Just as Chen Fan was about to head back, an Anbu member appeared. "Lord Chen Fan, the Third Hokage requests your presence."
"Oh! Right, there was that too. I completely forgot." Chen Fan smacked his forehead, as if only just remembering.
The Konoha Anbu member broke out in a cold sweat. Is this guy really reliable? Why does the Hokage hold this man in such high regard?
Chen Fan turned to Hinata and Haku. "You two head back first, or keep looking around if you want. It's still early. Walk around more, make more friends. That's what makes life fun!"
Then he said to the Anbu member, "Let's go. I nearly forgot about that old man. Who knows what trouble he has this time."
Meanwhile, Kabuto and Orochimaru met again.
Kabuto knelt on one knee before Orochimaru. "The Preliminary Match concluded smoothly. The main event is about to begin."
Orochimaru stood with his arms folded, leaning against a pillar as he watched the village scenery. He had grown up in this village. Back then, it had still been wartime, utterly different from the present. Though young, he had been sent to the battlefield early. Konoha's current prosperity was due in no small part to him. Everyone lived and worked in peace, enjoying their lives, yet he, once a great contributor, had become an S-Class Rogue Ninja of this village.
"Come to think of it... this place is truly peaceful... No, this entire country has grown too complacent in peace... Other nations are actively throwing themselves into military competition..." Orochimaru said.
Hearing this, Kabuto rose to his feet. "This prosperity would not exist without Lord Orochimaru's contributions. Yet these people abandoned you. This hypocritical peace is the perfect opportunity to seize it in one stroke."
"Yes. I wonder whether taking that