Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 259 Joint Chunin Exam

Hyuga Kanan stood rooted to the spot, his gaze calmly fixed on Orochimaru's receding figure. He could clearly sense Orochimaru's exceptionally unwavering will. This resolve was as hard as steel, seemingly unshakeable by any force.

"It seems there's bound to be a spectacular show in three months, I absolutely can't miss it!" Hinata Kanan murmured softly, his tone revealing a hint of anticipation and excitement. However, deep down he also knew that how this show would end was still unknown, but no matter what, he was determined to witness it with his own eyes.

For some time now, Hyuga Kanan has been in seclusion, training diligently, but with little progress. He feels trapped in an invisible cage, unable to break through his current limitations. Perhaps he needs more time to reflect and accumulate experience, using persistent effort to overcome this impasse. Right now, he feels an urgent need for physical and mental release to alleviate the pressure from his prolonged seclusion.

Therefore, Hyuga Kanan decided to temporarily set aside his training and step out of his secluded world. He believed that this outing would not only allow him to witness a thrilling spectacle but also help him relax his tense nerves. In this upcoming drama, he would witness Orochimaru's final performance prepared for him. At the same time, he also hoped to use this opportunity to adjust his mindset and re-examine his training path.

Hyuga Kanan believed that Orochimaru's grand performance three months later would be absolutely spectacular and would not disappoint. After all, this was Orochimaru's final act as a ninja, and it would surely bring a perfect end to his decades-long ninja career. It would also serve as a closure for the first half of Orochimaru's life.

Time flies, and the days slip by unnoticed. Hyuga Kanan stopped his seclusion and began to slowly adjust his state, allowing his body and mind to fully relax. Since stepping into this mysterious world, a strange sense of urgency had always permeated his heart, and he had never truly enjoyed relaxation and comfort. He devoted almost all his time to secluded cultivation, daring not to slack off in the slightest.

He knew full well that this sense of urgency didn't originate from within himself, but rather from the subtle influence of the world's will. Like an invisible hand, it manipulated his subconscious, constantly making him feel a profound sense of crisis. Therefore, he had to relentlessly accelerate his cultivation to avoid being consumed by the Dao. However, since his last encounter with the mysterious figure behind the scenes, it seemed the world's will had ceased its influence on him. Was it because he had become the target, requiring him to cultivate with all his might, or did the world's will believe that continued pressure would be of little use to him now? Everything remained uncertain.

At this moment, in Konoha Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi and other high-ranking officials gathered to discuss the village's future development strategy. In recent years, they had sensed the village's declining status in the ninja world; consequently, they received fewer and fewer missions, and many Fire Country caravans no longer chose Konoha ninjas for escort missions, instead hiring ninjas from smaller villages. Furthermore, the number of attacks encountered by ninjas on missions was increasing, leading to greater losses and diminishing Konoha's reputation for intimidation.

However, Konoha Village is no longer what it used to be. The sharp decrease in the number of missions has led to a significant drop in income, which has undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Hiruzen Sarutobi and his comrades. With the deterioration of relations with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, the aid Konoha Village receives each year has gradually decreased, and its financial situation is becoming increasingly strained. Under these circumstances, Konoha Village can only rely on its ninjas to go out on missions to earn money to maintain its daily expenses. Back then, Konoha Village was the largest ninja village in the ninja world, with unparalleled strength, an endless stream of missions, and abundant funds. At that time, Hiruzen Sarutobi and other high-ranking members could easily receive a large share of the profits, providing their respective clans with a continuous stream of resources to help them thrive. But now, all of that is in the past. Faced with such a difficult situation, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his comrades cannot help but feel deeply worried.

In reality, the annual aid funds provided by the Land of Fire to Konoha are among the highest in the entire ninja world. However, due to Hiruzen Sarutobi's efforts to suppress the power of various clans within Konoha and his continued support for commoner ninjas and members of his own clan, his expenses have been steadily increasing. Meanwhile, the aid funds provided by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire have been decreasing year by year, leaving Konoha facing a severe financial shortage.

It's important to understand that training a mediocre Sarutobi clan ninja with average talent requires far more resources than training a more talented ninja with clan support. Despite this, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in order to consolidate his power and suppress other clans, continued to invest more resources in the Sarutobi clan. This undoubtedly exacerbated the internal conflicts and divisions within Konoha, and also fueled resentment among other ninja clans.

The quality of Konoha ninjas has been declining year by year, naturally leading to more problems when carrying out missions. This not only makes other ninja villages in the ninja world aware of Konoha's weakness, but also gives most merchant caravans the feeling that Konoha is a thing of the past. Since the quality of Konoha ninjas used for missions is poor, and the costs are higher, merchant caravans naturally choose ninjas from smaller ninja villages with similar quality but lower prices.

This led to a decline in Konoha's reputation and deterrent power within the ninja world, while also increasing the dangers they faced on missions, creating a vicious cycle. More and more merchant caravans distrusted Konoha ninjas, naturally reducing the number of Konoha ninjas they hired. This resulted in a decrease in the number of missions Konoha could take on, leading to a significant drop in revenue.

Everyone present was aware of the village's current problems, but they were powerless to solve them. Even sending elite ninjas on missions now wouldn't change the situation quickly. Furthermore, the number of elite ninjas was far from sufficient to support continuous missions.

The solution was actually quite simple: if Hiruzen Sarutobi had simply stopped suppressing the ninja clans of Konoha and allowed them to send ninjas to support the village, the reputation of Konoha's ninjas could have been restored in time. After all, the ninjas trained by Konoha's clans were generally far stronger than ordinary civilian ninjas, and with the support of their clan's secret techniques, they could demonstrate the strength of ninjas of the same level from afar. Unfortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't agree to this decision. He had spent years suppressing these clans and building up the Sarutobi clan; how could he possibly give up so easily?

A silence fell over the meeting room; no one knew how to resolve the issue. Suddenly, Mitokado Homura spoke up: "Isn't the village about to hold the Chunin Exams?"

"Yes, is there a problem?" Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Homura Mitokado with a puzzled expression. Although he didn't know why the other party suddenly brought up the Chunin Exams, he must have thought of some way to solve the problem.

Mitokado Homura didn't keep them in suspense and continued, "Tell me, if Konoha were to hold a joint Chunin Exam, inviting our allies and smaller ninja villages to participate, and also inviting the daimyo and nobles from those countries to observe, the strength of our forces would be immediately apparent. I believe our village's genin wouldn't be unable to suppress even the genin from those smaller ninja villages! Moreover, with the home advantage, our village's genin would surely demonstrate our village's strength to all the daimyo and nobles who come."

Upon hearing Mitokado Homura's words, everyone in the conference room brightened up. It had to be said, this was indeed a good idea.

This would not only showcase the strength of Konoha's ninjas, but also allow daimyo and nobles from other countries to witness Konoha's depth and power. As allies of Konoha, they would naturally feel happy and proud.

“Great idea! This will not only showcase Konoha’s strength but also strengthen its relationship with its allies,” Koharu Utatane agreed.

“Hmm, not bad. Then I’ll leave this matter to you, Mitokado Homura.” Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.

“No problem, I will contact the daimyo and nobles of other villages and countries as soon as possible,” Mitomon En replied.

With this decision made, the atmosphere in the meeting room immediately relaxed. Everyone began discussing the specific details and precautions to ensure the smooth conduct of this joint Chunin Exam.

Konoha Village is about to host a grand joint Chunin Exams, a perfect opportunity to showcase the village's strength and influence. For the village's genin, this is also a crucial moment to prove their abilities.

In the distant Sound Village of the Land of Rice Fields, Orochimaru sat in a dark, damp room, his fingers lightly tapping the table. His eyes were cold and deep, seemingly able to see through everything. When he learned that Konoha had invited him to a meeting, a slight, amused smile appeared on his lips.

"Interesting... Konoha actually invited Otogakure to participate in the Joint Chunin Exams. What are they up to?" Orochimaru muttered to himself. He pondered Konoha's intentions, but regardless, it was an opportunity for him.

For some time now, Orochimaru had been working diligently to perfect his plan. He knew that only through continuous improvement could he achieve his goals. The invitation from Konoha Village provided him with a perfect opportunity. He decided to seize this chance to adjust his plan and make it even more flawless.

"Perhaps this is fate," Orochimaru murmured. He believed this unexpected invitation would be a crucial step in realizing his dream. At the same time, he also decided to use this opportunity to help Konoha get rid of that unreliable ally.

Orochimaru stood up and slowly walked out of the room. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on him, but it couldn't warm his cold heart. His steps were firm and steady, filled with boundless ambition and determination. He knew that a fierce battle awaited him, but he was fearless. Because he believed that as long as he persevered, ultimate victory would surely be his.