The Third Kazekage Meets Hanzō of the Salamander

"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 binding 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 had disappeared, so why hadn't he said so sooner?

She had been worrying all this time that the old man might join forces with the Hyuga Main Family to target him.

If she had known his Caged Bird Seal was gone, what the hell had she been worried about?

"Bastard, stop rubbing it!!"

"..."

Konoha had still 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 was a plan that would kill several birds with one stone.

Even if a minor accident occurred along the way, Sunagakure and Iwagakure would still take the bait.

"I wonder whether Shimura Danzō leaking the village's response to Sunagakure's intelligence will affect the plan."

Shikaku Nara was worried about that.

"Even if it does, it doesn't have much to do with us. The current Ino-Shika-Cho isn't on the same side as them. Sigh~~~"

Torifu Akimichi suddenly felt that the grilled meat in his hand had lost its flavor.

"What do you think Lady Mito was thinking? She insisted on putting this fat guy in the position of Hokage advisor. Putting me there was one thing, but she also handed the medical system over to me. She clearly doesn't want me stepping down."

Could you even step down?

Shikaku Nara said irritably,

"Now that the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, along with some other clans, have sided with Tsunade, do you think you can step down?"

"..."

Why was this fat guy so unlucky?

I just wanted to stay home and research some delicious food, while giving my clan a little push from behind. Was that really too much to ask?

"Has the new head of the jōnin corps been decided?"

Ever since the village was founded, the position of head of the jōnin corps 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 a way to weaken Ino-Shika-Cho's influence somewhat.

The most obvious move was stripping Shikaku Nara of his position as head of the jōnin corps.

That position held no small amount of power.

"It's already been decided. Matsuda Sarutobi."

Torifu Akimichi sighed.

Shikaku Nara could not help frowning. "Matsuda? Nothing good will come of that guy becoming head of the jōnin corps."

"Who knows." Torifu Akimichi continued eating his grilled meat.

"Homura recommended 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 gave him a disdainful look.

"Barring any surprises, Shimura Danzō's actions must have provoked Lady Mito. She also didn't want Tsunade and the others to end up in an awkward position after she was gone.

Only if you took that position would Tsunade have a greater say."

"Then why not directly... 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 just 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 openly in the spotlight and contend with the Third Hokage and the others.

That was why Torifu Akimichi had been pushed forward.

The Ino-Shika-Cho clans wielded considerable influence. There were also many clans in the village that had close ties with them. Torifu Akimichi had once been classmates and teammates with the Third Hokage's group, and they were all disciples of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

Having him stand in the open would be more intimidating.

At the border of the Land of Rain, Hanzō of the Salamander, leader of Amegakure, stood inside a cave carved into the mountainside, gazing out at the gloomy sky.

A tiny black dot appeared on the horizon, gradually growing larger.

"Kazekage, you're late."

Hanzō of the Salamander spoke with displeasure. The other party had failed to arrive 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 was rather a lot to handle in the village."

Flying beside the cave, the Third Kazekage stepped down from the Iron Sand beneath his feet and gave a calm explanation.

Did he think this old man would believe that?

The Third Kazekage did not care whether the other man was angry.

"Hanzo, 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 around the handle of his sickle. If he had not shamelessly sought cooperation with Sunagakure first, he truly wanted to let the Third Kazekage taste some salamander venom.

Konoha wanted to respond to Sunagakure's provocations, 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.

If Amegakure and Sunagakure had not known this intelligence, then when 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 conflict, Hanzō of the Salamander had no choice but to seek another way out.

The Third Kazekage seemed not to notice 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 the Demigod intends to use this intelligence to keep Sunagakure out of the Land of Rain, then he'd best not bother speaking."

So what if Amegakure had risen? Did it possess the same strength as one of 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 point fingers at.

"..."

Damn it!!

Hanzō of the Salamander truly wanted to swing his sickle and teach the Third Kazekage a lesson. The man clearly did not take him, the Demigod, seriously at all.

He had told him outright: either become Sunagakure's dog and target Konoha together, or sit back and watch Konoha and Sunagakure clash. As for whether Amegakure would be dragged into it, who cared?

"..."

The chain on the sickle rattled as it scraped together. Hanzō of the Salamander said angrily, "Kazekage, don't go too far. Since this old man can come to you, he can naturally seek cooperation with others as well, such as Konoha."

Whatever makes you happy.

The Third Kazekage glanced at Hanzō of the Salamander.

"I hope that when Iwagakure enters the fray, the Demigod will still be able to say such things."

Siding with Konoha?

He could try.