"You!"
Kankuro's face showed some anger.
As the son of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa and a ninja of the Hidden Sand Village, Kankuro had to uphold Rasa's reputation. Hearing Akihara Kagura nonchalantly talk about killing the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, he instantly wanted to spite Akihara Kagura with some sarcastic remarks.
"Kankuro."
Gaara interrupted Kankuro, speaking coldly, "Let's go. If you dare say another word, I'll kill you."
"..."
Kankuro quickly shut his mouth.
Gaara no longer looked at Akihara Kagura and was about to leave with Kankuro and Temari. He didn't even want to pass by Akihara Kagura, intending to take a detour to the inn.
"Are you hurt?"
Akihara Kagura turned back to check on Karin and a bunch of kids.
"No."
Karin shook her head, retracting her Vajra Lock Chain. The curse seal that had just spread on her arm quickly shrank back. She frowned and talked about Gaara, "Sir Kagura, that guy seems to have..."
"Don't worry, you're capable."
Akihara Kagura patted her little head with a light laugh, "Just as you guessed, this Chunin Exam is quite interesting."
"Yes."
Karin nodded.
This Chunin Exam is indeed quite interesting.
The Genin from The Hidden Mist Village who came to participate in the exam quickly arrived in Konoha. Their leading Jonin was an old acquaintance, Hozuki Mangetsu. This seventeen-year-old Jonin was no longer as high-spirited as he used to be; his face was vaguely pale, as if he had caught some serious illness.
No one expected...
The future of The Hidden Mist Village turned out to be already plagued by disease.
Fortunately.
The Hidden Mist Village's future has more than just him.
The Genin from The Hidden Mist Village followed energetically behind Hozuki Mangetsu, including a particularly arrogant brat who looked very much like Hozuki Mangetsu—his younger brother, Hozuki Suigetsu.
This brat named Hozuki Suigetsu glanced around and spoke brazenly, "Konoha isn't that great. It's still not as comfortable as the environment in The Hidden Mist Village. I don't know why Old Master Gen insists we come here for the Chunin Exam..."
"Suigetsu, that's very disrespectful..."
Hozuki Suigetsu's teammate hastily advised him beside him.
"What's disrespectful about it?"
Hozuki Suigetsu was carrying a large sword on his shoulder, as big as him, which was the Decapitating Carving Knife from The Hidden Mist Village. After Orochimaru sent it to The Hidden Mist Village, Hozuki Suigetsu snatched it because he indeed had the talent to become one of the high-end combat members of 'Seven-Swords Ninja' in The Hidden Mist Village, and there were no objections in the village.
Having obtained the Decapitating Carving Knife, Hozuki Suigetsu was visibly full of himself, as if he felt there wasn't an enemy in this world he couldn't handle. If not for his brother Hozuki Mangetsu still being alive, this little guy really would have been unchecked.
"Hey, Konoha folks."
Hozuki Suigetsu was carrying the Decapitating Carving Knife on his shoulder, looking around Konoha, then at the Konoha Ninja who came to greet them, "Hurry up, I want to chop off everyone's heads! Then challenge that guy named Akihara Kagura!"
Though the relationship between The Hidden Mist Village and Konoha was maintained fairly well, there's no way the Hidden Mist Ninja would forget the humiliation Konoha placed upon them, especially when that guy named Akihara Kagura nearly breached The Hidden Mist Village and kidnapped the Fourth Mizukage publicly.
"Hmm..."
The Konoha Ninja responsible for welcoming The Hidden Mist Village was none other than Kakashi Hatake. He glanced at Hozuki Suigetsu and could only praise him, "Your younger brother is quite spirited..."
"His mind isn't very smart."
Hozuki Mangetsu glanced at his brother, speaking softly, "The kid is still immature, acting and speaking recklessly, perhaps causing some disrespectful moments..."
"..."
Kakashi Hatake pondered for a moment, then gave a cautionary reminder, "Best to warn him. Speaking such words here is fine, but if heard by others, it might cause unnecessary trouble, perhaps even starting a war between the two villages..."
"Cough cough... cough cough cough cough..."
Hozuki Mangetsu coughed several times.
"In the ninja world, there's no distinction between adults and children."
Kakashi Hatake solemnly warned, "Just like when killing, one only thinks of them as a ninja, without asking how old they are..."
Just like Akihara Kagura...
Who never cares about the other person's identity when killing.
For instance, Akihara Kagura at this moment was arranging Root Ninja to kill someone.
Because Kabuto wanted to participate in the Chunin Exam, he brought along the two teammates Orochimaru arranged for him, Akado Yoroi and Tsurugi Misumi, back to Konoha, but before they arrived at Konoha Village, they were surrounded by a group of Root Ninja on the way back.
"What's going on?"
Kabuto furrowed his brow, assuming a change had occurred in Konoha.
However, these Root Ninja helplessly mentioned the orders passed down from their supervisor, "Lord Kagura arranged for Karin to be your teammate, because Karin is participating in the Chunin Exam for the first time and needs someone experienced..."
"Understood."
Kabuto expressed his understanding.
Previously Karin wanted to use her blood to save Dean Yakushi Nonou, but Dean Yakushi Nonou refused her, although both the Dean and Kabuto have always been fond of the little girl Karin, and Kabuto had no resistance to the matter.
To be precise...
Karin is like the daughter raised by a group of people.
Moreover...
Kabuto had long been fed up with the two spies from Orochimaru by his side.