Chapter 163: The Fake Son
Swish!
With a swing of his sword, several poisonous snakes in the woods were instantly cut into two parts. However, Hatake Kakashi immediately reminded Naruto with a serious face: "Naruto, we have been discovered. I will cover your retreat."
Snake-type ninjutsu, could it be the Fourth Hokage at this time?
Kakashi quickly thought about the ninjas who were good at using poisonous snakes. In addition to Orochimaru, there was only his disciple Red Bean. Orochimaru's other disciple, Lord Rope Tree, did not learn his snake-type ninjutsu.
"Smooth and flowing slashing, I didn't expect that there are others in the ninja world who can use the Hatake swordsmanship of Senior Sakumo, and their eyes are somewhat similar to Senior Sakumo. Are you a hidden ninja in the Hatake clan?"
A cold and hoarse voice sounded nearby, and the next second, Hatake Kakashi saw two giant pythons quickly pounced on him.
Swish, swish!
Two white rays flashed, and then a faint lightning flashed in the dim woods; Hatake Kakashi quickly cut off the two pythons with two knives, and suddenly found that the snakes' bellies were full of detonating tags, which immediately made him sweat coldly.
However, after he and Naruto jumped away, Kakashi found that the detonating tags under the snakes' bellies were fake. In this quiet night, using so many detonating tags was completely to remind the patrolling ninjas that Orochimaru, one of the three ninjas, would not be so foolish.
His target was Naruto!
Kakashi thought of Orochimaru's target the moment he jumped away. His strength had just been revealed, and it might not be realistic to want to do that in a short time, so the other one who looked younger would be easier.
As Kakashi thought, the Orochimaru they had just seen was a soil clone, and the real Orochimaru had already lurked on Naruto. At this time, it was too late for Kakashi to rescue him.
"Hiss!"
Several snake calls sounded in the jungle. Uzumaki Naruto, who had just landed on the tree trunk, was entangled by six or seven poisonous snakes, and they were about to strangle him tightly in the next second; this was Orochimaru's Hidden Shadow Multi-Snake Hand, which was very convenient to use to subdue the enemy.
"Huh?"
However, Orochimaru suddenly felt something was wrong. After the python entangled Uzumaki Naruto, a milky white halo shield suddenly emerged from his body, perfectly protecting him, so that the poisonous snakes of the Hidden Shadow Multi-Snake Hand could not bite Uzumaki Naruto at all.
"What kind of ninjutsu is this? It seems that you are also worth studying..."
Orochimaru said this with a smile, and then he felt that his Hidden Shadow Multi-Snake Hand suddenly lost all his strength and fell to the ground.
"Don't worry, Orochimaru, they may not be enemies."
A figure walked out of the woods. It was Kahn who had just used the force to relax Orochimaru.
After seeing Kahn, the future Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi both showed relaxed expressions, but the former was more excited.
After hearing what Kahn said, Orochimaru also put away his intention to continue the attack and asked, "Not enemies? Kahn, do you know these two people?"
Kahn looked at Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi carefully, and said to Orochimaru, "I have a rough guess. Let me handle them. As for what I just said."
"It's the same to discuss it again when we return to the village. I don't think the Sand Village has the energy to start a war."
Orochimaru said with a smile. The two fire dragons he gave to Minato were special. As long as they were summoned in the Sand Village, they would have a good effect.
After that, Orochimaru turned around and walked towards Kikyo Castle. The matter between him and Kahn was not urgent, and it would not be too late to discuss it after returning.
After Orochimaru left, only Kahn, Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi were left here, and Kahn asked, "You... should be from the future, right?"
"How amazing, you guessed it in one go!"
Uzumaki Naruto was surprised when he heard that, and then he came to Kahn naturally, with a smirk on his face and asked, "Why don't you guess my identity again?"
"Except for my relatives, I seldom give alchemical items to other people, and even if I do, they are alchemical items containing black magic; as for the one over there, with white hair, a mask and white-fang swordsmanship, Kakashi Hatake is probably the only one in the entire ninja world who dresses like this."
Kahn saw that Uzumaki Naruto didn't seem to be very smart, and doubted whether he was his descendant. His personality was a bit like Kushina; however, the alchemical items worn by Uzumaki Naruto could not be made by anyone in the ninja world except him.
"You two put your hands on me, let's go to another place to talk."
After listening to this, Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi put their hands on Kahn obediently. Kahn's appearance now is almost the same as it was more than ten years ago. A slight frown will make Kakashi and Naruto feel like facing Kahn in the future. After
they put their hands on him, the three of them left here through Apparition in the next second.
A few days later, news of the battlefield in the River Country was continuously transmitted back to Konoha Village, and the news that Orochimaru defeated the Sand Village also spread in Konoha Village.
At the same time, an issue of "Ninja World Weekly" praising Orochimaru also spread in the Fire Country and Konoha.
It almost recorded the detailed process of the River Country War, and there were a lot of metaphors praising Orochimaru. By exaggerating the military strength of the Sand Village and reducing the support of Konoha, Orochimaru was compared to a lone army, and then the difficulty of this war was reflected through comparison. Almost everyone will be amazed at Orochimaru's wisdom and strength after reading this issue of Weekly Ninja World, and then slowly become his admirer.
Build momentum!
Only a few people in Konoha Village can see it, but even if they can see it, it is useless. Konoha Newspaper is approved by the Daimyo, and even Sarutobi Hiruzen does not have the power to close the newspaper.
Besides Konoha Newspaper, there are four or five other newspapers in the Land of Fire. Can he still manage things outside Konoha Village?
Besides, Konoha Newspaper has not done anything except praising Orochimaru. Sarutobi Hiruzen hurriedly banned the publication of Weekly Ninja World in Konoha at this time, and his intention is too obvious. Although
the Hokage Office
received the victory from the front line, Sarutobi Hiruzen's face did not show the joy of victory.
When he first received the battle report, Sarutobi Hiruzen was indeed relieved. If the Sand Village could withdraw from the battlefield, Konoha could devote more energy to deal with the other two battlefields.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen felt something was wrong with the public opinion in the village. Orochimaru's reputation was rising even before he came back. It was obvious that someone was controlling him. The
"Ninja Weekly"
newspaper was specially approved by the Fire Country Daimyo. The person behind it was the publicity minister Kahn, who had the power to interview all ninjas. Sarutobi Hiruzen also found out that Orochimaru and Kahn had a secret connection in private. Coupled with the abnormal public opinion in the village, there
must be a connection between the two. Orochimaru's target might be the Fourth Hokage.
'Orochimaru, you've changed.'
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and made a decision in his heart. He then said to Utatane Koharu, Mito Kado En and Danzo, "What do you think about the battlefield in River Country and the praise about Orochimaru in the village?"
Mito Kado En hesitated for a moment, then said, "What do you think? Let's first confirm whether the Sand Ninja has really withdrawn from the battlefield. As for Orochimaru, Hiruzen, is the news that the Anbu has found true?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head slightly and said slowly, "There is no clear evidence, but there is a high possibility that Orochimaru wants to become the Fourth Hokage if I am not mistaken."
"The Fourth Hokage?"
Utane frowned slightly and said, "With Orochimaru's achievements and status, no one in the village can compare to him, and he is also your disciple. Hiruzen, are you planning to abdicate?"
How could he want to abdicate...
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought in his heart, but this kind of thing is not for him to decide. He has been the Hokage for ten years. When he became the Third Hokage, he was almost the same age as Orochimaru now; and Konoha suffered too much loss in the war this time, and someone must be responsible for this war.
"Orochimaru is not suitable for the Fourth Hokage. Even if he is my disciple, I will not entrust the village to someone who does not belong to this position."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said bluntly. His decisive attitude made Mito Kado En, Utane Koharu and Danzo look at him sideways, and they couldn't help but think of Sarutobi Hiruzen's high-spirited appearance in the past.
Koharu Utatane asked, "Who do you plan to hand over the position of Hokage to? Jiraiya or Tsunade?"
"I'm still considering it, but the main thing now is to resolve the war. Even if a new Hokage is chosen, it will have to wait until the war is over."
If possible, maybe the war will end quickly, and he won't have to abdicate; Sarutobi Hiruzen thought in his heart that through this war, he would have a chance to make his position as Hokage more secure.
"Let's negotiate, first make sure that the Sand Ninja will not participate in the war again. As for Orochimaru, there is no danger in the other two battlefields, so he can be transferred back to the village and put aside for a while. After a few months, naturally no one will talk about Orochimaru."
Danzo said calmly. He actually had other methods, but once he said it, his root would most likely execute it; but as Sarutobi Hiruzen's old teammate, he could see that Sarutobi Hiruzen had no intention of abdicating. Even if the fourth Hokage was chosen, it would have nothing to do with him, a half-disabled old man with weak power.
This alone is not enough. Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly and thought that it seems that Danzo has suffered many setbacks and has become more cautious. He should let the Root loosen some of its hands and feet appropriately, otherwise the role played by the Root will be too small.
"I understand, Yan, the mission to the Sand Ninja will be handed over to you. After confirming that the Sand Ninja will not continue to participate in the war and sign a peace agreement, report back to the village immediately; Danzo, I will give you two teams of Anbu, plus your Root, to the battlefield of the Land of Grass and wait for the next order."
After Sarutobi Hiruzen gave the order, he asked the three to do the work. After finding the style of doing things of a ninja hero, his tone became much tougher.
However, thinking of the gradually unfamiliar Orochimaru, Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed in his heart again.
'Orochimaru, you shouldn't do this! '