Chapter 60: Everything Is Ready, Onward to Konoha!
A Gambling Den in the Land of Hot Water.
A fierce-looking woman sat at the gambling table, commanding the scene with her presence. Around her, a crowd of gamblers yelled and placed bets, the lively atmosphere charged with adrenaline.
"Lady Tsunade! Something terrible has happened!"
A petite girl pushed through the crowd, her face filled with panic.
"Calm down. What could possibly go wrong with me here?"
Tsunade frowned, annoyed at having her gambling interrupted. She scolded the girl, Shizune, for being overly anxious.
"But, Lady Tsunade, this time it's serious!"
"Something's happened in Konoha!"
Struggling to organize her thoughts, Shizune finally blurted out the main point.
"What could possibly happen in Konoha? Whatever it is, it's none of my concern."
Tsunade's face briefly showed hesitation but quickly reverted to indifference.
"No, Lady Tsunade, this time it's something really big! Look at this!"
Shizune hurriedly handed her a scroll.
With a skeptical look, Tsunade opened it. The relaxed expression on her face disappeared in an instant, replaced by deep concern.
"Let's go! Back to Konoha!"
"There's something I need to ask that old man about!"
Without hesitation, Tsunade left the gambling table, not even bothering to collect her winnings, and pulled Shizune along as they rushed out.
Though she often acted like she didn't care about Konoha's affairs, when a real crisis emerged, Tsunade could never stand idly by.
This was her grandfather Hashirama's life's work. How could she bear to watch it crumble before her eyes?
---
Orochimaru's Sound Village.
After defecting from the Akatsuki, Orochimaru had scouted several locations before settling here to establish his experimental base.
The technique for Living Corpse Reincarnation had been perfected, but now he needed a suitable host.
Initially, Orochimaru had his eyes on Uchiha Itachi's body.
Unfortunately, that was an impossible dream. The fight with Itachi and his Mangekyō Sharingan had left a painful, unforgettable scar on Orochimaru, forcing him to abandon the idea.
Reluctantly, he turned his attention to other options. He planned to raid Kirigakure for talented bloodline users before eventually targeting the Sharingan of a young child in Konoha.
By luck, the turmoil in Kirigakure made it easy for Orochimaru to avoid detection as he abducted promising candidates.
Among them were Suigetsu Hōzuki, the younger brother of Mangetsu Hōzuki, and Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan. His efforts yielded exceptional results, and he was eager to proceed with his reincarnation experiments.
However, just as everything was ready, news of the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure swept across the ninja world.
The information was a mix of truth and lies, making even someone as knowledgeable as Orochimaru uncertain about its authenticity.
Curious, he decided to postpone his experiments and investigate the rumors himself.
"Kabuto, take care of things here while I'm gone," Orochimaru instructed his bespectacled assistant coldly.
"Yes," Kabuto replied without hesitation, adjusting his glasses.
---
Elsewhere.
Jiraiya, who had been peacefully traveling and "gathering research," also found his plans disrupted by the shocking news. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he abandoned his leisurely pursuits and hurried back to Konoha.
Even small villages like Kusagakure, Hoshigakure, Takigakure, and Yumegakure began sending representatives to Konoha after hearing about the treasure.
Even Takigakure, known for its seclusion, was tempted by greed. The village dispatched its jinchūriki to Konoha, intending to provide support in case they needed to compete for the treasure.
Not everyone was interested in the treasure itself; many were simply curious.
Even nobles from various nations joined the spectacle, hoping to witness the legendary treasure capable of making someone the "God of the Ninja World."
For them, it was entertainment, a story to boast about later:
"When the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure was within my grasp, I kicked it aside and scoffed, 'This garbage is beneath me. I've defeated 56 treasure-wielding ninjas in my time!'"
They could already imagine the applause and admiration from their audience.
---
Konoha: The World's Center of Attention.
Because of the rumors surrounding the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure, Konoha had become the focal point of the entire world. People of all kinds—spies, opportunists, and spectators—poured into the village, each with their own motives.
---
"Everything is done. Ah Huo, what's your next move?"
Black Zetsu had meticulously executed Uchiha Yi's plan, achieving the desired results. Now he was curious about the next step in this elaborate scheme.
"Don't worry, you won't be disappointed. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Uchiha Yi grinned confidently.
"Is that so? Then I'll look forward to it," Black Zetsu replied with a sinister chuckle.
"Let's go! The stage is set, and the actors are ready to play their roles. We, the audience, mustn't be late!"
With that, Uchiha Yi vanished before Black Zetsu's eyes, using his space-time ninjutsu.
"Impressive… Is this the same space-time technique as Obito's Kamui?" Black Zetsu muttered to himself, unable to fully understand the technique but deeply wary of it.
Moments later, Uchiha Obito appeared.
"Zetsu, what's the point of all this?"
For days, Obito had watched Black Zetsu and Uchiha Yi conspiring about their so-called plan to destroy Konoha, yet nothing concrete had emerged.
"If I told you, you wouldn't understand," Black Zetsu replied bluntly, leaving Obito fuming.
Obito's face turned red with frustration, but he said nothing. He knew Zetsu was still angry with him for allowing the Three-Tails' jinchūriki to die, despite repeated warnings.
"Enough. Just watch. It won't interfere with our plans."
Black Zetsu's reassurance did little to soothe Obito's irritation, but he grudgingly left without another word.
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