"Should we participate?"
"If so, just send a few ninja to fill the quota, right?"
"I agree."
"This way, we can gather information, avoid unnecessary sacrifices of key ninja, and eliminate any excuse for Konoha to declare war on us. It's the best option."
This new proposal was approved by several people.
Without sufficient strength, they could only resort to such appeasement strategies.
"I disagree!"
Suddenly, Danzo interrupted, voicing his objection.
"Principal Shimura, what did you say? You object?"
"Yes, I object. I don't agree with such a cowardly strategy. How is it different from waiting for death?"
"Even if we avoid trouble this time, won't they find another excuse to start a war later?"
"Don't forget the fate of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure. Do you think Konoha will let us off in the end?"
Several people fell silent, unable to counter Danzo's argument.
"…"
Deep down, they all knew they couldn't hide forever.
Even if they escaped this time, Konoha would find other ways to keep making excuses to annex their village.
Sunagakure currently lacked the strength to resist.
Thus, they could only bow their heads, surviving day by day.
It was better than immediately cutting ties and going to war with Konoha, only to be annexed.
It should be noted that Sunagakure was still officially an ally of Konoha. As long as this facade wasn't torn apart, they should be able to survive a bit longer.
Between dying now or dying later, anyone would choose the latter.
"Shimura Danzo, why are you acting up? Do you have a better plan? Don't forget, you're just a fugitive criminal from Konoha!"
"True. I don't have the strength or means to defeat the Second Hokage. If I did, I wouldn't be here!"
Danzo's straightforward attitude made the elder who questioned him flush red like a pig's liver, unable to retort.
"Everyone, calm down!"
Chiyo irritably stopped them. She knew arguing like this was pointless and wouldn't solve anything.
"Kazekage-sama, what do you think?" Ebizo quickly chimed in, catching his sister's cue.
Chiyo said firmly, "I reject the option of sending people to die. Furthermore, I've decided to go myself and participate in this ninja championship!"
"What?"
Everyone was shocked and panicked.
Even Ebizo showed a stunned expression, not expecting his sister to risk her life.
This was a joke—sending regular ninja to participate was akin to sending them to their deaths.
What difference would it make if Chiyo went instead?
Though the concept of a Hongmen Banquet didn't exist in the ninja world, they fundamentally understood how dangerous this ninja championship was.
As Kazekage, if Chiyo went herself, it was like sending a lamb into a tiger's mouth—little different from seeking death.
"Don't panic yet. This is the attachment included with the invitation letter. It lists the rewards for the world's best ninja championship."
They suppressed their shock and quickly reviewed the reward list.
Ninja Championship Rank 16 Reward: 500,000 cash
Ninja Championship Rank 15 Reward: 1,000,000 cash
Ninja Championship Rank 14 Reward: One C-rank ninjutsu scroll of choice
Ninja Championship Rank 13 Reward: Two C-rank ninjutsu scrolls of choice
Ninja Championship Rank 12 Reward: One B-rank ninjutsu scroll of choice
…
Ninja Championship Rank 4 Reward: One Byakugan
Ninja Championship Rank 3 Reward: One Sharingan
Ninja Championship Rank 2 Reward: One S-rank forbidden ninjutsu scroll of choice
Ninja Championship Rank 1 Reward: One Rinnegan!
"Tch…"
"Just trying to lure poor, foolish ninja from other nations with rewards."
"We have cash and ninjutsu like that in our village too!"
"Wait, Byakugan? Konoha is willing to offer a Byakugan as a reward?"
"Damn, Sharingan? They're willing to give a Sharingan too? This isn't right, is it?"
"What? An S-rank forbidden ninjutsu scroll of choice? Has Senju Tobirama gone mad? How dare he list this?"
"Damn it! Are my eyes deceiving me? What did I see, a Rinnegan? The legendary strongest dojutsu? This can be a reward?"
"No way, absolutely impossible!"
"This is fake, it's all fake!"
"It's all a trick. Konoha and the Second Hokage would never offer these rewards. It's definitely a ploy to fool people!"
After seeing the reward list, some people's jaws nearly dropped. They kept denying, shouting that it was utterly impossible!
Rewards like Byakugan and Sharingan, though valuable, weren't enough to change the course of an entire war.
Besides, Konoha already had many Hyuga and Uchiha ninja. Even if other villages luckily obtained one eye, it was merely equivalent to getting a single hypersonic intercontinental ballistic missile. For Konoha, with its vast missile arsenal, it wasn't a threat.
However, the S-rank forbidden ninjutsu and Rinnegan rewards were entirely different.
These were equivalent to a village's ultimate weapons, comparable to strategic weapons of mass destruction, and even sustainable strategic weapons.
To put it in perspective, it was like gaining control of a mobile fortress that could automatically produce nuclear weapons!
This was simply too absurd.
How could they be willing to give away strategic weapons that could determine the life or death of enemy villages, threatening their own safety, to others?
Either the world had gone mad, or Tobirama had!
Because this was utterly illogical!
"No, it's possible!"
Danzo interrupted, cutting through the others' shock, beginning to justify his teacher Tobirama's outrageous behavior.
"Principal Shimura, what do you mean?"
"I mean the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, isn't crazy. The reason he's offering such valuable rewards is likely because he prepared them for Konoha's ninja!"
"What do you mean?"
"The other side is probably very confident that Konoha's ninja will sweep the top ranks of the championship. That's why he deliberately offered these rewards. First, it can attract more ninja from various nations to participate; second, it can showcase Konoha's immense power and wealth; lastly, with their own ninja sweeping the rewards, no outsiders will benefit. It also highlights Konoha's ninja strength and recruits talent. With so many benefits, I think this is Senju Tobirama's goal!"
"What, so Senju Tobirama is playing us all?"
"Yes! He's playing everyone. Perhaps in the eyes of the Second Hokage and Konoha, everyone is just part of their game…"
"Outrageous! I won't accept this, I…"
"He has that power. If you don't accept it, you can challenge Senju Tobirama one-on-one!"
"…"
Danzo's sarcasm silenced his opponent again, leaving the Sunagakure elder choked and unable to retort.
Ebizo caught Danzo's hidden intent and quickly added:
"I understand Danzo's point. It means the Second Hokage doesn't care about others at all, so the rewards he promised this time should be genuine!"
"Yes, that's my view. In other words, as long as we defeat Konoha's ninja and secure the top ranks, we can also claim those rewards!"
"What? We could actually get an S-rank forbidden ninjutsu from Konoha? Or even a Rinnegan? So Sunagakure has hope?!"
Danzo nodded, then looked at Chiyo: "I assume Kazekage-sama thinks the same?"
"Correct, this is our only chance."
"Whether it's the Rinnegan for first place or the S-rank forbidden ninjutsu for second, as long as we get one, we might completely change our village's weak state. We can't defeat Konoha, but we can at least defend ourselves."
This was Chiyo's plan: to seize the great opportunity of the world's best ninja championship to bring a glimmer of hope to Sunagakure!
"But even if we can secure the top two ranks, will Senju Tobirama really give the rewards to ninja from outside the village?"
"He should. As long as they win publicly with their own strength and defeat Konoha's ninja, even Senju Tobirama can't break his promise. Compared to the cost of losing credibility, he's more likely to give the rewards first, then quietly eliminate the target!" Danzo continued speculating.
There was no choice; he knew his teacher too well!
"Then it's still very dangerous, isn't it?"
"Of course it's dangerous. But once we get the item, there's a chance we can bring it back to Sunagakure intact. That's far more likely than winning it in a war against Konoha. At least this gives us a shot at getting the forbidden ninjutsu or Rinnegan, right?"
"Ah, that's true, but…"
Chiyo became assertive, saying firmly, "No buts! Danzo is right. This is our only chance! If we miss it, Sunagakure is doomed to be annexed and destroyed by Konoha in the future! My teacher entrusted the village to me, and I won't let him down!"
Of course, Chiyo knew the odds of success were low. Obtaining and transferring the ultimate reward under Konoha's nose was nearly as difficult as challenging Tobirama one-on-one.
But no matter how slim the chances, there was still a possibility of success.
This was the only way Chiyo could think of now.
Trying might offer a glimmer of hope. Otherwise, Sunagakure would be destroyed soon!
If not, after the ninja championship ended, Konoha wouldn't even need to act themselves.
They'd just declare war on Sunagakure and call out.
The smaller ninja villages under Konoha's command would swarm like hungry wolves smelling blood, tearing the weakened Sunagakure apart!
This was almost predictable.
It was also the main reason for Chiyo's anxiety!
"It's still too dangerous! I disagree. Ebizo, what do you think?"
Another Kazekage advisor was worried. He knew Chiyo's stubborn nature, like the Second Kazekage, Shamon, who wasn't easily persuaded. So he passed the issue to Ebizo.
Ebizo paused briefly, then gave his answer.
"I agree to try this plan, but I disagree with Kazekage-sama going alone!"
"Even if we win the championship and secure the reward, bringing it back safely will be extremely difficult. It's likely someone will need to retrieve it while the participant deliberately acts as bait. But in that case, the participant is almost certainly doomed! There's no way to escape alive."
"And Kazekage-sama is the pillar of the entire village; you must not have an accident!"
"If something happens to you, even if the village gets the forbidden ninjutsu or Rinnegan, they may not be able to master it. It could even cause new unrest within the village…"
Ebizo's analysis and concerns gained the approval and support of several others, who immediately agreed.
"Yes, yes! Kazekage-sama is the hope and pillar of the village; you must not take risks!"
Chiyo frowned and directly asked, "If I don't go, will you go? Can you win?"
"I…"
The three senior Sunagakure officials fell silent.
The youngest among them was over fifty, far past their prime. Let alone competing with strong enemies, they couldn't even maintain elite Jonin strength for long. Fighting the world's strongest fighters was out of the question.
They would definitely lose!
In fact, they would surely die!
And none of them wanted to die!
"Let me go!"
Ebizo volunteered resolutely.
"No way!"
Chiyo immediately rejected it firmly.
"Sister, I can! I can participate!"
"No, you're not a combat-type ninja at all. Even if you go, you won't win!"
"I have a chance, I can—"
"You can't! The enemies we'll face in this fight are incredibly strong. Even ignoring other nations, Konoha's ninja alone are troublesome, like Sarutobi Hiruzen, Uchiha Kagami, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, Akimichi Torifu—students of the Second Hokage. Are you sure you can defeat any of them? Not to mention the elite ninja and clan leaders from every Konoha clan, even including Uzumaki reinforcements… They're all allowed to participate. With your mediocre skills, how many fights can you win?"
"…"
"So I'll go! I'm currently the second strongest ninja in the village; only I have the best chance. And with my status as Kazekage, if I participate and secure a rank, Konoha will be more cautious. The likelihood of covert assassination will be much lower. I'm safer than you!"
"But even you, Sister, can you defeat so many freaks in Konoha?"
Ebizo retorted softly. Clearly, he still disapproved of his sister's risky, near-suicidal action.
"Ebizo!"
"Sister, I'm telling the truth! Even you have a very low chance of winning. Forget the top three—making the top ten will be extremely difficult…"
Ebizo gritted his teeth and spoke the truth, risking a beating.
In response, Chiyo, unusually, didn't get angry. Instead, she said calmly and with despair:
"You're right, what you said is true! Compared to my teacher, compared to the First Kazekage, my strength is far inferior… Even making the top ten in the ninja world is difficult."
"But that's not a reason for me to back down!"
"As Kazekage, there are responsibilities and risks I can't avoid! I only understood my teacher's struggles after sitting in this position."
"So this time, let me do what a Kazekage should do!"
"And there are still more than ten days before the tournament starts. I'll do my utmost to strengthen myself and find solutions."
"Please trust me and give me this one chance!"
Chiyo pleaded sincerely.
Months of hardship and pressure had stripped Chiyo of much of her childish and spoiled nature, making her truly realize her responsibilities and the cruelty of the ninja world.
Perhaps this was the Chiyo that Shamon wanted her to grow into.
Compared to the Second Kazekage, Shamon's dominance and vigilance, Chiyo's current style was far more sincere and resolute.
"Sister…"
"Kazekage-sama…"
"Kazekage-sama…"
Ebizo and the others choked up. They didn't know how to dissuade the determined Chiyo further.
"Alright, it's decided! As for who will accompany me to participate, I think…"
At that moment, Danzo suddenly interrupted:
"Wait, I have a way to quickly and significantly boost your strength, Chiyo!"
Chiyo was stunned and immediately excited: "Really? What way?"
Danzo hesitated slightly: "This… with so many people, I can't say it."
Without hesitation, Chiyo ordered them to leave:
"Everyone, get out!"
"Kazekage-sama?!"
"Out!"
Several people exchanged glances, including Ebizo, and could only leave the room reluctantly.
Leaving space and time for Chiyo and Danzo…