NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: The Secret of the Ghost Army
At this moment, Sakura also appeared on the sky screen, urging Naruto to head to the Hokage's office immediately.
"Hey! What's going on?" In the Hokage's office, Naruto pointed at Neji and Lee and asked, "Why... why are Lee and Neji here too? Where is Kakashi-sensei?"
"Lee is here to replace Sasuke," Tsunade explained, sitting at the Hokage's desk, embodying her new role.
Jiraiya, watching Tsunade on the sky screen, grinned and remarked, "That guy actually became the Hokage."
Though Shizune had an inkling, she was still overwhelmed with emotion when the sky screen confirmed it: "Look, Tsunade-sama! You really became the Hokage!"
Tsunade rubbed her forehead with a slightly annoyed expression. "Forgive me! I never thought I would become the Hokage."
The Third Hokage, observing the sky screen, nodded with satisfaction.
Since Tsunade had become the Hokage, it meant that the past was behind them.
Naruto, although unhappy, simply muttered a few words and didn't shout as usual.
On the sky screen, many people in the village were discussing Tsunade's appointment as the new Hokage, gossiping about her legendary feats in the gambling world, and then the barrage continued.
["After Tsunade becomes Hokage, Konoha shouldn't be used to pay off debts!"]
The familiar tone made Tsunade suspicious that this might have been sent by her grandfather, Senju Hashirama. But since there was no evidence, she kept her suspicions to herself.
Lee gave Naruto a thumbs up and greeted him with a grin, "Please take care of me!"
Naruto didn't respond to Lee's greeting. Upon hearing Sasuke's name, both his and Sakura's faces immediately turned pale. They both hung their heads, clearly devastated.
Seeing this, Shizune looked at Tsunade helplessly and said, "Tsunade-sama, you can't bring up Uchiha Sasuke in front of them."
Tsunade made a dismissive expression. "What's the problem? Why are you still so hung up on him?"
"What's with this reaction?"
"Maybe... maybe the companion who was always by his side has died."
"Sacrificed... sacrificed?! Sasuke is dead?!" Sakura exclaimed in disbelief, her eyes wide in horror as she looked toward Sasuke.
Sasuke, watching the reactions of Naruto and Sakura on the sky screen and hearing the speculations in the barrage, felt a pang of confusion and a surge of unwillingness. He stared at the screen with intensity. "Dead?! Am I really dead? Does this mean my revenge is finally complete?!"
["How is that possible? Sasuke can't be dead! He was the best graduate of our class!"]
["Hmph! So naive. Haven't you figured it out? The more skilled you are, the more likely you are to die. The enemies target strong ninjas for a reason, and tougher missions are for those who excel. Sacrifice is a part of the job."]
This response silenced several Genin in the conference room, except for Naruto. He appeared slightly concerned for Sasuke but managed to cover it up with his usual bravado, saying, "Hmph! I don't believe it. Neither me nor Sasuke will die. If Sasuke can't do it, I'll go save him myself."
Naruto's words were self-centered, but they made Sasuke pause, and he quietly thought, I won't let my fate be decided like that. "Don't talk so big. The last person I need saving is someone weaker than me."
"What did you say?!" Naruto lost his temper in an instant, and Kakashi had to step in and press his head down to calm him.
Uchiha Itachi, who had been observing in silence, also noticed the conversation. Despite his concern for Sasuke, his expression remained unreadable, as he continued to watch the screen.
After a brief moment of reflection, Naruto quickly returned to his senses and asked loudly, "What about Neji?"
"He's replacing Kakashi. Kakashi and Guy have joined the attacking forces and have already headed to the front line. Neji will temporarily take over as the captain of Team 7," Tsunade responded, making swift arrangements for the team.
The comments in the barrage were quick to follow:
["The Hokage has such a good temper! Naruto asks so many questions, and she answers them all. If it were in our village, he'd have been kicked out by now!"]
["He doesn't even have the presence of a Hokage. Konoha's getting worse with each generation!"]
["What nonsense are you talking?! Tsunade is kind and compassionate, treating her subordinates like family. That's how strong leadership works. You're just bitter."]
["What kind of feelings do ninjas need? Hasn't Konoha taught you the Ninja Code? Would you dare speak like that to your superiors?"]
["You..."]
"Can we please stop arguing over something so trivial?!" came a voice from the barrage, signaling an end to the squabble.
Naruto turned to Neji, a hint of frustration on his face. "Why this guy?"
Tsunade's voice was calm as she addressed him: "Neji is a Jonin, and you're the only Genin left here, Naruto."
Naruto placed his hands on his head in disbelief. "Impossible, I'm still a Genin?!"
Lee's excitement was palpable as he cheered, "That means I'm already a Chunin! I can stand on my own now!"
Guy, in a rare moment of vulnerability, wiped tears from his face and hugged Lee tightly. "That's right, Lee! If you keep pushing yourself, you can become a true ninja. Youth never fades!"
"Teacher Guy!!"
Watching the scene, Sasuke, Sakura, and Neji exchanged uncomfortable glances, while Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
Becoming a Chunin at the age of fifteen or sixteen was impressive, but with Neji already a Jonin, it felt like a more significant milestone.
Neji raised his chin slightly, his expression one of mild disdain, before he made a brief comment, "Hmph, is that it?"
Unable to control his frustration, Naruto suggested rushing to the front lines to confront the enemy and prove his worth, but Tsunade had already assigned Team 7 to protect important figures, and Naruto was immediately dissatisfied.
"Stop complaining and listen carefully to the explanation!" Sakura, using her special technique, shouted at Naruto, who reluctantly calmed down.
"It's been several days since the attack. The enemy has been advancing, ravaging the border. Furthermore, the so-called 'Ghost Army' has been identified as a form of puppetry," Tsunade continued with the mission briefing.
"So, they don't have souls? They're just puppets being controlled?" Sakura asked, piecing things together.
"The Land of Demons is close to the Land of Wind, and the Sand Village is famous for its puppetry. Do you think the Sand Village is behind the monster incidents? That 'Yomi' might be a Sand Ninja in disguise," Tsunade speculated.
"Don't be so quick to blame the Sand Village just because of puppetry. There are other ninja villages that use puppetry too," Tsunade clarified.
"Please, don't use your imagination too wildly. The higher-ups of all nations are well aware of what's going on with the monsters," Tsunade added.