Naruto: Eat this fruit and we will be brothers

Four days later, Qi Hai had been in Sunagakure for a week.

Surprisingly, he was starting to enjoy life in the village.

Although the people had a rough-and-tumble attitude, spoke crudely, loved taking advantage of others, and weren't the most hygienic, they were genuine and straightforward.

Afternoon.

Just as Qi Hai was about to enter the Sand Village Snack Shop, a few figures stopped him.

"Qi Hai-sama, Advisor Chiyo requests your presence." They hesitated, then added cautiously, "It's a very important matter!"

Chiyo?

Over the past few days, Qi Hai had familiarized himself with the basics of Sunagakure. He knew the Kazekage he had beaten to a pulp was named Rasa and that Chiyo, the village's second-in-command, was a renowned master of puppets and poison.

"Alright." Qi Hai agreed without hesitation.

Whatever came, he could handle it. His skills were top-tier, after all.

He followed them through winding paths until they arrived at what appeared to be a school building. The structure was low and small, suggesting a limited number of students.

Inside the large hall, a sizable crowd had already gathered.

At the center were about twenty people, each brimming with confidence, clad in earthen-colored ninja combat uniforms. Their focused gazes were fixed on an elderly woman seated at the front—Chiyo, who seemed lost in thought.

Chiyo's favorite pastimes were daydreaming and fishing.

To the north of the hall was a tiered seating area filled with children aged 9 to 15. Some were watching in awe, while others looked unimpressed, chatting noisily like sparrows.

"Hey, Kankurō, what's this all about?" Temari asked curiously.

"Uh... maybe it's a talent show or something? Look at those old dudes trying to show off!" Kankurō joked, laughing awkwardly.

"Idiot. These people are obviously strong. They're probably here to teach us a lesson," Gaara replied coldly, exuding his usual aloofness.

Hearing Gaara's words, Kankurō shrank back, sweat beading on his forehead. As someone frequently bullied by Gaara, even being spoken to by him sent chills down his spine.

"Aha... You're probably right, Gaara," Kankurō said nervously, forcing a laugh.

"Hmph," Gaara snorted, turning away.

Meanwhile, Jinbi, a middle-ranked ninja, was brimming with excitement.

For days, he had been stuck with a boring B-rank escort mission outside the village. Everyone knew he was more than capable of handling A-rank missions, but there were two issues:

Only jōnin could accept A-rank missions, and Jinbi was still a mere chūnin.

Sunagakure rarely received A-rank missions. Few clients trusted the village with such high-stakes requests.

But today, his dream of becoming a jōnin was about to come true!

Through "rigorous selection" and "strict evaluation," Jinbi had been chosen as one of twenty new jōnin.

Still, as he glanced at Chiyo and his "old comrades," confusion clouded his excitement.

"Why hasn't the ceremony started yet?" Jinbi asked a younger ninja nearby.

"They're waiting for someone."

"Who? The Kazekage?" Jinbi asked, puzzled. He knew everyone involved in the selection was already here, and Ebizō never attended these events.

"The Kazekage is injured and won't be coming. Oh, look—my idol is here!" the younger ninja exclaimed.

"Your idol?" Jinbi was baffled.

After just one B-rank mission, he felt completely out of the loop. Since when did the Kazekage get injured? And why had the dynamics in the village changed so much?

Qi Hai arrives!

"Finally here, huh?" Chiyo said with a slight smile.

Having nearly given up on Sunagakure, Chiyo had resigned herself to a life of fishing, daydreaming, and idleness. The village's lack of resources and declining strength had left her feeling powerless.

But now, Sunagakure had gained a new super-Kage-level fighter. No, a boy!

With Rasa as a Kage and Qi Hai as a super-Kage, Sunagakure had a chance to rise again. A brighter future awaited!

Filled with hope, Chiyo approached Qi Hai, her face lighting up with a grandmotherly smile. "Qi Hai, you've finally arrived. Just call me Granny!"

"Alright, Granny. Why'd you call me here?"

Chiyo didn't answer immediately. Instead, she returned to her seat and put on a stern expression.

This was the Chiyo of legend—the advisor of Sunagakure, the one-woman army capable of destroying an entire city.

"Alright. I believe you all know why you've been called here today?" Chiyo's sharp gaze swept over the younger ninjas.

Everyone nodded, except Qi Hai, who shook his head with a clueless expression.

"Good," Chiyo said, ignoring Qi Hai's antics. She glanced at him with a mixture of hope and amusement. "From today onward, you are officially Sunagakure's new jōnin. As jōnin, you are the embodiment of wisdom, courage, and honor. You are the backbone of the village, the role models for all ninjas, and the battle-hardened warriors of the sand—"

(At this point, Chiyo's speech continued for another 3,000 words.)

The Children's Section.

Temari and Kankurō exchanged glances, their gazes drifting toward Gaara.

"Scary..."

It wasn't that they enjoyed poking fun, but Gaara had already taken all the attention. They couldn't help but laugh at his expression.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Chiyo concluded her speech:

"Now, please recite the Sunagakure Jōnin Code!"

Qi Hai blinked. "Huh, it's over?"

A group of obedient young ninjas handed out small booklets for the jōnin to recite. Naturally, the rebellious trio of Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō weren't given any.

By this point, Qi Hai understood why he had been called here. The past few days had given him a vague idea.

Sunagakure Jōnin?

Not bad.

For the first time in this world, Qi Hai had a legitimate identity and a place to belong.

Still, he couldn't forget his ultimate goal—becoming the Kazekage in just over 20 days.

If he was already a jōnin, how far off could the Kazekage title be?

"Wahahaha!"

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