Chapter 90: Survival Exercise About to Begin
Konoha Building, Hokage Office.
It was still filled with smoke, still pungent and acrid, but the Anbu Ninja standing respectfully to the side did not make a single unnecessary movement, standing tall and straight like a pine tree.
Hiruzen Sarutobi held a handwritten letter in his hand. The sloppy, wild handwriting danced across the page. Though it was difficult to decipher, in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, these were the most beautiful words in the world right now.
"Teacher, seeing this letter is like seeing me in person.
Your unfilial Disciple Jiraiya has been away from Konoha for thirteen years for my own selfish reasons. Although I have been wandering outside, my heart has always been with Konoha. I was shocked to suddenly hear the terrible news.
Currently, I have obtained some intelligence regarding the Akatsuki Organization, but I have no source of information regarding the 'Heaven' you mentioned. Speaking of which, it is because I have been too wayward.
After you receive this letter, know that I am already on my way to Konoha. I implore you, Teacher, to hold on for a few more months. Once I find Tsunade, I will bring her back to Konoha with me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi read the letter from Jiraiyaseveral times. His wrinkled face crinkled like a chrysanthemum, and his mood, which had been deteriorating due to a series of sudden events, gradually lifted.
From a Disciple he didn't think much of at the beginning, to one of the few remaining pillars of Konoha in the end—there was joy, but more than that, there was sorrow.
Since the founding of Konoha, the village had experienced times of succession crises and even threats of destruction, but back then, the choices were not exactly plentiful, but they were certainly not few.
But now...
The gap in succession had lasted for at least six years, and the only pillars left who could shoulder the burden were two of the Sannin, who were at the end of their prime: Jiraiya and Tsunade.
As for Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, and others, although their strength was decent, they still lacked the seasoning to carry the banner of Konoha.
Among them, Kakashi Hatake, whom Hiruzen Sarutobi admired the most, far exceeded the others in strength and could even rival or slightly surpass the Sannin in life-or-death battles. However, his psychological flaws were a fact that Hiruzen Sarutobi had to face.
Ever since Kakashi Hatake killed Rin Nohara with his own hands, he had intentionally or unintentionally hidden his true nature, living his life using the personalities of his former teammates, Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara.
It was not hard to see that as long as Kakashi Hatake could not get over that hurdle in his heart, he would remain at the Elite Jonin level of strength. Wishing to break through to the Kage level was Hell-level difficulty.
"At least, apart from having opinions about me, Jiraiya has not abandoned Konoha. This puts my mind at ease."
Although the respectful tone in the letter seemed to show respect for his teacher, could Hiruzen Sarutobi not know what kind of person Jiraiya was?
A free-spirited, unconstrained, and observant Jiraiya would absolutely not be so formal in his dealings with others. Only Hiruzen Sarutobi could make Jiraiya act this way.
Although the resentment toward Hiruzen Sarutobiwould not erupt, a change in attitude was the greatest level of resistance Jiraiya could manage. After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi had recalled Jiraiya this time using the safety of Konoha as a reason.
No matter how unwilling Jiraiya was, he could only do as Hiruzen Sarutobi wished. But even so, Jiraiyaprepared to delay, making his way to Konohaslowly.
Otherwise, with Jiraiya's strength, if he hurried, he wouldn't need a week to reach Konoha; a month would certainly be enough.
Returning to Konoha in a few months, and even using Tsunade as a shield—Hiruzen Sarutobi had actually seen through this long ago.
But seeing through it didn't mean exposing it. After all, the outcome was good in the end, and Hiruzen Sarutobi was already content.
...
Root.
Danzo Shimura listened to his subordinate's report with a gloomy face. Two years ago, having stepped by step achieved victory through the "Flying Thunder God Incident" and steadily moving toward the position of Hokage, Danzo Shimura had received his second blow in a short period of time.
"Bastard! Has Hiashi Hyuga's brain really been eaten by a dog!"
Upon learning of Hiashi Hyuga's refusal, Danzo Shimura's mood could be imagined. First, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado turned against him, and then came Hiashi Hyuga's counterattack. How could he, who considered himself no weaker than Hiruzen Sarutobi, maintain a calm state of mind?
"When I sit on the Hokage seat, you will all face a reckoning! Without you, I can still become the Hokage!"
After smashing things around and venting a few words, Danzo Shimura quickly calmed down. The true nature of an ambitious hero returned. Since these people could not be relied upon, Danzo Shimura could only rely on Root and himself.
"How many of the newly trained batch of Ninjas survived?"
"A total of 30 Ninjas participated in the training, and now only 18 have passed the test!"
"These are enough..." Danzo Shimura pondered for a while, "It is time for them to undergo physical modification."
"By the way," Danzo Shimura seemed to remember something, "What is the success rate after injecting that batch of improved Hashirama cells?"
"The success rate is currently one hundred percent, and three percent of the people have successfully awakened Wood Release, but the intensity of the Wood Release is not high."
Danzo Shimura was no longer as keen on Wood Release as he used to be. This was not only because of the Sharingan covering his arm, but also because he had already figured out the essence of Wood Release.
Wood Release could only exert its maximum power when used by Hashirama Senju. Putting Wood Release on others was undoubtedly a clumsy imitation.
"If the intensity isn't high, then so be it. At least it adds a few more means of attack." Danzo Shimuraintended to bypass the topic of Wood Release. "How is their physical strength after the injection?"
"They all have varying degrees of increase. The greatest is double the original, and the least has a fifty percent increase. Also, their Chakra levels have seen a surge."
Hearing this, Danzo Shimura nodded with satisfaction. The lost fighting spirit in his heart reignited. As long as he had these subordinates in hand, even if he were forced to seize the position of Hokage by force, even if victory wasn't guaranteed, the success rate would definitely be much higher than before.
"Go and contact 'Heaven', and tell him to bring the chips and come to me to get the Sealing Jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan. I think he should be interested in the Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
"Yes!"
After this Root Ninja respectfully responded, he left with a Body Flicker Technique. Danzo Shimura, who sat back in his leader's chair, began to close his eyes and ponder, not knowing what conspiracy he was brewing in his heart again.
...
"Aha..."
In the Konoha training ground, Kakashi Hatake, who was late... no! Who was very, very late, scratched his silver hair and gave a slightly embarrassed laugh.
"A girl hit on me on the way here today, and I lost track of time while chatting..."
"Who would like someone like you who always wears a mask and stares at trashy novels all day..." Sakura Haruno complained weakly, because she was hungry!
"Tch!" Sasuke Uchiha had an expression that said you're lying to ghosts, and turned his head away disdainfully.
"My father must have a headache dealing with you too..." Naruto Uzumaki didn't speak, but he had already started muttering in his heart.
But what Naruto Uzumaki didn't know was that before Obito Uchiha faked his death and gave him his Sharingan, Kakashi Hatake was not such a person, and being late... was inherited from Obito Uchiha.
This was perhaps the only way Kakashi Hatakecould think of to atone for killing Rin Nohara with his own hands...
Becoming the personality he used to hate the most was perhaps the greatest punishment Kakashi Hatake could inflict upon himself.
"Alright, since I'm here and you haven't left, let's officially start this Survival Exercise." Regardless of whether Naruto Uzumaki and the others believed it or not, Kakashi Hatake believed it himself.
And after a brief moment of preparation, Kakashi Hatake's test of the three's Heart-Nature, ability, and quality officially began!