"Can't even protect himself? Are you talking about him becoming the One-Tail's jinchuriki?", Onoki asked, somewhat puzzled.
Clearly, Iwagakure also had spies in Sunagakure.
Rasa had lost control in Sunagakure many times already. There was no way the other villages didn't know what kind of state he was in.
"Heh! Some people always think too highly of themselves. They think they're amazing and that becoming a jinchuriki means they can subdue a tailed beast."
"But a perfect jinchuriki isn't that easy to achieve."
"As for Sunagakure's sealing techniques..."
Rengoku didn't continue, but his tone carried plenty of disdain for Sunagakure's sealing arts.
Aside from the sealing techniques passed down through Bunpuku's line, which could reliably seal Shukaku, Gaara was simply enduring it through sheer talent.
Rasa thought he was talented as well, and that becoming a jinchuriki would be no problem.
Now that he had become one, life was very difficult for him.
As for where Rasa had gone now, Rengoku had no idea.
Rengoku walked outside and saw the Shadow Guard still standing there.
They were the real Shadow Guard and knew Rengoku's identity.
When they saw him come out, they weren't surprised.
Rengoku glanced back at the Iwagakure jonin following Onoki.
"What's his name?"
Onoki let out a puzzled sound.
"Kyogan."
Rengoku nodded slightly.
"Has he learned Lava Release Chakra Mode yet?"
A trace of shock flashed through Onoki's eyes. He had no idea how Rengoku had figured out the other man was a jinchuriki.
Kyogan had a seal on him, and his chakra was concealed. Under normal circumstances, it was impossible to see the chakra inside his body.
Seeing that Onoki was too surprised to speak, Rengoku teased him, "He's a little worse than Roshi, but he's still pretty good."
By the time Onoki came back to his senses, Rengoku had already disappeared with the three members of the Shadow Guard.
Kyogan wore the same stunned expression. He had heard Rengoku's words as well.
He couldn't understand it either. He hadn't made a move, yet the other side had still seen through him.
Onoki looked Kyogan up and down repeatedly, unable to figure out how Rengoku had noticed.
That last sentence was clearly a warning aimed at him.
Onoki's expression darkened a little. Konoha was already this strong, and now Rengoku had returned.
Fortunately, Rengoku had no intention of directly crushing Sunagakure. At least for now, that gave him some time to prepare.
He looked at Deidara, who was smiling, and felt annoyed, "You already knew Rengoku was back, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Deidara spread his hands, looking completely unconcerned, "Old man, calm down. Telling you earlier wouldn't have changed anything. Since you'd already arranged a meeting with the Fourth Hokage, it made no difference whether I said it or not."
Onoki asked in confusion, "You found out Rengoku returned this time?"
Deidara replied, "Yeah. And it's exactly because Rengoku came back that I think an alliance with Konoha is the best choice."
"After all, these old bones of yours can't beat him."
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you doing anything foolish."
Although Deidara sounded casual, what he said was the plain truth.
Onoki was almost eighty years old. Naturally, his body was getting worse with each passing year.
Rengoku was only in his twenties and still in the prime growth period of his life.
The Onoki who couldn't defeat Rengoku five years ago still couldn't defeat him five years later.
Hearing that, Onoki felt somewhat discouraged. After all, Deidara was telling the truth.
Now he could only place his hopes on Deidara.
Deidara had political sense, strength, and potential.
The problem was that his personality was somewhat carefree.
What Onoki needed wasn't an advisor or a powerful fighter.
He needed a successor.
At the moment, Deidara's mind was full of art.
Even his increase in strength was merely a byproduct of pursuing art.
'I still need to give Deidara more ties.'
As Onoki thought this, his gaze swept across Kurotsuchi's face.
An idea formed in his mind.
———
While Minato openly went to meet with Iwagakure, Konoha also began this year's Chunin Exams.
The Chunin Exams still consisted of a written test and combat testing.
And because Konoha had excellent examination resources, countries around Konoha, Amegakure, Takigakure, Kusagakure, and others, all came to Konoha to take the exams.
At large-scale exams like this, there were always spies mixed in, hoping to gather more information about Konoha.
Especially now, after Konoha had just been attacked and declared war on Sunagakure.
During the Chunin Exams, many relatively strong ninja would bring people from their village or their own students to participate.
Some of these teacher-student relationships came from village ninja academies, while others were bought with money.
After all, not every ninja village had something like a ninja academy.
Some remote ninja villages were so isolated that you might never have even seen their forehead protectors. You wouldn't know whether they were real or fake, making disguise much easier.
Especially after Konoha built the national highway throughout the Land of Fire, the movement of people became even greater.
Konoha welcomed everyone. It would even deliberately release false information at times like this and let those spies carry it back.
It was also a kind of intelligence game.
Konoha's medical and commercial sectors were now highly developed. During the Chunin Exams, people from many countries would gather in Konoha.
The village would also use this period to promote commercial activities.
It was similar to how cities in Rengoku's previous life held sporting events.
This year's timing was somewhat special.
Among the people taking the exams were a few unusual individuals.
A female ninja with a headscarf and wheat-colored skin walked together with a tall, slender male ninja who had delicate features.
The two of them were leading three younger ninja while wandering around Konoha's streets.
Judging by their forehead protectors, they were from Kusagakure.
These two were Ryuzetsu and Muku, whom Rengoku had met when he first awakened.
"Ah! What a shame. Lord Rengoku has been away for so long. We come every year, but never get to see him."
With both hands behind her head, Ryuzetsu spoke helplessly.
Muku held Ryuzetsu's hand and gently patted her hair.
"It's okay. Lord Rengoku will come back eventually. We come during every Chunin Exam. Sooner or later we'll catch him."
Ryuzetsu shook her head, knocking Muku's hand away. Her face turned slightly red.
"Let's go check the exam grounds first. I wonder how Reiju and the others are doing."
"Mm. We'll come look for Lord Rengoku again next time."
After Rengoku told them the truth about the Box of Ultimate Bliss back then, Muku had managed to avoid disaster.
Later, after Rengoku secured his position within the Uchiha clan, he began doing business with Mui and the others.
As Konoha's medical technology advanced by leaps and bounds, demand for all kinds of medicinal herbs also rose rapidly.
Mui, the jonin responsible for supplying medicine to the Uchiha, brought substantial profits to Kusagakure.
They had always been deeply grateful to Uchiha Rengoku.
Although Kusagakure had never been very peaceful, leaving them with little time to go sightseeing, they still visited the Uchiha clan every year during Konoha's massive Chunin Exams.
To see whether Rengoku had returned.
Unfortunately, although they came every year, they always missed him.
This time, after arranging for the children from their village to enter the exam grounds, they also went to the Uchiha clan.
But before Rengoku gave permission, the clan could only tell Muku and Ryuzetsu that Rengoku had not yet returned.