Yeyu looked up from the documents.
Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura all looked toward Yeyu as well.
Yeyu's expression was calm. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Do they have some kind of motive?"
The Third Hokage smiled. "They do."
"They want to use the Chunin Ninja Exams to lure the Akatsuki into showing themselves."
"Although the Akatsuki haven't appeared in Konoha lately, they haven't shown up anywhere else in the Ninja World either."
"But according to our intelligence, they seem to have set their sights on Sunagakure and the Tailed Beasts in each village."
Yeyu thought it over. "Sunagakure also wants to use the Chunin Ninja Exams to scout out the other villages, right?"
The Third Hokage nodded with a smile. "I think that's what they have in mind."
"But they're probably hoping to hold the exams together with us because they want your protection."
"Security."
Sunagakure had been willing to pay Konoha such a large amount in compensation because of Yeyu.
They hoped to secure Yeyu's protection.
Sunagakure was very weak now, and even seemed at risk of falling out of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
To prevent other villages from invading, they had tied themselves to Konoha—or, more accurately, they wanted to tie themselves to Yeyu.
The other villages might not know much about Yeyu yet.
But Sunagakure knew him well. Its Jinchuriki and current Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, knew better than anyone how absurdly powerful Yeyu was.
Yeyu wasn't surprised. He had known as much when he signed the agreement with Sunagakure.
The Third Hokage looked at Yeyu. "Will you take part?"
Yeyu shook his head without hesitation. "I don't need to. Let Neji and Kakashi-sensei lead the team."
Sasuke, who was sitting nearby, looked up when Yeyu mentioned Neji. "Isn't Neji still in seclusion?"
Yeyu smiled. "He