"Why aren't they fighting? Kimimaro and Gaara are really cowards!"
Shion pouted regretfully as she saw Kimimaro and Gaara's teams pass each other on the big screen. Water Moon had escaped once again.
"Mother, would you like some popcorn?"
Miroku saw Shion's gaze drift towards the "Hamburger Fried Chicken Milk Tea" sign not far away and chuckled, "Of course, Shion. You can buy some of what you like, but don't buy too much."
"Mother is so kind!"
Miroku sighed inwardly. Shion was only twelve years old after all. It wouldn't be too late to let her enjoy a few more years of happiness before she took over as the Miko.
"Madam, your daughter is so lively and adorable."
A beautiful woman beside her looked at Shion's retreating back with a hint of envy in her eyes.
Miroku's beautiful eyes flickered towards the mature beauty beside her, and her eyes lit up. She said softly, "This girl is spoiled by me. She's always running off and doesn't remember to come home."
The beautiful woman smiled, taking it as a mother complaining about her child being too playful and forgetting to come home, like neighbors' children. Her eyes held a trace of nostalgia and sadness.
"You are a ninja, aren't you?"
The beautiful woman came back to her senses and smiled at Miroku, "My name is Natsuhi, and I'm the leading ninja from the Star Village for this tournament."
"Leading ninja! That means you have jonin-level strength!" Miroku was a little surprised. Female jonin were rare in the ninja world, especially beautiful ones like her.
"It's just a small village, not comparable to the ninjas of other villages."
Natsuhi found the dignified lady in front of her very easy to talk to, with no pretense at all. Had she guessed wrong? Was she not related to some high-ranking official of Konoha?
"Madam, you..."
"My name is Miroku. I'm a little older than you, so you can call me big sister."
Natsuhi paused slightly, her face flushing, "Big sister Miroku?"
"Yes, little sister Hoshi."
Natsuhi felt a little awkward. She was past the age of a young girl, and being called "little sister" felt strange.
However, she had something to ask Konoha for help with. Being called "little sister" by someone who was possibly related to a high-ranking official of Konoha wasn't too bad.
The two women began to converse intimately, as if they were long-lost sisters reunited.
When Shion returned to the spectator stands with two buckets of popcorn and a portion of fried chicken and cola, she was stunned. When did she get an aunt?
...
"That's how it is. Hiruzen, what do you think we should do about it?"
Danzō told everything to Sarutobi Hiruzen, including his plan to have Akaboshi assassinate Hayate, and confessed it all. After all, Hayate had taken the seat Hiruzen had left for him!
If Akaboshi were tens of times stronger, and Star Village a hundred times larger, perhaps Danzō would have actually considered it.
Although he had been more restrained in his actions since Hiruzen confided in him at the Root base that day, he still harbored a greedy obsession for the Hokage and power.
It was like a person's belief. If it collapsed, their life was over. However, over the years, Danzō's obsession had gradually changed, slowly becoming more human.
They were both lonely old men, why not...
"You handled this very well, Danzō. I will explain it to the Fourth Hokage."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at him with relief. After all these years, Danzō had finally changed a lot. Thanks to him calling Danzō to go fishing and drink tea in the sun every day, Danzō had no time to hide in dark laboratories to research all sorts of strange things.
Look, he had become much more cheerful. Sarutobi Hiruzen found Danzō more and more pleasing to the eye.
However, while Sarutobi Hiruzen could accept it, others were dumbfounded.
Even Orochimaru, with his composure, saw Danzō acting like a young man in love, eagerly reporting to Sarutobi Hiruzen. His perception of Danzō's character completely collapsed, and he shivered all over.
Is this really Danzō? The Shadow of Konoha? The leader of Root?
He was simply a young man, no, an old man, who had fallen in love!
Orochimaru withdrew his astonished gaze, pulled his hood down slightly, and quickly calmed himself. As a very far-sighted scientist, such a situation was not entirely unacceptable. In fact, Orochimaru's curiosity was piqued.
Male-male... cough, human sexual orientation, and human gender transformation might become the next research topics.
Orochimaru felt it was necessary to step forward and fulfill the needs of "these people," of course, if it was necessary!
"Hiruzen, before they can react, we should quickly seize the opportunity and capture them all."
Danzō said urgently, "By the time you notify the Fourth Hokage and gather people for an ambush, they will have long since fled. Who knows if there are informants in the village? Or perhaps the gathering of people will alert the enemy. These are all uncertain factors."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. Danzō was still as ruthless and decisive as ever, but his considerations were not thorough enough. Without sufficient manpower, the enemy would likely fight to the death, causing casualties to the surrounding civilians.
However, the leader of just a small ninja village should not be a cause for concern.
"What you said also makes sense. How about this, I'll go talk to that kid Hayate. If he's willing to be bait, I'll go with you."
"Hmph! I think Hiruzen and I are enough. Calling Uzumaki Hayate is completely unnecessary!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said sternly, "This is for the safety of the villagers. Follow me, Danzō."
Danzō stared resentfully at Sarutobi Hiruzen's retreating back. This Hiruzen was truly detestable!
At this moment, the Chunin Exam on the big screen showed no particularly exciting battles. Hayate was also walking around the spectator stands. The first half was just an appetizer; the latter half was the main course.
When certain people appeared later, someone was bound to get angry. He just hoped Minato could hold on.
"Brother Hayate, over here!"
Hayate looked back. Shion was blinking her cute eyes and waving at him with a large chicken leg. He immediately smiled and walked over.
"Brother Hayate, sit down!"
Shion jumped down with her popcorn and gestured for Hayate to take her seat.
Hayate was quite surprised. Had this girl become sensible? Grown up?
However... the female ninja next to her looked familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before, yet also not.
Hayate sat down, glancing at Natsuhi, who was one seat away, and racking his brain, searching through his mental encyclopedia of beauties in the ninja world.
Shion shoved the chicken leg into her mouth, patted Hayate's thigh with her greasy little hands, and then, with a kick of her calf, sat on him.
"Phew, it's still soft here. Ah, the popcorn spilled!"
Miroku really wanted to grab Shion by the ear and tell her to pay attention to etiquette in public. How could she be the next Miko and be so careless about her surroundings?
Then, Miroku glared fiercely at Hayate, as if saying: You've been taking advantage of my daughter all day. Do you want to be a son-in-law to my Land of Demons in the future?
"Big sister Miroku... who is this?"
Natsuhi saw that the proctor of the second exam seemed very familiar with Miroku and her daughter, and her previous thoughts were confirmed. She was definitely the wife and daughter of a high-ranking official of Konoha. It couldn't be mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, right?
Miroku turned her head and instantly regained her dignified demeanor, pursing her lips and introducing, "His name is..."
"Oh! I remember now, your name is Natsuhi, right?"
"Huh?" Natsuhi's beautiful eyes widened, her red lips slightly parted. Did this person know her?
"Um... does Chief Proctor know me?"
Hayate pulled Shion closer into his embrace and smiled, "No, but now we do, don't we?"
Miroku's beautiful eyes were already flashing with killing intent. This guy, with her daughter in his arms and her, the queen, sitting beside him, still had the energy to flirt with other women.
As the proctor, it was normal for him to know the names of the leading jonin from other villages. Therefore, Miroku was convinced that Hayate was flirting, and with an old trick at that!
What a scumbag!