Chapter 616: Ye Cang: I'll Be the Kazekage!
Chapter 616: Ye Cang: I'll Be the Kazekage!
Forest of Death!
"What?"
"You said Konoha sent a message asking me to return and choose the Hokage?"
"Are they out of their minds?"
...
Tang Ping set up barriers while listening to Hyuga Tsukimi reading the letter beside him.
He was mentally prepared for a potential war with Konoha, and the best outcome he hoped for was their silence, postponing the inevitable confrontation.
But he never expected that they would ask him to return and choose the Hokage.
It was absurd, to the point of being ridiculous.
"Could this be a test?"
Beside them, Uzumaki Kaizumi, who had been working as a laborer, suddenly spoke up.
Don't be fooled by her quiet demeanor in the Heavenly Castle; it didn't mean her mind wasn't sharp. If it were, she wouldn't have been able to escape from the Land of Whirlpools to the Grass Hidden Village.
"A test?"
Tang Ping looked thoughtful.
He had intentionally left her behind because, in terms of sealing techniques, she was the strongest after him. This kind of laborious work naturally required her presence.
Sealing techniques!
It was a highly technical field; you either had the skill or you didn't, and there was no way to compensate with brute force.
After a few days, Tang Ping, who was at the Forest of Death, had already altered the original entry and exit patterns.
It was just a spatial barrier.
Setting it up from scratch might be troublesome, but modifying it was no issue.
If it weren't for the Toad Oil Waterfall being detonated, causing damage, this wouldn't have been so complicated.
Indeed, the entrance to the Forest of Death would constantly shift due to the barriers.
It was an incredibly sophisticated barrier, at the very least on par with the pinnacle of the Shinobi World.
The relationship between the Forest of Death and the Shinobi World was akin to that of land and ships.
Only when the 'tide' pushed them would they approach the land, and then they would retreat when the tide receded.
Tang Ping gained valuable insights from these barriers.
At the very least, he now had an idea for a 'monkey version' of the Thunder God Body Array.
Uzumaki Kaizumi continued speaking.
"They invited you to the Hokage election, but that doesn't mean they'll let you become the Hokage. It's also a test for us in the Heavenly Castle and a way to buy time!"
She shared everything that came to her mind.
Although she had never been to Konoha, she had gathered information from her friend Yasei Nao Yuki, so she was well-informed about it.
"Well said. It's indeed a test and a way to buy time, and there might be a scheme behind it!"
Tang Ping glanced at Uzumaki Kaizumi with appreciation, never expecting her to have such a sharp mind, especially since she had died quietly in the original storyline.
It was a shame the plot killed her off!
"Damn, I'll go and wipe them out!"
Hyuga Tsukimi's expression turned cold. How dare they scheme against Tang Ping? She had to teach them a lesson.
"No, reply to them, saying that I will participate in this election!"
Tang Ping stopped Hyuga Tsukimi from her planned response.
It was time to settle some scores.
He had always looked down upon Enma Hayate, finding him hypocritical and double-standard. There was no way he could respect such a person.
Moreover, he had promised Kakashi that he would make the Konoha higher-ups pay, and there were also the Uzumaki and Uchiha clans to consider. There was no way he would let them off easily.
This election was the perfect opportunity to settle these scores.
He had to ensure their downfall, both in reputation and in death, to vent the anger of those who had suffered and to release the pent-up frustration within Tang Ping.
It was all because many of his fellow time-travelers were incompetent, choosing to let the Konoha higher-ups off gracefully, which he despised.
"Okay!"
Hyuga Tsukimi hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Although she didn't understand Tang Ping's intentions, she would never disobey his orders, even if it meant her own demise.
"Kaizumi, hurry up. I'm in a hurry to 'become the Hokage,' and then we can watch the show together!"
Tang Ping hinted at something.
He had never sent her to Konoha before, so this invitation must have had a purpose.
"Alright!"
Uzumaki Kaizumi nodded and quickened her pace.
At that moment, another scene unfolded.
Land of Wind!
Sunagakure, Kazekage Tower!
The atmosphere in the meeting hall was heavy.
The elders sitting at the head of the room glared at the figure standing below.
"Ye Cang, you dare to return!"
An elder scolded.
Their tone was hostile, especially since Ye Cang had claimed to fight for Sunagakure while in Konoha, directly pinning the blame on them.
So it's no wonder they have this attitude.
Looking at the circle of elders before her, a disdainful look flashed in Ye Cang's eyes.
In the past, she had nothing but reverence for these elders and not a hint of defiance.
But after years of witnessing the Heavenly Castle's affairs, she developed a mindset of 'Is this it?' and 'I could do better.'
With this mindset, she no longer saw the elders through rose-colored glasses. Instead, she felt that these guys were too incompetent, holding back the development of Sunagakure.
"Ye Cang, what's your purpose for returning this time?"
Chiyoki, seated in the center, spoke up.
She had already sensed that Ye Cang was completely different from before, so she felt a bit apprehensive.
"Elder Chiyoki, as a Sunagakure ninja, isn't it normal for me to return to the village?"
Ye Cang wasn't as dismissive of this elder, who had dedicated everything to the village and possessed formidable strength. So, she answered the question.
Yes, she hadn't been expelled from Sunagakure, nor had anyone issued an order prohibiting her from returning to the village.
So, her return was justified.
Moreover, if it weren't for her and the ninjas from the Land of Wind under her command, who participated in the Konoha collapse plan, half of them returning would be considered a success.
From this perspective, she had contributed to Sunagakure, so she could stand here with confidence.
"Let's get straight to the point!"
Chiyoki was in no mood for small talk.
If anyone else had said this, Ye Cang would have argued, but with Chiyoki, she had no choice but to be honest:
"I want to become the Kazekage!"
Without Chiyoki's support, sitting in this position was impossible.
Not only was Chiyoki powerful, but she also controlled most of the departments and had the backing of the Shinmin and accumulated prestige, making her the 'uncrowned queen' of Sunagakure.
However, once a Kazekage was appointed, this uncrowned queen would cede power and wholeheartedly assist the new leader, which made her even more respected.
"Impossible!"
"Don't even think about it!"
"In your dreams!"
...
Before Chiyoki could finish speaking, the Sunagakure elders had already rejected the idea.
They were well aware of who was backing Ye Cang.
If she were to ascend to power, it would be equivalent to handing over Sunagakure to that person.
Therefore, they would never agree.
"Quiet down, do you want to lose face in front of the younger generation?"
Hai Ryozen spoke up.
As the head of Sunagakure's Anbu and Chiyoki's brother, his status was unquestioned, and the other elders immediately fell silent at his words.
There were significant differences in status among the elders as well.
Hai Ryozen then asked, "Ye Cang, why do you think the village would choose you as the Kazekage?"
He believed that if Ye Cang dared to declare her intention to become the Kazekage, she must have something up her sleeve, so he wanted to know.
"I can ensure that all Sunagakure ninjas enjoy the benefits of the Heavenly Castle and allow the villagers to live happy lives, instead of having to depend on the aristocracy just to fill their stomachs!"
Ye Cang laid out her offer directly.
Yes, this was like showing her hand, and once she became the Kazekage, the Sunagakure ninjas would essentially be joining the Heavenly Castle.
"Impossible!"
Hai Ryozen categorically rejected the idea.
After all, Sunagakure was one of the five major ninja villages, so how could they join a subordinate force of Konoha?
He wasn't unaware of the Heavenly Castle's influence, but he didn't know the full extent of their power, which was why he would never agree.
It was like a top-five tech company in the world; why would they agree to be acquired by a small company from another country, no matter the price? It wasn't a matter of money.
Especially when this top-five company was functioning well, there was no chance at all.
Even with the best promises and the highest offers, no one would agree.
Chiyoki felt the same way.
Even knowing that the Heavenly Castle's benefits were excellent, she wouldn't agree to let Ye Cang, whom they supported, rise to power and make Sunagakure submit to a young upstart.
Yes, in Chiyoki's eyes, Uchiha Touhei was indeed a young upstart.
No matter how skilled or wealthy he was, it didn't matter.
The ninja world valued 'strength,' and who knew if the Heavenly Castle would be swallowed up by Konoha one day? Then, everyone associated with them would be in trouble.
As if anticipating their reaction, Ye Cang directly revealed a shocking piece of news.
(End of Chapter)
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