blogombal Chapter 91 Damn it, it's all that scoundrel snake's fault!
Chapter 91 Damn it, it's all that scoundrel snake's fault!
Chapter 91 Damn it, it's all that scoundrel snake's fault!
Karin, don't be afraid.
Naruto sensed the girl's nervousness and patted her hand reassuringly. Then, he looked at Kakashi triumphantly, "Kakashi-sensei! Wasn't our Team 7 amazing this time? We reached the tower so quickly! Hehe, aren't we the first to pass the second round of this exam?"
Upon hearing this, before Kakashi could even speak, Hiruzen Sarutobi burst out laughing.
He stroked his mustache and deliberately drawled, "Oh? You're quite confident. But it's a pity—" Sarutobi shook his head with feigned regret, "Although you are all excellent, you weren't the first to arrive."
"Huh?!" Naruto and Sasuke were both taken aback upon hearing this.
Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief: "There's someone faster than us?!"
Sasuke also frowned slightly, showing a look of surprise.
Kakashi explained with a smile, "There's a kid from Sunagakure who arrived half a day early. They crossed the Forest of Death and reached the tower in just ninety-seven minutes."
"One, more than an hour?!" Naruto almost thought he had misheard, his mouth agape in exaggerated disbelief. "How is that possible!"
"How fast do they have to run!"
Sasuke's expression suddenly turned serious.
To complete a mission in such a short time, one must be more than just an ordinary genin.
Sasuke clenched his fist, his fighting spirit quickly ignited.
"Damn it!" Naruto's initial shock turned to resentment. He stomped his foot in frustration, muttering, "If we hadn't run into that scoundrel on the way and wasted our time, we would have arrived long ago!"
He pursed his lips, his face full of annoyance.
"A scoundrel?" Sarutobi and Kakashi were both taken aback.
Kakashi was the first to react, narrowing his eyes suspiciously: "Naruto, you guys ran into Orochimaru?"
"That's right."
Naruto nodded and smugly wiped his nose!
"And he was even driven away by a combined attack from me and Sasuke!"
The room fell silent for two seconds after he said that.
Kakashi and Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at each other, both seeing shock and disbelief in each other's eyes.
Are you kidding me? Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, was defeated by Naruto and a bunch of brats?!
Kakashi was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Sasuke:
"—Sasuke, you tell me."
He felt that it would be more reliable to have Sasuke, who was calm and rational, narrate the story.
Naruto's smug expression froze on his face. What did that mean?!
Kakashi-sensei's attitude clearly shows that he doesn't trust him!
I think he's talking nonsense!
Naruto angrily pulled Sasuke aside: "Come here, Sasuke, tell Kakashi-sensei, didn't we drive Orochimaru away?! We beat his face to a pulp!"
Sasuke, exasperated by Naruto's dodges, rolled his eyes at him and said, "Idiot! Orochimaru wasn't chased away, was he?"
He raised his hand and slapped away Naruto's hand that was grabbing his sleeve, then looked seriously at the Hokage and Kakashi, and began to recount what had happened in detail.
As they listened to Sasuke's calm and unexaggerated account, Kakashi and Sarutobi's expressions gradually became serious.
Sasuke eventually deduced that Orochimaru must have had some ulterior motive for his hasty retreat, which saved their lives.
After Sasuke finished speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his beard and fell into deep thought.
Kakashi quickly compared the timelines in his mind and realized that the timing of Orochimaru's departure perfectly matched the time when he, Anko, and the others arrived at the scene.
"I see—" Kakashi said with lingering fear, "It seems we scared him away when we arrived. Naruto,
Sasuke, you've escaped a close call!
Hiruzen Sarutobi breathed a sigh of relief and patted Naruto on the shoulder, saying, "Anyway, it's good that you're all alright. This was really dangerous. You must be exhausted from the journey, so go and rest in the tower. There will be further tests waiting for you once all the other genin who passed the exams have arrived."
The three students from Class 7 responded in unison.
Indeed, they are exhausted and need a good rest and recovery.
Naruto was about to help Xiang inside when he suddenly remembered something and abruptly stopped in his tracks.
"Wait! Grandfather Three generations one!"
Naruto took a deep breath and mustered his courage to shout.
He turned around and shoved Xiang in front of him, saying solemnly, "I have a request! Could you please let Xiang stay in Konoha Village?"
Upon hearing this, the room fell silent.
Xiang suddenly widened her eyes: "Naruto, Naruto, you—"
She never expected Naruto to make such a request so directly in front of the Hokage.
Xiang nervously looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi not far away.
The seemingly kind old man looked somewhat surprised and was scrutinizing her with a furrowed brow.
Xiang gasped for breath, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat—would the Hokage of Konoha agree?
Can I really stay in Konoha?
Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated for a few seconds before speaking solemnly, "Naruto, this girl is a ninja from Kusagakure. We can't just leave ninjas from other villages in Konoha like that. Even if you mean well, it won't work. It will cause conflict between villages."
Although the tone was gentle, the meaning behind the words was quite clear.
Naruto was stunned by these words, as if struck by lightning.
"W-why—" Naruto muttered blankly.
Xiang stood there dumbfounded, the color draining from her face in an instant, leaving her as pale as paper.
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but her throat seemed to be blocked and she couldn't make a sound.
The Hokage's rejection was undoubtedly a heavy blow to her.
The nascent hope was extinguished almost instantly.
Her eyes were slightly red, her nose felt sore, and she desperately twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingertips.
The situation she would face after being sent back to Kusagakure flashed through her mind.
With her teammates dead and herself alone, she had no doubt that cruel punishment and endless torment awaited her.
Xiang's body trembled slightly, but an overwhelming sense of despair spread from her chest.
"Third Hokage! You have no idea how miserable Kaori's life was in Kusagakure!"
He abruptly raised his head, staring anxiously at Hiruzen Sarutobi, tears welling in his eyes. "Because of her ability to heal from bites, she's been used as a medical tool since childhood, her body covered in bite scars. If we let her go back, she'll be tortured by those bastards again!"
Naruto became more and more excited as he spoke.
"Xiang is my clansman! I can't bear to see her go back to that hell. Please, let her stay in Konoha!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "A clansman? Naruto, how do you know she's your clansman?"
Why is Naruto so certain?
He turned to Kakashi with a questioning look in his eyes.
Kakashi leaned slightly closer to Sarutobi and explained in a low voice, "This information was also revealed in that strange dream before. Naruto—already knows about his mother's background, and the connection between this girl and him."
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted slightly, and his expression turned rather strange.
"Information revealed in the dream?"
The "dream" incident that Kakashi had mentioned to him flashed through his mind, and his gaze returned to the red-haired girl with tears in her eyes.
Upon closer inspection, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
Her bright red hair was very eye-catching, and she really looked exactly like Kushina.
The ability Naruto mentioned is clearly a healing ability unique to the Uzumaki clan, which indicates that the little girl in front of him has a very pure bloodline.
After a brief moment of shock, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened, and his voice became stern: "What?! This little girl suffered such inhuman treatment in Kusagakure? They actually abused their comrade like this, using people as tools?!"
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Sakura quickly chimed in, seeing the Hokage's anger. "Kaori is really pitiful."
She's covered in injuries; going back to Kusagakure will only mean more bullying!
As she spoke, she stepped forward and took Xiang's arm, looking at the Hokage with a pleading expression, "Please let Xiang stay. Our Team 7 will definitely take good care of her!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded: "...In that case, we really can't send the incense back to Kusagakure."
He then looked at Naruto, a relieved smile slowly spreading across his face. "Naruto, I agree to your request. Let Kaori stay in Konoha!"
Upon hearing this, Naruto jumped three feet high.
"Very good!"
He jumped up with a cheer, grabbed Xiang in his arms, and bounced around, shouting, "Xiang! Did you hear that? The Third Hokage agreed! You can stay in Konoha now!"
Xiang didn't react for a moment and stood there firmly in place.
Two seconds later, joy exploded in her heart like a tidal wave.
Her eyes reddened, and she burst into tears of joy.
Xiang hugged Naruto tightly, her hands trembling. Tears soaked the front of his shirt, but she ignored them, nodding repeatedly, "Thank you... Naruto... Thank you, Naruto... Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
Besides thank you, she didn't know what else to say.
At this moment, Xiang felt light as a feather, as if she were in a dream, and the happiness felt unreal.
Sakura cheered and jumped up excitedly, "Great! It smells wonderful!"
Although Sasuke didn't outwardly express his emotions like his two companions, the corners of his mouth subtly curled up, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Kakashi also showed a rare smile and let out a long sigh of relief.
Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed heartily, "Go on, all of you go in and rest. By the way, don't worry about Kusagakure causing trouble for Kaori's stay in Konoha. I'll have a good talk with them!"
"Yes! Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
Sasuke and Sakura responded in unison, while Naruto danced with joy.
Soon, only Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kakashi remained at the tower entrance.
Gazing at the closed gate, Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile gradually faded, replaced by solemnity and deep thought.
He slowly turned around and walked down the steps.
Kakashi silently followed beside him.
After a moment, Kakashi broke the silence first: "Hokage-sama, is there really no problem with Kusagakure on Kaoru's side? At present, the Land of Grass is still an ally of the Land of Fire."
Although he had strongly supported Naruto's request in front of the students, Kakashi still offered a somewhat worried reminder.
"Allies?" Hiruzen Sarutobi scoffed, taking a leisurely puff of his pipe. "A bunch of opportunistic fair-weather friends."
There's nothing to worry about.
The Hidden Grass Village has always sought survival between powerful nations, siding with whichever side is stronger, without any moral compass whatsoever.
He really didn't want to waste too much effort on a village like that.
Sarutobi waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to say more.
He stood in the open space below the tower, gazing up at the lush, dark forest in the distance, his face somber, lost in thought.
After a long while, he slowly said, "Compared to Kusagakure, that guy is more worrying to me."
Kakashi knew who he was talking about, and his expression turned serious: "Are you referring to Orochimaru appearing in front of Naruto and the others ahead of time?"
Indeed, judging from common sense, Orochimaru's infiltration of the exam was probably for ulterior motives, and his eagerness to approach Naruto and Sasuke was no accident.
"That's right." A glint flashed in Sarutobi's eyes, and a deep worry appeared between his brows. "That Orochimaru brat actually approached Naruto and the others from the very beginning. What exactly is his purpose?"
Kakashi paused for a moment upon hearing this, then slowly shook his head and said, "The information is still too little, making it difficult to make a judgment. However, there's no need to worry too much—the two Jinchuriki have already arrived at the tower and gathered there."
He looked towards the tower and breathed a slight sigh of relief. "With the Hokage personally overseeing things here, Orochimaru won't be able to cause any trouble until at least the second exam is over."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, feeling slightly relieved.
But then he turned and asked, "By the way, any news from Dou?"
"The ANBU are watching him. He separated from his squad shortly before nightfall. According to the intelligence reports, Kabuto Yakushi is now moving alone towards the entrance of Exam Room 12."
Kakashi's eyes showed a hint of worry as he said this, "I suspect he might be looking for Naruto and the others."
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised a cold brow. "That kid is definitely suspicious. Orochimaru—what exactly is your purpose?!"