Chapter 97: I'm Going to Capture the Little Tanuki - The White Eyed Princess of Konoha

### Chapter 97: I'm Going to Capture the Little Tanuki In all seriousness, it's remarkable how each Hokage of Konoha seemed to face their demise without any support. The First Hokage took on Madara Uchiha alone; the Second intercepted Kinkaku and Ginkaku on his own; the Third fought against Orochimaru; and the Fourth sealed the Nine-Tails... And all of them did so without any assistance. Though there were various reasons for this lack of support, it sometimes seemed as though the position of Hokage was cursed. Tsunade and Kakashi were among those who had a good end, but the former experienced the death of her lover and brother, while Kakashi's life was even more tragic, with both his father and teammates dying sequentially. Perhaps because they had seen through the ways of the world, or maybe because they lived during the peaceful times following the Fourth Shinobi World War, both quickly passed the mantle of Hokage to the next generation. Looking back now, Kakashi's decision to hand over the Hokage position to Naruto during his prime seems undeniably wise. Whether Naruto can live to a peaceful old age remains uncertain! 'Boom! Boom! Boom!' Explosion after explosion erupted around Konoha, and signal flares shot up one after another. The war had truly begun. Dozens of sound ninjas, clad in identical uniforms, emerged from nowhere, forming ranks and confronting the scattered Konoha shinobi in the stands. 'Whoosh! Whoosh!' Two figures swiftly charged at Hinata, who dispatched them both with a single strike, leaving them dead instantly! Hinata, having slain two enemies effortlessly, was unperturbed, her mind more focused on the hunger pangs in her stomach. Taking a momentary break from the fighting, Kakashi glanced at the arena. Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Sasuke were already gone. Appearing beside Hinata, Kakashi said seriously, "Hinata! Sasuke is pursuing Gaara from the Sand. You qualify as a chunin; now quickly choose suitable teammates and go assist Sasuke. That Gaara... something's not quite right!" "Okay!" Hinata agreed without hesitation. Defeating a Jinchuriki of the Sand would certainly earn her some bragging rights in the village. If she could capture Gaara, it would be a perfect bargaining chip for negotiations with the Sand. However, she hesitated and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, you mean it, right?" Kakashi was momentarily confused, "What?" Hinata complained, "About becoming a chunin! You said I'm qualified, so don't forget to recommend me to the Hokage!" Kakashi: "..." "Go quickly!" Indeed, Hinata had already met the qualifications for a chunin, not only in terms of strength. In truth, both Naruto and Sasuke had the power of chunin as well. But charging headlong into a vastly superior opponent alone, as Sasuke did, is not the mark of a true chunin. Naruto is likely the same. But before that... Hinata glanced towards the high platforms. Within the Four Violet Flames Formation, Orochimaru had summoned the First and Second Hokage. Driven by her ultimate dream for shuriken mastery, Hinata carefully targeted the First Hokage with a shuriken and launched it! Kakashi watched in bewilderment and asked, "Hinata, what are you doing?" There didn’t seem to be any enemies over there! In that instant, Hinata seemed to radiate with a brilliant glow. Looking at Kakashi, Hinata declared earnestly, "I’m throwing a shuriken at the First Hokage! From today, I’ll be a ninja who has fought against the First Hokage!" Kakashi: "..." Kakashi glanced at the high platforms. Can it really work this way? Should I perhaps give it a try too? Hinata struck the wall of the arena with a gentle palm strike, creating a hole, and shouted, "Lee, Shikamaru, Naruto, Akamaru! Follow me!" "Neji, you stay here and assist Kakashi-sensei and Guy-sensei!" "Okay!" Neji replied, cautioning, "Take care of yourself!" With her Byakugan, one eye was all that was necessary. With Kiba in the team, there was no need for Kakashi to use summoning techniques. As long as he avoided biting his finger, perhaps Kakashi could escape the Konoha Crush plan without a scratch. "Let's go!" With a call, Hinata took the lead and charged ahead. Lee, Shikamaru, Naruto, and Kiba quickly followed! Shino returned to the arena unnoticed, joining the group as they pursued the enemy, albeit without drawing any attention to himself. Within moments, Hinata and her team reached the outskirts of Konoha Village. Hinata turned to Kiba and said, "Akamaru, let's rely on you to track Sasuke." Kiba complained, "Hey! Don't you have your Byakugan too?" Shikamaru tugged lightly on Kiba, urging him to hold his tongue if he wanted to live. After six years in the same class, shouldn't he have some understanding of this by now? Hinata explained, "Using the Byakugan drains chakra, and since I'm the strongest in the team, I need to maintain the best condition." In Konoha, the Hyuga, Aburame, and Inuzuka clans are all adept at sensory ninja techniques. While the Byakugan is most effective in battle, the other two clans also have their unique advantages. The Inuzuka clan's ninja dogs can track enemies by scent, though they are easily misled by the enemy's scents. As for the Aburame clan's insects... they have their limitations. The Hyuga's Byakugan, while consuming chakra, is unparalleled in precision when activated. Seeing Hinata patiently explaining to Kiba, Shikamaru felt emboldened to speak. "But... why did I have to come along too? Such a drag!" Hinata glanced at Shikamaru and said coolly, "Your shadow jutsu is perfect for slowing down the enemy, and we must quickly catch up with Gaara. If we encounter a troublesome enemy, you'll be the one to hold them off!" Shikamaru: Does that mean I'm destined for a suicide mission? What a nuisance! Akamaru sniffed the air, barking twice, "Woof woof!" Kiba turned back with a serious expression and exclaimed, "Shikamaru, trouble’s coming." "A squad of eight is pursuing us..." "Woo! Nine, including Shino!" Shikamaru's face was filled with panic as he groaned, "What? They're already catching up? Are you kidding me?" Hinata mentioning an enemy chase and Shikamaru being the one to stay back (ahem, be sacrificial) was no coincidence, quickly followed by Akamaru detecting the enemy. Could it really be that timely? Hinata asked, "Akamaru, how far away are they if we stop here? How long until they catch up?" "Woof woof!" Kiba translated, "If we stop now, we'll encounter them in no more than thirty seconds!" Hinata suddenly halted and commanded, "You go ahead, I'll catch up soon!" She might have joked about leaving enemy intercepts to Shikamaru for diversion (or potential sacrifice), but that was merely a jest among comrades. Eight sound ninjas, she could dispatch in an instant! After all, she had plans for Shikamaru to face off with Temari, providing him an opportunity to impress. I truly am the kindest!