In Konoha, they wiped out the Sarutobi clan at the start.

Chapter 161 Tsunade Returns (3k-word long chapter)

Kakashi gripped the photo tightly, clicked his tongue, and said, "This is troublesome."

"Kakashi, what do we do now? Should we report to the Hokage?" Might Guy asked hesitantly.

"No, the Hokage's recent behavior is too abnormal, as are the two Konoha advisors. They've been staying indoors since that day. Now it seems that what Chiya said is probably true." Kakashi shook his head.

Might Guy said anxiously, "That's not a good thing either. If Sunagakure is really being used by Orochimaru, then Konoha will be in danger tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Kakashi closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, then suddenly opened them, his gaze sweeping over Ibiki Morino and Hayate Gekko, and said in a deep voice, "You two, do you believe me?"

Upon hearing this, Ibiki Morino and Hayate Gekko exchanged a glance and nodded in unison. They were not ordinary people; although they were unwilling to believe Chiyo Fujiwara's words, the facts were right in front of them, making it difficult for them not to believe.

"Alright." Kakashi took a deep breath and first looked at Hayate Gekko. "Hayate, according to Fujiwara Chiya, Lady Tsunade and Lady Jiraiya are already on their way to Konoha."

Please travel to all major transportation routes in Konoha overnight to search for them, and try to find them before the official start of the Chunin Exams.

Then, they were informed word for word of the news that the Chunin Exams would be held ahead of schedule, as well as what Fujiwara Chiya had said today.

"Leave it to me." Moonlight Gale respectfully replied, walked to the wardrobe, took out his clothes, changed, and disappeared from the medical ward.

Kakashi turned his gaze to Ibiki Morino. "Ibiki, I'm leaving the interrogation department to you. Please conduct a thorough search of the area around Konoha tonight to see if any Sand Ninja or Sound Ninja are lurking."

If anything changes, I hope you can get the message out to everyone as quickly as possible so we can prepare accordingly.

"No problem." Ibiki Morino readily agreed, then hesitated before asking, "But really, we don't need to inform the Hokage about this today?"

Kakashi shook his head. "You heard what Fujiwara Chiya just said. If it's just bluffing, then so be it."

"If the situation is true, even if we inform the Hokage, the Sand Village members, unaware of the Fourth Kazekage's death, will still launch a surprise attack. I'm sure you don't want to see such a pointless battle happen."

"In short, we must prepare for the worst, and I will bear all the consequences alone."

"I understand." Ibiki Morino nodded emphatically, and like Hayate Gekko, he changed his clothes and disappeared from the medical ward.

Finally, only Kakashi and Might Guy remained in the ward.

"Kakashi, what are we going to do?" Might Guy asked Kakashi.

"You'll come with me to negotiate with Sunagakure tomorrow." Kakashi sighed deeply, changed his clothes, walked to the window, and gazed into the distance. At that moment, he felt utterly exhausted.

Politics is something that ordinary people really can't get involved in.

The more he learned, the more lost he felt. Even someone as strong as his father couldn't escape the fate of being subjected to violence.

If it weren't for his "deceased" best friend Obito, he would have felt like just lying down.

Meanwhile, Chiya had already returned to Kurenai's residence.

"How is it?" Seeing Qianye return, Xi Ri Hong thoughtfully took off his red cloud black robe, smoothed it out, and hung it in the storage wardrobe.

"Don't worry, I've already told Kakashi. And that guy isn't as stubborn as some people who can be easily fooled by Hiruzen Sarutobi. Compared to Hiruzen Sarutobi, his father's killer, he cares more about the safety of Konoha than you do."

Chiya walked up behind Kurenai, hugged her, and said softly, "Kurenai, do you remember what you promised me last night?"

"What's wrong?" Yuhi asked, her face flushed.

"A bath for two," Qianye reminded her.

"But I've already taken a shower," Kurenai Yuhi said, trying to deny it.

Qianye chuckled, "Hehe, it's okay, come wash with me again."

As he spoke, Chiya, without waiting for Yuhi Kurenai's agreement or not, carried her into the bathroom under her reproachful gaze.

Silent all night.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chiya played a friendly match with Kurenai before returning to the hotel where she and Yekura were staying.

The two disguised themselves and arrived at the official Chunin Exams arena.

Meanwhile, in a hot spring town a hundred miles away from Konoha Village.

Jiraiya, Tsunade, and their group finally embarked on their journey to Konoha once again.

Tsunade, still half-asleep, held the drowsy Chika in her arms, listless. Last night, the little girl was so excited about seeing Chiya today that she barely slept, and as a result, her mother also didn't get a good night's sleep.

Seeing Tsunade's tired appearance, Jiraiya asked with some confusion, "Tsunade, didn't you sleep well last night?"

"Yeah, this little devil was so excited about coming to Konoha today that he didn't sleep a wink all night. It would be a miracle if I could sleep well too," Tsunade chuckled.

"How about I give you a hug?" Jiraiya's small eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Don't even try, I won't let you, you lecherous pervert, touch my daughter."

Tsunade glared disdainfully at Jiraiya, then turned to look at Naruto, who was walking at the very back and straining to form a Rasengan. "Speaking of which, isn't that blond brat your student? What's he doing? Is he having an epileptic seizure?"

"You're the one having an epileptic seizure." Naruto walked over quickly. "I'm just training, training."

"You don't need to have an epileptic seizure to cultivate, do you?" Tsunade said something that was infuriating.

"What is epilepsy? This is Rasengan, Rasengan. Jiraiya taught me the A-rank ninjutsu Rasengan!" Naruto exclaimed in a frenzy.

"Then show me how you do it!" Tsunade immediately became interested upon hearing this.

Because her little man once created a ninjutsu that was the same as this by "observing the Tailed Beast Ball of the Three-Tails Jinchuriki".

Furthermore, by incorporating various familiar chakras, he created a series of extremely powerful ninjutsu.

"I can't use it." Naruto was like a deflated balloon.

"Why?" Tsunade asked casually.

Jiraiya whispered an explanation from the side: "The Rasengan requires the user to have extremely strong chakra control, and Naruto himself doesn't have very good chakra control."

Furthermore, due to the influence of the Nine-Tails within him, he has been unable to properly concentrate chakra. Even using both hands, he can't generate it, let alone with just one hand.

"Two hands won't do, just add more." Tsunade stopped in her tracks, recalling the training method Chiya had once told her. She turned to Naruto, "Kid, aren't you good at Shadow Clone Jutsu? Why don't you use Shadow Clone Jutsu to increase your chakra concentration?"

"Shadow clones?" Jiraiya and Naruto's eyes lit up at the same time.

Without much hesitation, Naruto used Shadow Clone Jutsu, and it succeeded without a doubt. He slammed Rasengan into a large tree by the roadside, and the tree was immediately pierced through, leaving a large hole.

Naruto immediately jumped up with joy, "Ah, I did it! Perverted Sage Tsunade, I did it!"

"Tsunade, Granny." Tsunade's lips twitched violently.

"Don't be angry... Tsunade, children say the darndest things, children say the darndest things." Seeing this, Jiraiya was worried that Tsunade was angry, so he quickly changed the subject: "But speaking of which, Tsunade, your method really works. It actually made this kid master this technique."

"Of course." Tsunade said with a smug look on her face. You see, this was something her little man had researched.

Just then, a figure suddenly appeared from the forest and landed in front of Tsunade and her group. It was Hayate Gekko, who had been ordered by Kakashi to search for Jiraiya and Tsunade.

"Ahem," Moonlight Gale coughed lightly, knelt on one knee in front of the two, and said respectfully, "Lord Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade."

"Oh, it's Hayate, kid. What's wrong? Isn't there still a week until the Chunin Exams? The deadline hasn't even arrived yet, so why is this old man in such a hurry to send you here?" Jiraiya said, somewhat surprised.

"Lord Jiraiya, actually, it wasn't the Hokage who sent me, but Kakashi. The Chunin Exams have been moved up, and the date is set for today," Hayate Gekko replied.

As soon as he finished speaking, someone who had just been unhappy about mastering the Rasengan ran over to argue, "Examiner, what's wrong with you? I haven't even gone back to the competition yet!"

"Naruto, quiet down." Jiraiya sensed something was wrong and asked Hayate Gekko with a serious expression, "What's going on?"

Upon hearing this, Hayate Gekko did not answer directly, but instead looked at Shizune, Naruto, and Karin and her daughter Kazuki behind the two.

Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged a glance. Tsunade frowned and said, "Speak. There are no outsiders here. If you still consider me the future Fifth Hokage, then..."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade." Upon hearing this, Hayate Gekko took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and then recounted how Chiya had come to see them the previous evening.

Everyone was stunned after hearing this.

Especially Tsunade, whose expression was quite interesting when she heard that Chiya had taken pictures of Danzo transplanting her grandfather's cells and Sharingan.

"That old man is senile," Jiraiya muttered, his face more grim than ever before. He hadn't expected that the old man would risk putting Konoha in such great danger for the sake of his so-called reputation.

"Jiraiya, it seems you didn't tell me about Danzo, did you?" Tsunade looked at Jiraiya with an icy expression.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade, but now is not the time to dwell on these things. No one knows what Fujiwara Chiya is up to yet. The most important thing right now is to get back to Konoha as soon as possible. Please, Tsunade."

In front of everyone, Jiraiya formed hand seals, summoned a giant toad, and then bowed to Tsunade with a dogeza (a deep bowing gesture).

"Alright, but let me make this clear first: I won't let that old man Danzo's matter go so easily."

When it came to her little man, Tsunade was also quite eager.

And so, the group jumped onto the giant toad, speeding up their journey back to Konoha.

P.S.: Fourth update. Please vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)