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Unless these two villages could somehow unite and bind themselves into a single, cohesive rope, they were simply not worth worrying about. Even a moment's thought with one's heel would make it clear that the Sand Village and the Mist Village could never truly come together, let alone form a tight, unified alliance. This was precisely why Kazuki could disregard them. As long as the Stone Village's strength was sufficiently weakened, the Leaf Village's standing in the shinobi world would be firmly secured, unshakable.
"Orochimaru, that fellow, has finally grown impatient. Good timing – there are some matters that require him to return." Recently, Orochimaru's mood had been less than pleasant. Although on the battlefield, the Stone Village had been constantly evading the Leaf Village's offensives, and the Leaf held the advantage in every aspect, this kind of advantage was not what Orochimaru desired.
The more frantically the Third Hokage bounced around, the smaller Orochimaru's share of the military merits became. To make matters worse, the Third Hokage had come to the battlefield bearing direct orders, so Orochimaru couldn't very well openly suppress his own teacher. Unable to overtly pressure the Third Hokage, Orochimaru could only try to find solutions through the village.
What he hadn't anticipated was that Kazuki would issue a single transfer order, pulling him directly off the battlefield and instructing him to hand over his command authority to the Third Hokage. Had it been anyone else, this would have sparked considerable resentment. But Orochimaru cheerfully dumped the command authority onto the Third Hokage and departed the battlefield alone, returning to the village.
Having so inexplicably obtained battlefield command authority, the Third Hokage couldn't muster a shred of happiness. This was because he had absolutely no idea what Kazuki's intentions were. Was this a test, or was there some deeper meaning behind it? Orochimaru had it easy – he just washed his hands and walked away, leaving the Third Hokage holding a hot potato, utterly at a loss.
The most part was that he had only been granted battlefield command authority. The authority over the camp itself remained firmly in Uchiha Fugaku's hands. In other words, if he wanted to wage war comfortably, he still had to rely on Fugaku's cooperation. The moment Fugaku decided to create trouble in the rear, the first person to suffer would be him. This was a treatment the Third Hokage had never experienced before.
Just what was Kazuki scheming, to recall Orochimaru at a time like this? The Third Hokage felt quite pleased with himself, believing his cooperation with his student Orochimaru had been excellent.
Little did he know, Orochimaru was on the verge of cursing up a storm. I'm on the battlefield reaping merits and rewards, and what do you do? You come charging onto the battlefield, engaging Onoki in all sorts of battles of wits and courage, making me, the commander, look like nothing more than a decorative figurehead. It was fortunate that it was Orochimaru. Had it been Jiraiya, he would have long since gone to complain directly to the Third Hokage.
"The Advisor has transferred Orochimaru away and handed command authority to Lord Third?" Fugaku received the news immediately. After all, as the one overseeing the camp, he needed to coordinate with the frontline commander at all times. If the frontline commander wanted to fight without worries, he couldn't do so without Fugaku's support. Therefore, Fugaku had been constantly monitoring every stir and rustle on the battlefield.
"Could this be a trap?" Upon learning that Orochimaru had already left and the Third Hokage was now responsible for all battlefield operations, Fugaku's first reaction was that Kazuki was laying a trap for the Third Hokage, waiting for him to jump right into it. Kazuki was preparing to screw someone over.
"Clan Head, should we..." As the Uchiha Clan Head stationed at the camp, Fugaku naturally had clan elders assisting him with management. From top to bottom, the Uchiha Clan harbored no goodwill toward the Third Hokage. Kazuki's move allowed them to glimpse a hope of retaliating against the Third Hokage.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Positioned in the rear camp, they didn't need to do much. A few subtle manipulations in the shadows would be more than enough for the Third Hokage to "enjoy." As long as it wasn't done too blatantly, even if the Third Hokage suffered grievous losses, he couldn't pin the blame on them. Even if they were caught, they could deflect responsibility by claiming it was a mistake or negligence.
"Watch your words," Fugaku said, glancing at the elder who had spoken. His brow furrowed in thought. After a long period of contemplation, he finally spoke. "Forget it. Let things be for now. Until we receive guidance from the Advisor, do not act rashly." Fugaku knew Kazuki wouldn't pass up an opportunity to trap the Third Hokage. But Kazuki wouldn't be so foolish. Even if he intended to trap the Third Hokage, he would notify Fugaku in advance. They would conspire and plan meticulously before making a move, not act impulsively and haphazardly.
If they were caught and evidence was held against them, he, Uchiha Fugaku, would be left in an awkward position, and Kazuki would also be put in a difficult spot. Without receiving any hints from Kazuki, Fugaku chose the path of caution and stability. Playing it safe was always the better option. If Kazuki truly intended to target the Third Hokage, they could lay their plans later. The war wasn't going to end anytime soon anyway. But if Kazuki had no such intention, and he, Uchiha Fugaku, led the Uchiha in tormenting the Third Hokage and got caught red-handed, the resulting fiasco would be monumental.
Kazuki had no idea that Fugaku's internal drama was this elaborate. This time, he genuinely wasn't scheming against the Third Hokage. Primarily, he had too many matters on his plate and couldn't be bothered to waste time on the Third Hokage. If he truly wanted to target the Third Hokage, he wouldn't need to go to such lengths. Simply using a borrowed knife to kill would suffice.
Judging by the intelligence reports from the front lines, Onoki had been tolerating the Third Hokage for far too long already. All Kazuki needed to do was have the Third Hokage intensify the offensive against the Stone Village's positions, and Kazuki didn't believe Onoki could continue to endure. I chose not to stoop to your level, Third Hokage, because the battlefield in the Land of Waterfalls is the main theater. And what do you do? You start taking a mile after being given an inch?!
The night was deep, yet Kazuki was still not resting. Kisame, Shisui, Itachi, and Kakashi – his four bodyguards – stood within the Hokage's office like four pillars. They themselves were puzzled as to why Kazuki had ordered them to stand inside the office rather than outside. There wasn't even any indication of rotating shifts. Seated upon the Hokage's throne, Kazuki casually flipped through some inconsequential documents.
"Lord Advisor, Lord Orochimaru has returned."
"Have him come directly to the Hokage's office to see me. Also, ensure he brings the items I require."
"Yes, my lord." The Anbu operative swiftly departed.
At that moment, Orochimaru had just arrived back in the village. Before he could even catch a moment's rest, the Anbu had already located him. "Lord Orochimaru, the Advisor orders you to report to the Hokage's office immediately to see him."
In such a hurry? It seemed his recall to the village was indeed for some matter of critical importance. What could it be? Orochimaru offered no verbal response. A faint smile playing on his lips, he unhurriedly made his way toward the Hokage building. His tall, slender silhouette, illuminated by the dim, flickering lamplight, appeared strangely bewitching – alluring, even, with a hint of seductive charm.
The Anbu ninja following Orochimaru hastily averted their gaze, a wave of revulsion washing over them. This lord is a man, yet with this bewitching poise... was this something they were even allowed to look at?! Don't look, don't look. What a sin.
Ignoring the Anbu's gaze entirely, Orochimaru proceeded directly to the Hokage's office and knocked. Knock, knock, knock! "Enter." Granted permission, Orochimaru opened the door and walked in with a smile. He cast a mildly surprised glance at the four "pillars" standing in the office before approaching Kazuki
"The frontline battlefield – I have entrusted it to my esteemed teacher. It's a fine opportunity for him to engage in some extensive 'exchange' with his old friend, Onoki."