Chapter 27: Sarutobi Hiruzen: Shrugging and Giving Up. 

"Boom!"

A huge roar came from the preparation area, and everyone who was eagerly waiting for the battle between Sasuke and Gaara was stunned. They saw smoke and dust rising from the preparation area, with cracks spreading on the walls, almost reaching the audience seats.

Three figures broke through the smoke and flew out. Naruto was the first to land on the wall, forming hand seals. Shikamaru and Shino landed on the ground, with Shino waving his hands, sending a sea of insects towards the preparation area.

Sasuke, who was about to attack, was stunned, his Sharingan eyes looking at the three in confusion.

Shikamaru didn't look back, maintaining his hand seal, his face showing helplessness and some anger. "Sasuke, the Sunagakure ninjas are preparing to attack Konohagakure. The guy you're fighting is a tailed beast Jinchuriki. The match is paused!"

Shiranui Genma appeared next to Shikamaru, looking at the feathers slowly falling from the sky, his face turning cold. "Genjutsu? As expected from these guys."

Sarutobi Hiruzen had long suspected Gaara's identity. The chakra he emitted during the last preliminaries made him uneasy. But Sunagakure really dared to send a tailed beast to Konohagakure, and in such an open manner.

Thinking of his friend Gekko Hayate's death, the killing intent in Shiranui Genma's eyes grew stronger. "Uchiha Sasuke, I now declare the match over. You and these three will form a temporary team. Your task is to assist the Jonin present in protecting the civilians. Temporary command will be given to Nara Shikamaru."

With that, Shiranui Genma's face turned completely cold. "All restrictions are lifted during wartime. You are allowed to kill any non-Konohagakure and non-Konohagakure allied ninjas at will."

"Yes." Shino was the first to respond, his tone still calm.

"Why do I have to be the one to command..." Shikamaru complained softly, but now wasn't the time to be stubborn. "Yes."

"And that guy..." Sasuke glanced at Gaara in the distance, his eyes filled with unwillingness.

Shiranui Genma looked at him. "I know you're upset about the match being interrupted, but the war has already started. Follow orders."

As he spoke, Shiranui Genma glanced at Gaara in the distance. "And the tailed beast is not something you can handle."

Sasuke clenched his fists, his face full of unwillingness but he could only nod. "Yes!"

As feathers fell from the sky, Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened as he watched the situation below suddenly change. He almost instinctively wanted to teleport to the scene, but before he could move, someone hugged him from behind, a cold kunai pressed against his neck.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression didn't change at all, only a hint of coldness in his calm voice. "Kazekage-sama, what do you mean by this?"

The Anbu standing behind Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed something was wrong, but before they could act, they were killed by two people who jumped out from behind Kazekage. The last thing they could do was send out a battle signal.

But it was already too late.

Kazekage sneered and didn't answer Sarutobi Hiruzen's question. Instead, he grabbed him and jumped onto the roof, along with the two people who had been following Kazekage.

No, not two, but four people.

Four strange-looking people separated from the main body and took positions at the four corners of the roof before any Anbu could react. As they landed, the four of them simultaneously formed hand seals: "Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!"

A purple barrier rose on the roof.

The Four Violet Flames Formation is a smaller version of the Four Red Yang Formation, said to be a powerful Ninjutsu capable of blocking tailed beast attacks. Its inspiration came from the Uchiha clan's Uchiha Flame Formation. It is strong in both external and internal defense.

Sarutobi Hiruzen calmly watched this scene and glanced at Kazekage behind him: "You've been waiting for this moment for a long time, haven't you, Kazekage... no, Orochimaru."

A smile spread across 'Kazekage's' face, and the veil fell, revealing a pale, zombie-like face: "So, Sarutobi-sensei, are you ready for the invasion of Sunagakure Village and Otogakure?"

Orochimaru's voice became hoarse, his original voice, as the previous one was just a disguise.

"I've prepared as much as I can." Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly, looking towards the village in the distance as he spoke, "I've already had Iruka move the ninja school students ahead of time, and most of the Chunin have also moved the civilians away. The only civilians left in the village should be here."

"I know." Orochimaru grinned, licking his lips, 

"Your goal is to keep me here, and my goal is to make sure Sarutobi-sensei dies here. We've both used these civilians as bait." 

How cold-blooded.

"I'll apologize to them afterward." If there's a chance.

Sarutobi Hiruzen lowered his head, looking at the kunai pressed against his throat: "Do you think you can kill me with this?"

"Of course not." Orochimaru's smile slowly faded. With a movement of the kunai in his hand, it pierced his palm, and bright red blood dripped onto the roof.

Orochimaru let go of Sarutobi Hiruzen and yawned widely: "I was just too bored and a bit sleepy, so I needed to wake myself up."

Sarutobi Hiruzen turned around and looked at him calmly: "No need to act anymore."

"As boring as ever, Sarutobi-sensei." Orochimaru laughed, "But at least you did something interesting before you died. Jiraiya is in the village now, right? His target is the Jinchuriki, right?"

Orochimaru didn't expect that the usually muddle-headed Sarutobi Hiruzen would let go and give the Jinchuriki to Jiraiya. He thought Sarutobi Hiruzen would give the Jinchuriki to Danzo, as once he died, Danzo would be the king of Konohagakure.

"Danzo is not suitable to be Hokage." Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, "I trust Jiraiya."

"Heh." Orochimaru shook his head, "You still don't understand your students, Sarutobi-sensei. Jiraiya is the least suitable to be Hokage among the three of us. Do you really want to see him fight those old guys?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent.

Indeed, although Jiraiya's personality has become much more stable than before, when it comes to the village, Jiraiya definitely won't agree with the decisions of the Hokage's advisors and the Root. The Hokage's advisors are the bridge to communicate with the Daimyo, and the Root uses brainwashing management, so they definitely won't obey Jiraiya.

Given Jiraiya's personality, he might hold back for a while, but he would eventually explode. If the Hokage's advisors and the Root threaten the village, Jiraiya would definitely take them out.

With Jiraiya's strength, it wouldn't be easy to wipe out the Hokage's advisors and the Root, but it wouldn't be too hard either, unless they seek the Daimyo's protection before they die. Jiraiya wouldn't kill them under the Daimyo's watch.

...Would he?

"I believe in Jiraiya." In the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen could only say this.

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