"Don't tell me the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan can evolve too, just like the Sharingan!"
"Why not?"
Jingyi said, "I gained quite a few strange abilities, and the Caged Bird Seal that bound me vanished as a result. All I can say is that my eyes evolved."
"Damn it!!"
The moment Tsunade heard that, she wanted to hit someone.
Who cared whether his eyes had regressed or evolved? The Caged Bird Seal binding him was gone—why hadn't he said so sooner?
She had been worried all this time that the old man might collude with the Hyuga Main Family to target him.
Had she known his Caged Bird Seal was gone, what the hell had she been worrying for?
"Bastard, stop rubbing it!!"
"..."
Konoha still had not given up on sending people into the Land of Rain to provoke Sunagakure and Iwagakure. The Third Hokage and the others unanimously believed this plan would accomplish several goals at once.
Even if a minor accident occurred along the way, Sunagakure and Iwagakure would still take the bait.
"I wonder whether the village's response to Sunagakure's intelligence being leaked by Shimura Danzō will affect the plan."
Shikaku Nara was worried about this.
"Even if it does, it has little to do with us. The current Ino-Shika-Cho isn't on the same side as them. Sigh~~~"
The grilled meat in Torifu Akimichi's hand suddenly no longer tasted good.
"What do you think Lady Mito was thinking? She insisted on putting this fat man in the position of Hokage Advisor. Putting me there was one thing, but she also placed the Medical System in my hands. She clearly has no intention of letting me step down."
You think you can step down?
Shikaku Nara said irritably,
"Now that the three Ino-Shika-Cho families, along with some other clans, have sided with Tsunade, do you think you can step down?"
"..."
Why was this fat man so unlucky?
I just wanted to stay home and study delicious food while giving my clan a little push from behind. Was that really too much to ask?
"Has the new Jonin Corps Captain been decided?"
Since the village had been founded, the position of Jonin Corps Captain had always been held by someone from the Nara Clan. Now, that position was gone.
The authority of Hokage Advisor, along with control over the Medical System, was in Torifu Akimichi's hands.
F4 would find ways to weaken Ino-Shika-Cho's influence.
The most obvious move was stripping Shikaku Nara of his position as Jonin Corps Captain.
That position held no small amount of power.
"They've already chosen someone. It's Matsuda Sarutobi."
Torifu Akimichi sighed.
Shikaku Nara could not help frowning. "Matsuda? Nothing good will come of that guy becoming Jonin Corps Captain."
"Who knows." Torifu Akimichi continued eating his grilled meat.
"Homura was the one who nominated him. It was probably Monkey's idea."
"No, what I don't understand is why Lady Mito keeps targeting me."
Where was his brain?
Shikaku Nara shot him a disdainful look.
"Most likely, Shimura Danzō's actions provoked Lady Mito. She also did not want Tsunade and the others to be left in an awkward position after she was gone.
Only if you took that position would Tsunade have a greater voice."
"Then just... forget it. Let's not talk about this."
The more Torifu Akimichi thought about it, the more depressed he became.
He had nearly said, why not simply let Tsunade take his position directly?
But on second thought, if they really did that, their intentions would be far too obvious. They needed someone who could stand in the open and contend with the Third Hokage and the others.
So Torifu Akimichi had been pushed out.
The three Ino-Shika-Cho families held considerable influence, and many clans in the village had close ties with them. Torifu Akimichi had once been classmates and teammates with the Third Hokage and the others, and they had all been disciples of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
With him standing in the open, the deterrent would be stronger.
At the border of the Land of Rain, Hanzō of the Salamander, leader of Amegakure, stood in a cave carved into a mountain peak and gazed at the gloomy sky.
A tiny black dot appeared on the horizon, gradually growing larger.
"Kazekage, you're late."
Hanzō of the Salamander's tone was displeased. The other party had not arrived at the agreed time, forcing him to wait an extra two hours.
Waiting two hours was nothing. What angered Hanzō of the Salamander was that the Third Kazekage did not regard him as an equal.
"My apologies. There were quite a few matters in the village."
Flying to the side of the cave, the Third Kazekage stepped down from the Iron Sand beneath his feet and gave a flat explanation.
Did he think this old man would believe that?
The Third Kazekage did not care whether the other man was angry.
"Hanzō, don't forget that you were the one who approached me first, seeking cooperation with Sunagakure."
"This old man has already shared the intelligence with you. Is that not enough to demonstrate Amegakure's sincerity?"
Hanzō of the Salamander clenched his fist tightly around the handle of his sickle. If he had not shamelessly sought cooperation with Sunagakure first, he truly wanted to give the Third Kazekage a taste of Salamander Venom.
Konoha wanted to respond to Sunagakure's provocation, yet it intended to drag Amegakure into the mess. Hanzō of the Salamander could only take the initiative and seek cooperation.
Sunagakure was the target he had chosen.
It could be said that Shimura Danzō's trade of village intelligence with Hanzō of the Salamander had already affected the direction of Konoha's plan.
Had Amegakure and Sunagakure not learned of this intelligence, once Konoha sent people into the Land of Rain, Sunagakure and Iwagakure would have actively responded to Konoha's provocations, while Amegakure would have suffered an undeserved disaster for no reason.
But the intelligence had leaked. Seeing that Konoha was determined to drag Amegakure into the water, Hanzō of the Salamander had no choice but to seek another way out.
The Third Kazekage seemed unable to see Hanzō of the Salamander's fury. With his hands clasped behind his back, he gazed into the distance.
"This old man has naturally seen the Demigod's sincerity. So how does Amegakure wish to cooperate?"
"If you intend to use this intelligence to keep Sunagakure out of the Land of Rain, Demigod, you'd best not waste your breath."
So what if Amegakure had risen? Did it possess the same strength as the Five Great Shinobi Villages?
How Sunagakure and Konoha played their game was a matter between them. It was not for Hanzō of the Salamander to meddle in.
"..."
Damn it!!
Hanzō of the Salamander truly wanted to swing the sickle in his hand and teach the Third Kazekage a lesson. The other man clearly did not regard him, the Demigod, as worthy of notice.
He was telling him outright: either become Sunagakure's dog and target Konoha together, or sit back and watch Konoha and Sunagakure contend. As for whether Amegakure would get caught in the crossfire, who cared?
"Clatter, clatter, clatter..."
The chain on the sickle rattled from friction as Hanzō of the Salamander roared, "Kazekage, don't go too far. Since this old man can come to you, I can naturally seek cooperation with others as well—for example, Konoha."
Whatever makes you happy.
The Third Kazekage glanced at Hanzō of the Salamander.
"I hope the Demigod can still say that when Iwagakure enters the fray."
Side with Konoha?
Go ahead and try.
Before you continue