Naruto: Mikoto and Tsunade, don't let either of them go.

However, Tsunade then nodded and said:

"Let them come."

At this point, Tsunade did indeed frown slightly before continuing:

"Well, since it's the Kazekage himself, I'll go greet him personally."

Although Sunagakure is the weakest of the five ninja villages, the Kazekage is still of equal status to me, and only by personally going to greet him can I avoid disrespecting him.

As for why Tsunade didn't greet the Mizukage of Kirigakure when he arrived, it wasn't because she was showing favoritism. Rather, it was because Uchiha Kakuyama's status was already very high, and it wouldn't have been a problem for him to bring Mei Terumi and the others in.

Another reason is that Uchiha Kakuzan never gave Tsunade that chance. By the time Tsunade knew that the Mizukage of Kirigakure had arrived in Konoha, Kakuzan had already brought them to her.

However, Sunagakure and Kirigakure are different because Sunagakure is a vassal state of Konoha, so there are more rules to follow.

When Uchiha Kagami accompanied Tsunade to the gates of Konoha, they saw the Fourth Kazekage in the distance, accompanied by many Sunagakure personnel.

When Uchiha Kagami saw the group from Sunagakure, the first thing he noticed wasn't the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, but rather a red-haired brat not far away. This brat had very dark circles under his eyes, and if you ignored his violent and aggressive aura, he actually looked rather funny.

Soon, Tsunade had officially met with the Kazekage, Rasa.

However, as an observer, Uchiha Kagakusan found that Kazekage Rasa's behavior was quite normal; his expression was very serious, and he was clearly a man who did not smile.

Instead of the kind of perverted behavior where he licks his lips from time to time, if he really did that, not only would Tsunade, who knows Orochimaru best, be able to tell that something was wrong with him, but even the people from Sunagakure who follow him would definitely notice.

Just after Kazekage Rasa and Tsunade finished their pleasantries, he turned his gaze to Uchiha Kagami, who had been watching the scene unfold, and asked in a slightly hoarse voice:

"This must be the leader of your Konoha Village's Anbu, the head of the Uchiha clan, the renowned Uchiha Kakuyama, right?"

Upon hearing Kazekage's words, Uchiha Kagakusan's eyes seemed to be stimulated, and he immediately activated his Sharingan, locking onto Kazekage in the form of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. This caused Kazekage's expression to stiffen slightly, and even his body to tense up at this moment.

Then, a slight smile appeared on Uchiha Kagakusan's lips as he looked at the taut Kazekage Rasa with amusement, and said thoughtfully:

"My Sharingan tells me that you seem to be hostile towards me?"

Chapter 438 Monsters among Monsters

Uchiha Kagawa, his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan now manifested, stared intently at the Kazekage Rasa not far away, and said with a slight frown:

"You seem hostile towards me?"

Although Uchiha Kakuzan used a question, his tone was very certain, as if he had already confirmed the hostility of the person in front of him.

When Kazekage Rasa's Sharingan locked onto Uchiha Okazan, his entire body stiffened, and a few beads of cold sweat involuntarily appeared on his forehead. Finally, he managed to force a smile and said:

"Mr. Qiu is joking. You are the strongest person in Konoha Village, and you can easily destroy some small countries."

You alone are enough to subdue us.

Although I am the Kazekage of Sunagakure, I have great respect for you, sir, so how could I possibly harbor any hostility towards you?

Upon hearing Kazekage Rasa's words, Uchiha Kagakusan's expression softened slightly. He stared at him with his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan for a long while before slowly withdrawing it, and said in a calm tone:

"Maybe I'm just imagining things. Some rats have been acting up lately, so I'm getting a bit paranoid."

Uchiha Kakuzan understood what Kazekage Rasa meant. As the strongest shinobi in Konoha, and considering that Sunagakure, to which Kazekage Rasa belonged, was an affiliated village of Konoha but not a member of Konoha, it was normal for them to have some hostility towards him.

However, when Uchiha Kagakusan saw that Kazekage Rasa seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief, the corners of his mouth subtly curled up, and a sly smile flashed in his eyes.

Orochimaru, as expected of a seasoned veteran who has lived the longest, reacted quite quickly, finding a reason in just a moment.

If Uchiha Kagakusan hadn't already awakened the Rinnegan and been able to see through Orochimaru's disguise, he might have actually been fooled.

Just as Kazekage Rasa breathed a sigh of relief and accompanied Hokage Tsunade toward the Hokage Building, Uchiha Kakuzan's eyes finally fell on the little panda with dark circles under his eyes.

However, just as he looked at Gaara, a girl with a desert aura who had just been walking with Gaara and a boy with purple markings on his face and carrying things on his back both felt a chill run down their spines and immediately slowed their pace, distancing themselves from Gaara.

When the two made a move, Uchiha Kakuzan subconsciously glanced at them and immediately recognized their identities.

Temari and Kankuro.

They are all children of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and Gaara's older brother and sister.

In the future, they can be considered as the mainstay of Sunagakure.

However, compared to Konoha Village, it is still far inferior.

When Uchiha Kakuzan's gaze fell on Gaara, Gaara had already noticed the commotion and looked over with a lifeless, malevolent gaze.

However, Uchiha Kakuzan was completely unconcerned about Gaara's malice. He even had a smile on his face, and after a flash of red light in his eyes, he ignored him and followed Tsunade to her side.

Gaara, however, stood frozen in place, his pupils contracting rapidly in terror, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

After Temari and Kankuro had gone some distance from Uchiha Kagami, they returned to Gaara's side. Temari immediately noticed Gaara's unusual behavior and asked anxiously:

Gaara, how are you?

Although Gaara has a monster sealed inside him, he is still her younger brother, and Temari still cares about him to some extent.

However, Temari must have learned her lesson, because when she called for Gaara, she only dared to call out anxiously, but dared not touch his body.

Hearing Temari's call, Gaara slowly came to his senses, his expression calming down. After glancing at Temari beside him, he replied impatiently:

"I'm fine, why are you shouting?"

After Gaara finished speaking, he walked forward with the group, leaving only Temari with a complicated expression and Kankuro with a helpless look behind.

Just then, Gaara turned back to look at them, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes, before he said in a very impatient tone:

"Hey, you two..."

I Love Rodin paused, and seeing that they were all looking at him, he continued:

"Never get close to that man. That man... is far more dangerous than anyone I've ever met."

Upon hearing Gaara's words, the two were startled and quickly nodded to indicate that they understood.

After giving his instructions to the two, Gaara turned back and glanced at Uchiha Kakuyama's back with great care and subtlety, while a storm raged in his heart.

"That man, that man, was definitely the one who subdued the monster within him in a mere instant."

Like Naruto, Gaara has been a Jinchūriki since childhood. In all the years he's been a Jinchūriki, only recently has he encountered someone capable of instantly subduing the One-Tailed Beast within him.

Although the man named Uchiha Kakuyama only revealed a hint of his presence, Gaara was absolutely certain that he hadn't mistaken him.

In Gaara's understanding, the only thing capable of subduing a monster is one that is even more powerful than the monster itself.

Therefore, although that person did not harbor any hostility towards him, Gaara still felt an indescribable fear of him.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Kakuzan, who was walking ahead, had a slight smile on his lips. He had just checked on the One-Tailed Beast's recovery and saw that it had recovered, so he was in a good mood.

In that case, during the Chunin Exams, he should still be able to see Naruto controlling the giant fox to fight against the One-Tailed Beast (the giant fox is not the Nine-Tailed Beast).

For some reason, the One-Tailed Beast, which was sealed inside Gaara, shrank into a tight ball when it sensed his presence just now, completely losing its previous arrogant aura, which made Uchiha Kakuyama feel a little regretful.

This giant tanuki is always quite amusing when it appears, roaring like a villain. If you get bored and lose your energy because of it, it really diminishes the entertainment value.

During the rest of the trip, Uchiha Kagakuyama did not provoke the Kazekage Rasa, who was disguised as Orochimaru, again.

After all, given Orochimaru's wariness, if I were to provoke him further, he might actually run away, which would cause the Konoha Crush plan to fail.

Chapter 439 Orochimaru’s Purpose

Just as Tsunade accompanied the Kazekage Rasa to the Hokage Building, no one expected that they would encounter someone there who surprised everyone.

At the very front of the Hokage Building stood a short, ordinary-looking old man in plain clothes, holding a pipe and taking occasional puffs.

The old man's appearance caused Tsunade and her group to stop involuntarily. Among them, the Kazekage Rasa's eyes flashed with a complex expression, and he said in a somewhat hoarse voice:

"If I'm not mistaken, you must be the Third Hokage, right?"

Upon hearing what the Kazekage Rasa said, Tsunade snapped out of her daze and immediately began to introduce:

"That's right, this gentleman is the Third Hokage of our Konoha Village, and also my teacher."

At this moment, the Third Hokage also stepped forward, a kind smile on his face, and said with a smile:

"I'm retired now, you can just call me Hiruzen Sarutobi."

At this point, the Third Hokage turned his gaze to the Kazekage, Rasa, and continued;

"I heard that the Kazekage of Sunagakure has come here. It's been a long time since I've seen any outstanding juniors from Sunagakure, so I'm quite excited. I just wonder if I could introduce you to our Konoha Village during our upcoming trip."

Upon hearing the Third Hokage's words, the Kazekage Rasa was slightly taken aback, then smiled and nodded, saying:

"I would be more than happy to have the Third Hokage accompany me personally."

At this moment, Tsunade also realized what was happening and turned to look at Uchiha Kakuyama next to her.

The Third Hokage is now basically in seclusion, and the only person who can get him to come out is Qiu Shanjun.

When he met Tsunade's gaze, Uchiha Kakuyama did not deny it, but simply nodded slightly.

Although Tsunade did not know why Qiushan-kun did this, she trusted him and, after saying a few words to the Kazekage Rasa, left him with the Third Hokage.

Upon seeing this, Uchiha Kagami immediately teleported away from the area with Tsunade and Shizune.

Atop the Hokage Rock, a gentle breeze blew as Uchiha Kagami and Tsunade stood, gazing at the Kazekage Rasa and his group in the distance.

Just then, Tsunade finally spoke up:

"Alright, Mr. Qiu, I've already been brought out by you. Why did you do this?"

Upon hearing Tsunade's words, Uchiha Kakuzan stepped forward and gently embraced her, then said:

"I've confirmed it. Kazekage Rasa is Orochimaru in disguise. The real Kazekage should have been killed by him."

Orochimaru has changed so much over the years, and Tsunade is now pregnant with the bloodline that Orochimaru desires most.

To prevent Orochimaru from truly going insane and attacking you, I've had the Third Hokage accompany him.

Upon hearing Qiu Shanjun's words, Tsunade's pupils dilated violently, and she abruptly looked up at him, exclaiming in disbelief:

"Is the Kazekage really Orochimaru in disguise?"

Although before this, Qiu Shan-jun had given her some warnings, saying that the Kazekage Rasa might be killed by Orochimaru, and that Orochimaru would impersonate the Kazekage Rasa and come to Konoha to watch the Chunin Exams in his place.

However, Tsunade just thought that Orochimaru was overthinking things. Even if Orochimaru was crazy, he couldn't possibly do such a thing.

It's important to understand that the Kazekage, Rasa, is the leader of Sunagakure. If Orochimaru were to kill him and then impersonate him to cause trouble in Konoha, what would happen?

Orochimaru essentially offended two major ninja villages at once.

Before this, Orochimaru was already an S-rank rogue ninja wanted by Konoha.

However, because he was cunning and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was lenient with him, Orochimaru lived a very comfortable life even after he defected from Konoha.

However, if Orochimaru really offends both Sunagakure and Konoha in one fell swoop, things will really get difficult for him in the future.

Upon hearing Tsunade's words, Uchiha Kakuzan pointed to his eyes and continued:

"Although I have never met Orochimaru, I can sense his presence, and Kazekage Rasa is definitely Orochimaru in disguise."

Hearing Qiu Shan-jun's words, Tsunade fell silent, smoothing her hair in the breeze before continuing:

"So, what do you think, Qiu Shan-jun?"

Although Orochimaru was her former comrade-in-arms, Tsunade was not the kind of person to be soft-hearted. She knew that Orochimaru's purpose in coming to Konoha was definitely not good, and she would not allow it to happen.

While it might not be necessary to kill Orochimaru, he absolutely must be expelled.

Upon hearing Tsunade's words, Uchiha Kakuzan smiled slightly, looking at the group that had already entered the Hokage Building in the distance, and said with a smile:

"Tsunade, actually I really admire Orochimaru, because he's able to do things that are even more impressive than those with bloodline limits, all thanks to his talent."

Before this, I had tried to find Orochimaru several times, but he always managed to escape.

But this time, Orochimaru has delivered himself right to my doorstep, so how could I bear to let him go?

Upon hearing Qiu Shanjun's words, Tsunade was slightly taken aback before looking at him and exclaiming in surprise:

"You...you want to recruit Orochimaru?"

Upon hearing Tsunade's words, Uchiha Kakuzan shook his head and continued:

"Let's wait and see. Although I admire Orochimaru, I don't want to imprison his mind. You know, an Orochimaru whose mind and thoughts are imprisoned is no longer Orochimaru."

Upon hearing Qiu Shanjun's words, Tsunade looked thoughtfully at the Hokage Building in the distance. She vaguely sensed something from Qiu Shanjun's words.

Just then, Uchiha Kakuzan seemed to remember something and looked at Tsunade beside him, saying:

"Speaking of which, Tsunade-neechan, how's Nawaki's training going? Will he be able to participate in the Chunin Exams this year?"

Upon hearing Nawaki's name, Tsunade's expression softened considerably, and she said with a slight smile:

"Well, Nawaki has adapted quite well and has carried out several missions on his own. Although they were all small-scale B-rank and C-rank missions, he performed them quite well. Now, he has adapted to the current ninja world."

Upon hearing Tsunade's words, Uchiha Kakuyama nodded in agreement.