In Konoha, you get one evolution point every day.

Kakashi, recovering from his defeat, noticed the rabbit perched on Lin Fan's back through the falling snowflakes:

"Oh, so it wasn't a dream after all."

Kakashi's calm tone carried a hint of resignation and despair.

"Kakashi..." Minato Namikaze wanted to comfort the young man.

Kakashi ignored him, got up on his own, patted his butt, and returned to the spot where he released the water balloons to train silently.

......

He watched as the white-haired loli tried to pop a water balloon with her chakra not far away.

"That child has suffered quite a blow," Minato Namikaze remarked.

"Losing to this bunny is to be expected!" Lin Xiaobai raised her rabbit head.

Lin Fan patted her head. "How can you cheer up if you don't get a little setback? After all, being too proud can be a disadvantage."

Lin Xiaobai paused for a moment: "Lin Fan, are you talking about me?" The rabbit pointed to itself.

Lin Fan laughed and said, "You're not human."

"Okay." Lin Xiaobai crossed her arms, a gesture that resembled that of a human.

Minato watched the interaction between the human and the rabbit, and was shocked: "You...you can actually understand rabbit language?"

"Yes." Lin Fan repeated the same words he had used to fool Kurenai Yuhi to Minato.

"..."

Does having a pet mean you can understand what it says? That's a load of rubbish!

Minato's lips twitched slightly: "Then how come you, this rabbit, know Water Release and Genjutsu?"

At this point, Minato's expression became slightly serious.

"...To be able to use a water jutsu technique with such a wide range in a waterless, icy place..."

He paused, and the image of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, flashed through Minato's mind. He couldn't help but make a bold guess:

"...Could you be the reincarnation of the Second Generation Lord, you rabbit?"

Lin Fan: "..."

Lin Xiaobai asked in confusion, "Who is the Second Generation Master?"

......

Lin Fan explained the skill of being possessed by a ghost.

"Looking at a dead person's picture allows you to draw upon their power?!" Minato exclaimed in shock. "Does that mean looking at the First Hokage's picture would grant you the ability to use Wood Release?!"

"That's the theory," Lin Fan said, scratching his head. "But I haven't shown Lin Xiaobai a picture of the First Hokage yet."

"Huff! Huff!" Minato Namikaze was breathing heavily. This Mr. Lin Fan was telling him this 'top secret' information without any reservation... Hiss! What was this inexplicable feeling of being moved?

After gaining a general understanding of Lin Xiaobai's situation, Minato stopped discussing Lin Xiaobai further. After all, he already knew that Lin Xiaobai possessed such a terrifying ability as ghost possession, and asking more questions might provoke Lin Fan's displeasure.

......

While Lin Fan was teaching Kakashi and Minato how to use the Rasengan, Hiruzen Sarutobi was also urgently convening a meeting of all Konoha's high-ranking officials. This was the first Jonin meeting unrelated to the war.

Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, Orochimaru... even Danzo Shimura from Root was invited.

Upon seeing Danzo Shimura's arrival, many ninjas whispered amongst themselves.

"Isn't that Danzo? What's he doing here? Is the village's policy about to change drastically?"

"No way, weren't the subsequent policy changes already determined after World War II? Why are they changing it again?"

"Could it just be an announcement about something? After all, that Lin Fan has been causing quite a stir lately."

"If you ask me, it could also be White Fang. Look, White Fang is here too!"

At the entrance, Sakumo Hatake, dressed in his Jonin uniform, entered the room from the corridor and sat down in an empty spot.

"White Fang..." Shimura Danzo sat at the forefront, representing the elders of Konoha, gazing at the unharmed Hatake Sakumo, his heart filled with resentment.

The discussion inside the room stopped abruptly when the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, walked in.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was the last to arrive.

He sat down in the center of the elders' seat.

Konoha's F4 are in place.

"Hiruzen, you're a bit late," Koharu Utatane said reproachfully. "I still have a lot of things to do. What are you planning to do by suddenly convening an emergency Jonin meeting?"

"Yes, you bypassed us and started this meeting directly. This kind of recklessness is not good for the village." Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses. "And it seems you didn't summon Tsunade."

Danzo Shimura remained silent. At that moment, he vaguely sensed something was amiss, feeling as if something was slipping away.

Hearing his two close friends' words, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and waved his hand:

"Tsunade wasn't called because she needed to avoid any appearance of impropriety for this meeting."

"Oh? Avoiding suspicion? Could it be that Tsunade has caused trouble?" Koharu Utatane smiled, not paying much attention. After all, given Tsunade's status in Konoha, it wouldn't matter if she were called the granddaughter of the local tyrant.

"No, that's not it." Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, then said something that shocked everyone present.

"The purpose of this meeting is to elect the next Hokage."

"Pfft—" Mitokado Homura spat out a mouthful of water, and his glasses frame was warped.

Xiaochun, who switched dorm rooms: "?"

Shimura Danzo: "!!!"

Seeing that none of the elders seemed to know about this, the Jonin below the stage all looked stiff. Orochimaru's expression tightened, his mind racing as he pondered Hiruzen Sarutobi's words...

To avoid suspicion... Could it be... Tsunade?!

Orochimaru was filled with resentment, and his fists clenched unconsciously under the table.

Many ninjas had recovered from Hiruzen Sarutobi's words and looked at Orochimaru's back with a hint of pity.

"You guessed right."

"This meeting was convened temporarily to discuss the election of the next Hokage."

"The New Year has passed. I originally planned to hold this meeting during the New Year period, but considering that the village is currently full of vitality and everything is flourishing—Bang!"

"Wait!" Shimura Danzo slammed his hand on the table, his face grim. He stared intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi's still-mature profile. "Hiruzen! You shouldn't have announced this so hastily! I disagree!"

"Yes. This matter should be discussed by our elders before a decision is made." Mitomon Yan wiped the water stains from the corner of his mouth and the table with a tissue.

Koharu Utatane didn't speak, but the expression on her face conveyed the same meaning as what Mitokado Homura and Shimura Danzo had said.

Since it wasn't a war conference, Hiruzen Sarutobi brought his pipe with him. He lit the tobacco at the mouth of the pipe, took a deep drag, inhaled, and exhaled, a puff of white smoke floating in the now silent conference room.

The Jonin below the stage didn't dare to breathe, everyone was waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi to speak.

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi took several puffs of his cigarette before slowly speaking.

"Danzo, sit down."

"You haven't given it to me yet—BOOM!"

Before Danzo could finish speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi's chakra exploded.

The surrounding buildings seemed to tremble slightly for a moment, and the sand around them began to tremble on its own due to the powerful chakra. Everyone could clearly feel Hiruzen Sarutobi's seriousness... This was not a drill.