453, that's the number Ren saw.
According to Hiashi's report, the Iwagakure ninja force this time only had a little over 500 people.
While admiring Tobi playfulness, Ren silently gave him a thumbs up.
Keep up the good work, I'll come back tomorrow to check on the results.
With so many people involved, Tobi is clearly planning something big.
Ren and Kabuto came quietly and left quietly, without taking a single cloud with them.
While Kabuto was checking the number of people, Ren also sensed the surroundings again. After finding no other key figures such as Nagato or Pain, he felt relieved.
Unsure of what Tobi was planning, Ren decided to lend him a hand anyway.
Iwagakure has so cooperatively cleaned its neck and put it right under the knife; it would be Will of Fire not to give them a good thrashing.
The next day.
Ren, who was building a bond with Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha in his daily life, received a message from Orochimaru.
Inside the laboratory.
Having learned about the history of the Shinobi World, Orochimaru, after obtaining data on Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha, finally had a clear direction and possible guesses.
"Ren- kun, the data on Naruto Uzumaki and Uchiha Sasuke is very helpful, but perhaps due to the influence of your story, I have a few guesses, and all of them perfectly match the existing data."
Seeing Orochimaru's excited face, Ren thought they had reached a conclusion.
"So, this time it's...?"
"We now have samples of ordinary people, regular ninjas, bloodstained ninjas, and even reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths like Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto, but we are still missing a portion in between."
In response to Ren's question, Orochimaru directly explained the current situation, and then added details as if afraid that Ren might misunderstand.
"The part between the Bloodstained Ninja and Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto!"
Ren's mind raced, and he tentatively began to speak.
"Senior, are you referring to Kekkei Tōta?"
"That's right, as far as I know, Ōnoki is about to arrive in Konoha."
Ren, considering the situation outside the village, immediately gave his assurances.
"No problem, just wait a few more days and Ōnoki's sample will be sent to the lab."
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's eyes filled with anticipation. However, after the initial excitement subsided, Orochimaru seemed to remember something and quickly said...
"Ren- kun, only a little bit of body tissue and Chakra is needed. If it causes conflict, it may not be necessary. Taking more time will eventually determine the result."
Clearly, Orochimaru didn't want to make a big fuss about Shisui's hidden agenda in Kotoamatsukami.
"I understand. Don't worry, senior, there won't be any bloodshed."
Ren nodded and made a promise to Orochimaru.
After leaving the laboratory building, Ren looked towards the location where Iwagakure was stationed.
Previously, I couldn't refuse their kind invitation and didn't want to miss the opportunity to kill Iwagakure, but now I have no choice but to kill them!
Ren didn't go to meet up with the three boys; instead, he returned to his office.
Reflecting on the orders issued overnight, Ren now added further details.
One by one, the ninjas entered the office, received their missions, and left with serious expressions.
After finishing the patching, Ren eagerly awaited the moment when Tobi would take action.
The sun rises and sets, then rises again, and the day passes quickly.
The day before the third round of the Chunin Ninja Exams had arrived.
Konoha has become incredibly lively.
Many merchants who were not qualified to come to Konoha with the Daimyo have rushed to Konoha in the past few days.
The ninjas' competition is certainly entertaining to watch, and it can also be used to determine which ninja village to entrust with future missions.
More importantly, Konoha is now home to all the big names in the Shinobi World, which in itself is a huge opportunity.
And Ren once again led the leaders of Konoha.
They successively welcomed Mei Terumi, Darui, Rasa, Ōnoki, and the leaders or representatives of the other ninja villages.
On the last day before the exam, the Kage from each village finally arrived in Konoha.
In its current state, Konoha could easily host a Five Kage Summit, or even an expanded meeting of all ninja villages, or even a general assembly of the entire Shinobi World.
Ren took a photo with each of the visitors, but this time he didn't cause any trouble like he did with Ōnoki.
Before the flash goes off, the other party will be informed in detail so they can be prepared.
The ninjas were much more efficient than the daimyo and nobles. Even with the same number of people, they only took half a day to complete the reception and everyone moved into their respective residences.
The so-called "entertainment" is just a matter of meeting briefly and exchanging a few words, and that's it.
Such things as sponsored meals do not exist in the Shinobi World, especially in ninja villages.
It's obvious that Konoha wouldn't tamper with the food, but the ninja's ingrained caution means no one would eat food given to them by others.
If Konoha were to actually hold a luncheon, it would just be a bunch of people sitting around a table full of food chatting aimlessly.
However, it wouldn't be good to ignore them, so Konoha still provided all the guests with plenty of food; whether they ate or not was up to them.
Meanwhile, the other four ninja villages, which are also among the Five Great Shinobi Villages along with Konoha, also welcomed a group of media workers carrying cameras and long lenses.
There was no conspiracy involved; it was just an interview to promote the other party, considering they were both among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.