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This matter touched on the intricate web of Hiruzen's feelings toward his former disciple, Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's obsession with ninjutsu and immortality, coupled with his close ties to Danzō, had cost him the Hokage seat to Minato Namikaze.
Yet to say that Hiruzen disliked him or never wished for his success would be a lie.
Agreeing to the creation of Orochimaru's own shinobi village in the Land of Rice Fields was no small decision.
The formal recognition of a new village wasn't something that could be brushed aside as a harmless bureaucratic report, nor could its legitimacy be confirmed by a few "secret investigations" from Root or Anbu.
It represented a shift in the balance of the entire shinobi world.
Once, the Land of Rice Fields had quietly existed within Konoha's sphere of influence. Konoha dictated its mission quotas, managed its border security, and ensured stability there.
But with the establishment of the Hidden Sound Village and Konoha's official acknowledgment of it, the political map would subtly change.
How should border outposts be positioned in the future? Should they push deeper into the Land of Rice Fields or pull back toward the Fire Country's frontier?
The Hidden Sound might appear obedient now, but what about later?
In the early stages, it might begin modestly: two or three Jōnin, a dozen Chūnin, and a few squads of Genin. Enough to function independently without much funding from the Land of Rice Fields. They could even start taking commissions from other nations.
But what would happen after a few years of growth?
They could begin adopting orphans, absorbing small clans, or recruiting missing-nin. The village could expand rapidly, and when that happened, would their promises to Konoha still hold? How would they sustain themselves financially?
These wouldn't be problems for the current Hokage. They would be problems for whoever came after.
By then, resolving the issue wouldn't be as simple as managing a troublesome rogue clan.
"He really knows how to cause me headaches," Tsunade muttered irritably.
With that, she shoved the Hidden Sound Village application back into the growing pile of paperwork, clearly deciding to ignore it for now.
After all, Hiruzen was still the Hokage. And even after his retirement, he wouldn't exactly disappear, just move into an advisor's seat.
If the Hidden Sound became a problem down the line, she'd just make the old man handle it himself.
Across from her, Roshi silently observed her irritation, saying nothing.
Even if he and Tsunade united with the Elders to block the proposal, it would make little difference. Orochimaru wouldn't be deterred, he didn't need the Land of Rice Fields specifically to establish his base.
And truth be told, before the Konoha Crush incident, Orochimaru hadn't taken any direct hostile action against Konoha. As for the invasion itself, it was debatable who the true target had been.
If he'd truly wanted to destroy Konoha, he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of killing Rasa beforehand.
Best to watch and see how things developed.
"Oi," Tsunade's voice cut into his thoughts as she tapped her desk, "the main event of the Chūnin Exams starts tomorrow. Everything fine on your end?"
Roshi blinked. "What do you mean? I'm technically on leave. There shouldn't be anything requiring my involvement."
Tsunade shot him a sharp look. "Don't start that with me. I'm talking about Itachi. One of your team members made it this far, try showing a bit of concern."
She leaned back, eyes narrowing. "The Kumogakure's C and the Kusa's Muku are not easy opponents."
Roshi's expression remained calm, his tone steady. "Then I sincerely hope they all perform their best and give us a memorable match."
He stood, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. I have plans with Hayami and the others."
He had recently received some feedback from Hayami regarding Naruto.
Since the higher-ups had decided not to reveal the boy's parentage yet, Roshi wouldn't overstep, but he hoped to at least improve the child's living environment in quieter ways.
Some traditions might be long-standing, but that didn't mean they deserved to endure.
The atmosphere at the Western Suburbs Old House was far more relaxed than the tension-filled Hokage Building.
Hayami and Kachi were already seated, the soft scent of freshly brewed tea curling through the air.
"Thanks for helping me with this personal request," Roshi said as he sat down, offering a polite nod.
"It's no trouble," Hayami said with an easy laugh. "You've done enough bringing everyone back together and even dragged Lady Tsunade home. The least we can do is lend a hand."
Roshi's strength had been growing, and with Tsunade steadily claiming the Hokage's duties, his request now carried real weight. It also served to quietly strengthen the bond among their once-scattered group.
Kachi spoke next. "We've discussed it with everyone. It's simple, if we happen to meet that child, we treat him normally. If he runs into small troubles, we help where we can. Nothing complicated."
The conversation gradually shifted toward everyday matters within the village.
Kachi, currently working with the Sealing Squad, rubbed his temples and sighed.
"The Barrier Team is drowning in work. With so many outsiders pouring in, every clan is demanding extra protection for their compounds. People are being reassigned left and right, even our Sealing Squad got dragged in to help."
Roshi asked, "So the village's large-scale detection barrier can't stay active at a time like this?"
"For now, it's shut down," Kachi replied. "We've only managed to set up smaller barriers at strategic spots. They're mainly to prevent accidental intrusions and casual spying."
Hayami added with a wry smile, "The Daimyō and his entourage are easy, they're just civilians. The real trouble is their guards. Completely banning them from moving around would make Konoha seem paranoid. So we have to register every one of them and keep people shadowing them."
After that, the talk drifted to lighter topics, the Ninja Academy's enrollment reaching new heights, and Konoha beginning large-scale recruitment for new Academy instructors over the past two years.
After a while, Hayami and Kachi excused themselves. They still had preparations to finish for the Chūnin Exams main event.
The next morning, the Chūnin Exams arena overflowed with people.
The stands were packed; for ordinary villagers, it was a rare chance to safely witness real shinobi combat. Under normal circumstances, seeing ninja fight meant being part of the danger or becoming collateral damage. Only events like Konoha's joint Chūnin Exams offered them a front-row view without fear.
Roshi was dragged along early by Anko. On their way in, they spotted Itachi, and with him, Fugaku, Mikoto, and a wide-eyed Sasuke, all gathered to watch.
Itachi greeted Roshi and Anko politely as they approached.
"Brother's gonna beat everyone and become a Chūnin!" Sasuke declared, practically vibrating with excitement. "One day, I'll be just like him!"
Itachi only smiled softly and led his little brother back to their parents.
"Itachi's little brother is way livelier than he is," Anko remarked.
"He's the eldest son. Itachi learned to be calm early," Roshi replied.
They entered the venue and found a quieter spot in the stands, good visibility, minimal attention from the crowd. A place seasoned shinobi naturally gravitated to.
Finally settling in, Roshi glanced over the match schedule for the main event.
Ten competitors had advanced:
• Two from Kusa
• Two from Hidden Sand
• Three from Kumogakure
• Three from Konoha
The matchups were... telling.
Kusa's Muku drew Itachi from Konoha. The other Grass-nin, Ryuzetsu, was paired against Kumogakure's C. The two Sand-nin were matched with the remaining two from Kumo. Konoha's other two Genin had been placed in an internal bout.
Looking at this arrangement, it would have been more surprising if Konoha hadn't manipulated the draw.
Kusa would be erased early, getting this far was already enough recognition. What came after didn't concern them.
Roshi was still analyzing the bracket when the nonstop chatter beside him abruptly died.
Anko froze. Her shoulders tightened, and one hand instinctively clamped onto Roshi's sleeve.
"Ro… Roshi…"
He turned.
Her other hand was pressed against the back of her neck.
"This… this feeling…"
Roshi's expression sharpened. "The Cursed Seal is acting up?"
Anko's face had gone white, cold sweat trickling down her temples.
"There's no mistake… It's him…"
"Orochimaru. He's here!"
For a split second, Roshi considered the possibility, had Orochimaru moved the Konoha Crush plan forward? But the thought collapsed immediately. Konoha's current strength wasn't what it had been in the original timeline. Unless Orochimaru had dragged out Hashirama with a perfected Edo Tensei, he'd be crushed outright.
No, this wasn't an attack. He was here for something else.
Roshi swept his eyes toward the VIP stands where the Daimyō and nobles sat. Amidst the brightly dressed crowd, polite smiles, and fluttering fans, his gaze scanned face after face, searching.
And then, for the briefest of moments, he saw them:
A pair of dull, yellow eyes staring straight back at him, mocking, curious, and quietly amused.
The sensation vanished in an instant. When Roshi tried to confirm, the VIP seats showed nothing but ordinary nobles and stoic guards.
But he knew what he saw. It wasn't a trick of the light.
His eyes flicked to the main platform. The Third Hokage was present, Tsunade beside him and Chiyo of the Sand.
Roshi gently rested a hand over Anko's icy fingers.
"How is it now? Do you want to step outside and settle yourself first?"
"The feeling… it's fading…" Anko's voice trembled. "But I have to report this to the village. If he's back… we need to move."
"I understand." Roshi kept his voice steady. "Come on. We'll step out and find somewhere quiet. We can still return in time to watch Itachi's match."
"But—"
"It's fine. We'll talk outside, too many ears…"
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