The shinobi from Kumogakure weren't weak—especially the one named Omoi. Even though he looked laid-back, Sasuke had felt real pressure facing him during practical training.
That sense of urgency had only grown.
He'd taken first place in his year just like his brother before him, but now that the Kumo students had joined, that top spot suddenly didn't feel guaranteed.
As usual, Sasuke walked out into the corridor. From there, he could look down over the training ground, where a member of the Hyuga clan was often practicing.
That guy's name was…
Hyuga Neji.
Today, the scene on the training ground was different. In front of Neji, three dark-skinned students lay sprawled on the ground.
Kumogakure shinobi… So Neji is already proving why he's considered the top third-year?
'Should I be showing more during practical training too?'
As that thought crossed his mind, an older-looking student stepped into the training field.
Judging from his clothes and bearing, Sasuke pegged him as a senior student from Kumogakure.
The newcomer strode up to Hyuga Neji.
Looking for payback? These Kumo guys… Sasuke dropped down from the corridor.
"Your moves are seriously hot!" the blond upperclassman said. "Makui and the others are third-years, and you're a third-year too, right?"
"In two years, you'll be graduating. By then, I'll still have one more year I can join the training exercises, and then…"
"If you want to fight, we can do it now," Neji cut in coldly, eyes fixed on Atsui. "I don't need to wait three years."
"You're pretty hot-blooded yourself, Konoha guy." Atsui's eyes lit up.
He bent his knees slightly, settling into a stance. Neji once again shifted into Gentle Fist.
"Atsui."
A voice came from the entrance to the grounds.
Samui stood there, face expressionless, with two Kumogakure students behind her.
The blond youth slowly straightened. "Sis, I was just about to have a hot—"
"Take those three back," Samui ordered. "And you, Atsui, come with me."
"But—"
"Come with me."
Atsui's shoulders slumped. He glanced once at Neji, then moved to help the other Kumo students haul their unconscious comrades away. The group quickly left the training ground.
Silence settled over the field again.
Neji turned toward a nearby wooden post and struck it with his palm. A sharp crack split the wood.
"Planning to leave without showing yourself, Uchiha Sasuke?"
Neji didn't look back; his eyes stayed on the post.
"You… knew…"
"You've been watching long enough. Are you planning to fight me today?"
"The fighting spirit in your gaze isn't something my eyes can miss."
Neji finally turned, his pure white Byakugan eyes locking onto Sasuke.
"Or were you just here to watch the Kumogakure guys lose?"
Sasuke's fingers curled, then slowly relaxed.
"Next time."
Neji had just gone three rounds against Kumo shinobi.
Sasuke wasn't about to take advantage of that.
"Hmph. Suit yourself."
—
Sunagakure's reply wouldn't arrive so soon. With Samui's report in mind, Roshi turned back to the latest mission logs.
Scanning through them, he found no recent cases in Konoha of shinobi going missing or disappearing without a trace.
So he shifted his focus to overseas intelligence.
"Overseas missions? I don't think so."
Kakashi leaned against the window, lifting his gaze from Icha Icha Paradise. "The village has been tied up with large-scale events every year lately. We can't spare personnel for overseas assignments."
"If I had to name one… a few years back, I did go on a high-profile escort mission."
"In the Land of Snow."
"But I only completed the most basic part of that mission."
"The ruler of the Land of Snow, Kazahana Sosetsu, was killed by his younger brother, Doto Kazahana. I only managed to get his daughter, Koyuki Kazahana, out."
"According to Sosetsu's last request, I settled her in the place he designated. I don't know what happened after that."
Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow. Roshi remembered that incident. Doto Kazahana was another madman who wanted to use some so-called secret treasure to rise above the Five Great Nations.
"It seems Sosetsu had already anticipated the rebellion," Roshi said.
"At the time, the village was still in a standoff with Iwagakure and Kumogakure, and I went on the mission alone." Kakashi closed his book. He'd fulfilled the bare minimum of the request, but in his mind, it was still a failed mission—one that naturally stuck with him.
"Anyway, it's unlikely the Land of Snow is involved in the disappearance of Kumogakure ninja. Once snow ninja leave their homeland's environment, their combat strength drops a lot."
"That's why, all these years, there haven't been any cases of Snow ninja taking missions in other countries."
Since he hadn't gotten anything useful for now, Roshi could only tell Kakashi to pay closer attention to activity out at sea.
Just as Kakashi was about to leave, Roshi asked, "By the way, Tenzo doesn't have anything else going on lately, does he?"
Kakashi turned his head. "Are there more construction projects in the village? Even if the venue needs expanding, the Chunin Exams are scheduled for next month. No matter how you look at it, there's not enough time."
"Don't bully him too much, Roshi," he added, offering a word of advice.
"A meeting hall isn't the same thing as a stadium that holds tens of thousands of people. I know that much," Roshi replied. "This is about the Joint Martial Arts Bureau."
"You're planning to send Tenzo?" Kakashi thought it over. "Even without using Wood Release, Tenzo's abilities are pretty solid."
"No. I want you to arrange for Tenzo to gradually take over Anbu affairs," Roshi said. "The one who needs to enter the Training Exercise Bureau is you."
The silver-haired jonin pointed at himself, only to receive a firm nod in response.
"This is the opinion of the Sandaime and the Fifth Hokage."
Serving as Anbu Commander for a while was enough. With how things were developing, the future Hokages would be dealing with multi-village joint operations more and more often. It would be good for Kakashi to spend some time there.
"Can I refuse?"
"Without a suitable reason, I wouldn't recommend it," Roshi said.
"The range of 'suitable' is…?" Kakashi felt there was still room to maneuver.
"Unless you're on the verge of death—or you want to serve as a Jonin Instructor—please don't refuse."
"Isn't this range... a bit too wide?"
Roshi compared the numbers again. The gap really wasn't that big. One interpretation meant Kakashi might fail as Hokage; the other suggested it would actually help his appointment. He shook his head. "It's not that large."
"Since you're already more than capable, why is it still me?" Kakashi asked.
"Because if it's not necessary for me to step forward, it's better if I don't," Roshi replied calmly. "Besides, Kakashi-senpai, I'm already helping you buy time."
"Don't push your luck."
"...To think that line could be used in this situation." Kakashi sighed. "How much time do we have left?"
"At least two months. The Joint Martial Arts Bureau is temporarily set up in the meeting hall next to the Venue District."
After Kakashi left, Roshi stared down at the intelligence reports and sank back into thought.
At sea... I should ask if anything has happened in the Hidden Mist. If shinobi from Kumogakure and Sunagakure are going missing, what about Kirigakure?
Kirigakure ninja also operate frequently at sea. It doesn't make sense for the other side to only target Kumo and Suna.
Fishing—that was what Chiyo spent most of her time on throughout the entire Five Kage Summit.
For Sunagakure, whether it was the Affairs Bureau or the later reform of the competition format, everything had already been decided.
They would provide funding and personnel. In return, their biggest advantage was gaining another legitimate reason to send people out of the Land of Wind in the future—
Selling their own goods, buying their own grain, cutting out the middlemen.
As for whether this was "Ninja-like" enough—the Ninja World was already leaning toward ninja competing in public matches. What was so wrong with doing a bit of business on the side while they were at it?
For Chiyo, who had already calculated Suna's maximum profit before the negotiations even started, there really wasn't much left that required her personal attention. Baki could handle the details properly.
Whether Baki was about to crumble under the pressure didn't matter, as long as he remembered to protect Sunagakure's interests.
So this trip for the meeting had actually been a pleasant experience for Chiyo.
She could openly scold Ōnoki to his face and badmouth Tsunade without holding back.
And when she returned to the village after the summit ended, she found that Gaara had truly reined himself in. His coldness and tendency toward violence had both decreased significantly.
Overall, this had been one of the rare comfortable periods for her since taking over as Kazekage.
Until today.
"A letter from Konoha has arrived."
"What is it this time? Haven't the participants for the Chunin Exams already been arranged?"
"It's not about the Chunin Exams. Konoha is asking about the village's recent situation at sea," Ebizo said.
Chiyo's rare good mood vanished instantly.
"Is Konoha planning to interfere with Sunagakure's overseas commissions too?"
"That brat Roshi wants to know if Sunagakure has run into any incidents at sea."
Chiyo sneered. "Does he really not know?"
Sunagakure had planned to use the Sky Ninja's fleet and air power to profit at sea, but they'd been blocked again and again. Someone was even trying to track down the location of their fleet.
After lying low and investigating, Ebizo had found some leads. The ones behind this could only be the Five Great Ninja Villages.
Their objective was obvious.
Which one of them it was no longer mattered to Sunagakure; it could have been any of them, or several acting together with a tacit understanding.
When it came to "accidents at sea," Sunagakure had certainly experienced them—many times over.
"Just reply to that kid and say yes, Sunagakure's sea fleet has been under surveillance the whole time," Chiyo said. "As for who's behind it, let him find out on his own."
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