Reborn in Konoha; I Think I’m Cultivating Immortality

In the Land of Fire, three Iwagakure shinobi moved cautiously through the dense forests. Though their mission was simply to deliver a letter, unease filled their hearts.

After all, this was the Land of Fire. An unspoken taboo within the shinobi world, a land where outsiders tread carefully, if at all.

"It's been eight years since I last came to the Land of Fire," said a middle-aged shinobi, his voice tinged with admiration. "This place is truly enviable in its prosperity."

His tone, however, lacked the greed he might have felt in the past. What had once been seen as a plump sheep ripe for the taking had turned into a terrifying demon lord, devouring any who dared covet its riches.

"Indeed," another shinobi added, his voice heavy with envy, "Compared to this place, the Land of Earth feels so barren."

"Watch your words," said the third member of the group, a more composed and serious individual who seemed to be the team captain, "This is no longer a place we can casually speak ill of."

"Yes, Captain!"

The other two immediately straightened.

The three moved swiftly toward the Land of Fire's border defense line, where Konoha shinobi kept watch.

"Halt! Identify yourselves!"

A voice rang out sharply from a watchtower as a Konoha shinobi spotted the approaching group.

The Iwagakure team stopped at once, and their captain stepped forward.

"We are shinobi from Iwagakure. Our purpose here is to deliver a letter written by the Third Tsuchikage, addressed to Konoha's Third Hokage."

The Konoha shinobi raised an eyebrow but remained cautious.

"Leave the letter there and step back," he ordered.

"Understood."

The Iwagakure captain complied immediately, retrieving the letter from his vest and carefully placing it on the ground before retreating.

The Konoha shinobi descended from the watchtower, donned gloves, and picked up the letter.

He examined the exterior but refrained from opening it. As a letter from the Third Tsuchikage to the Third Hokage, its contents were far beyond his authority to read.

"Wait here. We'll deliver the letter to Konoha," the Konoha shinobi said firmly.

In the past, he might have escorted the visitors to the village, but these were different times. Under orders from Konoha's leadership, foreign shinobi were no longer permitted to enter without explicit approval.

 This precaution was a deliberate effort to shield Konoha's development from prying eyes.

"Understood. We'll wait here," the Iwagakure captain replied obediently. Before departing, he had been sternly instructed by his Tsuchikage to remain patient and cooperative, avoiding any unnecessary conflict.

…

The letter made its way from the Land of Fire's border to Konoha, where it was soon placed on Hui's desk.

"A joint Chunin Exam… Oniki's being quite clever," Hui, praised.

Three years had passed, and Hui's body had undergone further transformations, nearing a critical stage of evolution. 

He was on the brink of his next metamorphosis, one that would not only elevate his physical capabilities but also his spiritual state.

As a result, his mind was sharper than ever, his thoughts crystal clear. It took him only a moment to deduce Oniki's intentions.

"It's obvious—Oniki wants to gauge your stance on the shinobi world. He's restless with seven years still left on the peace agreement," said Sakumo, who stood nearby. He, too, had seen through Oniki's motives.

"It doesn't matter. Even if they learn my thoughts, what can they do?" Hui said with a calm smile.

Over the past three years, the energy within his body had grown exponentially, rivaling the peak strength of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama. 

Hui had firmly entered the super-Kage level, and with his next evolution, he would soon ascend to the Six Paths level.

At that point, neither the shinobi world nor even the Ōtsutsuki Clan would pose a threat to him.

"That's true. Even if they uncover our plans, they can't replicate Konoha's development. The unification of the shinobi world is inevitable. It's only a matter of time," Sakumo said confidently.

"Let's participate, then. It'll be a good opportunity for Nawaki and Minato to gain experience and broaden their horizons," Hui decided. 

Both Nawaki and Minato were destined to take on significant responsibilities in the future, and exposure to the broader shinobi world would benefit them.

"Tsk, tsk. Minato I can understand. He's calm and composed. But sending Nawaki to the Chunin Exam? The so-called geniuses from other villages are in for a rude awakening," Sakumo said, grinning.

Nawaki, despite his youth, possessed the strength of an elite jonin. With the Nine-Tails' power at his disposal, he was practically Kage-level. Sending someone like him to the Chunin Exam was like letting a wolf lose in a chicken den.

"I just hope the geniuses from other villages can at least put up a fight and give Nawaki some pressure. That kid is starting to think he's invincible," Hui said with a wry smile, though he had little faith in the other villages' shinobi.

Nawaki's strength was undeniable. With his Senju lineage, monstrous physical prowess, mastery of various ninjutsu, swordsmanship, Wood Release, and the Nine-Tails' power, he was a force to be reckoned with.

If not for his lack of real combat experience, he would already be a true Kage-level ninja.

Even among his peers, Nawaki was unrivaled. 

Not even Uchiha Fugaku or Hyuga Hiashi—both slightly older and considered prodigies—could match him. 

They had been thoroughly crushed by Nawaki in sparring.

As for the so-called geniuses from other villages, they stood no chance.

Still, this was the shinobi world, where anything could happen. 

Hui couldn't entirely rule out the possibility of someone awakening a rare bloodline or gaining sudden power. If someone managed to teach Nawaki a lesson, Hui would welcome it.

"Unlikely," Sakumo said, shaking his head, "With Nawaki's strength, even a jonin exam would be unfair to the others, let alone the Chunin Exam."

Sakumo frequently sparred with Nawaki and was well aware of his overwhelming power. Even Sakumo had never seen Nawaki in his strongest state, as his tailed-beast mode remained an unknown factor.

Hui sighed.

"Send our response. Inform Oniki that Konoha will participate in the joint Chunin Exam. Let him decide on the time and place and notify us afterward," he instructed.

Hui understood Oniki's secondary motive, to convene the Kage for a meeting. He saw no issue with it.

At his current level, Hui could obliterate an entire village with a single technique if he wished. The shinobi world no longer had anyone capable of standing against him.

Unless, of course, the Ōtsutsuki Clan intervened—or the spirit of the Sage of Six Paths empowered someone to challenge him.

Then again, Hui mused, it was just as likely that the Sage of Six Paths would support him. 

After all, Hui's rise and the changes he had brought to the shinobi world had gone unchallenged by the Sage, suggesting approval rather than opposition.

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