The Return of the Sannin

"Hoshino Maki, it's rare for you to visit me~"

Chōjūrō had many courteous greetings prepared in his mind, but upon seeing Maki's face, he couldn't help but discard his plans and mock him.

Hoshino Maki calmly withdrew his gaze. "Is this how you treat someone who helps you, Lord?"

"What do you owe me..."

Chōjūrō's words faltered. He narrowed his eyes, his expression slowly becoming serious. "It's you?"

Hoshino Maki smiled but said nothing.

Chōjūrō looked Maki up and down as if seeing him for the first time. "Why?"

He couldn't fathom why Maki would betray Chiyo. Neither he nor the Kazekage faction could offer a better deal than Chiyo.

"Because I want to become Kazekage."

Chōjūrō looked at Maki as if he were an idiot.

Everyone in the higher ranks knew he wanted to be Kazekage. He didn't believe Hoshino Maki didn't know this. Now, this person was standing before him, claiming he wanted to seize the position. What was he thinking?

"Chiyo doesn't support you?"

Hoshino Maki shook his head. "Chiyo-sama doesn't want to get involved in this dispute. After all, with Chiyo-sama's strength, it doesn't matter who becomes Kazekage."

Ignoring Chōjūrō's increasingly displeased expression, he continued, "I come from a commoner background. Although I've luckily earned some military merits, I know my strength and talent are absolutely no match for the Great Clans. They are the arteries and foundation of this village, so I can only pursue the greatest personal honor—Kazekage."

"This is my ideal, and the dream of every child in Sunagakure."

"I know Lord Chōjūrō has his sights on the position of Kazekage. But may I ask you, if you become Kazekage, can you contend with Chiyo-sama?"

Chōjūrō remained silent. He knew it would be difficult. But given his position, his avenues for increasing his influence were already narrow. Weakening the Chiyo Clan was something he could only think about before the Kōtarō incident. In fact, without Hoshino Maki as an informant, the Kōtarō affair might not have caused much of a stir at all.

The Chiyo Clan was as solid as a rock, and he needed to win over other clans. Looking across Sunagakure, he couldn't think of a better path than becoming Kazekage.

Coincidentally, the disappearance of the Third Kazekage gave him this opportunity. If he didn't seize it, he feared he would regret it for the rest of his life, even though his life wasn't that long anyway.

"What, you think becoming Kazekage will help me suppress Chiyo?"

Chōjūrō didn't answer, instead asking a question.

Hoshino Maki shook his head. "No, but at least there will be one less person opposing you in the Elder Council. If Rasa..."

Chōjūrō didn't look at him, his gaze lowered.

"Chiyo isn't involved in the dispute, so her attitude towards Rasa becoming Kazekage is indifferent. But if it were you, especially after the Kōtarō incident, the Chiyo Clan would likely not have a good impression of you. If their voices unite, even Chiyo wouldn't remain indifferent."

"Kid, this is your goal, isn't it?"

Chōjūrō no longer felt the joy he had when plotting against Chiyo.

According to Maki, he was merely a knife in his hand.

To think that a distinguished Sand Ninja elder was being toyed with by a child. The anger in his heart was unreservedly evident in his eyes.

"Lord, if I wanted to use you, I wouldn't have told you it was me who recorded the video. Conversely, revealing everything proves my sincerity. If you tell the Chiyo Clan about this, I will have nowhere to be buried."

Chōjūrō met Maki's open gaze. They stared at each other for a long time before Chōjūrō slowly spoke, "What is your relationship with Chiyo now?"

"I don't know, but it shouldn't be too bad."

Chōjūrō sneered. "You want me to support you without cutting ties with Chiyo? Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Then what do you plan to do? Compete for the position of Kazekage against Rasa with Chiyo's opposition? If I may be blunt, unless you plan to launch a coup with force, once Chiyo opposes you, the Elder vote will surely overwhelm you."

"Lord, Chiyo-sama isn't competing for Kazekage, but she also won't let someone hostile to her become Kazekage."

Chōjūrō fell silent. He actually regretted revealing his intentions too early, but there was no turning back in life.

Chiyo understood him well, but people change, especially when dealing with an eccentric old person.

He had considered a forceful approach, but firstly, could the clans even defeat Chiyo and the Kazekage faction in battle? Secondly, the village had recently distributed a lot of supplies, and people's lives had improved significantly, even better than those in countries he used to envy. Would they be willing to follow him and risk their lives now?

They would probably rush to report him.

After being betrayed by his allies, Chōjūrō no longer had as much confidence in the power he controlled as before.

"Tell me your plan."

"I plan to send troops to Konoha."

Hoshino Maki was interrupted mid-sentence by Chōjūrō. "Then how will the Nine-Tails be dealt with?"

Hoshino Maki shook his head. "That won't happen. That's Konoha's trump card to be used only in times of crisis."

"What news do you have?"

"It's just a deduction. Jiraiya and Tsunade haven't sent any news for a long time. Combined with the time and place of their disappearance, I suspect they have returned to Konoha."

"How could I..."

Chōjūrō started to speak but stopped himself.

He knew this information. For ninjas of their caliber, spies from various ninja villages would definitely send back messages if they discovered any traces.

However, he simply hadn't connected this information with Konoha. After all, the two had left Konoha years ago and never returned, seemingly having completely severed ties.

The Sannin—this was a name that the older generation of Sand Ninja would never forget. They had made the Sand Ninja suffer too much on the battlefield in the Land of Rain.

Now that Hoshino Maki mentioned the Sannin gathered in Konoha and that they were even sending troops, Chōjūrō felt the other party had lost their mind.

The Sannin's influence wasn't just their strength; more importantly, they represented Konoha's tenacious fighting spirit.

Konoha's finest medical ninja, Tsunade;

The Sage Mode ninja, Jiraiya;

And before Minato, Konoha's most talented prodigy, Orochimaru.

They were less the Sannin and more like three Kage.

As long as they didn't fall, Konoha would still have the courage to raise its blades.

This was undoubtedly a powerful shot in the arm for Konoha, but it was dire news for the other ninja villages.

"Do you know how strong the Sannin are?"

Chōjūrō frowned. This was one of the reasons he disliked young people; they were ignorant of the immensity of the world, always overestimating themselves and underestimating seasoned ninja.

"I know, which is why we'll enter the fray when the Sannin and the ninja of Yunyan are locked in a fierce battle."

"Your sudden support for sending troops is a bit strange?"

Chōjūrō stroked his chin. The other party's words made him feel something was off.

But Hoshino Maki ignored him and continued, "Rasa and I will each lead a contingent of troops. Whoever enters Kikyo Castle first will be the Kazekage!"