"For something as simple as notifying us of the schedule for the joint Chūnin Exams, Konoha actually sent someone of your caliber to Sunagakure?"
The Fourth Kazekage asked Yagoromo this, sounding somewhat emotional.
Facing an enemy who had once dropped bombs directly toward his forehead, the Kazekage's expression was very serious, but he did not show hostility… This was the basic political quality a village leader ought to possess. If he had decided to deal with Yagoromo without another word, then he really would have been Kazekage for all these years in vain.
Although any conflict between Yagoromo and Sunagakure would truly be something people would love to see, Konoha and Sunagakure were currently allies. Therefore, even when facing the White Yaksha, with whom they had old grudges, since the other party was currently carrying out an official mission, Sunagakure ultimately could not do anything to him.
Even though he was now entirely on Sunagakure's territory.
Moreover, the village had only just been invaded last night. From the perspective of actual combat effectiveness, rashly making a move against a shinobi of Yagoromo's level at this time was absolutely not a good idea, unless the Kazekage felt that Sunagakure had not been demolished thoroughly enough yesterday.
The fact was that not only could Sunagakure not take hostile action against Yagoromo's group, they should not even block them from entering the village. And so… Yagoromo was now inside the Kazekage's office, speaking with him on equal terms.
After entering Sunagakure, Yagoromo had been able to make a basic judgment from the degree of damage suffered by the village: the battle had taken place last night, and the number of enemies who invaded Sunagakure had definitely not been large. Relatively speaking, however, the enemy possessed extremely powerful combat ability… Sunagakure's personnel losses were probably limited and had not greatly affected its overall strength. It was just that the destruction of the village itself looked somewhat miserable.
Negotiating with the Kazekage was something Yagoromo still had to do personally. At present, the three "genin" in his team could only act as spectators.
Although this was his first direct face-to-face contact with the Kazekage, Yagoromo felt a subtle sense of familiarity from him.
"The joint Chūnin Exams are a major event concerning Sunagakure, Konoha, and the surrounding smaller nations. From a diplomatic perspective, they hold sufficient significance. Therefore, as this year's host, Konoha places appropriate importance on this matter."
Yagoromo's words were very official, as though this matter really was important enough to require sending out a shinobi of his level… But in truth, coming to Sunagakure this time had been entirely his own decision.
However, judging from the current situation, this self-willed decision seemed to have gained sufficient meaning… Yagoromo's gaze swept inadvertently past the "broken walls and ruins" outside the window.
Cleaning up the village was not something that could be completed so easily. A large number of Sunagakure shinobi were busy outside.
But the Kazekage could not possibly believe all of Yagoromo's explanation. In the Kazekage's view, Konoha sending Yagoromo might indeed contain some degree of importance attached to the joint Chūnin Exams, but more than that, it was probably a routine deterrent aimed at Sunagakure.
Was Yagoromo's face really just Yagoromo's face?
No. That was the Third Hokage saying: "Come on, buddy. Take a look at our village's nuclear weapon."
Ueishi Yagoromo. You deserve to have one…
At the same time, the problem now was that the timing of the other party's arrival was far too wrong. This was equivalent to everything that had happened in Sunagakure last night being exposed before Konoha's eyes.
"We in Sunagakure also attach great importance to the Chūnin Exams. Therefore, we will send genin to participate at the agreed time."
Although the Chūnin Exams were important, they were still an annual routine event, so the Kazekage did not need to consider too deeply before agreeing.
"Konoha expresses its thanks and welcome for Sunagakure's participation as scheduled… In addition, there is one more matter. Regarding the Chūnin Exams, the Third Hokage formally invites Lord Fourth Kazekage to come to Konoha and attend in person, so that when the exams conclude, you may jointly decide and announce the list of chūnin promotions from each village…"
This was also something Yagoromo had to mention, since it was part of the mission requirements.
The Fourth Kazekage pondered briefly, but did not agree.
"As you have seen, Sunagakure is currently in this state. Yesterday, we were invaded by unknown enemies and suffered damage to a certain extent. During such a period, as Kazekage, I cannot leave the village. Therefore, I can only decline the Third Hokage's invitation…"
His tone even carried a trace of regret, whether genuine or not.
"May I ask a presumptuous question? Does the Kazekage have no clues at all regarding the intruders' identities?" Yagoromo asked.
Just as he himself had said, this question was rather presumptuous. This was important intelligence concerning Sunagakure's security, yet he asked it just like that.
However, after thinking it over, the Fourth Kazekage actually answered the question.
"There is no harm in telling you this. Last night's intruders numbered two. One of them was a missing-nin from Sunagakure many years ago, the one known as a 'genius,' Sasori of the Red Sand. The other person's identity is unknown…"
He only stated their identities, while concealing both enemies' level of strength and the characteristics of their ninjutsu.
"At the same time, there is something for which we must thank Konoha. The intelligence you passed to us many years ago has now been confirmed. The Third Kazekage truly did die at Sasori's hands… Last night, we saw his corpse puppet."
Fine. So the intelligence from all those years ago was something Sunagakure had only now fully chosen to believe, after seeing it with their own eyes.
"Sasori of the Red Sand? An unknown force? At the same time, the other party's purpose in invading Sunagakure is also unclear…"
Yagoromo seemed to be thinking over the issue, but in reality, his prior guess had already been verified.
To him, the other party's goal could not have been any clearer.
"Lord Kazekage, forgive my frankness, but it is precisely because of this timing and this incident that you need to go to Konoha during the Chūnin Exams, in order to… demonstrate the alliance between our two nations."
Yagoromo gave one more piece of advice for the time being.
Perhaps Sasori of the Red Sand had invaded Sunagakure purely for personal revenge. But what if it truly was a purposeful invasion by some unknown force?
Facing enemies hidden in the dark, Sunagakure needed Konoha.
This was not to say the Kazekage was afraid of anyone. Rather, the deterrent force of an alliance between two nations was stronger than that of a single great shinobi village. In that case, if the enemy wanted to act again, they would have no choice but to consider Konoha as a factor.
However, that was as far as Yagoromo would go. Whether or not the Kazekage went to Konoha still depended on the Kazekage's own decision.
"I will carefully consider your opinion. Later, we will send envoys to Konoha to make preliminary preparations for the Chūnin Exams. At that time, I will give a formal reply. But before that… in order to respond to Konoha's 'sincerity' and 'importance,' I have decided that the team leader Sunagakure sends to this Chūnin Exam will be our village advisor, Granny Chiyo. Please take good care of her when the time comes."
Yagoromo: "…"
Fine. This was indeed very sincere. As the saying went, courtesy demanded reciprocity. Since Konoha had sent the White Yaksha into Sunagakure to deliver a message, the Kazekage had temporarily decided to let Granny Chiyo stay in Konoha for a month… Konoha had a nuclear bomb, but Sunagakure also had a biochemical weapon. Who was afraid of whom?
This sort of coming and going was the correct way for shinobi villages to interact.
In terms of a different kind of threat, Granny Chiyo was even more dangerous than Yagoromo, because her poison could silently kill a huge number of people.
Without sufficient resistance, one month would be enough for her to poison all of Konoha twice over.
Well, this was a bit of a self-inflicted complication.
However, Yagoromo would not show weakness either. He very straightforwardly fired back with some verbal artillery.
"That could not be better. It just so happens that Lady Tsunade, one of our Sannin, will soon return to Konoha. I hear those two have always been worthy rivals who deeply appreciated each other on the battlefield. I'm sure they will have a pleasant reunion when the time comes."
Those two were indeed rivals, but "deeply appreciated each other" was absolutely not the case. They were rivals who wished they could strangle each other to death.
As for the possibility of Tsunade returning to Konoha… how would Yagoromo know?
However, his words still made the Kazekage's mouth twitch involuntarily.
Tsunade leaving Konoha was no longer some secret to the other villages by this time, but was she going to return?
In any case, note it down first. The White Yaksha had leaked another piece of major intelligence.
...
After they finished discussing this matter, Yagoromo declined the Kazekage's invitation to stay overnight and chose to leave directly.
In any case, the other party was only being polite on the surface. If he truly stayed in Sunagakure for one night, then a large portion of Sunagakure's shinobi probably would not be able to sleep that night. They would be either on guard, monitoring him, or… itching to make a move.
But Yagoromo did not leave quickly because he was afraid of this situation.
"Mirai, did you record the chakra signature?"
The moment they had just left Sunagakure, Yagoromo's squad instantly shifted into high-speed movement. The four of them immediately shook off the Sunagakure shinobi who had intended to monitor them until they left the Land of Wind.
"I recorded it, but the enemy is not within my sensory range…"
The enemy was too far away, and even Mirai's Mind's Eye of the Kagura was powerless.
Yagoromo thought for a moment, then said, "Judging from the course of the battle, the enemy could not have escaped unscathed. They even suffered a considerable degree of injury, so their movement speed cannot be too fast. There is even a possibility that they hid nearby…"
Since the other party was not within Mirai's sensory range, Yagoromo needed to rely on his own judgment to choose a direction for pursuit.
"We'll turn toward Amegakure."
Given that they were injured, Yagoromo felt the other party should be in the direction of Amegakure.
"Yes!"
The three answered in unison.
Mirai knew what Yagoromo wanted to do, because everything that should be told to her had already been told. As for Haku and Kimimaro, what they needed was not a reason, but to follow.
Without knowing anything, the Akatsuki duo had been targeted by a certain someone. For them, although Sunagakure's pursuit held an absolute advantage in numbers, they could slip out of that kind of encirclement as easily as fish swimming through water.
But now, these two swimming fish had fallen into the sights of a prehistoric beast-level giant crocodile. This was not a matter of scaring anyone.
He really did eat people without spitting out the bones.
So…
Little Sasori and Little Deidara, there is still time to run.
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