Land of Lightning
"Raikage-sama, this intelligence report is quite extraordinary."
Seated in the Raikage's office within the Raikage Building was the Fourth Raikage, A, who took over after his father's death in the Third Great Ninja War. He examined the intelligence in his hands with restrained impatience, his expression becoming serious.
"Yes, something seems off, but we mustn't underestimate it. Let the Intelligence Division test it first to verify the authenticity of the information. If it's genuine, money won't be the deciding factor."
The Raikage didn't take the intelligence lightly but didn't dwell on it excessively either. After all, there were only a few traitors like this each year.
Spies existed in every nation, including traitors who betrayed their own village's interests for a hefty reward. Some sought jutsu, others sought revenge, and some were simply driven by greed and feared being caught by their own spies.
In summary, traitors were not uncommon in the shinobi world; they had always existed. However, this particular traitor seemed to have an unusual identity, being able to acquire information about the borders of Konoha.
"Keep a close eye on this matter. Determine whether this traitor is real or fake."
The Fourth Raikage's voice carried a weighty tone. The ninja who came to report immediately nodded respectfully and said, "Understood, Raikage-sama."
Of course, there could also be fake traitors. They would initially provide some genuine intelligence to gain trust, but when it came to conveying crucial mission information, they would mix in one lie among nine truths. That final lie would set a trap, leading to the deaths of numerous elite shinobi. It was a tactic at which every nation excelled.
Even though they knew there was a possibility of fakes, the shinobi of each nation remained enthusiastic. They all had specialized departments to analyze and confirm the authenticity of the intelligence.
Land of Earth
In the office of the Tsuchikage in Iwagakure...
Onoki looked at the intelligence report he had received, quickly scanning its contents. The experienced Kage remained unfazed, calmly placing the report on his desk.
"Have someone closely monitor this intelligence and investigate its authenticity."
"Yes, sir!"
"If it's genuine, we can offer even more wealth and resources. Accuracy is crucial when it comes to intelligence."
The existence of such traitors was something Onoki, with his vast experience, had long become accustomed to. He didn't pay too much attention to this particular intelligence report.
Land of Water, Kirigakure
In a dimly lit room, Karatachi Yagura looked at the intelligence in his hands, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "Hehe, so it's a little bug. I hope your information is true, or else I won't mind slaughtering a few Konoha shinobi to vent my anger."
Border of Land of Fire
Uchiha Yoru returned to his tent with a relaxed expression on his face. As he looked at the funds that had just been delivered by Shizuka, a smile formed on his lips.
Exploiting loopholes was indeed the quickest way to gain wealth. The Uchiha clan deserved its reputation as the wealthiest in Konoha. Despite their arrogance, they were generous to their own.
Receiving a reward of one million ryo and the additional funds sent by his clan, Yoru couldn't help but smile. After converting everything, a pleasant sound echoed in his mind.
[Gold: 280,000]
Seeing this number, Yoru's smile widened. "Not bad. Looks like I'll have to work harder. If I can join Orochimaru's ranks, I'll gain even more resources."
Receiving a one million ryo reward and immediately addressing Orochimaru as his teacher the next day, Yoru's shinobi immediately relayed the shocking news. Naturally, the mission was considered a success, exceeding all expectations.
At this moment, his clan also gave him another task—do everything possible to join the ranks of the Sannin Orochimaru, with the full support of the Uchiha clan's elite at the frontlines.
With a satisfied smile on his face, Yoru began performing hand seals: "Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Sheep."
Summoning Jutsu!
A puff of smoke appeared, and a gray hawk materialized on his shoulder. It was the spirit beast he had purchased for 30,000 ryo.
The hawk possessed no special abilities, and it couldn't communicate like humans. Its intelligence was only slightly superior to ordinary animals, which was precisely why Yoru chose it.
Lack of spiritual intelligence meant that even if a shinobi captured it, genjutsu or memory probing techniques couldn't extract clear memories. They were simply unable to communicate.
However, it was an excellent means of relaying information. The gray hawk on Yoru's shoulder slowly opened its beak and spat out three scrolls.
Then, under a puff of smoke, the gray hawk dissipated, leaving Yoru to unroll the scrolls with anticipation. When he saw the gold bars as thick as his finger, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Time to make some purchases!
[Gold: 330,000]
"Tsk tsk, a gold mine for killing and arson. Looks like the ancestors were right."
As the amount of gold soared to 330,000, Yoru's face revealed a mix of excitement and regret. Damn it, why couldn't his talent be better? If only he had graduated earlier and seized the opportunity during the Third Great Ninja War to amass a fortune.
He had miscalculated! Despite years of hard work since graduation, he had only earned 500,000 ryo. That included the money distributed by the clan and the inheritance from his parents.
Knowing they would have to move after the Nine-Tails attack, he had promptly sold valuable properties in the golden district to accumulate the necessary 500,000 ryo.
"Selling initial information for 50,000 gold coins. If I sell a few more, especially some important ones!"
As he thought about this, Yoru's face showed an excited expression. He was just one step away from shouting out in joy.
As for whether it was shameful to sell information about Konoha for money, he had only one thing to say at this moment—forget it! The Uchiha clan was already on the path to extinction, and he was saving his clan.
Moreover, if he sold enough information, particularly important information that could ignite a border conflict, it would truly be a salvation for his clan.
Once a war broke out, even if it was only a partial border war, Konoha would be constantly tied down at the edge of the conflict. By then, even if someone wanted to target the Uchiha clan, they would be powerless. How could this be called selling information? He was clearly saving his clan, saving the decaying Konoha.
"With 330,000 gold coins, I have no shortage of ninjutsu, genjutsu, or even taijutsu. Bloodline upgrades are not enough. Now, I need to quickly improve my abilities."
Yoru squinted his eyes. It seemed that the present was the calm before the storm for Konoha. Once Orochimaru defected, the borders of Konoha would become turbulent. Even now, he could sense that some small shinobi villages wanted to instigate wars between the major nations for their own gain.
When Orochimaru defected, it would likely be the beginning of an escalated conflict. If not for the significant losses suffered by all nations in the Third Great Ninja War, it would not have remained a localized conflict at this time.
It's time to exchange some things.