Successfully assassinating the Grass Village leader was no straightforward endeavor. Regardless of one's perspective, the Grass Village leader still held the mantle of leadership. Throughout the escalating hostilities between the two villages, the Grass Village leader had managed to elude capture.
"To ensure a successful assassination of the Grass Village leader, we must first draw him out," Akihiko, continuing his guise as Hanzo, explained with unwavering seriousness. "Yet, the recent confrontations between the Rain and Grass Villages have likely put the Grass Village leader on high alert. If I, as the Demigod, step onto the battlefield, it will undoubtedly trigger an all-out war between our villages."
With a tinge of regret, he sighed audibly, his words hanging in the air. "Furthermore, you are well aware of the situation of the Rain Village."
In the wake of his statement, a heavy silence enveloped the room. Danzo too was drawn into contemplation. Akihiko's assessment rang true. Allowing the Demigod to enter the fray during this heightened conflict would inevitably ignite a full-scale war, a scenario that wouldn't play to their advantage.
Internally, Danzo couldn't help but hurl curses at the Rain Village, thinking, 'These Rain Village ninjas are utter fools,' However, as he regarded the resolute figure of Hanzo before him, he couldn't help but add, 'This man is a fool as well.'
Yet, what other options does Danzo even have? He had already invested a staggering 50 million Ryo into this battle. He had secretly left Konoha without informing anyone, not even Hiruzen, and had already committed a substantial sum to this operation. Returning empty-handed wasn't an option. Such a failure would not only invite mockery from his old teammates but also earn him a severe reprimand for going against the ongoing 'Alliance with the Grass Village' strategy.
He bore the weight of Konoha's darkness, a silent guardian lurking in the shadows to protect the village. How could he simply walk away from this now?
Furrowing his brows, Danzo sighed deeply as he regarded the aging Ninja Demigod. He then posed a question, tinged with resignation, "So, in your estimation, what course of action should we pursue?"
"I do possess a plan, however..." Hanzo trailed off, releasing a lengthy sigh. "It's risky, perhaps even too risky to mention."
Danzo found himself perplexed. What did Hanzo imply with 'too risky to mention'? He knew Hanzo was deliberately trying to draw him into inquiring further, but he could no longer afford to remain silent. Time was of the essence, and the longer they delayed, the more dire their situation would become. Moreover, a heightened level of risk might actually work to his advantage. After all, if both the Rain and Grass Villages were weakened, it would better align with his own plans.
"Hanzo, speak. Rest assured, no matter what, Konoha will assist the Rain Village in negotiations," Danzo assured Hanzo, expressing his commitment. Now, he wanted to hear the details of this 'risky plan.'
"Did I hear you correctly?" Akihiko, disguised as Hanzo, asked, his tone filled with hope.
"Yes, go on," Danzo nodded, concealing any disdain he might have felt.
"Since you put it that way... should I really say it?" Akihiko hesitated, intentionally drawing out the moment.
"Please tell me the plan, Leader Hanzo of the Rain Village," Danzo urged, his eyelids narrowing, and his tone darkening, revealing the intense aura of a darkness of konoha, "Rest assured, I, Shimura Danzo, will keep my promise. I hope that Hanzo will take this seriously because..."
He paused for a moment, then continued in a solemn tone, "This is a matter crucial to the peace of the Land of Rain. Sacrifices are sometimes inevitable for a ninja. I trust Leader Hanzo comprehends the concept of sacrifice."
"I understand, I have always been very serious about this," Akihiko nodded earnestly and continued, "Actually... this method is quite simple. Currently, Grass Ninjas are involved in business across the five major ninja villages and have cooperative relationships with them. Advisor Danzo can use Konoha's name to negotiate a large order worth 50 million Ryo directly with the Grass Village leader."
Akihiko paused for a moment, looking at Danzo with sincerity, before adding, "With such a large order, I believe that the money-loving Grass Village leader would be overjoyed when he hears about it. When that happens..."
Akihiko left the sentence hanging, but everyone in the room understood the unspoken implication.
At that moment, a heavy silence enveloped the room. Even Aso, who was present, fell silent, his eyes filled with shock and admiration as he looked at Akihiko. He had thought that the ten million Ryo was already the end of it, but he had never expected such a scheme. He thought he had learned much from Akihiko, but now he realized he still had much to learn from this schemer…*ahem* master strategist.
Danzo, on the other hand, felt a wave of unease wash over him. So, the issue here was that the risk was too great for him? He had already invested so much money, and now he was asking for an additional 50 million Ryo. To him now, It all felt like a bottomless pit, a financial abyss that threatened to swallow him whole.
However, before he could outright reject the idea, Akihiko sighed and said, "Sacrifices are sometimes unavoidable for a ninja. I hope Advisor Danzo understands the concept of sacrifice. This is all for the sake of peace in the ninja world!"
Danzo's expression underwent a series of transformations, and eventually, he slammed his hand on the table. Determination was etched across his face as he addressed Hanzo, "I will consider it."
Without waiting for Akihiko to respond, Danzo turned and walked away. His face remained pale, and it wasn't until he had distanced himself from the room that he allowed himself to regain his composure. Glancing around and then at the five remaining Root members accompanying him, his brow slightly furrowed.
Truthfully, he had a nagging feeling that something was amiss over these past few days, yet he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. After a moment of contemplation, he discreetly signaled the Root members by his side, instructing them to 'Investigate.'
"Understood!" came the hushed response from the Root members. With that, Danzo continued to walk away, his face wore an inscrutable mask hiding his true thoughts and intentions.
…
After managing all the affairs within the Rain Village and pressuring Aso to expedite their leader's return, Akihiko made his way to the Grass Village's base.
Recent events had kept both villages incredibly occupied, all in service of coordinating with fake battle scheme. Moreover, They can't just simply have no casualties or injuries on the battlefield, Danzo wouldn't believe it otherwise. Therefore, Since there weren't many shinobi in the village capable of extending the duration of their Shadow Clones existence, Akihiko had to take control of the situation himself.
Utilizing the Paper Clone technique, he had achieved surprising resilience. Coupled with occasionally inflicting severe injuries on himself, and using fake blood to create the bleeding, he had successfully deceived Danzo. Now, it was time to set the stage for the grand showdown between the Grass and Rain Villages.
Thus, Akihiko, who rarely found a moment of respite, delved into the intelligence grass the village had gathered over the past several days.
The state of affairs in the ninja world didn't seem to hold any significant developments, the wars continued as they had been. Sunagakure was plotting some sort of surprise attack, although the specifics remained obscure, it appeared unrelated to the Grass Village's interests.
Yet, one piece of intelligence intrigued him. Akihiko furrowed his brows in bewilderment as he perused the report. "A young boy unexpectedly entered the battlefield, suspected to be Uchiha Obito, the hero who was believed to have perished during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge. Ultimately, he managed to rescue his teammate who was captured by Kirigakure."
Akihiko was genuinely perplexed. He couldn't help but wonder aloud, "What on earth is happening?!" Akihiko was left deeply puzzled, he couldn't help but wonder, what happened between Uchiha Madara and Obito?
…
Meanwhile, Inside the Land of Fire's borders
Obito, free from any intervention by Madara, hastened to reach the battlefield and, with urgency, reunited with his teammates. Confronted by Kirigakure's encirclement, their bond rekindled, and the trio, driven by newfound determination, skillfully escaped the village's siege, eventually reaching the safety of the Land of Fire's borders.
Yet, as the members of Minato's Team prepared to commemorate their reunion, a mischievous laughter rang out, "hehe~ Obito, I am leaving now."
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