"Alright, as long as you're confident. I won't say more. I'll start preparing; I'm leaving tomorrow," Kushina said confidently, and Takuya felt like he should trust her.
With the spy network dismantled, even if the Hidden Cloud Village tried to send people over, there was no guarantee they could even sneak into the village, let alone make a move on Kushina.
Now that they knew about the Hidden Cloud's plan to abduct a jinchūriki, the Third Hokage definitely wouldn't stand by and do nothing.
If Kushina were captured, it wouldn't be the worst thing—they could always get her back. But if the Nine-Tails were released by accident, the entire village could be destroyed.
The Third Hokage knew he couldn't stop the Nine-Tails. After all, he wasn't the First Hokage, who could take on the beast like it was just a pet. If the Nine-Tails were to rampage through the village, it would leave nothing but ruins in its wake.
That's why, despite his usual reluctance, the Third Hokage agreed to Danzo's revenge plan.
The Hidden Cloud dared to make a move on Konoha's secret weapon? They had to retaliate.
Meanwhile, in a private lab, Orochimaru, clad in a white lab coat and focused on his experiment, suddenly sensed something. His eyes flashed with annoyance.
"I don't remember inviting you here," he muttered.
Thud.
Thud.
The steady sound of a cane striking the iron floor echoed through the lab as Danzo slowly entered.
"Is this how you treat an ally?" Danzo asked, his voice as cold as his entrance.
"We're not allies yet. Our deal hasn't been finalized because I haven't received what you promised," Orochimaru said, eyes narrowing.
Seeing that his experiment wouldn't be continuing, Orochimaru quickly jotted down some notes, set his tools aside, and removed his gloves, tossing them into a nearby trash bin.
At this point in time, Orochimaru hadn't fully descended into darkness, though he had his sights set on immortality. He wasn't yet as extreme as he would later become, especially after the events involving Nawaki. This lab, for instance, was entirely legal, funded by his own earnings, and sanctioned by Konoha.
The higher-ups knew Orochimaru had a passion for experimentation, so they allowed him to build his own lab. Some of the equipment was even procured with the Third Hokage's approval.
As of now, his research didn't involve anything forbidden. Although he wasn't thrilled about Nawaki being forcibly assigned to him, Orochimaru had grown fond of the kid. So when Danzo approached him for some less-than-legal experiments, Orochimaru made his demands clear.
In addition to a hidden laboratory, he required chakra metal. That's why Danzo had recently moved most of Konoha's reserves into a storage scroll—it was a necessary part of their arrangement.
Danzo, having lost an eye and the use of his arm, was desperate. Konoha would never accept a cripple as Hokage; it would damage the village's image. To restore his body, Danzo needed to conduct certain... forbidden experiments. And who better to help than Orochimaru?
"The chakra metal was stolen," Danzo growled, his face darkening as he slammed his cane against the ground in frustration. "I had most of the village's reserves of chakra metal sealed in a scroll and sent to you, but as soon as it left the village, it was ambushed and taken."
"Well, that's unfortunate," Orochimaru said with a sly grin.
He couldn't help but be amused at Danzo's bad luck. The shipment was stolen almost immediately after leaving the village? The chakra metal just vanished?
"Well, without the chakra metal, I can't craft the high-level tools I need for our experiments. So, naturally, our cooperation isn't valid."
Orochimaru needed the chakra metal not just for the experiments, but also because he wanted to create a suitable weapon for Nawaki, who had been training relentlessly in taijutsu and swordsmanship.
Danzo's face twisted in frustration.
"The internal investigation in the ANBU—was that your doing?" Danzo asked, his tone accusatory.
"Hmph. Sarutobi has grown old and lost his edge. Without me pushing him, do you think he'd have initiated the investigation or gone along with the plan to retaliate against the Hidden Cloud?" Danzo spat, growing angrier as he spoke.
But Orochimaru didn't care.
"Let's talk again when you have what I need. Maybe by the time I return from the Land of Lightning, you'll have some good news. Otherwise, find someone else to work with," Orochimaru said, dismissively.
Danzo's grip tightened on his cane.
"You'll see my commitment," Danzo replied through gritted teeth as he turned to leave.
Orochimaru's refusal wasn't surprising. Both men were cut from the same cloth—neither would move without proper incentive. The loss of the chakra metal was Danzo's problem, not Orochimaru's. Without the goods, there would be no deal.
After Danzo left, Orochimaru chuckled darkly to himself.
Meanwhile, Danzo needed to figure out how to acquire the chakra metal before Orochimaru returned. But where would he find more chakra metal? The remaining reserves in the logistics division were overseen by Koharu, and she would never allow him to take them. He had already pushed his luck the first time. If he tried again, she would certainly raise hell.
"It looks like I'll need to visit Hanzo myself," Danzo mused aloud.
He saw an opportunity to meet with Hanzo. Under the guise of convincing Hanzo to withdraw his forces from the Land of Iron, Danzo could negotiate for something in return—like chakra metal. After all, Hanzo was sure to loot resources if he succeeded in his invasion.
As for how much Hanzo could extract from the Land of Iron? That was Hanzo's problem. Konoha's official mission was to convince him to back down, but Danzo knew he'd control the narrative.
If Hanzo refused to leave, what could Konoha do? They wouldn't go to war with the Hidden Rain over it, surely?
Danzo, who initially had no interest in getting involved with the Land of Iron situation, now felt he should personally take the reins.
The next day, Danzo approached the Third Hokage, who had been grappling with the situation and volunteered to negotiate with Hanzo.
"....."
The Third Hokage was stunned.
Danzo had been so adamant about not getting involved. What changed?
But in the end, the Third Hokage accepted Danzo's offer. Konoha did need someone to approach Hanzo, after all. Even if the negotiation didn't succeed, they had to show they were serious about peace.
As for whether Hanzo would withdraw his troops—that would depend on the negotiation.
With everything in Konoha settled, Takuya was ready for the journey ahead.
Late at night, Orochimaru arrived at Takuya's home.
Seeing Takuya casually climb out of the window, Orochimaru smiled. "Takuya-kun is as reliable as always."
"..."
Takuya-kun? Why did that always sound so wrong coming from Orochimaru?
They'd talked about this before—just call him by his name. But after wandering around for a while and fighting on the frontlines in the Land of Rivers, Orochimaru had gone back to his old habit. Every time Orochimaru called him Takuya-kun, Takuya couldn't shake the feeling that the snake-like man was up to something.
The two of them left the village through a hidden ANBU exit, slipping into the night as they headed toward the Land of Lightning.
"What intel does the village have on the Hidden Cloud's jinchūriki?" Takuya asked, wanting to be well-prepared for the mission ahead.
**********
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