[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha":3,"chapter-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-143":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting Off with Horse and Sword in Konoha",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2349194,4591,"Chapter 143","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-143",143,"\u003Cp>The test is over; Fujinaka Genma feels he can now master more conventional ninjutsu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, it’s essential to raise all basic chakra nature transformations to level 10.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given Fujinaka Genma’s current status, he can freely learn and study any ninja technique or forbidden jutsu in Konoha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, the Impure World Reincarnation—he had already planned to learn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, the Dead Demon Consuming Seal: though he has no intention of using it desperately, such a technique that seals souls and separates yin and yang is worth studying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving the training base, his day’s work begins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first day of the New Year isn’t busy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for Fujinaka Genma, it’s business as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His main body remains at headquarters while his shadow clones go out to train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the first day of the New Year passes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the second day, Fujinaka Genma first visited the Hokage’s office, greeted Minato Namikaze, then proceeded to the Root.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, Shisui Uchiha had already prepared everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides him, there were three others: Ren, Yi, and Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Shisui Uchiha would lead these three as Fujinaka Genma’s bodyguards to the Hidden Rain Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving a few instructions to Hyuga Niji, Fujinaka Genma ordered the team to depart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They left Konoha and headed west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five of them moved at a moderate pace but entered the Land of Rain before noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 3 p.m., they arrived before the Hidden Rain Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hidden Rain Village’s defenses were tight—they had set up a checkpoint at the bridge and stopped Fujinaka Genma’s group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rain continued to fall steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shisui Uchiha stepped forward to negotiate: “We are from Konoha. Our Hokage’s aide, Fujinaka Genma, wishes to meet your leader. Please announce us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fujinaka Genma…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two guards blocking Shisui Uchiha paled, their eyes shifting to Fujinaka Genma behind them—who wore no raincoat yet remained completely dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had never seen Fujinaka Genma, but his name was infamous; they had heard it countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d heard he was very young—and now they saw it was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them said to Shisui Uchiha: “Please wait a moment—we’ll inform Lord Hanzo immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank Itachi!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thanking them, Shisui Uchiha stepped back beside Fujinaka Genma and whispered: “Lord Genma, something’s wrong with this village. Outside, everything is chaos—but here, the defenses are excessive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Hidden Rain Village’s strength isn’t weak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along their journey, they’d seen the Land of Rain in utter disarray—bandits ran rampant, and ninja organizations were everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of those organizations might even have been founded by our Root members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current ninja world is relatively calm; the Stone and Leaf Villages have many grievances, but their conflicts are confined to the Land of Grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma knew Kakashi Hatake had gone to the Land of Grass after Root training and still hadn’t returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All major ninja villages have operatives active in the Land of Rain, because it’s a four-way battleground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Hidden Rain Village preserved its strength well during the last Great Ninja War; in Shisui Uchiha’s view, it had more than enough power to stabilize the Land of Rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma smiled lightly: “Hanzo is no longer the Hanzo who dared strike against the major ninja villages. The ‘Half-God’ isn’t a god—he grows old, and he fears.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without the Akatsuki, Hanzo had already become cautious, with astonishing protective measures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he’s witnessed the power of the Rinnegan, how could he not fear retaliation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why he’s holed up inside the Hidden Rain Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad—he couldn’t have stopped Nagato when he returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nearly half an hour, someone arrived to escort Fujinaka Genma’s group across the bridge into the Hidden Rain Village, then to the leader’s residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, guards stood every three steps—their strength made Shisui Uchiha and the others stare in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How little security did he feel?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has the once-Half-God really sunk to this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shisui Uchiha found it hard to believe, then glanced at Fujinaka Genma ahead, comparing him to the vibrant Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even compared to the retired Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hanzo’s performance fell short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With such a leader, and such a village, the Hidden Rain Village…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shisui Uchiha silently shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without comparison, there’s no sense of achievement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His understanding of the Will of Fire rose another level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma didn’t know what Shisui Uchiha was imagining—his reputation was already formidable, and Hanzo didn’t dare delay; he received them immediately in a conference room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After formal greetings and pleasantries, as Fujinaka Genma and the others sat down, Hanzo cut straight to the point: “Mr. Genma, what is your purpose in coming to the Hidden Rain Village?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I apologize for the sudden visit, but I have one matter I wish to verify with Itachi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanzo raised an eyebrow. “Verify?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma nodded and asked directly: “I want to know—who killed the other members of the Akatsuki, besides its three leaders, during that battle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanzo’s expression darkened; upon hearing of Fujinaka Genma’s arrival, he’d already suspected this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was the new Root leader—and rumors said he’d eliminated his predecessor to take power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why investigate that incident?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To pursue justice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was meaningless now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was it for those eyes, that power?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hanzo’s expression, Fujinaka Genma smiled: “Lord Hanzo, I mean no ill intent. I only wish to confirm whether others were involved in that event, conspiring against us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanzo frowned. “What do Itachi mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma smiled: “If the other Akatsuki members weren’t eliminated by your orders, then someone else intervened to remove them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was their goal? It’s not hard to guess now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanzo understood Fujinaka Genma’s implication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was deliberately making them enemies of the Akatsuki.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Hanzo held his ground: “That boy is half-dead. Even with that power, he’s no threat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma nearly laughed out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were those tight defenses outside just for show?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, he was professional—his expression didn’t change. He said: “Lord Hanzo, the enemy is in the shadows, we are in the light. Even with great strength, there are always blind spots.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a saying in my homeland: ‘A thief can steal for a thousand days, but guarding against him for a thousand days is impossible.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanzo fell silent, then looked up at the impossibly young Fujinaka Genma and asked: “What do Itachi propose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cooperate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Find them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma had already prepared his proposal: “The Akatsuki is likely still active in the Land of Rain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The chaos here makes it perfect for them to hide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We can assist Itachi in fully controlling the Land of Rain—even the Land of Chuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, Konoha has no designs on the Land of Rain—we can offer our services through employment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanzo stared in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hire Konoha ninja to cleanse the Land of Rain?\u003C\u002Fp>",1131,"2026-06-21T02:29:34.312Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bc71c0689e11cc0cfce5d28bfe5bf5c9b48023d7c913a6767dc9d3d297c0015f","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-144","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-142",157,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-cover.jpg"]