Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Kaen didn't know how he should describe what he felt. After receiving the sealed reanimated Kaguya clan members, Tenzo's clone personally reported what they found and experienced. Tenzo shared his suspicions on why Orochimaru was holding back. But Kaen understood well what Orochimaru was doing. The snake was acting arrogantly.

"It is a well-crafted plan," Shikaku agreed with Kaen once he shared the report. "Show enough power to threaten the village but not enough for Hokage to get involved. He might even want to bait more shinobi out of the village."

"We know Orochimaru has two goals," Kaen stated. "He wants Sasuke's body and to destroy the village."

"The question is what he will try to get first."

"Orochimaru is a lunatic," Kaen stated another fact. "He won't stop before he accomplishes his goals if we don't kill him. His not showing up and only giving small challenges to the team we send is probably a trap for us to think he isn't strong or ready. He acts like a cornered mouse, while in reality, he is a snake hiding in the grass waiting for its prey."

"So, we don't send any reinforcements?" Shikaku asked. "We do have the manpower in spades, and at this point, other villages must have realized our goals and know our reason for acting like this."

"Nah," Kaen waved his hand in dismissal. Orochimaru might be a snake, but I am a hawk that will strike him from above. He plans to keep me in the village while slowly wrapping around Sasuke before he devours him. The moment I leave, Orochimaru will turn his sight towards the village."

"How arrogant indeed," Shikaku couldn't help but chuckle at Orochimaru's plan. "He might be a genius and one of the Sannin. But thinking that he alone can take down the village is beyond being naïve. Once he sets foot into the village, he is done."

"Don't be mistaken. Orochimaru knows that he can't act recklessly in the village. But he also underestimates too many people and only sees me as a threat."

Kaen didn't know if his arrogance or misunderstanding made him underestimate Konoha's shinobi. Even without him, Konoha had Tsunade, Jiraiya, Guy, and Hiruzen; any of them could be a challenge for Orochimaru. And then they still had the Ino-Shika-Cho team. Individually, they are elite jonin, but together, even Kaen would struggle against them.

"Anyway, I didn't call you here only because of Orochimaru," Kaen said to Shikaku, tired of talking about that snake. "We got an invitation from Iwagakure."

"Invitation?" Shikaku asked before receiving the message from Kaen's hands. "Chunin exams? Well, technically, it is their turn to host them."

"When did that old geezer last invite us to Chunin Exams?" Kaen asked, making Shikaku pause and think hard. "The old geezer wouldn't even send his genin to Konoha, so him inviting us is already very suspicious."

"He doesn't know you," Shikaku tried to reason. "You are the youngest Hokage, and you didn't work much outside the Land of the Fire, so Onoki might have taken this opportunity to get to meet you and get to know you."

"And if he doesn't find what he wants?" Kaen asked. "He probably thinks I'm some chick that doesn't know how the world works, and I become a Hokage because of my genius."

"I think Onoki knows that not many want the title," Shikaku replied but quickly broke his eyes from Kaen's as the Fifth Hokage narrowed his eyes. "I am just saying that it isn't a secret that Jiraiya has refused the position multiple times. Tsunade wasn't in the village for decades. And apart from Kakashi, there isn't anyone else suitable for the position."

"Tch, I am still a genius and way better than Kakashi," Kaen replied, feeling attacked. "Anyway, once he finds out how strong and intelligent I am, he will keep a closer eye on me or even try to pressure the village not to let it prosper under my regime."

"I don't think 'regime' is the best word to use," Shikaku decided not to continue his thoughts as Kaen's eye started to twitch. "What should we do?"

"Of course, we will send out teams and crush them all," Kaen stated as if it were obvious. "We will create two teams to send to Iwagakure. For a sensei to watch over them, Asuma will be a good choice."

"For two teams, there is a need for two sensei," Shikaku reminded Kaen, who thought that Asuma alone would be enough.

"Oh, I knew that," Kaen scratched his neck. "Kurenai Yuhi should be fine."

"She is a capable shinobi with excellent genjutsu abilities, but it hasn't even been a year since she was promoted, and from what I have seen, she has already reached her peak," Shikaku informed Kaen.

"We are not sending her to war," Kaen felt good reminding Shikaku of that fact, but he quickly realized that Shikaku had given Kaen that win so he could feel better about himself. "From what I have seen, she is a good teacher. If the genin needs advice on something, I am sure she will be able to provide it."

"Then it is settled," Shikaku stated. "I will prepare everything for it, so you don't have to worry."

"Why do you think I called you here?"

Sometimes, Kaen couldn't understand if Shikaku was testing him or if he simply liked to tease him, as Kaen was quite young and inexperienced by Shikaku's standards. Still, it didn't permit him to play these games with him. Hopefully, it wasn't because Kaen reprimanded Shikamaru. It was annoying because Shikaku was the only person Kaen had trouble dealing with.

…

There were a couple of reasons why Kaen didn't go out to deal with Orochimaru. Firstly, he didn't know his whereabouts. Secondly, as the Fifth Hokage, he had too many duties and responsibilities to the village to leave it as he wished. Thirdly, he did not need to interfere with the mission yet. And lastly, it was a perfect simulation of war and an opportunity to prepare the next generation for what was coming.

Kaen wasn't idealistic, and he knew there was a limit to what he could do. The elemental nations were vast. Many individuals in this world disliked Konoha, so he couldn't move in this world as he wished. The Akatsuki, Kaen's real enemy, were free to go anywhere they wanted. With Zetsu on their side, they had intelligence on everything and everyone.

Akatsuki was problematic to deal with as every single one of them was dangerous, but they didn't even move independently, always in teams of two. If Kaen started to take action against them, he would be quickly ambushed. So, he would need to find and kill them quickly before his actions were even discovered. It was too small of a margin to work with to risk it.

The best he could do was prepare for them. He knew who they were, their abilities, and their goals. He would not go after them. Kaen would let them come to him. And then, when he got rid of most of them, he would strike at their heart. Pain might be difficult, but not impossible with Kaen's knowledge of him. The true danger came from Obito, as Kaen didn't have a counter for him yet.

"She is here, Hokage-sama," Ibiki Morino, leader of the intelligence division, led me into a dark room. "Mind the seals on the walls. They nullify any chakra that can be used in this room."

"Almost as good as my basement," Kaen muttered after observing the seals on the walls.

The Second Hokage made the holding cells for shinobi prisoners, so Kaen wasn't surprised that everything within his building was made to account for anything the prisoners might come up with. Even the ground on which this building stood was littered with various seals that, once activated, would protect it from attacks from outside and inside. It wouldn't be surprising if this building were the most secure place in the village.

"I already told you everything I know, you bastards," The girl within the holding cell said before Kaen could even enter it.

"I know," Kaen replied, revealing himself to her.

"It's you!" Tayuya was surprised to see Kaen. "Did you come to finish me off now that I am no longer useful to you?"

"You could say that," Kaen said as he approached her. "But there is still plenty of use you can provide before I dispose of you."

"What do you want?" Kaen could tell that she held fear for him.

"Let's make a deal," Kaen's smile resembled a devil's as he extended his hand. "I will do various experiments with the cursed seal on your body. They will be painful, very painful, but in return, I will let you go once I am done with you and if you survive."

"You wouldn't," Tayuya doubted Kaen's words.

"Why not? You are no danger to the village, and even if you returned to Orochimaru, what could you offer him, even if he took you back in?" Kaen asked. "Nothing. You can't offer Orochimaru or anyone else anything of value. And if you started to get revenge on a few unfortunate and weaker shinobi of my village, you would be quickly hunted down and killed."

Under Kaen's gaze, Tayuya could only nod in agreement, as she had no choice. Kaen only wanted her cooperation because it would be easier for him, but he could do it without her consent. He had already learned much about the cursed seal from studying Anko's. So, he came up with the idea of using the part of Orochimaru's soul that is sealed in the cursed seal to track him down.

Kaen didn't know if that was possible, but he had nothing to lose. The cursed seal was complicated, and who knows what knowledge lie within it. It was Kaen's job to find it out. And Kaen didn't have the time or motivation to do it in a safe way like he did with Anko. So, he might cripple or even kill Tayuya in the process. But she gets to live if she survives, making it a fair deal.

The cursed seal was an interesting concept that Kaen was eager to explore more, even though he didn't particularly like the implementation of the cursed seal. It was too messy and unsophisticated. And Kaen didn't like the idea of taking someone else's body. It disgusted him that someone would want to wear someone else's skin and flesh, even if it would save one's life.

…

Shikaku prepared for the Chunin exam quite fast and well. Kaen would have been satisfied if it had been done a day before they had to leave. But Kaen couldn't dismiss his hard work since he had gathered the six genin to make two teams join the Chunin Exams. And met with them immediately. There wasn't much he had to say to them, just one thing.

"Humiliate everyone else," Kaen told them. "I want every single one of you in the finals. Well, don't kill; we are already on bad terms with Iwagakure, but apart from that, I don't care what happens to the rest of them. And most importantly, to not let anyone from Iwagakure defeat you. I will not tolerate it. If you understand, you can leave and prepare yourself."

"That's not how you should motivate them," Asuma said as the genin left confused and scared.

"I will make sure that they don't take your words too seriously, Hokage-sama," Kurenai chuckled nervously, not knowing if Kaen was joking.

"The same goes for both of you, too," Kaen wasn't joking. "If I hear that Iwakagure genin had the upper hand over my genin, I will sick you two with the worst missions you could imagine. I mean, guarding noble children or old geezers. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

Asuma and Kurenai knew very well how bad the noble children were. They were arrogant and stupid and didn't take no for an answer. Being stuck with them as they traveled was the worst shinobi experience imaginable. The old geezers were barely better. They were perverted bastards who liked to take advantage of both men and women. Nobody wanted these kinds of clients, no matter how well they were paid or how easy those missions were.

A.N. As always, If you want more, up to seven advanced chapters, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852. And if you have any requests for stories, I will only take them on my pa treon.