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As soon as the words fell, Danzo was slightly taken aback. He asked, "You're recommending Jiraiya?"

Mitokado Homura nodded and said matter-of-factly, "Jiraiya is not only the Third's disciple, but he also personally trained the Fourth. His strength and reputation are no less impressive.

He can be considered the most suitable candidate in Konoha today."

Danzo's expression darkened at those words. He said coldly, "But Jiraiya is naturally carefree. I'm afraid he cannot shoulder such a heavy responsibility."

Utatane Koharu Responded, "There is no need to worry about that. Once he takes office, we will naturally assist him wholeheartedly. What Konoha needs most right now is an expert with sufficient prestige who carries on the Will of Fire to stabilize the situation."

Shimura Danzo's eyes flickered. He had long coveted the position of Hokage, having competed with the Third since his youth.

Now that Sarutobi Hiruzen had finally died, it should have been his turn. Yet these two bastards had pushed Jiraiya forward again.

He wanted to canvass for himself, but after giving it some thought, he realized that he had no real advantage.

Whether in terms of strength or personal prestige, Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, seemed superior to him.

He could only say coldly, "Do as you please."

With that, he turned and left on his own.

After he departed, Utatane Koharu said, "It seems that fellow still hasn't given up on becoming Hokage."

Mitokado Homura snorted lightly. "Danzo's lust for power is too great, and his methods are excessively ruthless. If he becomes Hokage, I'm afraid we won't have easy days ahead."

They had chosen Jiraiya to succeed as Hokage not merely because of his qualifications and abilities, but more importantly because that lecherous sage was carefree by nature and had no interest in power.

That way, they could firmly keep Konoha's political authority in their own hands.

At that thought, the two exchanged glances and smiled knowingly...

Meanwhile, Danzo had returned to Root, where he snarled furiously, "Those two old fossils!"

As he vented his dissatisfaction, a tall man stepped before him and respectfully dropped to one knee. "Lord Danzo!"

He wore a sleeveless brown crossover top, with a sharp katana strapped across his back. His orange side-parted hair was tied into a short, high ponytail, making him look exceptionally capable.

This man was Danzo's trusted subordinate, Yamanaka Fu of the Yamanaka Clan.

Seeing him arrive, Shimura Danzo asked, "How has the investigation gone?"

Yamanaka Fu Responded, "I led Root members in gathering information on Chen Feng, only to discover that the first place this man ever appeared was the Land of Waves.

Before that, not the slightest trace of him could be found anywhere. It was as if he had appeared out of thin air."

"Appeared out of thin air?"

Danzo frowned slightly. This mysterious disciple of the Dao School gave off a strange impression. Whether in his words and conduct or in the inheritance of his techniques, he was distinctly different from those of the Shinobi World.

He then said, "There are significant secrets hidden within this man. We must find a way to obtain them."

Yamanaka Fu said, "Chen Feng has an expert protecting him at all times. Even I would find it difficult to get close.

Moreover, it is said that he possesses a summoned beast no weaker than a tailed beast. Although there are experts within Root, dealing with an existence of that level would likely..."

At those words, a cold gleam flashed in Danzo's aged eyes. He said icily, "That expert called Xiao Meng can be restrained by dispatching two jonin.

As for the summoned beast, while it is powerful and difficult to confront head-on, other methods can be used to prevent its arrival."

Yamanaka Fu's expression shifted. "You mean..."

Danzo continued, "I know of a formation that can render the Summoning Technique ineffective within a certain range, but it must be set up beforehand."

As he spoke, he took out a scroll and handed it to the other man. "Make the arrangements. Also, draw the shinobi near Chen Feng away. Do not let anyone else discover this."

Naturally, he wanted to keep Chen Feng's secrets in his own hands, so this plan had to remain as covert as possible.

"Yes!"

Yamanaka Fu answered, then went to handle the matter...

In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.

Just two days earlier, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had approached Jiraiya, hoping that he would assume the position of Hokage. However, he had firmly refused.

After Danzo learned the news, he was overjoyed and hurried over, preparing to promote himself once again.

Yet just as he arrived, he received another piece of news: Jiraiya had recommended Tsunade, also one of the Konoha Sannin, to succeed as Hokage. Moreover, she had already gained the approval of the two advisors and many high-ranking officials.

Danzo was so enraged that he nearly flipped the table, but he still held himself back. After all, Tsunade was not only one of the renowned Sannin, but also the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage.

Whether by qualifications or bloodline, she was the person most qualified to inherit the position of Hokage.

However, Tsunade had left Konoha many years ago. To nominate her as the new Hokage, they first had to bring her back.

And naturally, that task fell to Jiraiya.

Though he did not want to deal with such troublesome matters either, he had no choice. If Tsunade could not be brought back, the burden of being Hokage would have to fall upon him.

After making a few preparations, Jiraiya took his little grand-disciple Naruto Uzumaki and set off on a journey to find the big fat sheep...

At the same time, Chen Feng was lying in the courtyard, basking in the sun. As he felt the warm sunlight fall across his body, a wave of comfort rose in his heart.

He then opened the system panel in his mind, intending to take stock of his gains during this period.

Host: Chen Feng

Reputation Points: 1998 (Unknown)

Skills: Pure Yang Limitless Skill (Slightly Accomplished), Tai Chi Fist (Entering the Hall)

Feng Hou Qi Men (First Glimpse of the Path)

Passive Skill: Billionaire Pauper

Looking at the sharply increased value, Chen Feng could not help but feel delighted. A single Chunin Exams had earned him quite a few Reputation Points.

A considerable portion of them must have come from the Amethyst Winged Lion King. But that did not matter, so long as the benefits ultimately ended up in his hands.

Now that he was a little wealthier, it was time to upgrade his skills again.

Just as he was considering this, he saw the number in the Reputation column still slowly ticking upward. It had already become 1999, and after a few breaths, it broke through the two-thousand mark.

At the same time, the title after the value changed from "Unknown" to "Well-Known."

Immediately afterward, the system's distinctive voice rang out in his mind once more: "Congratulations, Host, on unlocking a new title. Reward: one Random Character Card!"