Chapter 121: The Annual Meeting
Autumn passed and winter came. Following a certain someone's astonishing performance on the Saito battlefield, the offensives of the major hidden villages slowed down. With this lull, the 45th year of Konoha passed by.
"Come on! Happy New Year! Let's congratulate Yahiko for earning the title of 'The Rooster Cutter' on the battlefield! Pfft~"
"Cough cough~, Yahiko, you know me. We Ninjas are professionally trained; under normal circumstances, we don't laugh."
"Unless we can't help it!"
"Ah hahahaha..."
As the speaker's loud laughter rang out, the rest of the group could no longer hold back and joined in.
Only Yahiko... "Yahiko! Why aren't you laughing? Do you just hate smiling? Hahaha..."
Yahiko: [...]
"Damn those Hidden Stone Village Ninjas! Not a single one of them has any culture!"
"Hey! You've misunderstood Hidden Stone Village. Who told you to keep attacking the Four-Tails' lower half after he came out? You didn't even spare... that! And you even shouted it out loud."
"It's tactics! Tactics!"
"Attacking the lower half consumes less Chakra! I had to save Chakra to deal with the Four-Tails! Of course, I had to save as much as possible. Is attacking a target ten meters high the same as attacking one fifty meters high?"
"If you don't believe me, ask..."
Speaking to this point, Yahiko turned his head to look around, only to see Nagato and Konan sitting beside him... Yahiko: [...]
Seeing Yahiko like this, the crowd became even more jubilant.
Finally, Konan steered the conversation away.
"Alright! Alright! At least Yahiko has a title now!"
"Let's talk about the New Year's Eve performance at the Hidden Sand Village Plaza today. I heard that Dan... the Kazekage will personally perform on stage!"
"If we don't eat now... we're going to miss it in a bit!"
"Right, right! Konan has a point. Eat up, eat up!"
...[Hello, citizens of Hidden Sand Village! Our New Year's Eve performance begins now!]
[Please welcome our opening act...]
[A performance brought to you by Lord Kazekage—Danzo Shimura, and the Konoha Village Dance Troupe.]
[Great Sunagakure!!!]
"Awoo..." × N
"Lord Danzo! Lord Danzo!" × N
As the host's voice fell, the Hidden Sand Village villagers below the stage began to scream loudly. This commotion reached a climax after Danzo Shimura officially took the stage!
"Family of Hidden Sand Village... Happy New Year!"
"Awoo! Awoo!" × N
"I am very happy to be the opening act of the performance. Next... let us sing out loud!"
"Great Sunagakure~ is my hometown, my home is right here in this yellow earth land..."
With the sound of Danzo Shimura's singing and the enthusiastic dancing of the thousand-member Konoha dance troupe behind him, the enthusiasm of the audience below completely reached a fever pitch.
Of course.
In this joyful atmosphere, there were also people who could not blend in.
"This... this is... Lord Danzo!"
A certain blonde girl fell into a daze after seeing Danzo Shimura on stage.
"Hehe... Genjutsu! It must be Genjutsu!"
After saying that, she ran out on her own... Inside a small courtyard in Hidden Sand Village, a certain Byakugan Ninja was sitting quietly in front of his home.
Danzo Shimura's resonant singing still faintly echoed in the air.
But he was not infected by the joyful singing at all, his face remaining as cold as ice.
At that moment, a woman walked out of the house and draped a heavy coat over him.
"Hizashi! You need to pay more attention to your health!"
But after a long time, the woman still didn't hear any response, as if the man in front of her had already departed.
Seeing that Hizashi had not responded to her, the woman sighed deeply in her heart, then touched her already bulging belly.
"Hizashi! If you really feel that this child shouldn't come into this world, then..."
With that, she threw a Kunai onto the ground.
"I'm giving you a chance! A chance to let your heart be free of guilt!"
The woman's words were just like the Kunai that had just fallen.
Except... the Kunai was buried deep in the snow, while the woman's words pierced deep into Hizashi's heart.
This caused the originally motionless Hizashi to have a slight reaction.
He looked at the woman before him, the woman who was pregnant due to external forces.
He picked up the Kunai from the ground... "Hehe... come on! Hizashi!"
Seeing Hizashi's movement, the woman also puffed out her belly. Since Hizashi was sitting, the woman's bulging belly stopped right in front of his eyes.
Gazing at the bulging belly in front of him, although Hizashi held a Kunai in his hand.
Just one strike!
No!
One second!
This stray Hyuga bloodline before him could be personally resolved by him... but!
That hand simply could not be raised.
After a long time... "What? Still not doing it? Today is your only chance! Taking advantage of today's guard being the loosest, if you miss today, you'll never have another chance!"
"What! Do you not want to protect the bloodline of your Hyuga Clan anymore?"
"Are you just going to watch the bloodline of the Hyuga Clan drift away outside?"
"The bloodline you previously swore to kill is now right before you. Why haven't you struck yet!"
The woman's string of words was like a series of Kunai, stabbing deeply into Hizashi's heart.
And hearing what the woman said, Hizashi's hand that had been holding the Kunai kept trembling.
Until... the whistling sound of the Kunai passed by the woman's ear, taking a few strands of her hair with it, and finally embedded itself deep into the wall of the house.
"I'm going out to buy some food!"
As the words fell, the Byakugan man also walked out of the courtyard gate.
"Bring back some hot and sour rice noodles, I know!"
Watching the man's departing back, a smile also rose at the corner of the woman's mouth... "Lord Kazekage, what are you laughing at?"
On a tall building, Ebizo and Saito were standing together watching the performance in Hidden Sand Village.
But Ebizo noticed that Saito, who was beside him, had been smiling from beginning to end.
And knowing that Saito had the ability to perceive the entire Hidden Sand Village, Ebizo also became curious.
He also really wanted to know what good things were happening in Hidden Sand Village!
"Cough cough... it's nothing, I'm just very gratified to see that Danzo has changed so much."
Hearing Ebizo's inquiry, Saito replied perfunctorily.
[Tch! If you won't say it, then don't! I'll be able to find out when I go back in a bit!]
Although he thought so in his heart, he couldn't say it that way.
Since Saito had also mentioned Danzo Shimura, emmm... at least it could be considered a topic, so Ebizo followed the subject.
"Yeah! Who would have thought that the legendary darkness of shinobi... could sing quite well."
Saito: [???]
"Cough cough, I'm just joking."
Seeing Saito's 'what on earth are you talking about' expression, Ebizo hurriedly explained.
"Speaking of which, Danzo Shimura has been trained... cough cough, taught by Lord Kazekage to be like this. When does Lord Kazekage plan to let him return to Konoha?"
"Oh? What? Has Elder Ebizo rested enough and plans to start working?"
"Er... that's not it, I'm just asking, just asking."
"It's still early! At least we have to wait until this war is almost over."
"Danzo seems to have a lot of power in Konoha, but it's all based on Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"Only when Hiruzen Sarutobi's prestige is greatly damaged, and Danzo returns bringing dawn, will there be a sliver of hope!"
"A sliver of... hope?"
"Yes, a sliver of hope."
"No way, Danzo is already like this, and he still won't be able to beat Hiruzen Sarutobi when he goes back!"
"Yeah! Because I've kept a trick up my sleeve!"
Ebizo: [!!!]
..."Hehe... this is good! This is good! Oh ho ho..."
Inside the Sunagakure Biological Research Building.
In a place where the atmosphere was usually very serious, today it seemed exceptionally... ah, no!
To be precise, since that man arrived, this building had become strange.
"Jiraiya! What are you looking at again!"
Snap!
The sound of a book falling echoed in the silent experimental room.
The reason was simple. Because of this voice, this voice that made Jiraiya feel discomfort in his lower body, even his four limbs were now starting to become weak.
"Ah, haha... it's Eri! Ah... haha... weren't you going to see the performance? Why... why... are you back again?"
"How can a performance be better than an experiment!"
Jiraiya: [!!!]
After saying that, Uzumaki Eri walked to Jiraiya's side, then grabbed the sheet and pulled it open.
She then looked at the experimental subject.
"Not bad! It seems my experiment was very successful!"
"Separation and then recombination does not physiologically affect its function."
Hearing what Uzumaki Eri said.
Jiraiya's originally trembling body also gradually recovered, and then he looked at Uzumaki Eri with great expectation.
"Really! Is the experiment about to end! Then can I be free?"
As soon as he said this, unworthy tears flowed from the corners of Jiraiya's eyes.
Bitter!
Too bitter!
God knows what he, the toad sage, has encountered!
Cut and then reattached, grown back and then cut and reattached... repeating like this, it was simply perverted.
But it wasn't without benefits, for example... secondary development!
But!
If the price of secondary development was this... then he'd rather not have it!
"No! One step left!"
"Ah!"
Upon hearing Uzumaki Eri's words, Jiraiya, who had been weeping with joy, forcefully held back his tears.
He'd let them flow next time; it wasn't time yet.
"Hehe... Eri! Isn't the experiment over? Why is there more! I clearly saw you check the last box on the experimental project!"
"The last one doesn't need anyone else's assistance, so I didn't write it down!"
Jiraiya: [!!!]
"So... you came over today?"
"That's right! Just to complete the final step!"
"An experiment is just an experiment after all! How the experimental subject actually is... one must test it personally to know if it's useful!"
After saying that, she approached Jiraiya step by step.
Jiraiya: [!!!]
[Don't come over here!!!]
...Somewhere underground.
"Lord Madara! Lord Madara! It's time for New Year's Eve dinner!"
"Sigh~, Lord Madara really is something, why did he make me leave so early? I only had a tiny bit of salary, and now that I really have no income, I'm almost not going to be able to afford to support Lord Madara!"
"Shut up! You idiot! I've already said I don't need these things!"
"Heehee! Lord Madara, you're awake. Hurry up and eat while it's hot, it won't taste good once it's cold!"
A certain White Zetsu automatically ignored what Uchiha Madara said. After all, after so many years, he had Lord Madara's temper down pat!
"Hmph!"
..."Where's Black Zetsu?"
Uchiha Madara asked while eating.
"Black Zetsu is out spreading intelligence."
"Mhm."
"How is the spokesperson doing?"
"Oh, you mean that boy named Uchiha Obito. He's now being hailed as a genius of the Uchiha Clan."
"Lord Madara is indeed amazing. This Obito awakened his eyes with two tomoe right away."
"Oh~" Hearing Obito's words, Uchiha Madara's eating motion paused slightly, and then returned to normal.
"He actually awakened his eyes? Earlier than I imagined!"
"Was he stimulated by something? Was he dumped by that little girl next to him?"
"Not at all. Right now, Obito and that little girl are inseparable."
"Oh~, then how did he awaken his eyes?"
"I heard from another White Zetsu that it was for a man!"
Uchiha Madara: [???]
"Supposedly, Obito ran to the village gate to chase after that man, wanting to convince him to stay. But in the end, he failed to convince him, and then he awakened the two tomoe."
Uchiha Madara: [???]
"Hmph! As expected! The Uchiha Clan has completely degenerated!"
"But it doesn't matter, as long as my Eye of the Moon Plan can be completed!"
...Konoha.
"What! You're saying Hidden Sand Village possesses a Senjutsu that can make people younger!" × 3
In the Hokage Office, the four Kage of Konoha, Hidden Cloud Village, Hidden Stone Village, and Hidden Mist were gathered together.
Thanks to the intelligence from the Saito battlefield and the news of the Hidden Mist's withdrawal afterward.
Hiruzen Sarutobi ultimately chose not to take risks and decided to play it safe.
But.
The problem had to be solved eventually.
Danzo... must be saved.
Without Danzo's presence during this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly felt that there were some private tasks he couldn't easily handle.
Fortunately, he still had his disciple Orochimaru, who could barely make do.
To give the major Ninja Clans a satisfactory answer, Hiruzen Sarutobi really had no other choice!
But in the end, he thought of a way. Since he couldn't handle it alone, he'd just call in more people.
Thus, the other three Kage were invited by him to Konoha.
Since he was inviting them, there certainly had to be something important.
And it was important intelligence about Hidden Sand Village. Hiruzen Sarutobi thought long and hard; what could be more tempting than youth?
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, looking around at the other three Kage.
The Third Tsuchikage... was as old as he was.
The Third Raikage... his beard was about to turn white.
The Third Mizukage... was already an old antique.
Looking at the Kage of each village, each one older than the last, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't believe they wouldn't be tempted.
Facts proved that Hiruzen Sarutobi was right.
After hearing that Hidden Sand Village had a Senjutsu that could make people younger, the breathing of all the Kage became heavy, with the Third Mizukage of the Hidden Mist and the Third Tsuchikage of Hidden Stone Village being the most affected.
One was already very old and about to pass away, while the other's Ninja village had a gap between generations and wanted to hold on a bit longer.
"Lord Hokage, is the intelligence you've provided true?"
Finally, the relatively calm Third Raikage was the first to speak and ask.
With the Third Raikage's words, the other two also gradually suppressed the agitation in their hearts and all looked toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The heat in their eyes was not hidden in the slightest.
"Hehe... what I say is of course true; this is something I have seen with my own eyes."
"Tsunade, Orochimaru. You two come and explain the situation at that time to the various Kage, as well as the results of your examination!"
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