Outside Konoha Village, the atmosphere was unusually tense. Several Hidden Sand Ninja stared solemnly at the tall and imposing Konoha gate.
The sunlight fell upon them, but it couldn't dispel the tension and vigilance in the air.
Just as they arrived at Konoha Village, a Konoha Anbu Ninja, dressed in black stealth clothes and wearing a mask, suddenly appeared before them like a ghost.
This mysterious figure exuded a chilling aura, causing the already nervous Hidden Sand Ninja to tremble inwardly.
The Anbu Ninja asked in a cold, emotionless voice, "Are you Hidden Sand Ninja? Why are you here?"
Facing this sudden interrogation, the Hidden Sand Ninja dared not delay and quickly replied respectfully, "We are envoys from Hidden Sand Village. We have come on the orders of the Kazekage-sama to respectfully request an audience with your Hokage-sama."
After speaking, they quietly awaited a response.
However, to the Hidden Sand Ninja's surprise, after hearing their statement, the Konoha Anbu Ninja merely nodded slightly, then vanished as quickly as he appeared, leaving no trace.
This bizarre scene made the Hidden Sand Ninja exchange glances, murmuring to themselves, unsure of what to do.
"Captain Baki, what should we do?" a Hidden Sand Ninja asked the leader.
"Wait a little longer. If no one comes, we'll go in," Baki said. After all, relations between their two villages weren't good, and that incident had happened recently.
No one knew Konoha's current attitude towards them, but the Kazekage-sama insisted on sending someone to demand an explanation.
In truth, this kind of thing could be considered their own incompetence; someone invaded Hidden Sand Village, caused a ruckus, injured their Kage, and then escaped.
They were actually a bit embarrassed to bring up such a matter, but perhaps it was Hidden Cloud Village that started it back then.
It was rumored that Hidden Cloud Village kidnapped the Hyuga heiress back then, but after being discovered, Konoha was forced to hand over the Hyuga clan head's brother instead.
Since then, Konoha's prestige had greatly diminished. Anything related to Konoha, the major Ninja villages would come to Konoha for an explanation.
After a while, the Anbu Ninja returned. "Alright, the Hokage-sama is waiting for you inside."
Baki and his companions, whose nerves had been tightly strung, finally relaxed slightly. They let out a long sigh of relief.
Then, with somewhat heavy but determined steps, they slowly walked in.
"Hokage-sama!" Baki and his companions saluted Hiruzen Sarutobi as soon as they entered.
"Hmm, Hidden Sand Ninja, welcome to Konoha. Is there something you need?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked with a smile.
"Hokage-sama, we are here to convey the Kazekage-sama's message. He wishes for you to hand over the Ninja who injured him, and he demands an explanation from Konoha as to why you invaded Hidden Sand Village," Baki stepped forward and said, steeling himself.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile stiffened. Another one demanding an explanation.
"Go back and tell the Kazekage that the Ninja who injured him is no longer in Konoha. As for an explanation..." the Third Hokage paused.
"It was all a misunderstanding. We are willing to offer some compensation for peace."
"What? Not in Konoha?" Baki was somewhat suspicious. "Then may I ask who that person is? And where are they?"
"He is a Ninja of the Uchiha Clan, named Uchiha Kaede. He is probably in Takigakure now," Hiruzen Sarutobi said somewhat awkwardly, bringing up the matter of Takigakure.
Baki "???"
Hidden Sand Ninja "???"
The Hidden Sand Ninja who heard this were dumbfounded. What? A Konoha Ninja capable of injuring the Kazekage offended Takigakure, and then you handed him over?
Is this a Konoha Ninja or a rogue Ninja who wandered into Konoha?
"Hokage-sama, you must be joking with us," Baki said, truly unable to believe it. Are there many such strong individuals in Konoha?
"No," Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was somewhat displeased.
"This..." Baki and his subordinates exchanged glances. However, so far, things had greatly exceeded Baki's expectations.
He hadn't expected Konoha to be so cowardly, actually offering compensation. This made him bolder.
"Hokage-sama, if that's the case, then please hand over the other Ninja who invaded Hidden Sand Village!" Baki said loudly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened. His greatest fear had come true.
Kakashi Hatake was not like the Uchiha; he had considerable popularity in Konoha. Handing him over was impossible.
"Calculating the time, the Hidden Sand Ninja should be arriving soon," Uchiha Kaede thought within the Uchiha Clan Compound, having just used Takemikazuchi to create several teleportation points outside the village.
"This time, who will Hiruzen Sarutobi send away?"
Kaede's lips curled into a mocking smile. He knew well Konoha's current predicament under numerous incidents, and this action would undoubtedly deliver another harsh kick to Konoha's already shaky prestige.
Under the pressing gaze of the Hidden Sand Ninja, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression grew more solemn. He slowly said, "Kakashi Hatake did not invade Hidden Sand Village. This matter has nothing to do with him. The Hidden Sand Ninja should not make baseless accusations."
Baki, however, refused to give up and raised his voice, "Hokage-sama, many of our Hidden Sand Village Ninja saw with their own eyes that the masked, silver-haired Ninja clearly resembled Kakashi Hatake. Are you trying to protect him with such a statement?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, sighing inwardly that the situation was becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
"Hokage-sama, please call Kakashi Hatake over. We will confront him face to face," the Hidden Sand Ninja clamored.
"Alright, we are willing to offer more compensation. Please stop pursuing this," the Hokage said helplessly. They truly couldn't afford a war right now.
The Uchiha in the village haven't been dealt with yet; how could they have the energy for an external war?
Finally, the Hidden Sand Ninja contingent walked out of the Hokage Building, satisfied.
"Captain Baki, Konoha actually gave us compensation, even though we were the ones disgraced."
"Indeed! They are really wealthy! They gave so much compensation without even batting an eye."
Baki listened to his teammates without refuting, merely wondering if Konoha was truly still the greatest Ninja village in the Ninja World.
"Captain Baki, let's get something to eat. We've been traveling for so long and haven't had a good meal," a teammate suggested.
Everyone agreed, so the Hidden Sand Ninja found a barbecue restaurant, ready to feast.
"Hey! What are you doing blocking the entrance!" When they arrived outside the restaurant, they found someone standing motionless at the door.
A Hidden Sand Ninja went up to tell him to move, but the person suddenly turned around and met the Ninja's gaze. The blood-red Three-Tomoe slowly rotated in his eyes, emitting a mysterious and dangerous aura, like a gaze from the abyss, seemingly congealing the surrounding air.
"Hey! What's wrong?" Baki frowned and walked up, directly meeting that pair of eyes.
The Hidden Sand Ninja instantly froze, but only for a moment before they naturally walked forward, and the person blocking the door vanished without a trace.
"Hahahaha, Konoha is full of cowards!"
"Exactly! Even if we get injured, we can still demand compensation from them."
"Your Third Hokage is too stupid; he should just hand over all the Konoha Ninja!"
Inside the barbecue restaurant, undisguised laughter echoed, making everyone in the establishment freeze.
In a corner of the barbecue restaurant, three people who were eating also heard their clamor.
One was wearing a bright green jumpsuit, with thick eyebrows and large eyes.
One had fluffy black hair parted to the side, thick eyebrows and large eyes, with upturned brows and a neatly trimmed small mustache on his upper lip.
One had neat silver hair, deep eyes, and wore a mask.
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