On the Hokage Rock, Gekko Chizan stood on the terrace of the office building, looking at the four stone statues before him.
His thoughts were deep in contemplation.
For him right now, there were still two major problems left unresolved: the Akatsuki organization and Danzō.
"Ah, I thought releasing close to eighty percent of my combat strength would be enough to wipe them out."
"I didn't expect so many accidents. Still, killing Nagato and Kakuzu counts as a gain. I'll have to keep tracking them down afterward."
"Without the Uzumaki clan serving as a vessel, it's very difficult for ordinary people to control the Rinnegan."
"As for Danzō..."
To him, Danzō was like a venomous snake. There was no telling when that bastard might suddenly appear and bite him.
Although he was immune to poison, getting bitten still wouldn't feel good.
But the bastard had disappeared somewhere without a trace.
Even after mobilizing the full power of the intelligence network, not a single clue had been found.
Danzō: ...Heh heh heh, I have already hidden in the Daimyo's residence. Do you think you can find me???
Gekko Chizan frowned, a trace of irritation showing in his eyes.
At that moment, a soft chuckle sounded from behind him.
"So? The famous Konoha Ghost is actually this troubled?"
Just from the voice alone, Gekko Chizan already knew who had arrived.
"Principal Sakumo, what brings you to the rooftop today?"
"You didn't come all the way here just to mock me, did you?"
Hatake Sakumo laughed loudly and walked over to stand beside him, also gazing at Hokage Rock.
"What? Thinking about becoming Hokage?"
Becoming Hokage?
Gekko Chizan turned his head and rolled his eyes at him. Where did that idea even come from?
What was so great about being Hokage? Aside from those few idiots with screws loose in their heads, who would want to become Hokage for no reason?
Was freedom something shameful?
Or was living easily somehow wrong?
"Isn't that it? Then it must be because of some trouble. I've known you for so long, and I rarely see you with this kind of expression."
"Pakura told me. Ever since you came back from the Land of Water, you've been a bit down."
"If they hadn't asked me to check on you, I wouldn't have come."
Pakura and the Daoist?
Gekko Chizan thought about his recent behavior. It did seem a bit unusual.
The usual carefree grin was gone. Instead, he had been constantly thinking about Danzō and the Akatsuki.
Had he been neglecting his family?
"You brat, you're already this strong. Looking across the entire shinobi world, is there anyone who can confidently say they would defeat you?"
"What exactly are you worried about?"
"Back then, even when I faced that much pressure, I wasn't like you."
When Hatake Sakumo said this, there was a faint feeling of a hero growing old. Thinking about it, it made sense. The once-famous Konoha White Fang had stepped down as well.
Now he had become an educator, teaching and guiding the next generation.
"Tch, old man. If you don't know how to comfort people, you'd better not speak."
"With that time, you might as well go teach a few more classes."
Faced with Gekko Chizan's complaint, Hatake Sakumo showed no dissatisfaction. Instead, a mysterious smile appeared on his face.
"I knew you'd react like this."
"So I invited two old friends. Want to go meet them?"
"Maybe it'll help you feel a bit better."
Old friends?
There weren't many people that old man would call friends.
Chen could count as one.
But who was the other one???
Gekko Chizan's curiosity was suddenly stirred.
"Fine. Let's go. I want to see who you managed to find. Give me the location—I'll fly us there directly."
"Heh heh heh. The school playground."
What?
The school playground?
The moment he heard that coordinate, Gekko Chizan suddenly had a bad feeling.
He had a strong suspicion that Hatake Sakumo had set some kind of trap for him.
Flying Thunder God had become a perfect travel technique. The two of them had just arrived at the playground when they saw two figures walking toward them—one tall and one short, one old and one young.
"Oh my, isn't this our famous Konoha Ghost, Gekko Chizan?"
"This humble old man greets you."
That sarcastic tone, along with the strange voice, could only belong to Chen.
"Ahahahaha! This is youth! Chizan, let's have a youthful duel!"
The moment he opened his mouth, he could scare someone half to death. Paired with that mouthful of bright white teeth—it was Might Dai.
Seeing himself surrounded by the three of them, Gekko Chizan's uneasy feeling finally exploded. He turned to glare angrily at Hatake Sakumo.
"What the hell, again?"
"Knock it off. I'm still recovering from injuries recently. I can't move a finger."
Two taijutsu masters plus Hatake Sakumo.
Was he out of his mind to fight them?
Seeing Gekko Chizan's displeased expression, Hatake Sakumo burst into laughter.
But what he said next made Gekko Chizan freeze in place.
"This time it's not me looking for you."
"It's old Chen."
"He has something to say to you."
Chen was looking for him?
Seriously?
Although they were teachers at the same school, they barely interacted in daily life.
"Hmph. What? You think this old man can't look for you?"
"My Konoha Dragon God is, after all, one of Konoha's great secret techniques. I can't let it be lost."
"I didn't originally plan to pass it on to you, but unfortunately this idiot Might Dai simply can't learn it."
"Sigh. I asked everyone around me, and when it comes to talent, they all recommended you."
"This old man knows you don't like taijutsu, but you have to admit your physical condition is excellent."
Chen sized up Gekko Chizan, looking him over from top to bottom, left and right. Finally, he nodded in satisfaction.
But his words gave Gekko Chizan a strange feeling. However, Chen had always been someone who spoke without restraint, and the moment he opened his mouth he directly exposed everything.
"Old man, seriously? Don't tell me you feel like your time is almost up??? You're not even—????"
"Get lost! I knew a bastard like you wouldn't say anything nice!"
Chen's furious shout was the immediate response.
But after yelling, Chen's face revealed a relieved smile.
"As for me, I'm planning to go wander around the world."
"I'm getting old. I don't want to stay in one place all the time anymore."
"But once I leave, I probably won't come back."
"So I need to pass down the Konoha Dragon God."
"You brat don't get a choice. Even if you refuse, you still have to accept."
"I'm not asking you to master it. Just remember the key points and help this idiot Might Duy learn it!"
Konoha Dragon God...
The reason Chen was known as Konoha's strongest taijutsu ninja was precisely because of this technique.
At the peak of taijutsu, a whirlwind would gather and form a giant dragon.
A technique like that had already surpassed the realm of taijutsu.
And its power went without saying.
"Tch, you scared me. I thought you were about to pass away first."
"Fine, I agree. But I'm only responsible for remembering the essentials."
"Don't expect me to actually practice taijutsu."
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