activate Infinite Tsukuyomi—

However, given Madara's aged and weakened state, and the absence of Ashura's reincarnation, the other ninjas were nothing more than chickens and dogs—

Black Zetsu felt that his mother's power was enough even without the Ten-Tails.

Without the Rinnegan, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not resist Kaguya's corruption.

In short, speeding through the Ninja World is no problem!

The posture wasn't perfect, but there's nothing that can be done about it.

Moreover, Black Zetsu felt he could still turn against them.

If Madara Uchiha is too useless, then send the Gedo Mazo to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The Hokage has too many talented people under his command, including those who can help him use the Gedo Mazo and assist him in his training!

"However, we shouldn't have too high expectations for Hiruzen Sarutobi's training—"

Black Zetsu calmed himself down.

Its concept and understanding of "bloodline limit" comes from Kaguya's subconscious, so it is not clear, only vaguely remembered.

We can only hope that Hiruzen Sarutobi is truly a genius who found a way to contain and fuse the chakra of multiple tailed beasts from incomplete fragments of information.

And it can further refine its bloodline limit towards the direction of Bloodline Link, although at most it's just a beggar's version—

"Let's give it a try! It's just a minor move anyway—"

"I don't care whether Madara Uchiha or Hiruzen Sarutobi becomes stronger."

"I just want to bring my mother back to life—"

I miss you so much—

In the pitch-black cave, illuminated only by a few lights, Black Zetsu, with his millennia of experience, gazed in the direction of the moon and sent out his longing to Kaguya, a sentiment that of a wanderer.

Black Zetsu knew in his heart that if he missed Madara Uchiha, there would be virtually no hope for his mother's resurrection plan.

Black Zetsu became anxious when he noticed the change in Madara's mindset.

However, with only one chance to make a move, there isn't much of a solution.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi—"

"Perhaps it's a product of my mother's blessing; the fact that he, a mere mortal, has reached this point is proof of it—"

Black Zetsu prayed silently in his heart.

It's also running out of ideas.

It was only through Madara's intervention that Konoha became the most hidden village in the ninja world, capturing the tailed beasts in a jar and casting them into Hiruzen Sarutobi's body as a sacrifice.

Thinking about it carefully, Black Zetsu realized that Hiruzen Sarutobi might be more efficient than Madara, at least not to the point of dragging it out for fifty years.

"This matter is not suitable for the prime minister—"

"I'll make a trip to the Uchiha clan's territory right now!"

Black Zetsu respectfully said to Madara Uchiha, "Lord Madara, I would like to make a trip to Konoha. Didn't you say you wanted to test Hiruzen Sarutobi with Obito? I'd like to see what the White Zetsu are up to—"

"Um.

""

Madara Uchiha waved his hand: "Fine!"

That night, Black Zetsu altered the Six Paths Sage's stone tablet overnight.

This time, the content isn't something only the Mangekyou Sharingan can see—

Black Zetsu lay dormant beneath the stone tablet.

Whenever an Uchiha clan ninja approaches, the stone tablet will glow brightly, revealing the altered text and attracting their attention, which will then be reported to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

To some extent, Black Zetsu, like White Zetsu, is very familiar with Konoha's system and understands the hierarchical reporting mechanism of Konoha committee members.

#

Hidden Cloud Village.

The Fourth Hokage, A, slammed his fist on the table, his face serious, and said, "Father, Konoha has no choice but to fight!"

The Third Raikage nodded and narrowed his eyes.

Although he was physically extremely strong, he was actually a meticulous person beneath his rough exterior: "This attack on Konoha by the Sky Ninja was something we didn't expect—"

"This isn't an attack; it's clearly the Sky Ninja eagerly handing over technology to Konoha!"

The Fourth Hokage, A, said anxiously, "Although the Sky Ninja wouldn't give the original technology to Konoha, Konoha has the possibility of reproducing it from the ninja tools that were shot down in those wars!"

"Damn those air ninjas, why don't they attack Kumogakure? If they did, Killer Bee's Tailed Beast Balls could blast a few of them down. With Kumogakure's technological prowess, we could develop a powerful air force in a few years!"

The Fourth Hokage, A, was incredibly envious of the idea of ​​the Sky Ninja attacking Konoha.

The Cloud Village has a penchant for plundering the secret techniques of smaller hidden villages, and they are always the ones who take the initiative to attack and plunder. However, doing this too often will attract the attention of non-ninja.

Under the guise of helping the smaller villages, Iwagakure will use the pretext of helping Kogakure to launch an attack on Ikumogakure, but in reality, it's to seize the spoils from Ikumogakure's allies.

But if the air ninjas attack first, that's a different story—

Eat it all up without any guilt!

In the eyes of the Fourth Hokage A, although the ninjas of Kumogakure were all his brothers, even if some people were lost in the process of obtaining the Sky Ninja Technique, it was all worth it.

Because his father, the Third Raikage, would be the first to charge at Ken, he had a clear conscience.

"That's Konoha after all, a village that has produced the Shura of the Shinobi World and the God of Shinobi, and has many ancient noble clans."

The Third Raikage waved his hand and said with a sigh, "If a small village wants to become famous, it must find the strongest target to establish its reputation. Wasn't Hanzo of Amegakure the same?"

"Even for us, every time a major ninja war breaks out, the various hidden villages will briefly unite to try and see if they can tear a piece of flesh from Konoha and the Land of Fire—"

"It's no exaggeration to say that even if we only ate one piece of the Konoha clan's Well Ninjutsu, it would be enough to feed us for several years, not to mention the wealth of the Land of Fire—"

The fourth-generation Ai nodded reluctantly.

That's definitely the truth.

If he were the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, he would also choose to attack Konoha to gain fame and rise to prominence in one fell swoop—

"But you're right."

"Konoha's development is astonishing."

The Third Raikage said in a deep voice, "Judging from the feedback from the Anbu ninja, the combat strength of the Konoha ninja has significantly improved compared to previous years, and their personnel quality and combat experience are both very strong—"

"The ANBU of Konoha, Inemoto, has become even more troublesome, with the addition of ninjas from Kurama, Hyuga, and Uchiha, indicating that Hiruzen Sarutobi has further resolved the internal affairs of Konoha's swarm."

"Not only that, their style has also changed a lot. They decisively attacked Kusagakure without incurring a bad reputation, and somehow they have allied with Amegakure to strengthen the northern defenses—"

The fourth-generation Ai had a gloomy expression.

Tsuchikage, standing nearby, added, "Lord Raikage, the 'Sacred Land Pill' that Konoha has created is very attractive to the nobles of the Land of Lightning—"

"We can still control it for now, using the name of the State and the Hidden Village of the Well, but the nobles' thirst for health won't disappear, and it will only get more and more troublesome in the future—"

"Smuggling has occurred on the border with the Land of Rain. Some nobles from the Land of Lightning have been making private purchases and even promoting them on a small scale. This has been dealt with seriously by His Majesty."

Tu Tai's expression was also very unpleasant.

The health benefits of "Holy Elixir" were a fatal attraction for nobles.

After the cooperation between Konoha and Amegakure, this site of three major battles, bordering various hidden villages, transformed into Konoha's northern stronghold.

"Konoha is indeed capable of causing trouble; Hiruzen Sarutobi is a formidable Hokage."

"The terrifying power of this Holy Land Pill is no less than that of forbidden techniques like Impure World Reincarnation or Mutual Explosion Tags. It's incredible that Tobirama Senju could teach such a disciple who excels at open schemes—"

The Third Raikage clicked his tongue.

This isn't right—

If it were someone like Hiruzen Sarutobi or Tobirama Senju, with a more insidious and malicious style, the Third Raikage would find it easier to deal with, and it wouldn't be as troublesome as it is now.

However, as a normal health and medical product, the nobles' desire to purchase "Holy Land Pill" is reasonable. The forced embargo was largely due to the consistently good relationship between the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning and the Hidden Cloud Village.

"We can't let Konoha continue developing like this. We need to find a way to stop their pace of development," the Third Raikage said thoughtfully.

"Should we make the first move?" Fourth Generation Ai asked instinctively.

"It's best not to. Whoever strikes first will definitely be met with the strongest counterattack from Konoha. They'll be the first to stick their neck out." Ideally, it would be Iwagakure, Sunagakure, or Kirigakure that makes the first move.

Tu Tai shook his head: "However, they might think the same way."

What did the Third Raikage sigh about?

Logically speaking, in the first Shinobi World War that broke out after Hashirama Senju's death, if the other four great hidden villages had worked together to attack Konoha, they would have had a real chance to fight the strongest hypothetical enemy, the Shinobi.

However, this is unrealistic. At best, for a short period at the beginning, the four hidden villages could barely maintain a certain level of cooperation and launch a joint offensive against Konoha.

However, if the situation changes even slightly, and Konoha holds firm or any faction reveals a weakness, a surprise attack and a fierce battle will immediately erupt, turning the ninja battlefield into a chaotic free-for-all.

The four hidden villages are all enemies!

It's only because Konoha produced Uchiha Madara and the Land of Fire had such abundant resources that even the initial alliance wouldn't have happened.

Let's wait and see.

"If no one makes a move within two years—no, a year and a half—then I'm willing to talk to Onoki!"

The Third Raikage narrowed his eyes: "I believe that shorty must be thinking the same thing. If we drag this out until Konoha produces another Madara Uchiha or a bad-tempered Hashirama Senju, then we're finished—"

"Furthermore, given this trend, facing Hiruzen Sarutobi's slow and steady offensive, we probably won't even need such a phenomenal ninja to emerge; we'll fall further and further behind."

The Hidden Cloud Village, or rather the entire ninja community, believes in the principle that the weak will lose everything.

Therefore, in the twisted logic of the Ninja Seats, it makes no difference whether Konoha becomes good and attacks them.

Tsuchikage looked at the Third Raikage with reverence.

This is their shadow—

For the sake of the greater good, even the hatred for Iwagakure could be temporarily set aside—

Although they will definitely break the agreement later.

Hidden Rock Village.

Onoki and Kyoto had a similar conversation, almost identical to that of the Third Raikage.

"If no one makes a move within a year and a half, then I'll be willing to have a chat with that barbarian!"

"Yes, Father!"

In Sunagakure, however, the situation is quite different.

"Why would we attack Konoha? Didn't we sign a peace treaty?"

"We can cooperate with Konoha like Amegakure did. Rasa, you're being too reckless! The losses the village suffered in the last Shinobi World War are still uncompensated!"

Yekura loudly rebuked Donoki and Rasa, who had similar thoughts.

During the Kusagakure incident, Pakura witnessed Konoha dismissing ninjas from various villages instead of taking them prisoner, and she became very interested in Konoha from that time onward.

As a hardworking and dedicated Sunagakure villager who always takes on various tasks, Yekura also heard about the changes in the dam and infrastructure construction in Amegakure after the cooperation between Izumi and Konoha.

In her view, there is also room for cooperation between Sunagakure and Konoha.

"You're so naive, Yekura!"

"Hanzo of Amegakure has already spread the word that we started the Second Shinobi Seat, and the ninjas of Miyabi are very hostile towards us. Besides, your thinking is as ridiculous as that of a genin!"

Rasa slammed his fist on the table, rebuking Yekura without mercy: "You actually believe the Ninja Seats are cooperating? Let me tell you, whatever Amegakure is taking now, it will give back ten times that amount to Konoha in the future!"

"You think you can cooperate between hidden villages? What kind of Sand Village Jonin are you?! If you didn't have some experience, I'd even suspect you're a Konoha spy!"

"Do you know how tempting that Sacred Land Pill from Konoha is to the nobles of the Land of Wind? That money was originally earmarked for Sunagakure's budget, but Hiruzen Sarutobi is trying to take it!"

Unlike Iwagakure and Kumogakure, the relationship between the Daimyo nobility of the Land of Wind and Sunagakure was not harmonious.

Therefore, Rasa occasionally needs to use his special Magnet Release technique to pan for gold for the sake of the village.

The Third Kazekage watched this scene with icy eyes.

He supports Rosa.

The reason is simply that after the Third Kazekage learned about Konoha's birth policy, he also made a call for it in Sunagakure, but received very little response.

Unfortunately, the environment in Sunagakure and the Land of Wind was too harsh, and the Third Kazekage didn't actually provide any real financial assistance, only making a symbolic gesture with a few words.

Ninjas are not fools.

However, in order to attract the attention of the Third Kazekage, Rasa, while mining for gold, had a son with his wife, named him Gaara, and said that he would make him the future Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Beast for Sunagakure!

He would treat his son with the strictest methods, all for the sake of Sunagakure—

While this method was certainly deliberate and extreme, it was effective for the Third Kazekage in this vast desert.

"Yakura, you're thinking too simply—" the Third Kazekage said indifferently.

Chiyo, who was standing nearby, also supported the Third Kazekage. Her son and daughter-in-law, Ki, had been killed by Sakumo, and from the perspective of old-school ninjas, it was impossible for her to choose to cooperate with Konoha.

Sunagakure is one of the five great hidden villages, and it has its own ideals. What kind of thing is it to become a vassal of Konoha?

Sasori, standing to Chiyo's side, coldly observed the scene and scoffed, "Boring—"

Sasori was already suffering from the internal strife within Sand Village to the point of no return.

He's been thinking about finding an opportunity to kill the incompetent Third Kazekage.

Sasori believed that it was the Third Kazekage's incompetence that caused his parents to die on the battlefield, and the news of Amegakure's propaganda about the start of the Second Shinobi World War also reached his ears—

That war was started by the Third Kazekage!

A person who starts a war may not be bad, but someone who loses is definitely problematic.

What Sasori didn't know was that he had already been targeted by the biggest mastermind behind the Ninja Seats.

Madara plans to personally recruit him soon, using Sasori as a pawn in his manipulation of Sunagakure's political situation.

"Rasa, you'll regret this!"

After being heavily criticized by everyone, Ye Cang angrily slammed his fist on the table.

"Yakura, I am the ninja who stands alongside the Third Kazekage!"

Luo Sha slammed his fist on the table without backing down: "Mind your place!"

Yekura glared at Rasa with resentment, ignoring the attitude of the Third Kazekage, Ii Chiyo, and strode away from the meeting room of Sunagakure, clearly very angry.

The Third Kazekage narrowed his eyes, pretending not to see anything, and said calmly, "Rasa, when your child is a little older, you'll have to try to see if he can inherit the power of the One-Tailed Beast—"

"Fukui Naoshi refused to cooperate with the village until his death. Now the One-Tailed Beast is stored in the thousand-year-old tea cauldron of the Wind Temple. We cannot let the village continue to lack the power of the Tailed Beast."

"Remember this: our tailed beasts weren't bought, they were captured by Lord Retsuto himself! We must not waste the treasure that Lord Kazekage left for the village—"

"You are very good, much better than some ungrateful ninjas. You have the mindset of a Kazekage."

Luo Sha immediately stood at attention and loudly proclaimed, "I am willing to share the burden for Lord Kazekage!"

After the meeting ended, on his way home, Luo Sha's eyes crinkled into a strange smile.

"That stupid woman, Yekura, is an obstacle to Ioichi's bid for the Fourth Kazekage—"

"I was initially worried about her prestige in the village, but I never expected her to dig her own grave by talking about cooperating with Ikiha. It's utterly ridiculous—"

"This clearly violates the taboo of the Third Kazekage, Elder Ichiyo. What the Kazekage just said was actually telling me that Yekura has been kicked out of the game!"

A fierce glint flashed in Rasa's eyes: "Kicking her out isn't enough. If I become Kazekage, that idiot Yekura will definitely be working against me. I'll find a chance to kill her. Anything can happen once war breaks out—"

"Lord Kazekage won't say anything."

"I gave Gaara for Sunagakure; my loyalty is beyond question!"

Sunagakure is embroiled in a terrible internal conflict.

Rasa, Yekura, Chiyo, Sasori, and the Third Kazekage—

The key members of the village each have their own ideas.

But Konoha continued its steady development, as if the ninja world was peaceful and undisturbed.

Two months later.

Kakuzu returned to Konoha in a flurry of travel, bringing back materials related to Sakumoi, Fugaku, and Kakuhisa's bloodline limit!