Nagato, did you change your gender?

"Regardless of whether Tsunade believes the Ōtsutsuki invasion or not, she has to consider a compromise."

"There's a saying, 'Among three people walking, there must be one who can be my teacher.' No matter how capable a person is, there are always areas where they are inferior and need to learn."

"Even if no one is qualified to be her teacher, if she wants to advance further, she needs inspiration from the research of top ninjas in the same field to achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"Moreover, even if she doesn't want to advance further, what about the people she cares about? What about the others in Konoha?"

"Choosing to join means offering one's own 'knowledge' in exchange for multiple pieces of 'knowledge' from other ninja villages."

"Refusing to join means watching helplessly as other ninja villages exchange resources, grow stronger, and widen the gap."

"..."

Mei Terumi and Kurotsuchi listened to Shirozumi's words, lost in thought.

This was a blatant strategy, wasn't it?

Shirozumi used Tsunade as an example, but in reality, Tsunade could be replaced by Konohagakure or Kumogakure.

Although there were still some minor issues, such as how to counter if the other party refused to join and instead chose to dispatch ninjas to kidnap or defect 'students' to steal knowledge.

Also, the basic prerequisite for initiating this blatant strategy was to first demonstrate sufficient influence.

Otherwise, if others didn't care, it would all be for naught.

This method was like in a wuxia world, where hundreds of copies of the 'Sunflower Manual' were distributed to everyone in the martial arts world.

If you don't practice it, you fall behind and can only blame yourself when you're easily killed by others.

If you do practice it, not only do you have to pay something, but you also won't gain any significant advantage over others.

"This requires us to think it over ourselves."

"There's no rush for this."

Mei Terumi and Kurotsuchi needed to carefully consider what advantages their ninja villages had to offer and what areas they needed to supplement.

Shirozumi, however, stated there was no rush.

Regarding the establishment of an academy, that would have to wait at least until after Orochimaru was subdued.

After bidding farewell to the two women, Shirozumi returned to Konan's residence.

As the village leader of Amegakure, the treatment was slightly worse than that of the Mizukage and Tsuchikage, but it was still acceptable, quite spacious.

"Hmm?"

Shirozumi pushed open the door and saw that besides Konan, there was a little red-haired girl kneeling shyly by the desk, drinking hot milk.

Actually, when Shirozumi was discussing Medical Ninjutsu with Mei Terumi and Kurotsuchi earlier, he had thought of someone.

--Karin.

Actually, it wasn't just Karin.

Besides Sasuke, the other three members of Team Hebi were 'healers'.

Suigetsu could use water transformation for healing.

Jugo could expel his cells to directly fill the wounds of others.

As for Karin, it goes without saying; a bite from her was like drinking a blood tonic.

It could be said that Sasuke's ability to "get into a fight on a whim" during his chuunibyo phase without dying was largely due to the diligent support of these three healers.

Why was it said "largely"?

Because in some situations, it relied on the rescue from a certain enthusiastic clansman, the Masked Man.

"This is one of Nagato's clansmen. I happened to meet her being bullied by ninjas from her own village, so I saved her and brought her here," Konan said, standing to the side.

"It seems you've truly changed, Konan."

Shirozumi sat down with a smile.

Konan had her hope reignited by Shirozumi, and coupled with the previous mention of him deliberately sending Ajisai to her death to create an Animal Path, turning her into the person she hated most, Konan had now found her former self.

"Seeing her, I felt like I was seeing my past self..."

Konan did not deny it, slowly walked over, and sat down as well. "However, our mission this time..."

"It doesn't matter. Don't forget, we're here to save the Third Hokage. Konoha should be eternally grateful to us."

Although Shirozumi said this, he picked up Karin's Kusagakure forehead protector from the ground and tied it to her arm. "Wear this for a few more days during the Chunin Exams."

Then, he took out another Amegakure forehead protector from behind him and tied it to her other arm, much to Karin's bewildered expression.

What did this mean?

A slave to three villages?

"Aren't you going to ask her?"

Konan asked, seeing Shirozumi preparing to abduct Karin back to Amegakure just like that.

"I, I'm willing!"

Karin hurriedly raised her hand, rushing to express her willingness.

She was afraid of being abandoned if she was a step too late.

Bai Mo understood the reason for Karin's reaction very well.

It was normal.

Let alone Konan mentioning that Nagato and she were both from the Uzumaki Clan, even Orochimaru wouldn't need to say anything to abduct her.

The people of Kusagakure were simply too monstrous.

Karin and her mother possessed a special physique, rare even within the Uzumaki Clan.

A single bite could produce the effect of advanced Medical Ninjutsu.

For small Ninja Villages, where skilled Medical Ninjas were scarce, this physique made them highly sought after.

So, how should Karin and her mother normally be treated?

The kind would train them into qualified Medical Ninjas and then research cell cultivation to achieve mass treatment.

The evil would force them to constantly bear children while keeping them healthy, thereby increasing the special physique.

The average approach would be to allow the biting, but constantly monitor Karin's mother's health, provide her with nutrition, and ensure she rested.

What did Kusagakure do?

They first bit Karin's mother to death, and then moved on to Karin.

Even ordinary people raising chickens knew to wait for the eggs, for sustainable development.

Kusagakure had no intention of doing so.

The extent of their perversion was comparable to Takigakure next door, who sent Kakuzu to assassinate Hashirama Senju.

"If you're willing, you're willing. Don't get so worked up."

"You won't be participating in the Chunin Exams. Your teammates are gone, so you can't participate alone anyway. Just follow Konan and me and be a spectator."

"Okay!"

Karin agreed to Bai Mo's suggestion without the slightest hesitation.

She didn't care about becoming a Chunin or not.

The crucial thing was escaping the hell that was Kusagakure.

The next day, the preliminary round of the Chunin Exams began.

The preliminary round was a written test. The Third Hokage specifically used the Scrying Jutsu combined with projection to display the scenes from each examination room for everyone to watch.

Not many people came to watch.

The Daimyo, wealthy merchants, and officials were all prepared to watch the fights and had no interest in the written test.

Mei Terumi and Kurotsuchi did come, however.

They had guessed the core of this written examination and knew that it would be fortunate if even one-fifth of the rookies they brought could pass.

But that wasn't the key point.

The purpose of bringing these rookies was to let them experience the cruelty of the Ninja World.

If they couldn't strengthen their resolve this time, at least they would know what to do next time.

Konan and Bai Mo didn't come to watch the Konoha Genin cheat. Instead, they took Karin and strolled through the streets of Konoha.

Konan suggested taking Karin to a bathhouse, but Bai Mo rejected the idea.

Konan was very confused.

As the two were talking while walking, a white-haired old man suddenly scratched his butt and turned his head.

Since Bai Mo and Konan were talking as they walked, Jiraiya only heard a somewhat familiar voice and Karin, with her red hair, trailing behind.

"Konan? Wait, did Nagato have a sex change?"

Jiraiya felt like he had been to too many "entertainment" establishments, his ears ringing and his vision blurred.