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My Journey as Fourth Kazekage 181
🕑 Added 2025-05-21 16:00:13 +0000 UTCChapter 181: Grabbing and Snatching
Yamato was starting to regret it.
Just a short while ago, Sunagakure had suddenly launched a violent uprising, and the Chūnin Exams were halted.
Faced with the menacing Sunagakure jōnin Baki, Yamato couldn’t spare the attention, so he had no choice but to let the other participant of the match, Sasuke Uchiha, go after Gaara and the others who had fled.
In Yamato’s eyes, Sasuke Uchiha’s performance in the exam already demonstrated the level of a chūnin, an outstanding one at that.
But things changed far too quickly.
Hearing Yamato’s words, Kakashi’s expression also changed drastically.
Still, there was no time to waste. He immediately issued an order.
“Yamato, please inform the village and have them send reinforcements. Guy, you and I will go after Sasuke.”
“Understood, Kakashi-senpai.”
Yamato’s figure vanished in an instant.
Watching Kakashi and Guy about to leave, Naruto and Sakura, standing nearby, immediately shouted in worry.
“Wait, Kakashi-sensei! We’re going too!”
This made Shikamaru, who was standing beside them, feel a bit awkward. He knew this was dangerous, and reason told him not to go, but if he said nothing now, it would seem disloyal.
“Count me in too.”
Kakashi naturally wanted to refuse. Sending three kids into something this dangerous was complete nonsense.
But seeing Naruto’s determined eyes, and recalling how he had performed in this Chūnin Exam, Kakashi finally nodded.
“You can come, but from now on, you must follow Shikamaru’s command in everything.”
Kakashi was also worried that he might not be able to protect Naruto and Sakura in the midst of battle. Thankfully, Shikamaru was with them.
Shikamaru, though a bit speechless, could only mutter “what a drag” and follow after them.
---
Outside Konohagakure.
The Sunagakure shinobi who had been lying in wait outside the gates to invade Konoha had just engaged the Konoha shinobi.
That was when Baki appeared, bringing with him the Kazekage’s order: all Sunagakure shinobi were to withdraw from battle.
Though the Sunagakure shinobi were confused, after all, they had spent so long preparing, now the mission was suddenly canceled. Still, they obeyed Baki and swiftly retreated.
Before long, Baki caught up with the earlier-withdrawing Temari, Kankurō, and Gaara.
“Baki-sensei.”
The three were visibly relieved to see him.
Baki quickly approached and nodded. But when his gaze fell upon Gaara, who was clutching his head in pain, his expression changed drastically, he had already sensed that the Tailed Beast inside Gaara was on the verge of going berserk.
At that moment, a Sunagakure shinobi came forward and said.
“Captain, a Konoha shinobi is secretly following us. It’s Sasuke Uchiha.”
!!!
At that moment, a trace of greed flickered in Baki’s heart, but Gaara’s pained wails immediately snapped him back to reality.
“No, we have to return to the village immediately. Sasuke Uchiha won’t be alone. We cannot risk losing Shukaku.”
“Hai!”
The shinobi all understood the severity of a Tailed Beast going out of control.
To be honest, they weren’t that concerned about Gaara’s life; they were more worried that if the Tailed Beast went on a rampage here, with no one to control it, Sunagakure would lose Shukaku.
So, under the cover of their fellow Sunagakure shinobi, Gaara and the others headed toward the Land of Wind.
Among the group, Temari glanced at her younger brother Gaara, slung over Kankurō’s shoulder and clearly in pain, then at the village shinobi who had abruptly withdrawn. Unable to hold back her confusion, she asked her teacher:
“Sensei, what’s going on? Why the sudden...”
Baki’s answer was simple.
“This is the Kazekage-sama’s order. As for the details, we’ll wait for Kazekage-sama to return and explain.”
But though he said that, Baki couldn’t help but feel uneasy as he recalled the Kazekage's condition when he last saw him.
“Father…”
Baki’s words caused both Temari and Kankurō to freeze for a moment, and then they fell silent.
Though by blood they were father and children, aside from a few good memories from childhood, their relationship had long since become more like that of superior and subordinates.
---
Konoha. Root Division.
Time passed slowly. Despite all efforts from the Root shinobi, they still couldn’t locate the whereabouts of the Fourth Kazekage.
“Useless! You can’t even handle something this simple!”
Danzō’s expression was dark. Beside him, Fū Yamanaka cautiously offered a suggestion:
“Danzō-sama, could the Kazekage have already left?”
“Left? The gold dust is still beneath our feet. How could that Kazekage possibly have left?”
Saying that, Danzō fell into thought, his eyes scanning every corner of the Root base.
“What exactly is his goal?”
Fū Yamanaka was also lost in thought.
“But even the sensor bugs from Torune can’t detect him? Where could that Kazekage be hiding? The entire Root base is under the surveillance of those bugs.”
Danzō suddenly trembled, his pupils shrinking as he moved at once. He had just remembered that there was only one place in the entire Root base that even Torune’s sensor bugs couldn’t reach.
That place was so secret that even trusted aides like Fū Yamanaka and Aburame Torune had no knowledge of it.
In just a few moments, Danzō arrived at the destination. The moment he saw the undone sealing array, his expression turned grim.
How did the Kazekage from Sunagakure know about this place? Was it Orochimaru? But even if that were the case, how did he break the seal placed here?
While Danzō was deep in thought, Fū Yamanaka, who had come to this place for the first time, asked in shock:
“Danzō-sama, what is this place?”
Danzō didn’t hide the truth as he would need Fū Yamanaka’s help next.
“The Second Hokage and Mito-sama constructed this place to seal the First Hokage’s corpse. It was also the foundation of Root itself.”
!!!
There was no time to care about Fū Yamanaka’s shock. Danzō immediately asked:
“The seal’s been broken, which means that Kazekage is most likely inside. Use your sensory ability to check.”
“Hai!”
Fū Yamanaka immediately closed his eyes and concentrated. After a moment, his brows furrowed.
Eventually, he opened his eyes and reported.
“Reporting to Danzō-sama, I can’t sense anything.”
Danzō was stunned.
“Nothing at all? What about chakra?”
“Nothing. Perhaps the Fourth Kazekage has some special ability that blocks detection?”
Danzō grew increasingly uneasy.
He didn’t care whether the Fourth Kazekage could block sensory detection. However, even if Fū Yamanaka couldn’t sense the Kazekage’s chakra, he could still feel the massive chakra from the First Hokage’s corpse inside.
With that in mind, Danzō didn’t hesitate any longer.
“Be alert. We’re going in.”
“Yes.”
But the moment Danzō stepped into the massive cavern, what he saw made his pupils contract.
Because the cavern… was completely empty.
Danzō even rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Where’s that massive tree?
And then, at that moment, a voice rang out:
“Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!”
