Konoha: Starting with Sage Mode

The sealing ninjas he sent were not skilled enough to break the powerful sealing technique, so they had to return disappointed.

Upon hearing this news, he immediately knew that it must have been Kirito's doing; that wretched guy had ruined his plans once again.

Therefore, he now suspects that Kirito has set up some kind of warning system in the cemetery, and that the people he sent have been discovered.

"Those people need to be dealt with as soon as possible. We absolutely cannot let it happen like last time, where we didn't have time to clean them up and left them with a handle. That kid's sealing skills are also very powerful. He might be able to break the tongue-trouble-removing technique I placed on those people."

Once Danzo felt threatened, his first thought was to silence them.

Unfortunately, he's in a very difficult situation right now.

If it were discovered that he had sent people to the Senju clan cemetery to steal the bodies of Mito Uzumaki and Hashirama Senju, given the Third Hokage's temperament, he would definitely activate the cursed seal to kill him immediately.

"That bastard Hiruzen will definitely kill me to cover up the fact that he posted my information. He's definitely capable of doing it."

Danzo touched his chest, and the overwhelming hatred within him began to surge, making it difficult for him to control his murderous intent.

A powerful killing intent and a dark, oppressive chakra emanated from Danzo, startling the many lurking ANBU ninjas nearby. They gripped their weapons tightly, wary of Danzo suddenly going berserk and harming people.

Ever since the Root leader was severely reprimanded by the Third Hokage, his daily emotions have become somewhat abnormal. He sometimes laughs heartily, sometimes lets out a cold laugh full of hatred, and often uses the Dark Walk Technique to bury himself in darkness. He has become somewhat deranged.

"Humph."

Danzo noticed the actions of the ANBU ninjas in the shadows, gave a disdainful snort, and then suppressed his killing intent and chakra.

He closed his eyes, using his strong will to suppress the surging hatred within him, and began to think about the problem rationally again.

"The research and study of the forbidden technique, Impure World Reincarnation, cannot be stopped. However, this forbidden technique cannot continue to be researched at the Root base in the village. We need to establish a new secret base outside."

Danzo reopened his eyes, regained his composure and rationality, and then quickly filled in the gaps in his research on the forbidden technique of Impure World Reincarnation.

"If we can't find Mito Uzumaki's body, then who else in the ninja world possesses powerful sealing techniques? And where can we obtain the power of Wood Release?"

Danzo closed his eyes again, continuing to seriously consider how to remove the cursed seal on his body and how to obtain the power of Wood Release.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them.

He figured out a solution; more precisely, he figured out where to get a new alternative.

Chapter 153: The Third Raikage and the Eight-Tails

After receiving a satisfactory answer from the Third Hokage, Kirito decided not to waste any more of his time, took his leave, and returned to the hospital to continue his research.

Not long after he returned, Tsunade personally sought him out and spoke with him alone.

"What are you doing going to see the Third Generation? Don't you know that guy's keeping an eye on you? He might order you to go to the battlefield any day now."

Tsunade looked at Kirito with a stern face and said with some dissatisfaction.

How could she, the third generation's little darling, not know what the third generation was thinking?

On several occasions, the Third Hokage tried to probe her for the possibility of sending Kirito, Konoha's only Magnet Release ninja, to the battlefield to deal with those damned Sand Village puppet troops.

But how could she possibly send her nine-year-old brother to such a dangerous place as the battlefield, even though he was already very strong and might not even be a match for her? She still didn't want Kirito to go to the battlefield.

In her view, war is an adult matter, and children like Kirito should stay in Konoha and enjoy a wonderful childhood.

This was also her grandfather's original wish in establishing Konoha Village, and it is a very important part of the Will of Fire.

Unfortunately, as time went by, Grandpa's wish was gradually forgotten by some people.

Although it was due to objective factors, she still did not want to see such young ninjas on the battlefield.

She's not the Hokage anymore, so she might not be able to control others, but she definitely has to take care of her own younger brother.

She hoped that Nawaki and Kirito would not go to the battlefield until they were at least 12 years old.

Therefore, she always refused the third generation's requests in the strongest possible tone.

"Sister, don't worry. I don't plan to go to the battlefield so soon. I still have many things to prepare, so I definitely can't go now. So, today I just went to tell the Third Lord about my current difficulties and asked him not to send me to the battlefield so early."

Facing Tsunade's unfriendly expression, Kirito spoke honestly.

"That's good. That old guy has been keeping an eye on you all day, hoping you'll deal with those puppet troops from Sunagakure. But those puppet troops, which carry all sorts of deadly toxins, are not so easy to deal with. Even experienced elite Jonin would avoid them. Yet he expects a 9-year-old ninja like you to deal with these enemies. That old man is getting more and more confused."

When Tsunade heard that Kirito hadn't agreed to go to the battlefield, she breathed a sigh of relief and then mercilessly complained to the Third Hokage.

Kirito felt a warmth in his heart when he heard Tsunade complain about how much the Third Hokage cared about him.

It feels good to be cared for like this.

He then took the opportunity to persuade Tsunade: "The Third Hokage probably had no choice, after all, I am the only Magnet Release ninja in Konoha right now, and I also know the Spirit Transformation Technique. Those puppeteers will definitely be in big trouble if they encounter me. However, I strongly agree with your idea, sister. It is really not good to send young ninjas to the battlefield."

"If you could become Hokage someday, sister, with your abilities and prestige in the village, you would definitely be a good Hokage. Then, Nawaki, Chizuru, and I would be able to better help you build Konoha into a better place."

To be honest, Tsunade now has all the necessary abilities and prestige, making her the best candidate to compete for the Hokage position.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Tsunade will become the Fourth Hokage.

Unfortunately, Tsunade has always shown great resistance to becoming Hokage. She has no interest in the Hokage position that is so easy to obtain, and she has even said in public on several occasions after getting drunk at izakayas that she does not want to be Hokage.

As a result, many Jonin who originally supported Tsunade becoming Hokage have begun to change their attitudes, as have some ninja clans that supported the Senju clan.

It's important to know that Konoha is not lacking in Hokage candidates right now, and Tsunade is just the biggest favorite among them, with a much higher chance of being selected than other Hokage candidates.

Konoha ninjas with similarly impressive battle records, such as Orochimaru and Sakumo Hatake, were also highly regarded by many Konoha Jonin.

Orochimaru's team has gained favor among many Konoha ninjas due to their significant contributions in the recent war between Konoha and Sunagakure. In addition, his background as a commoner ninja has made it easier for him to gain the support of a large number of commoner ninjas.

Finally, Orochimaru is now a martial arts ninja. His tough style, unlike the Third Hokage's weak and compromising attitude towards enemies, is very popular among the young people in the village, and many martial arts ninjas have contact with him in private.

It is clear that Orochimaru is quite keen on the Hokage position. He also dreams of becoming Hokage and is actively planning for the future Hokage election.

If Tsunade doesn't make a concerted effort to secure the Hokage position, this seemingly sure thing might slip away.

Kirito was very concerned about Tsunade becoming Hokage. This would not only greatly help him in building Konoha in the future, but also change many destinies, including Tsunade's, allowing him to gain more power-up points.

In short, making Tsunade Hokage is something he very much wants to see.

"You brat, my affairs are none of your business. You should just stay by my side and study. Remember this: you are not allowed to interfere in matters of Hokage, and don't mention it in front of me again. I will handle it myself."

When Tsunade heard Kirito mention the Hokage position, her expression immediately turned sour. She quickly flicked Kirito on the forehead with her finger and said firmly.

For other Konoha ninjas, the position of Hokage is their dream, but for her, it is an unfortunate position because her grandfather and great-uncle were both Hokage, and they both gave their precious lives for Konoha.

It wasn't that she was afraid of death; she simply felt a strong aversion to the position.

At the same time, she was also afraid that she wouldn't be able to do it well.

That position isn't something you can just dream of. To become Hokage, you need the ability and awareness to shoulder its weight.

Tsunade currently believes she is not ready to be Hokage. She doesn't think she has the ability to be a good Hokage and make Konoha better.

"Alright, sister, I won't mention it again, but I still think you can definitely become a good Hokage. Also, I made a promise with the Third Hokage that I will go to the battlefield after I turn ten."

Seeing Tsunade's reaction, Kirito sighed inwardly, knowing that the road to persuading Tsunade to become Hokage was still long and arduous. He then mentioned the agreement he had made with the Third Hokage.

"Going to the battlefield at the age of ten! How can you act on your own now? Did that old man say something to force you to do this? Don't be afraid of him, I'm here. I'll go and tell him right now that you can only go to the battlefield when you are at least 12 years old."

Upon hearing this, Tsunade immediately became angry and said...

After saying that, she turned around and prepared to go find the third generation of theorists to argue with them.

"It wasn't the Third Hokage who forced me; it was my own idea. My teacher has passed away, and it's time for me to step forward and contribute more to Konoha. Otherwise, all the skills I've learned would be wasted. Besides, after my teacher's death, no one can suppress Nawaki anymore."

Sister, you should know Nawaki's personality and dreams better than I do. He will definitely submit an application to the Third Generation Elder to graduate early in the future. Once he leaves the village, if he lacks helpers and no one is watching him, he could easily get into trouble given his impulsive nature.

"You know my strength, sister. With me watching over him, you, me, Lady Tao Hua, and our teacher will all feel at ease."

Upon seeing this, Kirito quickly grabbed Tsunade's hand and explained.

Upon hearing Kirito's explanation, Tsunade fell silent, her face darkening.

She was well aware of Nawaki's situation. Her foolish younger brother was indeed a handful. Although his strength was not bad now, the battlefield was extremely dangerous. Not to mention Jonin, even Kage-level powerhouses were at risk of death.

His identity as a rope tree meant that he would face greater and more dangers on the battlefield.

She has firsthand experience with this.

When she first arrived at the battlefield in the Land of Rain, she was repeatedly subjected to special treatment by the enemy. Moreover, these enemies were not just from Amegakure, but also assassins sent by ninja villages such as Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure. As for the bounty hunters who were eyeing her head, there were countless others.

The reason she is so proficient in medical ninjutsu and also so skilled at detoxification is largely because she was forced into it by these enemies.

Poison was the most common substance the enemy used to kill her.

She has survived to this day partly due to her own strength—she was already an elite Jonin when she went to the battlefield—and partly due to the two equally capable teammates and companions by her side.

She was nearly killed by the enemy several times, but was saved in time by Jiraiya and Orochimaru.

The most dangerous time was undoubtedly when she faced Hanzo the Salamander. If Jiraiya hadn't saved her in time, she might have been killed by Hanzo's Exploding Flame Formation.

Nawaki is only 9 years old now, and her strength is not as good as when she went to the battlefield. Moreover, she does not know medical ninjutsu and has a very impulsive personality. If she really went to the battlefield now, her life would be in danger if she did not have strong teammates by her side.

The thought of Rope Tree possibly being killed filled her with inexplicable fear.

Her only remaining family member in this world is Nawaki. She may be a little selfish, but it would be really good if Kirito could keep an eye on Nawaki.

However, she felt that this was unfair to Kirito, and a deep sense of guilt arose in her heart.

"Sister, don't feel guilty. I did it voluntarily. Rope Tree is my good brother. I certainly don't want him to be killed by the enemy. Besides, you've all been so good to me. Helping him out is nothing."

Kirito noticed the guilt in Tsunade's eyes and said with a smile.

Protecting Nawaki is what the teacher hopes to see, and he also doesn't want Nawaki to die young. Nawaki, who has mastered the Eight Gates, will be a great help in building Konoha and dealing with Madara Uchiha.

Moreover, if Nawaki were to pass away, Tsunade might be even less willing to become Hokage.

No matter what, he couldn't let Rope Tree die young.

"Thank you, Kirito."

Tsunade was deeply moved when she heard Kirito say that. She sniffled and expressed her gratitude.

After saying that, she hugged Kirito tightly, subjecting him to another severe facial cleanser attack that nearly suffocated him.

……

Meanwhile, the White Zetsu clones had successfully used the Mayfly Technique to reach the Hidden Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning, located in the northeastern corner of the ninja world.

Kumogakure, as its name suggests, is a ninja village built on a towering mountain peak. Most of its buildings are constructed on the mountainside and connected to each other by iron chains and bridges.

White Zetsu clones possess the art of disguise and have top-notch infiltration abilities.

Kirito controlled a White Zetsu clone to enter Kumogakure, then silently knocked out an ordinary Kumogakure villager, used the Spirit Transformation Technique: Soul Search to read his memories, absorbed his chakra, and used the Impersonation Technique to disguise himself as the Kumogakure villager, successfully infiltrating the village.

The Third Raikage's location was easy to find. He was currently in Kumogakure. Using the power of his Byakugan, he quickly pinpointed the location of the Third Raikage, whose chakra had reached the level of a tailed beast.