--- "Kazeyuki-sama!" "I have urgent business with the Kazekage-sama." "The Kazekage-sama is busy lately. He's given instructions that if Kaz
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"Kazeyuki-sama!"
"I have urgent business with the Kazekage-sama."
"The Kazekage-sama is busy lately. He's given instructions that if Kazeyuki-sama has any business, he can report it to the Advisor-sama."
In front of the Kazekage Tower, two Sand ninjas on duty stopped Kenshi's Wind Release clone.
The Third Kazekage's trip to see the Daimyo was done secretly. Only the upper echelons of the village knew about it, not the guards, nor did they know about the assassination attempt on Kenshi's Wind Release clone.
"The Kazekage-sama isn't here?"
Kenshi's Wind Release clone pretended to frown, then nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go find the Advisor Elder."
He acted as if he hadn't been attacked, or hadn't encountered any assassination attempt, showing no suspicion towards the Advisor Elder.
Watanabe, secretly observing from a window upstairs, frowned, unsure of the situation.
But no matter what the situation was, the fact remained that Kenshi's Wind Release clone had returned alone. As long as they held onto this fact, Kenshi's Wind Release clone wouldn't be able to turn the situation around.
"Let's see what you have to say."
Watanabe coldly snorted, sat back down, and waited for Kenshi's Wind Release clone to come to him.
Soon,
Kenshi's Wind Release clone arrived at the Advisor Elder's office. After knocking, a voice from inside said, "Come in." Kenshi's Wind Release clone pushed the door open and entered.
Watanabe was sitting at the back of the office, but it was only a sand clone. His real body was hidden behind the curtains using a Hiding Technique.
Kenshi's Wind Release clone saw through it at a glance but pretended not to notice and walked forward.
"Advisor…" Kenshi's Wind Release clone hadn't finished speaking when he was interrupted.
"Kazeyuki, why did you return alone?"
Watanabe suddenly decided to take the initiative, making his attitude clearer. He frowned and questioned, "Where are Nanjiro and Yamada? Why didn't they return with you?"
Kenshi's Wind Release clone replied, "That's what I'm here to talk about. After returning from our mission, the three of us were attacked. The enemy used Clay Release: Explosion Release, continuously flying in the air and attacking us. While we were returning to the village, we fought back, but the enemy's chakra amount was too terrifying, and the attacks were too dense. Nanjiro and Yamada didn't make it. They were killed by the enemy's Clay Release: Explosion Release on the way. Only I returned."
"Impossible!" As soon as Kenshi's Wind Release clone finished speaking, Watanabe denied it loudly, regardless of whether it was true or not. He stood up and angrily asked, "With your strength, how could you not protect Nanjiro and Yamada from a mere Explosion Release ninja? What are you hiding? Tell the truth."
So blatant?
Kenshi's Wind Release clone was somewhat stunned. He had clearly underestimated these guys' determination to get rid of him from the village.
Normally, a famous Sand Village Kage-level powerhouse like him, saying that he had encountered an enemy he couldn't defeat, the focus should be on the enemy.
But Watanabe's focus was on why Nanjiro and Yamada hadn't returned with him.
Anyone who wasn't a fool could see Watanabe's hostility. It was clear that he was going to target Kenshi's Wind Release clone regardless of whether it was true or not.
"It seems these guys really intend to use memory extraction techniques on me."
Kenshi's Wind Release clone understood this. His face remained calm, but he frowned and continued, "I haven't hidden anything, Advisor-sama. The enemy was very powerful. I suspect it was the mysterious Clay Release: Explosion Release ninja who attacked Kumogakure and Kirigakure and killed the Third Mizukage in broad daylight."
Upon hearing this, Watanabe was startled!
If it was the mysterious Clay Release: Explosion Release ninja from back then, then Nanjiro and Yamada's deaths weren't unjust.
After all, that person had attacked Kumogakure and Kirigakure alone, causing heavy losses to both hidden villages.
Even the powerful Third Mizukage had been killed in his own village.
Facing that kind of enemy, and in the sky, it was understandable that Kazeyuki couldn't do anything about it.
But… why did they happen to encounter Kazeyuki and his two comrades when they were assassinating Kazeyuki? And why did they happen to attack the three of them?
Watanabe was suspicious and didn't fully believe Kazeyuki's words.
Because there was also a possibility that Kazeyuki had killed the assassins they had sent and then casually blamed it on the mysterious Clay Release: Explosion Release ninja.
This way, Nanjiro and Yamada's deaths wouldn't have much to do with him. He could continue to stay in the Sand Village. Once he became Kazekage, he would naturally settle the score with them.
Thinking of this, Watanabe said, "I don't believe you, unless you…"
"Bang!"
The door was suddenly violently opened, interrupting Watanabe.
Chiyo and Ebizō instantly appeared on both sides of Kenshi's Wind Release clone.
Seeing that Kenshi's Wind Release clone and Watanabe hadn't fought, both of them felt relieved.
Kenshi's Wind Release clone, however, smiled coldly. From their stances, he could tell that although these two old guys were among the few upper-echelons in the village who were relatively fair to civilian ninjas, their hearts were still with the ten clans.
But it was understandable. After all, they were from the three great clans and would naturally protect their clan's interests.
"Watanabe…"
Chiyo looked at Watanabe with an angry face and said, "What did you mean by the message you sent?"
Chiyo didn't say the contents of the message, fearing it would deepen the conflict between Kenshi's Wind Release clone and the ten clans.
Since the end of the Second Great Ninja War, her son and daughter-in-law had died.
When Chiyo saw her grandson hugging two puppets that resembled his parents, she had given up all her ninja duties and retired to stay home with her grandson.
She didn't care about or know about many things in the village.
But she knew, without having to ask, that Kazeyuki was the strongest candidate for the next Kazekage. She didn't object to a Kage-level powerhouse of civilian origin becoming the Kazekage.
But now, how could a next-generation Kazekage, who was recognized by most people in the village, suddenly become a potential rogue ninja?
She urgently needed an explanation from Watanabe.
They had finally produced a powerful Wind Release user like Kazeyuki, who could counter the White Fang of Konoha. She didn't want him to be killed because of the stupidity of the village's upper echelon.
"I suspect he killed his comrades, Nanjiro and Yamada."
Facing Chiyo's question, Watanabe chose to lay his cards on the table, forcing Chiyo and Ebizō to take sides.
With his words, if Kenshi's Wind Release clone wanted to clear his suspicion, he could only accept memory extraction. But everyone knew that once he accepted memory extraction, Kenshi's Wind Release clone would inevitably be sealed and his ability to move would be restricted.
At that time, they would have plenty of ways to kill Kenshi's Wind Release clone.
Kenshi's Wind Release clone would certainly understand what he meant.
"You…" Chiyo stared at this junior from her clan in shock.
As soon as Watanabe said this, with her experience, she instantly guessed that these fools had actually sent people to assassinate Kazeyuki.
It seemed that the assassination had failed.
Useless!
This meant that the clan had a mortal feud with Kazeyuki, with no room for reconciliation.
Should she help her clan or a Kage-level powerhouse who was destined to become an enemy of the clan? Or a Kage-level powerhouse who had a high chance of becoming the next Kazekage?
This was an impossible choice that Watanabe had given Chiyo and Ebizō.
Ebizō frowned, looked deeply at Watanabe, and didn't speak.
Not speaking was a tacit agreement.
Although Watanabe's actions made him want to kill him,
But now that the matter was a fait accompli, he had to consider the bigger picture.
Chiyo lowered her head, not daring to look at Kenshi's Wind Release clone.
Seeing that Chiyo-sama and Ebizō-sama had fallen silent, Watanabe's lips curled up slightly. He provocatively glanced at Kenshi's Wind Release clone.
That look was as if to say, "See? No matter how much influence you have, it's useless. The Kazekage can only be from the three great clans. Civilians should do civilian things. This village will always be the village of the three great clans. Chiyo and Ebizō will always be from the three great clans. They can't possibly support a civilian like you. So, you'd better make a move and defect from the village. Otherwise, you'll only have a dead end."
Facing the provocation in Watanabe's eyes, Kenshi's Wind Release clone frowned and continued, "Advisor-sama, let me say it again. I didn't kill Nanjiro and Yamada."
As soon as he said this, Chiyo's eyes lit up instantly. She looked up at Kenshi's Wind Release clone and said, "Quickly, tell us what happened."
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