https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-127-Shockwaves-Throughout-the-Ninja-World-55-/12559176/
Chapter 128: This Operation is Very Naruto [15]
Chapter 128: This Operation is Very Naruto [15]
In the Leaf Village encampment, within the confines of a tent, Feng Ye was engaged in a game of Landlord with Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi.
The war council meetings were excruciatingly boring. Since he had already taken care of the Third Raikage, he had little interest in discussing strategies against the Cloud ninja. He conveniently excused himself, citing the need for rest and recovery, and no one dared to force him to attend the meetings.
Landlord was a game Feng Ye had taught Shizune and Kurenai. Ideally, they would have had enough people for a game of mahjong, but Tsunade was busy with the meetings, and Rin was with Namikaze Minato on the battlefield in the Water Country. So, a three-player card game had to suffice for their post-battle entertainment.
With the sixth gate of the Eight Inner Gates still far from his reach, Feng Ye estimated that it would take at least a year or more to progress. At this rate, his cultivation of the Immortal Body might even surpass his progress with the gates. After all, his chakra capacity had already exceeded that of a typical Jonin, and he was gradually approaching the threshold required for the Sage Mode.
"Three-of-a-kind plus one! I win!" Shizune exclaimed cheerfully as she laid down her last card.
Feng Ye contemplated his hand for a moment before quietly setting his cards down. "You two have improved significantly," he remarked. "Shizune, your marking technique was so subtle that even I almost didn't notice it... Kurenai, your observation skills and card techniques have caught up to mine."
"Eh?!” Kurenai exclaimed, turning to Shizune with wide eyes. "You marked the cards, Shizune?"
Shizune's expression froze, and she cautiously turned to Feng Ye. "When... when did you realize it?"
"To be honest, I didn't notice, but I had a feeling," Feng Ye replied with a light laugh. "Your demeanor gave you away, Shizune. You seemed a bit unsure and hesitant, which made me suspect you were up to something."
Kurenai frowned. "Now that you mention it, I felt like my moves were being seen through the entire time."
"It's fine," Feng Ye assured them with a smile. "I never said cheating was prohibited. Consider it a unique way to train our ninja abilities."
Just then, the tent flap opened, and a figure stepped inside. Kurenai and Shizune immediately stood up and bowed respectfully.
"Hokage-sama!" they chorused.
"I came to check on Feng Ye's recovery," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a kindly smile. "You two may leave now."
Kurenai and Shizune dared not disobey, so they bid their farewells and exited the tent.
Feng Ye, seated on the bed, gathered the cards and placed them aside. "Thank you for your concern, Hokage-sama," he said casually. "Has something happened with the Cloud ninja?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "Not particularly. The Cloud ninja have proposed a condition for peace talks—they demand that we hand you over to them. It seems they have no intention of negotiating, and they wish to continue the war. Even if the conflict drags on, causing more chaos and casualties, we have no choice but to keep fighting. We cannot possibly surrender a hero like you."
The Cloud ninja's peace condition was intriguing.
Most people might have been moved by Hiruzen's words, but Feng Ye detected a subtle undertone to them.
First, he mentioned the Cloud ninja's condition, immediately followed by a rejection. Then, he added the downsides of a prolonged war, hinting at casualties and chaos... It was as if he were subtly suggesting that Feng Ye's sacrifice could bring an end to the war and spare the Leaf Village and the Fire Country further suffering.
Given Feng Ye's current strength and status, the suggestion of his sacrifice had to come from himself and not be proposed by others.
This maneuver was truly... very "Hokage-like"! No wonder the Leaf Village had gone from being a powerhouse during the Third Great Ninja War, capable of taking on four other villages at once, to a state where an invasion by Orochimaru during the Chunin Exams almost cost the Third Hokage his life.
Feng Ye's gaze was calm and detached as he looked at Hiruzen.
This question immediately stumped Hiruzen, or perhaps it struck a chord deep within him. After all, he couldn't possibly have overlooked such a possibility. He was well aware that the Cloud ninja were untrustworthy.
"You're right," Hiruzen nodded, acknowledging the point. "The Cloud ninja cannot be trusted, so there's no need to consider such a proposal. We in the Leaf Village have the confidence and ability to win this war."
Feng Ye's words made Hiruzen realize something—the young man before him was no longer a ninja he could control.
Within the Leaf Village, Hiruzen controlled the ninjas who operated in the shadows, whether it was Danzo or Orochimaru. However, Feng Ye, with his formidable strength and accomplishments, had already moved beyond his sphere of influence.
In fact, Hiruzen himself felt conflicted. The fact that Feng Ye was no longer under his control presented a tangible threat to his own desire for dominance.
He had two choices.
One, groom Feng Ye as a potential candidate for the Fourth or Fifth Hokage, or two, start suppressing him now and prevent him from gaining any foothold in the power structure of the Leaf Village.
In truth, Hiruzen favored Minato Namikaze. He knew that Minato was a ninja dedicated solely to the development of the Leaf Village and was not interested in power or other trivial matters. Thus, he believed that Minato would be the ideal choice for the next Hokage.
Feng Ye was Orochimaru's disciple.
Naturally, he would support Orochimaru's bid for the position of Hokage.
And if Orochimaru became the Fourth Hokage, then Feng Ye would most likely succeed him as the Fifth. This was not an outcome Hiruzen desired.
Ah, of course!
Hiruzen suddenly thought of something—Feng Ye's younger brother, Kakashi, who was Minato's disciple and an exceptional ninja in his own right! If he groomed Minato as the Fourth Hokage and Kakashi as the Fifth, it would undoubtedly influence Feng Ye's attitude!
As for whether the Leaf Village's power would fall entirely into the hands of the two brothers once Kakashi became Hokage, well, that was a concern for another day.
After all, it would be at least a few decades before that happened.
"By the way, I want to send you to the Rain Country," Hiruzen abruptly changed the subject, choosing not to dwell on the previous topic any longer.
"Rain Country?" Feng Ye looked at Hiruzen, puzzled.
Hiruzen explained the situation on the battlefield in the Land of Earth, mentioning how the Rain ninja, led by Toad Sage Jiraiya, had suddenly joined forces with the Rock ninja to attack the Leaf Village, worsening the situation.
"I never thought that Orochimaru, working together with Danzo, would still end up at a disadvantage," Feng Ye's eyes glinted with suspicion.
Perhaps Danzo had set a trap for Orochimaru? If so, it would be an excellent opportunity to get rid of Danzo once and for all, paving the way for his future plans to take control of the Leaf Village, and sparing him the constant worry of Danzo's scheming.
With his current strength, taking on the hidden manipulator of the ninja world was still a daunting task, but he could at least start by eliminating those who operated in the open.
(End of Chapter)
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