Chapter 91: The Joint Chūnin Exams

"Old man, you're looking pretty lively," Deidara said. Though he meant to show some concern, somehow the words came out wrong.

Ōnoki shot Deidara a glare.

"Hmph!"

"Grandpa!" Kurotsuchi's eyes brimmed with tears as she almost threw herself at him, her face a mix of fear and worry.

"Oh, my dear Kurotsuchi!" Ōnoki's demeanor softened entirely, turning into a completely different person with his granddaughter.

Deidara casually set a basket of fruit on the table and asked curiously, "So, what happened? You look like you've been through hell."

Ōnoki, unwilling to admit to being beaten so thoroughly, stayed silent. The question fell to Akatsuchi to answer. Meanwhile, Kurotsuchi's father, Kitsuchi, was temporarily acting as the Tsuchikage, busy handling Iwagakure's affairs.

Scratching his head in confusion, Akatsuchi said, "Honestly, we're not sure. Tsunade, one of Konoha's legendary Sannin, suddenly returned. Initially, with just her and Jiraiya, the situation wasn't too dire."

"But then, out of nowhere, a ninja with incredibly strong Wood Release appeared. The three of them together were overwhelming, and Jiraiya and Tsunade's strength seemed... unnaturally enhanced. If not for Kitsuchi-san and the others fighting desperately to save him, Sensei might not have made it out alive."

"Shut it, Akatsuchi!" Ōnoki cut him off sharply. "I'm not that weak!"

Deidara fell silent, deep in thought. This development was bizarre. Could it be Obito, or perhaps Danzo's Kotoamatsukami at work? A sudden appearance of a Wood Release user inevitably led one to think of Obito, while Tsunade's return might indeed involve Kotoamatsukami, though it wasn't certain.

"What's going on in that head of yours, kid?" Ōnoki asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You Akatsuki folks plan to unify the ninja world, don't you? With Konoha this strong, I doubt you're up to the task," Ōnoki said with a smirk, a touch of schadenfreude in his tone.

"It's not that simple. We Akatsuki are strong too," Deidara countered.

"What do you know!" Ōnoki sneered. "I don't know much about that Wood Release ninja, but Jiraiya and Tsunade alone are now stronger than me. If I hadn't been able to fly, and if Iwagakure didn't have thousands of troops on the ground, this old man would've died back there."

Ōnoki's sharp words concealed genuine concern. Deidara understood the unspoken message: "Be careful. Don't get yourself killed and make me, an old man, bury the young."

The current state of the ninja world was becoming harder to grasp. If Tsunade was under Kotoamatsukami and the Wood Release user was tied to Obito, how had Jiraiya and Tsunade grown so much stronger?

"Got it," Deidara said with a wave of his hand. Even so, he couldn't believe Konoha could stand against Akatsuki—or against him personally. It was laughable. Akatsuki's nine members were all Kage-level combatants, most of them among the strongest at that level. Nine-on-three? They couldn't lose.

"Old man, I suggest you bring Iwagakure under Amegakure's fold. At your age, how will you handle the next crisis?" Deidara said, though he knew Ōnoki's stubbornness made it a futile suggestion.

Unexpectedly, Ōnoki gave a different answer this time.

"If you want Iwagakure to join Amegakure, fine. But first, I need to see how you handle this upcoming matter. If you prove your strength, I'll agree."

"What matter?" Deidara asked, puzzled.

"The Joint Chūnin Exams," Ōnoki said.

"Joint Chūnin Exams?" Deidara echoed, astonished. Was this some unavoidable trope in fanfiction? Despite all the plot changes, the Chūnin Exams still appeared?

Ōnoki nodded. "That's right. Earlier today, just before you arrived in Iwagakure, we received a notice from Konoha about the Joint Chūnin Exams."

"Danzo has decreed that all invited villages must participate, with the results determining future territorial governance. Villages that refuse will face Konoha's direct assault afterward, losing their right to function as ninja villages," Ōnoki explained.

"So Danzo's aiming to be the ninja world's ruler. Using the exams as a pretense to enforce a subordinate agreement, huh?" Deidara muttered, understanding Danzo's strategy.

Previously, Danzo might have opted for outright aggression, but after a few hard lessons, he'd grown slightly more cautious.

By hosting the Chūnin Exams, Konoha could gather representatives from various villages to establish a Konoha-led alliance. However, this wasn't a loose alliance, based on Danzo's approach, future territorial control would rest entirely with Konoha, effectively turning the other villages into vassals.

"What about Kumogakure and Kirigakure? Would they agree to this?" Deidara asked, skeptical. While Kirigakure was one thing, he couldn't imagine hot-tempered Kumogakure accepting such terms.

"Konoha didn't invite them, nor the smaller villages in their vicinity. This invitation targets only the western half of the ninja world," Ōnoki replied.

"Well then, how do you Akatsuki plan to handle it?" Ōnoki asked, a sly smile playing on his lips. In his calculations, Amegakure was strong but no match for Konoha. The best course would be to ally with Iwagakure, where his influence and Iwagakure's resources would ensure his leadership in the partnership.

Ōnoki's underestimation wasn't entirely his fault. The ninja world was changing rapidly, and the power ceiling had risen considerably.

"Hold on." Deidara suddenly received a message from Nagato.

"Leader, what's up?"

"Danzo has extended an invitation to Amegakure for the Joint Chūnin Exams. I'll convene a meeting later to discuss our response. Also, Orochimaru is looking for you—seems urgent," Nagato informed him.

"Orochimaru? Didn't I just see that creep? Missing me already?" Deidara muttered.

"Let's discuss after you meet him. His urgency might be related to the exams," Nagato replied.

"Got it," Deidara said, rising from his seat. "Old man, since you're fine, I'll head out. We've got to strategize on our end."

"And about that alliance?" Akatsuchi asked.

"Like I said, if Iwagakure wants to join Amegakure, we'll welcome you anytime," Deidara replied, straightforward as ever.

"Arrogant! Unbelievable!" Ōnoki fumed at Deidara's bluntness.

"Kurotsuchi, what about you? Staying in Iwagakure, or coming back to Amegakure with me?" Deidara asked, looking at her.

Kurotsuchi clung to Ōnoki's arm, and the old man's face lit up with smug satisfaction.

"See? She—"

"Grandpa," Kurotsuchi interrupted sweetly, "since you're fine now, I'll leave with Deidara. You need to rest well, okay?"

This turn of events left the room in uproarious laughter.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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