SWNOVELXO Chapter 78: Chapter 088
[Senju Tobirama]: ...
Everyone was just focused on the heavy topic of the history of the Shinobi World, so they got distracted for a moment.
[Fifth Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: So what was the result?
Mei Terumi asked, since she was the one who brought up the issue in the first place.
[Kakashi Hatake]: It's all settled.
[Kakashi Hatake]: Kirigakure and Iwagakure are fine with it, because Kitahara said that this time it's Sunagakure invading Konoha, so counterattacking is not excessive.
[Senju Tobirama]: Mm.
[Kakashi Hatake]: But then he said—
[Senju Tobirama]: Said what?
[Kakashi Hatake]: He said the Five Great Villages system has been in place for sixty years, and has proven to be meaningless.
[Kakashi Hatake]: Because it's just too easy for them to fight, so reducing the number might be better.
??!?
[Third Tsuchikage - Ōnoki]: Reduce the number?
[Kakashi Hatake]: Yes, he said that Sunagakure will now belong to Konoha, along with Shukaku.
[Kakashi Hatake]: But only having four villages isn't very stable either.
[Kakashi Hatake]: So he figured Kumogakure doesn't need to exist either.
[Kakashi Hatake]: …
[Minato Namikaze]: …
[Senju Tobirama]: Incredible.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: So… is this still going to lead to another shinobi world war?
[Kakashi Hatake]: That's not clear yet.
[Senju Tobirama]: Hm?
[Kakashi Hatake]: Uh… he went to flirt with girls. Look.
[Minato Namikaze]: …
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: …
[Senju Tobirama]: Huh!? He has time to flirt? Wasn't he supposed to be working?
[Kakashi Hatake]: No?
[Kakashi Hatake]: Because he delegated all the work.
[Minato Namikaze]: Huh!?
During his time as the Fourth Hokage, Minato used to do everything personally as soon as it was assigned.
But now Kitahara Kaede… delegated everything?
·········
Of course he delegated it.
Kitahara Kaede made sure to give Tobirama his happy time, but he never intended to sacrifice his own leisure.
He didn't want to participate in the Chūnin Exams again, so he already went back.
This time's handling plan was convenient.
The Chūnin Exams had already been set up by the Third Hokage and the others, so the members involved would remain unchanged.
Find Anko, who had been swapped out by Orochimaru, and have her continue serving as the chief proctor.
The third round of exams would proceed as originally planned.
All of this was already arranged and wouldn't need changes to keep the exams running.
However, there's still Orochimaru and Sunagakure's Konoha Crush plan.
But that was easy to handle too.
Since the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure was already dead, and Orochimaru had fled.
So it became a capture operation.
They just needed to arrest all Sound and Sand shinobi involved in the plan.
Since Root and ANBU were willing to be mobilized, this task naturally went to them.
As for Sunagakure—considering that not only had they lost their tailed beast deterrent but also their Kazekage…
That made them the weakest village currently.
So, naturally, they were taken over.
It would be a shame not to accept such a gift that came straight to the door.
Thus, the Sand shinobi could now be considered usable by Konoha.
But this brought up a new issue…
???
"Sensei Maki…"
Kankurō and Maki were being held together.
Gaara had already been sent back by Kakashi earlier, but once he woke up, he and Temari were both required to continue participating in the Chūnin Exams.
But Kankurō was left behind.
"I thought we were allowed to continue participating? Why am I still here?" Kankurō couldn't believe he was being left behind.
"This time, Sunagakure is done for." Maki shook her head.
"And Gaara and Temari being made to continue with the exams clearly means they're being given a chance to become Chūnin and be used by Konoha in the future." Maki sighed.
"?????"
But Kankurō's eyes widened.
Because—
He was also part of the Sand's Chūnin Exam team.
Yet only Temari and Gaara were allowed to take part…
Kankurō: …
!??????
So… why is this happening?
Does this mean he's not qualified to become a Chūnin?
Does this mean… he's not needed?
·········
Inside the Forest of Death.
Boom!
After defeating a pair of Cloud ninja who tried to ambush them, Team 7 had collected the Earth scroll and were heading toward the central tower.
As the three of them advanced along with Hinata, Kitahara Kaede's figure suddenly vanished with a puff.
"Eh!"
Naruto blinked in surprise.
"??"
"No way." Sasuke was also stunned.
"Kitahara-kun… disappeared?" Hinata was also shocked.
"???" Naruto still hadn't processed it.
"That clone was amazing," Sasuke said. "I didn't even notice the person taking the exam with us was just a clone."
"But that doesn't make sense…" Naruto said. "If something came up, he would've told us ahead of time."
"Because I came quickly," said Kitahara Kaede.
Everyone turned to see Kitahara Kaede had already returned, bringing two people with him as he rejoined them.
"Hyuuga Hinata, you have the Earth scroll, right?" Kitahara Kaede greeted her and handed over a Heaven scroll.
"It really is the Heaven scroll."
"Thank you."
Hinata accepted the scroll with both hands—but her gaze was puzzled as she looked behind Kitahara Kaede.
Standing behind him were two people from Sunagakure.
One was Temari, the village belle of the Sand, and the other was Gaara—who had previously been shown up by Sasuke.
But Gaara's condition was… peculiar.
His face had a handprint on both the left and right cheeks.
And from Hinata's experience of giving control over her body to "Dark Hinata," she could tell that the palm prints on Gaara's face matched Kitahara Kaede's hand shape.
"Eh!"
"Why'd you suddenly bring Sand ninja here?" Naruto was puzzled.
"Sunagakure has been confirmed to be trying to sabotage Konoha during this Chūnin Exam."
Kitahara Kaede replied.
Hearing the truth spoken out, Temari and Gaara looked uncomfortable.
"So they really were attacking!"
Sasuke and Naruto had been warned by Kitahara Kaede to keep a close eye on Gaara—obviously to prevent him from doing anything.
But judging by the slap marks on Gaara's face…
There probably wasn't anything left to guard against.
"And as a result, Sunagakure has been taken down by Konoha."
"They're now criminals, so they need to pass the Chūnin Exam and serve Konoha in the future," Kitahara Kaede said.
Hearing this, Temari and Gaara looked even worse.
But neither of them resisted.
Temari's teacher and brother had been captured. As for Gaara… once Shukaku woke up, he was sent right back into the holding cell.
He saw how even Shukaku had been utterly defeated—and looked terrified.
If Shukaku lost, then he couldn't win either.
"Eh!" Naruto was stunned. "Old man Third is this decisive!?"
"No," Kitahara Kaede said. "The Third Hokage got captured by the Second, who was reanimated by Orochimaru."
"…"
"…" Sasuke.
"…" Naruto.
Yeah…
That statement didn't quite make sense to them.
"Is the Second Hokage some kind of monster?"
"To kidnap the Third Grandpa?"
Naruto exclaimed.
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