Naruto: Who made him a ninja

Chapter 148 Bloodline Enhancement! Horns or Eyes? (10,000 words, please subscribe)

"Hidezawa-kun, there are no problems with the negotiations with Kirigakure this time. The people from Kirigakure have already arrived, and even Master Genji has come in person."

The rooftop of the Hokage Building in Konoha.

A smile appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrinkled face, though it was somewhat forced, but at least he smiled.

This negotiation with Kirigakure was much easier than expected, at least it didn't cause too many problems.

At first, Hiruzen Sarutobi was genuinely shocked by the news.

After all, it wouldn't take long for the Land of Waves to go to Kirigakure, and Shusawa had been there before.

This means that this guy may have left behind the Flying Thunder God Technique in Kirigakure. If he really wanted to do something, it wouldn't be a matter of just a thought.

Fortunately, Hidezawa didn't pull any tricks this time, and everything was relatively normal, which wasn't even a bad thing for Konoha.

As for the distribution of profits, that's negotiable!

Furthermore, based on the negotiations, Hiruzen Sarutobi also discovered that Hidezawa was trying to gain allies for Konoha.

The plan to build a small ninja village is progressing smoothly so far, although it will obviously be difficult for Konoha to quickly recoup its costs.

But at least they have a stable market, from which they can make a steady stream of money.

Besides, the initial investment came from the Daimyo, not Konoha, so what's there to be afraid of!

Under Konoha's guidance, everyone has made good progress. In addition, Konoha's assistance to the Land of Rain and the Sand Village has brought about changes for them.

It's impossible that Kirigakure didn't have its own agenda, especially since their current 'ninja leaders' all rose to power with the 'help' of Konoha!

Their desire to join in is understandable.

"Are all the Grandmasters coming?"

Hidezawa sat opposite Hiruzen Sarutobi, took a sip of tea, and smiled.

"I hope his health doesn't suffer. After all, he's so old, he can't take any more stress."

"Don't underestimate the elderly, especially ninjas. Look at how old Onoki is, he's still as spry as a bird."

Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted softly, but his expression quickly turned serious again.

"But speaking of which, are you confident about this Chunin Exam? I really didn't expect Orochimaru to use the Impure World Reincarnation."

"I was too lenient with him before. He saw many forbidden techniques, even those of the Second Hokage."

At this point, he couldn't help but shake his head again.

The Second Hokage was his teacher, and he was truly upset to be mocked like this.

Disturbing the dead is bad enough, but now they're using the Hokage to attack Konoha. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't accept such viciousness.

According to the report, the Second Hokage, who was resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation technique, also possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique, which greatly worried Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Fortunately, Hidezawa didn't seem to care at all. This guy just defeated the person directly, just like the First Hokage, which is why Hiruzen Sarutobi was able to laugh.

Otherwise, he would definitely be wearing a long face right now.

"It's a great technique. I've even discussed with Tsunade-sensei how to use it more effectively in the future."

Xiuze shrugged, looked up at the Hokage Rock behind him, and said nonchalantly.

"For example, it would be a waste to just kill those death row inmates; it would be better to kill them and then resurrect them using Edo Tensei."

Make them serve Konoha, carry out the most difficult missions, target the villages they lived in, and let them slowly atone for their sins.

Moreover, these guys don't need to eat or drink, nor do they need to rest. They can't even get hurt or die, so they're perfect as cannon fodder and laborers.

Most importantly, it would save Konoha a huge sum of money, and there would be no need to worry about compensation. This is a treasure left to Konoha by the Second Hokage!

"."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Hidezawa in disbelief. "Is this what I was talking about?"

No, where did this evil thought of yours come from?

"Your thinking is too extreme; Tsunade is afraid..."

"Alas, it seems the teacher has some reservations."

Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could finish speaking, Hidezawa sighed. This relieved Hiruzen, but just as he took a sip of his tea to calm himself, Hidezawa spoke again.

"However, she asked me to write a detailed report and also to look into who among the deceased was both heinous and exceptionally capable. I think this shouldn't be a big problem."

"puff--"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly spat his tea all over Hidezawa. Looking at Hidezawa's nonchalant expression, Hiruzen fell silent.

He had to admit that he himself seemed a little tempted.

"Xiuze, isn't this a bit...?"

He thought for a moment and couldn't help but speak, but Xiuze interrupted him before he could finish.

"Lord Hokage, are you worried about the Chunin Exams?"

Indeed, Orochimaru's actions were quite egregious, even attracting the attention of the Second Hokage.

The next step will probably be the First Hokage, but please rest assured, Hokage, this matter is not a big burden for me.

"And I have helpers. I believe that as long as things are handled properly, everything will be fine."

"."

Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples, seemingly understanding what it meant to be completely irrelevant.

Was what I said to him the same thing?

I think I did want to talk about my concerns about Edo Tensei before, but this guy was just talking nonsense about "free labor".

Turning around, I shared some thoughts on the "free laborers," and this guy started talking to me again about his faith in the Impure World Reincarnation?

Hiruzen Sarutobi was both amused and exasperated, but he had come to understand two things.

One possibility is that Hidezawa doesn't seem worried about Orochimaru and his group, while another is that he probably doesn't want to get involved in these matters.

After all, it won't be long before he officially retires, and Tsunade will become the new Hokage.

A new Hokage brings a new atmosphere. They have their own judgment, and it might be counterproductive for them to say too much.

"You're quite cruel, kid."

After figuring out all this messy stuff, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Hidezawa with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"As people get older, they can't help but care and worry, which you young people see as nagging, right?"

"Lord Hokage, you're overthinking it."

Xiuze shrugged and shook his head with a smile.

"Having elders care about you is never a bad thing."

"You."

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't believe Hidezawa's nonsense; he shook his head and looked into the distance.

"It's good that you're prepared. I've already said I'm old, and the future of Konoha is in your hands now."

As the Hokage's assistant, you will have more obligations and responsibilities this time. You need to take on the task of receiving guests properly.

Your teacher has some things to take care of right now, so you can't slack off.

"Yes, yes, I know, I will do these things well."

Hidezawa nodded; he wouldn't refuse. But as he stood up to take his leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly looked at Hidezawa with curiosity.

"To be honest, I've been feeling a bit strange just now, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it."

Now it dawned on me, this is the first time I've seen you wear a headband, and I must say it looks pretty good!

"A forehead protector?"

Upon hearing this, Xiuze couldn't help but touch his forehead. Come to think of it, this was indeed the first time he had ever worn a headband.

However, this headband wasn't something he actually wanted to wear.

As his heartbeat continued to pound, Xiuze's extreme control over his surroundings seemed to be getting better and better.

Such control is hard to describe; it's as if everything around him has been deconstructed in his perception!

The various chakra attributes seemed to have become largely unchanged in his eyes.

They have all transformed into a pure, azure-blue power!

Although natural chakras are very different, these natural forces seem so approachable at this moment.

It seems that Xiuze can easily absorb them whenever he wants!

"This feeling is wonderful."

Xiuze murmured to himself. Although he knew that absorbing these natural forces was simple, using them was not.

But for replenishing energy, this is already unimaginable!

He can absorb any power he wants at any time and place; this unique control is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

In addition, he could also clearly sense a special fluctuation belonging to spatial power.

That clearly defined space seemed to possess a special charm in his perception.

Combined with the new technique he obtained through Orochimaru's "Scientist of the Ninja World," his mastery of space was so clear and precise in that instant!

In his mind, it seemed as if a chaotic space had appeared.

Nothing could be seen within this space; everything seemed to be in a very primitive state.

But as his 'heartbeat' continued to vibrate, ripples appeared in this space.

As the ripples spread, the unique power structure was fully revealed within this space.

Furthermore, he seemed to see a strange light and shadow standing in this dim world.

It seemed to be contemplating something, or perhaps it was as silent as a statue.

"Chaos and unity are truly wondrous things."

This was the first time Xiuze had discovered that he didn't quite understand the information appearing in his mind, but the system in his eyes was giving him special prompts.

[Many abnormalities have occurred in the bloodline; please observe carefully.]

Another mass mutation?

Each time a notification of alienation appeared, Xiuze knew that he was undergoing "life evolution".

Such evolution is both bizarre and beautiful, yet also painful and extreme.

This time, things were so uneventful that Xiuze was somewhat surprised, but the moment he opened his eyes, he noticed the difference in his body.

"The flame of life has burned even brighter, and..."

Xiuze touched his left chest, his heart pounding, but he could clearly feel a special energy surging within him.

This energy enveloped his "flame of life," allowing it to burn brightly!

And he could clearly sense that as long as his "flame of life" didn't go out, it seemed he could live forever.

"Doesn't this remind you a bit of Naruto saving Guy?"

Naruto saved Guy, who had used "Night Guy," in a simple and brutal way.

By directly igniting the flame of life, Akai, who had almost turned into charcoal and was drifting away in the wind, was brought back to life!

Hidetsawa can't do what Naruto does, but he seems to be able to ensure that the flame of his life will not go out.

And, he wanted to take on the same situation as Akai and apply it to himself!

This powerful "fire of life" manifests in Xiuze as a feeling of "endless vitality".

It was as if he was surrounded by an endless life force, and he didn't need to worry about encountering a situation like Naruto's!

There are many cheat codes in the ninja world, and Naruto and Sasuke are obviously the biggest cheat codes.

After all, their cheat codes were directly granted by the 'administrator'!

But they are also the most tragic cheaters, because after using them, their accounts are banned.

Xiuze doesn't need to worry about these things; all his growth is due to his own efforts!

"That's really an excellent result; perhaps it can be even better next time."

Xiuze was a little excited, although he couldn't do what Naruto did and go straight to the stomach in one step.

But he is truly making progress step by step, and in the future he will definitely be able to reach the level of Naruto, or even be more ruthless than Naruto!

"After all, I've changed a bit too."

Xiuze touched his forehead and was speechless; a small bump had appeared on his forehead.

This situation really made Xiuze wonder if he had grown horns!

"But I don't seem to have the bloodline of the Otsutsuki, what's going on?"

Hidezawa was somewhat puzzled, as the Otsutsuki bloodline mainly revolves around the Senju, Hyuga, Uchiha, Uzumaki, and most likely the Taketori (Kaguya) clans.

Other bloodline limits are mainly based on chakra manipulation, while these families all possess special bloodline limits that can be altered through the body.

Xiuze had realized this a long time ago.

But slowly, he suddenly realized a problem!

"Chakra!"

The ninja world originally did not have chakra. It was because of the God Tree and the actions of the Sage of Six Paths that the ninja world acquired this unique power.

Therefore, strictly speaking, the root of all chakra in the ninja world is actually Kaguya Otsutsuki!

"So, after being rescued by Black Zetsu, her first action was to absorb the chakra of the entire ninja world; in essence, she was reclaiming her own power."

Recalling the information in his mind, Xiuze couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"So, although I'm following the path of chakra fusion, am I essentially still corrupted by the power of the Otsutsuki clan?"

He gently touched his forehead. Although he had also followed the path of improving his physical fitness and was constantly evolving, he still felt a sense of accomplishment.

However, the power of chakra fusion has already penetrated deep into his bloodline, so it is very likely that it is a self-fusion.

Moreover, in this world, it's impossible not to use chakra; once you use it, you'll inevitably become tainted. This made Xiuze somewhat understand his own situation.

"So, am I considered an Otsutsuki, or...?"

Xiuze felt a little strange, because another question had come to mind.

Although the chakra is Kaguya Otsutsuki's chakra, the problem is that this chakra also seems to have been fused with the chakra from the God Tree's fruit.

He himself is not quite sure which category his current situation falls into.

After all, he also unexpectedly discovered something very interesting.

He discovered that the 'horn' on his forehead seemed to be a special kind of materialized chakra structure.

Beneath it, a special power is constantly being nurtured!

However, he wasn't quite sure whether this power was merely a temporary accumulation or would eventually be reflected throughout his entire body.

Just like Madara Uchiha, he directly broke off his horn and a new eye appeared!

"This bizarre world is truly peculiar, but it doesn't seem to be a bad thing for me."

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, some time has passed since Naruto and the others returned to the village.

The summer breeze made the entire leaf seem incredibly warm.

As the height of summer approaches, Konoha Village has become bustling with activity without anyone noticing.

It was as if overnight, the village had seen an influx of outsiders.

However, compared to Konoha's massive population, the number of these visitors was negligible.

At most, people will notice that there seem to be quite a few foreign ninjas dressed in strange clothes in the village.

"Hmph, they say they're allies, but even Professor Maki has to do this kind of review in person."

Outside the gates of Konoha, a group of ninjas dressed in brown uniforms were queuing up.

Among the crowd, a young man dressed in black with heavy face paint and carrying a mysterious puppet on his back couldn't help but mutter a complaint under his breath.

"Kankuro, say less. This is Konoha after all."

A blonde girl dressed in white with a huge folding fan behind her couldn't help but remind him.

Looking at the long line of people ahead, she felt a bit of a headache. There were just too many people.

"cut!"

Kankuro snorted coldly, seemingly wanting to say something more, but when his gaze fell on a red-haired boy beside him, he immediately dared not utter another word.

Clearly, the three of them are Rasa's three children: Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara!

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Seemingly sensing their growing impatience, Maki returned ten minutes later with the pass.

"The registration is complete, we can go in now."

"Teacher Maki, Konoha is really slow."

Kankuro couldn't help but speak up again, sounding annoyed, which made Maki shake his head.

"That's already fast enough, only half an hour. If it were our village, the investigation would be much more thorough and detailed."

Although Maki also felt it was slow, he didn't complain much.

Although Sunagakure and Konoha are allies, as a Jonin of the village, he still knows a lot of things that are unknown to others.

Their alliance was not as close as outsiders imagined, and due to certain special circumstances, only a small number of people were truly close.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's get ready to go in."

"Yes."

Kankuro immediately nodded, but then he stood on tiptoe and peered into the gates of Konoha.

"Teacher Maki, I heard that Lady Yekura has been staying in Konoha all these years, but I haven't seen her come to pick us up."

"."

Upon hearing the name Yekura, Maki stiffened slightly, as the name held a special significance in Sunagakure.

Maki couldn't help but sigh. The power struggles among the higher-ups were not something a Jonin like him could easily get involved in, especially since the Kage were also involved.

"They probably have other matters to attend to. Let's go inside and find out what's going on, then we can go and pay them a visit."

Although he hesitated, Maki still spoke up, after all, they had gone on a mission to Kirigakure together back then.

Even though he was completely inactive that time...

Moreover, this mission is no ordinary one. If Yekura could help, things might be much better.

"Um!"

Kankuro knew nothing of this mess. Although he was wary of Gaara's sudden outburst, Yoru was a legend in the village!

He practically grew up listening to stories about Yekura, and knew that Yekura had done a lot, even solving the village's water problem.

Although the village seems to have rarely mentioned her in recent years, countless ninjas still talk about her in private, and Kankuro has long admired her for a long time.

Especially the feeling of fighting alongside such a legend.

Once everyone was ready, the Sunagakure ninjas entered Konoha.

Konoha and Sunagakure are completely different concepts. Sunagakure always gives people the feeling of drought and desolation, while Konoha always gives people a feeling of vitality.

The people here always seem to be full of enthusiasm; even at the village entrance, there is laughter and joy everywhere.

"That's really good."

Kankuro couldn't help but mutter something under his breath, but Gaara beside him just snorted coldly.

"snort!"

Gaara coldly surveyed his surroundings, his voice filled with icy chill.

"Stop with the nonsense, it's all meaningless to me!"

"It's meaningless to you; it's just that your village isn't up to the task, is it?"

However, just as Gaara's voice fell, another voice followed.

Upon hearing this voice, Maki, Gaara, and the others immediately turned to the side.

Soon, a young ninja dressed in black, similar in style to the Hokage's robe, with a combat suit underneath, walked over from not far away.

He wore a headband, had fair skin, and possessed a unique charisma that made him unforgettable at first glance.

"It's you."

The moment Maki saw this person, his face suddenly darkened, and a hint of fear appeared in his eyes.

Shihara Hidezawa, that's an extremely terrifying man!

However, he quickly forced himself to calm down and looked at the person in front of him with a slightly respectful tone.

"I never expected to meet you here. Although many years have passed since we parted in the Land of Water, I will never forget your kindness."

"Yeah?"

Xiuze raised an eyebrow, looking at Maki with amusement.

The latest novel is first published here!

"Speaking of which, I heard you've been promoted in the past few years. You're now a special advisor to Sunagakure and also the mentor of the Kazekage's son, a Jonin."

"Those are all empty titles. Besides, you are now the Hokage's assistant, which is something that others can only dream of."

Maki immediately shook his head. Although he had indeed achieved some success over the years, he was far inferior to the person in front of him.

"Alright, let's go in quickly. Do you need me to find someone to show you the way?"

Xiuze glanced at the time, then looked at Maki with amusement and asked, while Maki immediately shook his head.

"No need, someone has already shown us the way, thank you very much."

"That's fine then."

Hidezawa nodded, then nodded slightly to the Chunin who led them in, and then ignored them.

Konoha does need to receive the visitor from Sunagakure, but they have already received advance notice that the Kazekage will be arriving shortly afterward. Therefore, according to etiquette, they will receive the Kazekage with high protocol.

As for the participants, they naturally don't need to waste too much energy; Konoha has enough ninjas to take care of it.

Besides, according to the principle of equality of status, these people are not qualified to be received by Xiuze!

"Mr. Maki, who is that guy?"

After walking quite a distance, Kankuro couldn't help but turn back to look at Hidezawa before asking a question in a low voice.

His question also attracted Temari and Gaara's attention, and made Maki's face turn slightly bitter.

"This person is Shihara Hidezawa, arguably one of the most powerful people in Konoha!"

"That newly appointed Hokage's assistant? So young?"

Upon hearing this, Temari gasped in surprise. Shuzawa's youth was obvious to the naked eye, and his life seemed to be locked in place.

At first glance, he doesn't seem to be more than a few years older than Temari and the others. How could someone like that be the assistant to the Hokage of such a large village as Konoha?

"Don't be fooled by his appearance; you probably can't even imagine what he's done in your entire life."

Maki didn't really want to talk about Xiuze, but he felt it was necessary to give these kids a heads-up beforehand.

After thinking for a moment, he could only give a brief answer.

"Several years ago, Yekura and I went to Kirigakure on a mission. We were ambushed by Kirigakure on the way, and it was he who led the team to save me."

Then they joined forces with the Grand Elder of Kirigakure to carry out the mission of overthrowing the Fourth Mizukage.

It was later learned that the Fourth Mizukage had been controlled, but no one was able to relax that night. He almost single-handedly caused the Kirigakure to collapse!

Besides these, there are also missions like capturing the Fourth Raikage, breaching Kusagakure, and many other breathtaking achievements. This guy is no ordinary person.

Maki almost blurted out that Chiyo and Ebizo had been captured, but thankfully he stopped himself in the end.

Moreover, besides these things, Xiuze also has a very bad record.

They thwarted the Sand Village's plot and saved Pakura, but they also put the Sand Village and even the Kazekage in an extremely passive situation.

And even now, the almost irreconcilable conflict between Kazekage and Yekura has always had this guy's shadow behind it.

"Is it that amazing?"

When Temari and Kankuro heard what Maki said, they couldn't help but show surprise on their faces.

Such a young person has already done so many outrageous things?

"Hmph, this will be a worthwhile target to hunt!"

Gaara's face grew increasingly gloomy as he listened, and finally he let out a cold snort and said no more.

His words were like a cold wind, instantly silencing Kankuro and Temari, and even Maki looked at him helplessly.

"If I knew that this guy had beaten the Three-Tails so badly it was screaming all over the ground, what would I think?"

Maki sighed inwardly, unaware that Gaara was frowning, sensing something amiss with the One-Tailed Beast's chakra within him.

He had experienced this aura of chakra before.

This feeling seems to be

fear?

"I never expected that you would come to greet me in person."

"After all, we are allies and partners, so how could we not come to receive them?"

Inside a teahouse in Konoha, amidst the clamor of the other patrons, Hidezawa held his teacup and gazed at the woman with long, blue-purple hair before him.

"Welcome back to Konoha, Konan."

"Congratulations on becoming the Hokage's assistant, although I feel this should have happened much sooner."

Xiao Nan nodded gently to Xiu Ze, looking at the guy in front of her, she herself was a little dazed.

How can a man be so fair-skinned?

Of course, aside from this little bit of grumbling in my heart, there was more of a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, including regret and reflection).

They were originally enemies, but because of some shared feelings, they gradually became partners.

This cooperation is not based on the Akatsuki organization, but on the Land of Rain!

The development and changes in the Land of Rain can be said to be entirely the work of this incredibly young-looking man.

Although there are still many things that need to be changed and developed, everything they are experiencing now is something they never imagined before.

"Early or late doesn't really make a difference; it's about the same to me anyway."

Xiuze had no idea what Xiaonan was thinking. He smiled casually and continued.

"Speaking of which, now that you've come in person, what are the Rain Kingdom's plans? At least give me some hints, okay?"

"Why are you talking about work as soon as you sit down?"

Xiao Nan, who was still "reminiscing about the past", was suddenly left speechless and amused by Xiu Ze's comment.

"Uh, it's my fault."

Xiuze shrugged. "Flashbacks" can often fill several episodes, but he seemed to be a bit clueless about romance.

"Never mind, the Land of Rain won't do anything this time. We'll just take the exam as normal, but..."

Xiao Nan tucked a strand of hair that was being blown by the breeze, glanced at the tea drinkers around her, and then paused.

clap clap-

Xiuze immediately understood Xiaonan's worries, so he simply clapped his hands lightly.

In an instant, his applause seemed to have a magical power, and the once bustling teahouse fell silent.

Then they stood up one by one and walked out quietly and orderly.

Xiao Nan's lips twitched at the sight; she hadn't even noticed that everyone here was from Xiu Ze!

"Don't mind it, there are times when you have no choice but to assist the Hokage."

Xiuze shrugged and smiled nonchalantly.

"Fortunately, they are all my people, and they keep their mouths shut. They won't talk nonsense."

Do you still need someone to protect you?

Xiao Nan rubbed her temples, but Xiu Ze tilted her head.

"Am I supposed to handle everything myself? What's the point of being Hokage's assistant then?"

"All right."

Xiao Nan rolled her eyes, but she didn't deny the claim. Soon, her expression turned serious.

"Let's get down to business. The Akatsuki's operation this time will be quite large. Even Pain has been mobilized; he'll be coming over."

Furthermore, in order to obtain more intelligence, he said he might take action if possible, so you must ensure proper evacuation procedures are in place.

"Is Nagato about to make a move?"

Xiuze stroked his chin; this news was by no means a bad thing for him.

After all, he knew all too well what it meant to "the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish"!

He had only casually mentioned the "battle for points," but he didn't expect Obito and the others to remember it. This was great for him.

"Yes, not only Nagato, but also Iwagakure and Kumogakure have provided support for this operation. Although they will not take the initiative to attack, they have provided a lot of assistance from behind the scenes."

Xiao Nan didn't know what Xiu Ze was thinking, so she continued.

"This means that this time, Konoha will be facing an attack from almost the entire ninja world, except for Kirigakure."

Most importantly, Orochimaru seems to have developed some rather terrifying techniques, such as the Impure World Reincarnation technique, which allows him to summon the dead.

Although I know you've probably already encountered this, he's improved upon it, and it's very likely that an even stronger opponent will appear this time.

At this point, Xiao Nan paused for a moment, looking at Xiu Ze with utmost seriousness.

"To be honest, this situation is so complicated, are you really planning to continue? And I'm very curious about your true purpose."

"Is that their real purpose?"

Xiuze stretched and tilted his head to look at the bustling traffic below.

The real purpose was naturally to rack up points, in order to deal with the godlike Uchiha Madara who would appear later.

And those Otsutsuki from outer space!

However, Xiuze would not say these things, because there was no need or meaning to do so, and no one would believe him anyway.

But if you put it another way, everything changes.

"Haven't you ever wondered about how to pursue peace? Do you remember what I told you?"

"I remember you said that the slap always hurts the most when it doesn't actually hit the person."

Xiao Nan nodded, inexplicably recalling the time this guy slapped her, only to touch her face in the process.

But she quickly calmed down and continued speaking with utmost seriousness.

"At the same time, you also said that our approach is to simply use violence to crush others, which will never bring peace."

We don't have a well-defined political demand or clear action goals, and we've been thinking about this for years.

I've been observing what you're going to do, so can you tell me?

"Actually, I've been doing these things all along."

Xiuze laughed, and he looked at Xiaonan with a smile and spoke softly.

"Political demands are about telling everyone what we want."

What we want is peace. Amidst the disputes and conflicts between countries, hasn't Konoha always exercised restraint?

But how can we truly achieve peace among everyone?

Aren't we also demonstrating to everyone, showing them how we should do it?

Our action plan has long been presented; cooperation and win-win outcomes are our core principles.

Although Konoha may win more, at least they won't treat everyone unfairly.

Whether it's your Land of Rain, the Sand Village, or those surrounding small countries controlled by our Leaf Village, it's all the same.

Now that Kirigakure has expressed its intention to cooperate, isn't this telling everyone that this is a new model for ushering in peace?

Although Konoha won't talk about many things, sometimes doing something is more important than saying it!

Xiuze knew that his "toxic chicken soup" might be a bit far-fetched, but at least everything was plausible. He just needed to make it sound natural.

Moreover, he was somewhat relieved that what he had done over the years had basically been correct, otherwise some things would have been troublesome.

Is this new cooperation model mutually beneficial and a win-win situation?

Konan murmured to herself, recalling what Konoha had done over the years, and it seemed that it really was just as Hidezawa had said!

"So now, didn't you say that the most painful thing is when the hand you raised doesn't fall?"

"Yes, I did say that, but you seem to have overlooked one thing."

Xiuze nodded and continued rambling.

"I've also said that power is the foundation of everything. Think back to what Danzo and Hanzo did back then, and you should understand."

"You mean..."

Xiao Nan instantly understood.

"Are these people just like Hanzo and Danzo?"

"That's right."

Xiuze nodded slightly, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.

"We are creating a new order now, just like the Akatsuki organization led by Yahiko in the Land of Rain back then. It was a subversion of the existing order."

As the old interest groups, they cannot tolerate the emergence of this new order, because it would disrupt their original interests.

Hanzo found Danzo and together they annihilated you. Onoki, the Fourth Raikage, and Rasa joined forces with your Akatsuki to wipe out Konoha. Isn't this just a replay of yesterday?

Xiao Nan's face instantly turned ugly upon hearing these words.

What does that mean? The dragon slayer has become a demon?

And it was them they were talking about?

The problem was that Xiao Nan couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal, because it seemed to be the truth.

They seemed to have truly taken Hanzo's place back then, a change that he found utterly repulsive.

"Don't make that face. You're already beautiful; this doesn't look good."

Xiuze looked at Xiaonan and couldn't help but chuckle before slowly speaking.

"I know you might not like what I'm saying, but I'm sorry, this is the easiest way for you to understand that I can think of."

And I don't think you need to get involved, after all, aren't you actually standing beside us, embracing a new future?

You wanted to retaliate back then but couldn't, but Konoha won't, and neither will I.

The clash between the old and new orders will always inevitably involve some conflicts, even war, but I am different from you.

I will not spread fear; I will let everyone know that I come with peace, and I will show everyone the results I have achieved.

I will tell everyone, do you see? The true dawn of peace is with me, and you are merely fighting for the old order and vested interests.

Tell me, who will be righteous and who will be evil in the end? Do you think the small countries will support me or them?

"Tell me, when the time comes, will the entire ninja world yearn for me more, or them?"

Xiuze's "chicken soup" was incredibly thick and rich, even Xiaonan listened with great interest.

She had to admit that Xiuze's words were incredibly persuasive.

Especially since she had personally witnessed the development of those small countries and that she herself had benefited from it, she truly believed Xiuze's words!

"So, is this the time to solve these problems?"

Xiao Nan asked in a low voice, as if she had made up her mind.

"No!"

Xiuze was startled when he saw her like this. This "chicken soup" was too strong, and Xiaonan seemed to be thinking of "switching sides at the last minute".

Now that you've switched sides, how am I supposed to rack up points?!

"Don't do anything reckless. This is just a test between us. The real change will come when a major war breaks out in the future."

Although it's cruel, the fact is that neither Kumogakure nor Iwagakure personally intervened.

What Konoha needs to do this time is to demonstrate our strength and tell everyone that Konoha longs for peace.

And your purpose in being here is to tell us what those guys are up to, so that we can gain the upper hand.

This will allow us to make preparations more calmly and embrace the new future together!

Xiuze paused slightly at this point before continuing with a smile.

"Moreover, this operation will prevent Nagato from being sidelined and will allow him to obtain more intelligence."

Besides, Akatsuki is just a side business for you; the Land of Rain is the key, isn't it?

Is that so?

Xiao Nan sighed softly, then nodded.

Although she longed for more, according to Xiuze, this stage was indeed not appropriate.

All of this will indeed require patience.

"Alright, that's enough for now. I think you understand what I mean."

Seeing that Xiao Nan seemed to have recovered somewhat, Xiu Ze smiled and changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, I seem to have helped you quite a bit, whether it's the problems of the Land of Rain or the path to peace in the future."

And this operation involving the Akatsuki, as well as Nagato regaining "trust," were all devised by me.

The 'sincerity' I've shown seems to be far greater than I imagined; in comparison, your 'sincerity' always seems somewhat lacking.

"."

Xiao Nan almost choked when she heard this. They were just talking about serious business, how come they changed their tune so quickly?

Thinking back, it seems like I said not long ago that I would only talk about work. Is this some kind of revenge?

Xiao Nan was somewhat amused and exasperated, but Xiu Ze's words did indeed give her pause for thought.

Xiuze has helped them so much, and they owe him so much in return.

Thinking of this, Xiao Nan seemed to have made up her mind. She looked at Xiu Ze seriously and said slowly.

"Once this is over, I'll show you our 'sincerity'!"

"."

(End of this chapter)