Bab 191: Chapter 190: Little Hinata, Transformation!
"The winner, Shino Aburame!"
At this moment.
During the preliminary matches, Shino Aburame claimed victory.
This quiet boy showcased his calm and collected demeanor.
Throughout the match, he completely dominated Sound Ninja Zaku, who wasn't weak by any means!
Even though the Jonin remained silent, many of them showed their approval of Shino Aburame.
Shino Aburame was privately referred to by many Jonin as the "perfect ninja."
This was because he was proficient in all three ninja arts: ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu.
Moreover, he had impressive leadership abilities.
Even when faced with powerful enemies, he always responded calmly.
Because of his insects, the Aburame clan had a natural resistance to genjutsu.
Although quiet and not fond of speaking, he had gained the deep trust of his comrades.
If nothing unexpected happens, within the next ten years, Shino will become another Shibi Aburame.
He will be a pillar of strength for the Hidden Leaf Village.
Even the Third Hokage acknowledged this with a slight nod.
The Aburame clan was not a small one.
In the Hidden Leaf, they held a status comparable to that of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
They were definitely worth fostering ties with!
...
"Orochimaru-sensei!"
Itsuki looked at Sasuke and said slowly, "This is the last time. If you lay a hand on any Uchiha again, don't blame me for being harsh."
Orochimaru grinned and said, "Itsuki-kun, I didn't know you had such deep feelings for the Uchiha?"
As a cold-blooded snake, he had once sensed a kindred spirit in Itsuki.
Itsuki was cold-blooded too.
However, his coldness was selective.
Aside from a few people he cared about, he was indifferent to everyone else.
Itsuki had once felt the same way about the Uchiha.
This was one of the reasons why Orochimaru agreed to take him as a student.
Therefore!
When he heard that Itsuki Uchiha had defected from the Leaf, taken the Uchiha with him, and established a new ninja village, Orochimaru was quite surprised.
Itsuki spoke calmly, "Because I am the leader of the Village Hidden in Flames, the Mokage!"
"Heh."
Orochimaru chuckled softly and said, "Alright, I get it. As long as I have Sasuke, I don't care about the other Uchiha."
Of course!
Even if he did care, he couldn't win against them.
If he could, Itsuki Uchiha's body would be the best option, but Orochimaru lacked the courage to try.
During the Akatsuki's internal conflict, Itsuki had demonstrated his immense power.
In a playful manner, he had the powerful Kage-level Kakuzu in the palm of his hand.
Orochimaru reluctantly took his eyes off Sasuke.
If Itsuki weren't here, he would have definitely tried to take Sasuke away.
But the current situation was different from the original story.
In the original, Sasuke had no future in the Leaf; he was an outcast, burdened with a deep hatred.
So, Orochimaru wasn't worried at all.
It was only a matter of time before Sasuke left the Leaf.
His enmity with the village was inevitable!
But now, the entire Uchiha clan had settled in the Village Hidden in Flames, starting a new life.
And their lives were quite good.
Sasuke wouldn't abandon his parents and clan just to pursue power.
Besides, how could Orochimaru's guidance compare to the teachings of the Uchiha's Jonin?
Even when Sasuke was in the Leaf, he had received personal guidance from Itsuki.
That alone surpassed Orochimaru by a mile!
Itsuki smiled faintly and glanced at Kakashi.
Kakashi instinctively shrank back.
Though it was pointless, he tried to hide in the shadows of a corner.
You can't see me!
You can't see me!
You can't see me!
Both Orochimaru and Itsuki left.
Only after they were long gone did Kakashi hurriedly pick up Sasuke and rush him to the medical ninja, then went off in a hurry to see the Third Hokage.
Damn it!
The entire Leaf now had not only Itsuki Uchiha but also a poisonous snake in Orochimaru.
This was going to have a major impact on their plans.
Sure enough!
Upon hearing the news about Orochimaru, both the Third Hokage and Danzo looked grim.
The Third Hokage shifted his gaze to Danzo.
Danzo grumbled, "Why are you looking at me? I didn't bring Orochimaru here. Or are you still suspecting me?"
The Third Hokage calmly said, "You didn't bring him here, but can you honestly say you don't have ties with Orochimaru?"
Danzo was speechless.
Since Orochimaru had begun his human experiments, Danzo had been in contact with him, providing funding and materials.
Of course!
Could the Third Hokage really claim he didn't know?
If so, he might as well have wasted all those years as Hokage.
"What do you want to do?"
Danzo frowned.
"Contact Orochimaru. At the very least, make sure he doesn't stir up trouble during this time!"
The Third Hokage said each word slowly and deliberately, "We need to deal with Itsuki Uchiha first. Whatever Orochimaru is up to, it can wait!"
Danzo pondered for a moment and said, "Just talking to him might not work, but if we offer him something…"
"Do whatever you need to!"
The Third Hokage's expression didn't change. He said indifferently, "If this plan works, you'll be Hokage, and you can hand over the entire village to Orochimaru if you want. That will be your problem, Fifth Hokage."
This time, it was Danzo's turn to look grim.
Damn it!
He had gotten used to it.
He had forgotten that he was still just the heir to the Hokage, the next in line.
If they gave Orochimaru too many resources, wouldn't he be the one to lose?
That would be like pulling money out of his own pocket.
No way!
Absolutely not!
Danzo Shimura would not suffer such a loss!
"I understand!"
Danzo's eyes flashed with ruthlessness as he said, "Hiruzen, don't blame me for this…"
The Third Hokage sneered and said, "All I care about now is Itsuki Uchiha. If the plan to deal with him succeeds, everything will be negotiable. I'll step down, and you'll step up. If it fails, we won't have anything to talk about. Just make sure you leave some hope for our clans."
Danzo's face twisted with malice as he said, "I understand. I'll take care of Orochimaru!"
He turned and left.
The Third Hokage silently watched him go and suddenly chuckled.
... Just like always!
Danzo wouldn't know that behind his back, the Third Hokage was sneering as well.
... Just like always!
...
In the preliminary rounds.
The screen displayed the next matchup:
Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga!
"Interesting!"
Many Jonin had this thought.
They stood by.
Some stood!
Some sat!
They appeared lazy, but their interest was piqued.
Even the recently returned Third Hokage had a hint of surprise in his eyes.
The odds of these two facing each other weren't high.
Was this fate?
The branch family of the Hyuga going against the main family!
Neji Hyuga smiled coldly as he walked forward, glaring at Hinata with deep malice.
Hinata hesitated, nervously standing before Neji.
"It's been a while, Lady Hinata!"
Neji's words were laced with strong sarcasm.
He was breathing heavily, barely able to hold back his urge to attack.
Defeat her!
Maybe even kill her!
"Yes!"
Hinata nodded. When she looked up again, she had changed.
The timid little girl had transformed into a fiery, bold fighter.
She smiled provocatively, her expression defiant, and said, "Isn't this the greatest genius of the Hyuga family, Neji Hyuga? The branch family prodigy, aiming for the stars. Why are you still on the ground? I thought you'd be flying by now."
As soon as she said this, everyone present was stunned.
Especially those who knew Hinata, their jaws dropped.
What the hell? Is this really Hinata?
Or some kind of street punk?
(End of Chapter)
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone