Chapter 90
Kakuzu, still watching Sakumo, was growing irritated and looked in frustration toward Sasori, who was suddenly leaving. He shouted, "What are you doing?!"
"You can handle it yourself now," came Sasori's cold reply as his voice drifted into Kakuzu's ears.
At that moment, an elderly woman appeared on the battlefield. Hearing that familiar voice, she gazed deep into the rain-soaked forest. She was only able to catch a glimpse of the familiar red hair disappearing into the distance.
"Sasori!!" she cried out.
Sasori did not look back. Neither the remnants of his emotions nor his sense of reason allowed him to face his grandmother—Chiyo.
Meanwhile, Sunagakure's forces fully surrounded the area.
Kakuzu hesitated, unsure whether to leave. If Sunagakure claimed Sakumo's body, he might lose the fifty-million-ryo bounty—a sum that drove him to madness.
"Hatake Sakumo, so it's you!" Chiyo exclaimed, recognizing the silver hair that haunted her thoughts day and night. She understood now why Sasori was here.
Memories of her son and grandson flashed before her eyes, and Chiyo ripped open a sealing scroll in rage.
Ten white figures appeared before her—the *Ten Puppet Collection of Chikamatsu*.
These ten puppets were crafted by the legendary puppeteer Monzaemon, each equipped with unique weapons and fighting styles.
In his current state, Sakumo was in no condition to fight. To make matters worse, Kakuzu still stood nearby, waiting to strike.
"I hope Haneda managed to escape..." Sakumo thought, his eyelids drooping. The poison from Sasori's attack was spreading through his body. His breathing was labored, and the fatigue was overwhelming his senses.
Just then, a familiar, cold voice reached his ears.
"Sakumo, it's rare to see you in such a pitiful state."
Orochimaru's figure emerged from the shadows, followed by Might Guy, Anko Mitarashi, and Genma Shiranui.
"Sakumo-san." Guy quickly rushed forward to support Sakumo.
A medic-nin hurried over as well, administering a special antidote to Sakumo.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" Orochimaru's hand morphed into a serpent, blocking Chiyo's *Ten Puppets* from advancing.
With a chilling tone, Orochimaru warned, "If Sunagakure wants to start a war in the Land of Rain, then by all means, take another step forward."
"And what do you say, Hanzo?"
As soon as Orochimaru finished speaking, another figure appeared on the battlefield.
It was none other than Hanzo of the Salamander, leader of Amegakure.
"Amegakure has no intention of starting a war with Konoha or offending Sunagakure," Hanzo said calmly, thrusting his chain-linked sickle into the ground. "Both of you, please leave."
Faced with Hanzo's polite yet firm threat, along with Orochimaru's mocking gaze, Chiyo had no choice but to swallow her anger.
Amegakure did not want its territory turned into a battlefield, and Konoha's reinforcements, led by Orochimaru, had already arrived.
Attacking now was not a good option.
"Fine, I'll take the Sunagakure forces and leave," Chiyo said through gritted teeth.
As a high-ranking official of Sunagakure, she understood that the village's interests took precedence over her personal feelings.
That was Chiyo's sense of duty.
After Sunagakure's forces retreated, Orochimaru exchanged a glance with Hanzo, his expression unreadable.
A few seconds later, Orochimaru led the Konoha forces away as well.
At some point, Kakuzu had quietly slipped away.
Inwardly, Kakuzu cursed himself for not accepting Haneda's offer earlier.
Triple the pay meant 240 million ryo!
The pain of missing out on such a fortune was unbearable.
He was definitely going to kill the black market handler when he returned—he needed a new heart, after all.
...
In a hidden underground chamber in the Village of the Bloody Mist, Black Zetsu and White Zetsu emerged from the ground and reported to Madara, who sat on a stone throne.
"Lord Madara, Hatake Sakumo stayed behind to cover Haneda's escape. Just as he was about to die, Chiyo arrived, and Sasori left."
"When Chiyo attempted to attack Sakumo, Konoha's Orochimaru and Amegakure's Hanzo appeared. Sakumo was rescued."
Madara listened to Black Zetsu's report, his right arm resting on the armrest of the throne, his hand propping up his cheek. A faint smile played on his lips.
"The plan failed, huh?"
Sensing the shift in Madara's expression, Black Zetsu quickly added, "But Lord Madara, the plan to have Root ninjas pursue Haneda worked perfectly."
"Currently, Haneda is unconscious, drifting in a river. White Zetsu is monitoring him, and there is no immediate danger."
Madara kept his hand against his cheek, seemingly unbothered. After a few moments, he raised his head and said, "They were lucky this time."
"Have White Zetsu deliver Haneda to Nagato. Let's see what Nagato's views on peace are."
...
The next morning in Konoha.
When Asuma and Kurenai safely returned to the Land of Fire, the news of Haneda's disappearance in the Land of Rain also reached Konoha.
The Third Hokage, upon hearing the news, immediately ordered a lockdown on the information.
This news absolutely could not reach the Uchiha clan, or no one could predict the consequences.
His own son was safe, but Haneda had gone missing.
No one knew how the Uchiha would react, or how Konoha's other shinobi would view him as Hokage.
If those close to Haneda banded together...
The Uchiha clan, Sakumo, Dai, Minato, and Kushina…
The Third Hokage couldn't even fathom the outcome.
Even though he knew it was unlikely to escalate that far, the possibility still lingered.
Taking a deep puff from his pipe, the Third Hokage calmed his nerves and addressed the ANBU hidden in his office.
"Send word to Jiraiya, Might Dai, and Namikaze Minato. They are to immediately lead teams into the Land of Rain to search for Uchiha Haneda. Inform them that this is a top-secret mission, and they are forbidden from speaking of it to anyone."
"Also, dispatch the ANBU captain with ten squads to the Land of Rain. Their objective is the same as Dai and Minato's."
"In short, we must find Haneda, dead or alive!"
Suddenly, the Third Hokage recalled something and turned to another ANBU operative.
"Summon Elder Danzo to my office."
...
Fifteen minutes later.
Danzo pushed open the door to the Hokage's office and bluntly asked, "Hiruzen, what urgent matter do you need me for?"
Danzo knew Sarutobi Hiruzen all too well.
As the Hokage who operated under the light, Hiruzen often relied on Danzo and his Root division to handle the darker, more unsavory tasks.
For Hiruzen to personally summon him, it had to be an exceptionally important matter.
"Danzo, I need your help with something," Hiruzen said, his tone serious.
"Last night, Sakumo's Team 9 encountered two unknown powerful enemies."
"One was a puppet master who turned the Third Kazekage into a puppet."
"The other was a rogue ninja from Takigakure with a strange body structure—he had at least three hearts."
"After the battle, Sakumo was poisoned and injured, and Haneda went missing."
Upon hearing that the "naturally evil Uchiha brat" had gone missing, a flicker of satisfaction flashed in Danzo's eyes.
'Uchiha Haneda going missing... That's wonderful!'
But Danzo's joy was short-lived, as the Third Hokage continued.
"I need you to help me find Haneda, Danzo, and bring him back to Konoha at any cost."
Danzo's face immediately turned pale.
"What?!"
"Hiruzen! You want me to rescue that naturally evil Uchiha brat?!" Danzo said, incredulous.
"This isn't a request; it's an order!"
"And remember, Danzo—I'm the Hokage!"
The Third Hokage's rare display of firmness left Danzo speechless.
???
In growing confusion, Danzo stared at Hiruzen as he added, "Haneda is connected to too many people."
"That includes the Uchiha clan, Sakumo, Dai, Minato, and even the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina."
"For the sake of Konoha, Danzo, the village's interests must come before personal feelings."
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Danzo's face grew even darker, tinged with frustration.
As the head of Root and a staunch enforcer of the Second Hokage's anti-Uchiha policies, he now had to rescue an Uchiha brat…
The sheer absurdity of it all overwhelmed Danzo.
But for Konoha's sake, and to preserve Hiruzen's position as Hokage, Danzo had no choice but to agree.
He had to carry out this mission, setting aside all personal feelings.
Through gritted teeth, Danzo finally said, "Fine! I'll lead Root in the search for Uchiha Haneda, Hiruzen!"
...
***
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