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Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Anxious

"Onii-san? What kind of joke is that."

The moment Naruto heard this he immediately exploded, shouting at Sasuke, "Stupid Sasuke, you're just trying to take advantage of me!"

After a little training, Sasuke excitedly wanted to become Naruto's Onii-san, but sure enough, Naruto rejected him.

Sasuke snorted, "I'm two months older than you, so by rights I should count as your Onii-san."

"No no no no, Karin's even older than you, and you never call her Onee-san."

Naruto covered his ears, making a face like he wasn't listening at all.

This Sasuke was really all over the place, thinking of one thing after another.

And Naruto's heart had a particularly awkward feeling, not knowing where it came from.

Sasuke opened his mouth, wanting to say something about Naruto's mother.

But considering that Naruto's mother had passed away, he didn't dare, and instead looked to Rengoku for help.

Right now, the matter of Kushina being alive was treated as top secret, known to no one.

Rengoku just watched Sasuke hitting a wall and secretly laughed.

Then he coughed once, "Naruto, if you've rested enough, continue. You must learn the Rasengan within seven days."

"Yes, Principal!", Naruto shivered and hurriedly went back to kneading the water balloon.

After all, the feeling in his heart just now was way too strange.

"What are you staring at me for? You're on the same team, there'll be plenty of chances in the future. If not today, then another day."

Seeing Sasuke a little discouraged, Rengoku gave him encouragement.

Sasuke nodded with determination, "I understand, Shishou."

———

After finishing the instruction, Kakashi went straight to the Hokage's office.

Because even if he didn't go, the Anbu would summon him.

Right now he still hadn't torn things apart with the Third Hokage, so he had to keep pretending to serve him.

"Hokage-sama."

Seeing Kakashi come on his own, the Third Hokage was still very satisfied.

Although he couldn't completely confirm Kakashi's loyalty, the fact that Kakashi came to report was already good.

"Over there with Rengoku, it was just him asking you to teach Sasuke Chidori?"

Kakashi responded, "Yes, and he also had me demonstrate Rasengan."

"Rengoku himself is teaching Naruto Rasengan."

The Third Hokage had already received the Anbu's intel, so he didn't ask more. After all, this wasn't where his focus was.

"How is Naruto's relationship with Rengoku?"

"Naruto respects Rengoku very much, their relationship is very good."

The Third Hokage nodded, "You may leave now."

"Yes," Kakashi retreated very respectfully.

After Kakashi left, the Third Hokage asked into the empty room, "What do you think?"

Sarutobi Ishishu emerged from the shadows, "We have no retreat left."

The Third Hokage took up his pipe and drew a deep puff.

He knew that too.

When Naruto had been under his Anbu's control, he could always create various opportunities to show Naruto favors and brainwash him.

But now that was no longer possible. Aside from giving Naruto living expenses, the Third Hokage no longer had any reason to meet him.

Even when the monthly allowance was increased, Naruto no longer showed him the same enthusiasm as before.

The exact reason, whether Naruto's identity had been exposed, or whether Naruto had broken free from his PUA(Con), he couldn't tell.

In any case, for the Third Hokage, neither was good.

"If I step down, what will happen with the Uchiha?", The Third Hokage threw out a hypothetical question to Ishishu.

Ishishu's expression was grim, "They will wipe out our clan."

The Third Hokage drew deeply on his pipe, silent for a moment.

Ishishu added, "If Uchiha Rengoku becomes Hokage, even if he doesn't immediately purge us with force, he'll constantly suppress us."

"In the end, he'll just need to find an opportunity to kill us all."

Sarutobi Hiruzen believed this completely. Because it was exactly what he himself had done to the Uchiha clan.

He and the Uchiha had a blood feud of extermination. If given the chance, Rengoku would surely purge them.

One must know Rengoku was one of the few truly clever men of the Uchiha, and a standard hawk faction leader.

At Hiruzen's level, he no longer entertained thoughts of luck.

Asking Ishishu was only to confirm his own thinking.

He sighed, "Go summon Shigaraki Tanuki."

"Yes."

Before long, a hollow-cheeked, gloomy-faced man arrived at the office.

"How is the progress on the Gozu Tenno experiment?"

At this, Tanuki's eyes grew feverish, "The Gozu Tenno seal has already been created."

"But now, inscribing it onto a human body still requires a large number of experiments."

"Otherwise only a large-scale blood sacrifice can complete it."

The Third Hokage considered, "Specifically how large a scale?"

Tanuki thought for a moment, "Over five thousand people."

The Third Hokage shook his head, "That's too many. Work on reducing the number."

Tanuki of course knew that number was too large, "But breaking through technically will take more time."

The Third Hokage gave a slight nod, "Continue shrinking the number."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

After Tanuki left, the Third Hokage continued discussing with Sarutobi Ishishu.

"I don't know if negotiations with Jiraiya will succeed."

"But we must keep adding trump cards for ourselves, to deal with the coming problems."

The Third Hokage's expression was heavy. In political struggles, once you fail, it often means total ruin.

Though the Sarutobi clan had many ninjas, they had too few top-level experts.

His only current advantage was the prestige built up from ruling the Anbu for years.

He had been Hokage for so long that many in the Anbu were loyal to "Sarutobi Hiruzen" rather than to the "Hokage."

But once he stepped down, power would shift.

The authority of a Hokage in office and a retired Hokage, there was no need to say which was greater.

Those Anbu he had brainwashed would gradually awaken too.

With fewer and fewer trump cards, the Sarutobi clan would soon be devoured clean by the Uchiha.

Rengoku gave the Third Hokage far too much pressure.

Seeing Hiruzen like this, Ishishu said in a low voice, "Uncle, you must plan early."

He hadn't called him that in a long time.

Sarutobi Hiruzen of course understood Ishishu's meaning. He wanted him to plan for the sake of the Sarutobi clan.

"I will make the worst-case preparations."

———

Far away from Naruto's house.

Two Hyuga ninja were sitting drinking tea.

They were originally assigned to monitor Naruto, but ever since Hyuga Sota gave orders, they had gotten used to slacking off and treating it like vacation.

But slacking off didn't mean they knew nothing.

The Hyuga clan always knew someone was hiding in Naruto's house.

After all, the sounds of cooking couldn't be hidden forever.

But who that person was, no one knew.

Now, everyone with eyes could see who the next Hokage would be. The Hyuga branch house knew Sota was signaling toward the Uchiha.

But whether main family or branch family, they all tacitly accepted his actions.

Since Rengoku told the Hyuga not to investigate Naruto's home, they naturally didn't.

Anyway, Naruto showed up at school every day and nothing ever happened.

Now he was even on the same team as Hyuga Hinata, with Uchiha Itachi personally as their squad leader.

The Hyuga clan, in practice, was mostly just a decoration.

The Third Hokage still controlled the Anbu, so he knew well what the Hyuga were doing.

That was exactly why he was so anxious.

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