Konoha, reported by the Fourth Hokage at the start.

Chapter 493 I Cannot Lose the Hokage Position

The next morning.

"You're awake. Would you like noodles?"

Shinjiro was holding a bowl of noodles and slurping them with relish when her big eyes looked at Li Yao, who was still lying on the bed, or rather, Li Yao who had transformed into Minato.

Looking into Shin Kuna's bright eyes, Li Yao smiled.

As expected of Scarlet Pepper, she learns quickly and is very outgoing.

"I'm not hungry yet, you eat first!"

Li Yao leaned against the headboard with his hands behind his head, looking at Xin Jiunai whose cheeks were bulging from eating, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

The initial results of the exchanges over the past two days have even exceeded expectations.

Perhaps because she had been living under constant surveillance and felt too repressed, the new stimulation, especially from her trusted "husband," made Xin Jiunai dare to think about things she hadn't dared to do before.

"Minato, do you... want to...?"

Xin Jiunai suddenly looked up, looking a little embarrassed and hesitant, but her gaze was so intense that it made it clear what she was thinking.

Li Yao instantly understood what Xin Jiunai wanted him to do, his eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Okay!"

After saying that, Li Yao had a thought and restored his original physical form.

A familiar yet strange feeling washed over her again, and Xin Jiunai's skin tightened instantly, as if she had become a completely different person. The indescribable tension and excitement captivated her, making it impossible for her to extricate herself.

"Shinji Nai, how about I transform into this person from now on?" Li Yao suddenly asked.

"This...isn't that a bad idea!"

Despite saying it wasn't good, Xin Jiuna's eyes were already brimming with anticipation; she clearly wanted to experience what it was like to spend all her time with a stranger.

Li Yao smiled and said, "Don't worry, you can make me go back to how I was at any time. I will always be your husband, and that will never change."

"Well... alright then." Kushina said, pretending to be doing everything for her husband's sake, "Since Minato wants to play this way, then I'll play along with you."

……

"What?!!"

"Sunagakure has produced an opponent that even Orochimaru couldn't withstand?!"

While Li Yao was enjoying Kushina's wake-up service, the Third Hokage, who had arrived at the Hokage's office early, finally received the information from Orochimaru.

Actually, Orochimaru's information was sent last night, but the Third Hokage had been staying in a secret room these past few days without being disturbed, so the Anbu didn't dare to bother him. Therefore, they only brought the information Orochimaru sent back to the Third Hokage now.

The Third Hokage was completely shocked after reading the information Orochimaru sent back.

Amidst the shock, there was also a hint of anxiety that he hadn't noticed.

"What should we do?"

Just as Orochimaru understood the Third Hokage very well, the Third Hokage also understood his own genius disciple very well.

Orochimaru would not refuse his orders unless Sunagakure produced a powerful individual that even he couldn't handle.

But now, the Sand Village has some incredible luck... no, it's not just luck.

The existence of the Puppet Heart was no secret; Konoha had known about it long ago, and the Third Hokage naturally knew as well.

It was only from the memories of a captured Sunagakure puppeteer that we learned that the creation of the Puppet Heart was not only extremely complicated, but also Sasori's personal secret technique. Only the Fourth Kazekage and Sasori himself knew it in the entire Sunagakure village.

Furthermore, in order to create a puppet heart that can convert natural energy into chakra, the creator must be able to sense natural energy.

Even the Fourth Kazekage couldn't do that.

How many people in the entire ninja world can sense natural energy?

Apart from the three sacred sites for summoning spirit beasts, which have methods to allow people to sense natural energy, everyone else relies on their personal talent.

Even among the Vortex Clan, which is most likely to produce individuals with the talent to sense natural energy, there are very few who can do so. It may take two or three generations for someone to be born with the ability to sense natural energy.

Therefore, it is clear that there must be very few people with the mindset of a puppet.

Moreover, putting oneself in another's shoes, if the Third Hokage himself possessed the Puppet Heart technique, a secret art that could infinitely convert natural energy to provide a continuous source of chakra, he certainly wouldn't easily pass it on to others.

Therefore, after learning about the Puppet Heart, the Third Hokage and Konoha were not too worried.

As it turns out, their idea was correct.

Until Orochimaru's information arrived, Sasori of the Red Sand was the only ninja in Sunagakure who possessed the Puppet Heart.

However, Orochimaru's information now states that Pakura not only possesses the Puppet Heart, but also has it directly imprinted on her body.

Orochimaru understood what this meant, and so did the Third Hokage.

Since the Puppet Heart has broken free from the form of a puppet and can be directly imprinted into the body using a sealing technique, it proves that the secret technique that allows one to possess an unlimited amount of chakra no longer requires the threshold of natural energy perception talent.

After all, the Sun Goddess, Yekura, does not possess the talent for perceiving natural energy.

This means that the Sand Village can produce multiple ninjas with unlimited chakra.

Unlimited chakra is not so bad if the person who possesses it is not strong, but it is terrifying for a strong person to have unlimited chakra.

Besides Pakura, the Sand Village also has the Fourth Kazekage, who is known as the strongest Kazekage in history and killed the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.

Although the Fourth Kazekage never actually fought on the battlefield against Konoha, the intelligence reports of his few appearances left an impression on the Third Kazekage.

That's invincibility!

A silent, stealthy strike!

A lightning-fast slash!

The attack is so powerful that it can cut through a Tailed Beast Ball!

Even these basic pieces of information were enough for the Third Hokage to sense the power of the Fourth Kazekage.

Not to mention that this person also killed the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, in a one-on-one fight.

The Third Hokage knew how powerful Onoki's Dust Release was.

That was someone he could only retreat from. Even with Enma's indestructible body, the Third Hokage didn't want to face Onoki's Dust Release head-on.

However, this terrifyingly powerful figure actually died at the hands of the Fourth Kazekage.

This shows that the Fourth Kazekage was not only invincible in wind-style slashing attacks, but also had incredibly powerful defensive ninjutsu, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to withstand the attacks of dust-style ninjutsu.

If Sunagakure also possesses an unlimited amount of chakra, then it would be another Sun Goddess, Pakura, plus Sasori of the Red Sand.

The Sand Ninja are excessively strong.

But why did the Sand Ninja, whose strength had clearly increased, choose to cease hostilities with Konoha?

The third generation didn't understand.

But he understood that since the Sand Village had produced such a top-tier powerhouse as the Sun Goddess and had taken the initiative to propose a ceasefire, Orochimaru would definitely not obey his orders to attack the Land of Wind and would have to wait for his second order.

"Orochimaru's decision was right, and so was mine..."

"I should also choose to cease hostilities," the Third Hokage thought to himself, but he was stopped by some force and a thought arose instead.

The war must continue and cannot be stopped so quickly, otherwise I will definitely be held responsible for the casualties of this war and have to resign from the position of Hokage.

"I cannot lose my Hokage position!"

"That's right, Konoha needs my continued protection!"

In the Third Hokage's mind, a chakra belonging to Li Yao, but which had transformed into the same chakra as the Third Hokage's, was influencing his brain, amplifying his desire for power, and leading him to make the decision to continue the war.

(End of this chapter)