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TUS Chapter 256: Silent Moves in a Tense Village
🕑 Added 2025-01-04 01:48:34 +0000 UTC"The third round of assessment is over!"
With Hayate's announcement, the victors moved to the front.
"First, congratulations. You have passed all three tests. However, I must clarify all of you could become chunin... or none of you could make it."
"What does that mean?" Naruto was the first to ask.
Gaara looked at him in disgust.
"The answer is very simple!"
Hayate had a coughing fit, before he began to explain.
This state of coughing three times in one sentence made Naruto almost rush up and pinched his neck, asking him to cough after he finished speaking.
"Do you understand?"
After finishing explaining, Hayate looked at the group of genin.
"I understand!" Naruto shouted, "I will work hard to become a Chunin with the recognition of everyone."
Funan glanced at him.
For him, the last stage of the chunin exam was the most absurd of all.
If important people liked you, you became a chunin instantly.
Otherwise, you could be the most talented or stand out incredibly, but you would never achieve it.
Thinking of all this, Funan looked at the motivated Naruto with pity.
Many do not understand that their lives are in the hands of the powerful.
With a simple gesture, the great can change anyone's destiny.
And he, Funan, was now one of those powerful ones.
...
"Very well." Hayate said in a weak voice. "Go back and make your final preparations."
"Yes!"
The Genin responded one after another.
Funan's eyes narrowed.
Not only the genin had to prepare; he did too.
"Hokage-sama!" Hayate, the sick man named after the protagonist, knelt on one knee in front of Funan and said solemnly, "Do you have any other orders?"
Funan said: "Nothing extra needed. Everything as planned."
“Understood!” Hayate replied loudly as he retreated to organize preparations.
Funan looked at his back strangely.
Hayate and Yugao had been childhood friends, almost inseparable. In the original story, if he hadn't died, they would most likely have ended up together.
What a pity.
According to information from the ANBU, when Hayate found out that Yugao was in a relationship with Funan, he became very enraged. He drank non-stop for days, his health was not good, and he almost died instantly.
But his appearance also saved Hayate's life, otherwise according to the original timeline, at this point he should have already been killed by Baki.
So, as some say, some is gained, some is lost.
'No, more like it.' Funan thought as he nodded to himself. 'I don't owe you anything, Hayate.'
With a determined gesture, Funan waved his hand and left. He left the rest of the work to his subordinates. After all, he was the Hokage; his job was to set the general direction, not deal with the details. That's what he paid them so much for, right?
...
As time went by, the atmosphere in Konoha became visibly tense. The Five Kage Summit was to be held for the first time in one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
At the same time, many shinobi were rushing to complete their missions and return to Konoha to prepare for the big event. Everyone knew that this Kage summit would not be easy.
Those who knew of Orochimaru's return were especially uneasy.
Meanwhile, others turned their attention to an almost forgotten figure in Konoha: Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Funan had a particular talent: he did not need to openly condemn anyone. He simply made the facts public, leaving people to draw their own conclusions. Although, of course, he also knew how to point the finger of blame when necessary.
Recently Funan had mentioned the case of Orochimaru's escape when he betrayed the village. "Back then, Sarutobi Hiruzen was at his peak, while Orochimaru had no chance of defeating him. He was the one who let him escape."
When the villagers heard Funan's comment they began to speculate whether Hiruzen had some sort of pact with Orochimaru.
Now that Orochimaru had returned, all eyes were on the Sarutobi clan.
...
The Sarutobi clan at this moment.
Hiruzen almost destroyed the whole house.
He was once again pushed to the forefront.
Uchiha Funan, that damn Uchiha, is now playing tricks on him.
He felt that Funan treated him like a puppet for his entertainment, mentioning him whenever it suited him.
He has been at home for so long, without going out for several years, and he may be dragged into the center of public opinion again.
He was so angry that he almost died.
"Father!" Asuma came over.
"Asuma!" Hiruzen looked at his second son with complicated eyes.
He thought of his eldest son.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
Unfortunately, he was chopped by his wife.
He didn't really know exactly what happened. Is that damn woman really a spy?
If he was still Hokage, he could investigate, but now he can't.
The woman disappeared, as if she was dead.
Hiruzen suspected many times that it was Funan who did it.
Unfortunately, there is no evidence!
Asuma knelt down in front of Hiruzen and said in a deep voice: "It is said that Orochimaru is back."
"Yeah!" Hiruzen frowned and said: "So?"
"Are you in contact with him?"
"What do you mean by this?" Hiruzen's expression became serious, and an amazing momentum burst out from his skinny body.
"If you have a way to contact him please allow me to contact him." Asuma said calmly. "This is the last chance for my Sarutobi clan."
Hiruzen looked at Asuma fiercely and said: "Do you want to join forces with Orochimaru? Or hand him over to Uchiha?"
"Of course we have to cooperate! Look at the state of the Sarutobi clan, how much it has lost its influence. If we don't fight, we can only be devoured step by step."
Hiruzen stared at Asuma and said: "Who told you? The Elders in the clan?"
At this moment, Hiruzen's status in the Sarutobi clan has also dropped sharply.
In the clan, many people believe that it is because of Sarutobi Hiruzen that the Sarutobi clan has come to this situation.
There was even talk of expelling Hiruzen's immediate family from the clan, in the hopes that this would improve their situation.
Surprisingly, this proposal had considerable support within the clan.
If it weren't for the remaining power of Hiruzen, many people would have already attacked him.
When Hiruzen heard these conversations, he nearly spit blood in indignation.
He was extremely angry.
The clan he had fought for all his life now saw him as a hindrance.
So what had he fought so hard for?
"No one told me!" Asuma said in a deep voice: "Father, I'm not stupid. I can see that we can't just sit and wait for death. We have to take the initiative to attack."
"Child, I'm actually very relieved that you can think so." Hiruzen looked at Asuma with a sharp gaze and said in a deep voice: "But, cooperating with Orochimaru is not possible. Under no circumstances!"
"You don't understand Orochimaru, I understand him, absolutely, absolutely, we can't cooperate with him!"
"He is a poisonous snake that will poison everyone to death."
"So what do we do?"
"Wait."
"Wait?" Asuma looked at Hiruzen in disbelief. The clan has reached this point, and they still have to wait?
Wait until when?
Wait until the enemy cuts off their heads?
"Wait for Danzo!" Hiruzen said calmly: "Since Orochimaru is going to act, with his temperament, he will not do anything without confidence. He will definitely return with a force that will shock everyone."
"Even if his return cannot destroy Uchiha, it will give Uchiha a heavy blow. At that time, Danzo will definitely act, and then it will be time for us to act!"
Hiruzen's idea is very simple.
Let Orochimaru and the Uchiha fight.
No matter who wins, Orochimaru and Uchiha will be seriously injured by the other party.
That's when they will take action!
Of course, before acting, Danzo needs to take the initiative, securing the path for them.
They are good friends!
Isn't that what good friends should be like?!
Asuma walked back to his room silently.
A figure was already waiting.
"And well?" The figure asked with a mocking laugh. "Does Sarutobi Hiruzen disagree with sending troops and still want to sit on the sidelines?"
Asuma, his face grim, replied, "I accept your proposal. We will cooperate."
The figure burst out laughing. "Cooperation? Are you sure? Moreover, without Sarutobi Hiruzen's help, how much help can you give me?"
"Don't try to play with me." Asuma sneered. "If you came to find me, it's because you need my help. And if my father doesn't agree, there will come a time when he'll have no choice but to do so."
When enough members of the Sarutobi clan rose up in arms, Hiruzen would have no choice.
"Hehehe!" A low and hoarse laugh came. "I expected nothing less from Sarutobi-sensei's son."
From among the shadows of the figure, a poisonous snake slithered, staring at him as it stuck out its tongue.
Orochimaru!
"You did not hesitate to betray your father. You are worthy of the name Sarutobi."
"Very well, we will work together."
