By the time Naruto had completed the admission procedures, he found Iruka-sensei already unconscious in the hospital corridor, lying alone on the ground, looking utterly miserable.
Thinking about how Iruka-sensei, at his age, had even lost his girlfriend just to help him with his studies, Naruto's eyes welled up. He realized he had only focused on the Chunin Exams and Sakura, neglecting his teacher's health. He resolved to take good care of his teacher, never leaving his side!
Naruto was a bigmouth, and within half a day, the news that Iruka-sensei was on his deathbed spread like wildfire.
Iruka's meager popularity among Female Ninja was once again wiped out. No one wanted to befriend someone who was about to die. Besides, you're this sick and still thinking about women? Are you alright?
Upon learning that their respected teacher was on the verge of death, many Genin and Chunin who had graduated from the Ninja Academy came to visit.
They mostly came up empty-handed. Iruka was so severely ill that he had been rushed into the operating room for emergency treatment twice within a few hours, with all sorts of equipment and Medical Ninjutsu being used.
The Ninja at Konoha Hospital couldn't determine the specific illness he had. To put it vaguely, it was somewhat similar to 'Yin Evil Entering the Body' as described in medical texts. As for how to cure it? They didn't know!
Currently, only conservative treatment was possible.
Seeing Iruka so ill that he was on a ventilator, Hinata and Sakura cried their eyes out.
Ino also had a grim expression and was quite silent. Although she was responsible for this illness, to cure it? It really wasn't something that could be fixed in a day or two. She left Shizune with an eight-character mantra: 'Rest well, drink more hot water!'
She took out her notebook and wrote a few lines of small text.
The fifty-third experiment with Yin-Yang Release, failed!
She wanted to replicate the Yin-Yang Release power that the Six Paths Sage had given Naruto. That recovery ability was absolutely incredibly strong, but unfortunately, all her attempts so far had ended in failure.
Thanks to Iruka's 'desperation' and Ino's 'exquisite' medical skills, Naruto was finally fooled.
Jiraiya, in order to let Naruto 'naturally comprehend' his lineage, put in a lot of effort. Returning to his office, he handed over his duties to Shikaku and began to write!
He had written four books in his life.
The first was the recently popular 'tale of the gutsy ninja,' which had a certain impact on Konan and Nagato. The second was 'icha icha paradise,' which was Kakashi's eighteenth birthday gift. The third was 'Icha Icha Violence,' the book Kakashi was engrossed in while competing with Team 7 for the bells.
Originally, Jiraiya's fourth book was named 'Icha Icha Strategy,' but he became too busy after becoming Hokage and had only written the beginning.
Now, even if he was busy, he had to write! The title was changed to 'Icha Icha Father and Son,' and the original plot was heavily revised. The protagonists were changed to Minato Namikaze and Naruto, using their real names so Naruto wouldn't misunderstand. It also incorporated characters like the Third Hokage, as he had to clear the Third Hokage's name, otherwise many things couldn't be explained!
Jiraiya didn't drink or peep; he worked overtime to write.
His main body wrote, and his Shadow Clone also helped.
He finally finished the book within a week, then quickly handed the manuscript to the publisher for printing, with one request: get it on shelves as soon as possible!
After finishing with Naruto, he finally had time to prepare for the Sunagakure Crush.
It's very difficult to openly infiltrate a large Ninja Village.
In the original timeline, when Sasori and Deidara intended to abduct Gaara, even with Yura, a high-ranking Village official, as an inside man, they didn't sneak in but resorted to a frontal assault.
On one hand, their strength was indeed formidable, and on the other, stealth was too difficult. It was simply not easy to eliminate everyone who saw them.
Various Barrier Teams, Sealing Teams, and Sensor Teams within the Ninja Village conducted comprehensive detection, making it very hard for outsiders to infiltrate.
Kidnapping a common person who wouldn't resist might be barely manageable, but attempting to kidnap a Village's Hokage or an Elder was far too difficult.
Chiyo and Ebizo had relinquished power and no longer handled affairs, but their Elder status remained, and Sunagakure had even assigned them dedicated Jonin as guards.
Trying to kidnap someone without anyone noticing was extremely difficult.
Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, while he was alive, could 'invade the brain and modify will without being detected,' but that was when he was alive. He was now dead. Using Kotoamatsukami in a soul state was like a three-year-old wielding a sledgehammer, harming both himself and others. Moreover, his Dojutsu Power could not be replenished; every use diminished it.
Chiyo was not entirely defenseless; the eighty-year-old lady also understood Yin Release. Attempting to forcibly control her and then walk out of Sunagakure would be very difficult.
The Chunin Exams at this time provided an excellent opportunity.
During last year's Chunin Exams, Sunagakure didn't just send Gaara and a few others; they sent over thirty Genin, which was equivalent to ten squads. Including the Jonin squad leaders, accompanying personnel, and so on, there were probably about a hundred people.
For the official competition a month later, Jiraiya, as the Fifth Hokage, would be present. He would bring a guard team, bringing the total contingent to around two hundred people.
They would create chaos during the competition, then coordinate from inside and outside to abduct the target.
Many informed individuals who saw Shikaku's plan felt a desire to complain: wasn't this just a rehash of the Konoha Crush?
Shikaku smiled, "Honestly, this plan is still very good. Overly complicated plans are prone to errors; simple and practical plans are good plans."
"Sigh," seeing the plan, Jiraiya secretly sighed.
He wasn't sighing about anything else, but about these Chunin Exams.
If Konoha pulled another stunt like this, the major Ninja Villages probably wouldn't dare to hold Chunin Exams so openly anymore, would they? What was originally a good traditional event was ruined by Sunagakure and Konoha Village...
The characters involved were quite similar. The Konoha Crush had a crucial element of a Jinchuriki causing trouble in the Village, and the Sunagakure Crush plan also intended to include that.
Naruto was definitely out; Jiraiya had no intention of involving Naruto in these matters.
At the suggestion of Ino, a contemporary Female Ninja paragon who was 'honest and trustworthy, brave enough to take on heavy responsibilities, and never passed the buck,' Shikaku felt this could be framed. Sunagakure's idea last year of using a Jinchuriki to cause trouble was entirely correct, so we'll copy it!
He sent Yamanaka Clan Ninja to track down Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki from Iwagakure. He heard that this Jinchuriki was at odds with the Third Tsuchikage and had left the Village years ago to wander around.
Never mind whether he was wandering or not; Konoha would capture him and then throw him into the competition arena to transform into his Tailed Beast form! Afterward, they would find a few Ninja to impersonate Iwagakure Ninja and pin the blame on Iwagakure!
Could they clean up the blame? That's another matter, but they still had to try.
As long as the two sides started fighting, Konoha would be stable.
Then, Sunagakure would fight Iwagakure, Hidden Mist would fight Kumogakure, and Konoha would be in the middle, helping whoever was weaker.
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