"Or perhaps the most crucial step was making Hanzo save Teacher Jiraiya, sending Jiraiya and Brother Nagato to Konoha, allowing Hanzo to reappear before Lady Tsunade and voluntarily propose uniting the Ninja World to fight against me..."
"..."
"At that time, having Hanzo save me... was also your scheme..."
Jiraiya took a deep breath, recalling how he was drifting along the current, nearly drowning due to severe injuries and exhaustion, when Salamander Hanzo suddenly appeared to save him.
In fact...
If it weren't for Salamander Hanzo, neither he nor Nagato would have been able to return to Konoha. Jiraiya had always respected and been grateful to Hanzo...
But in the end...
It was yet another scheme by his own disciple.
Tsunade's heart ached more and more.
A sense of weightless panic made her body tremble as if she might collapse. She remembered when they were discussing at the Konoha Hospital...
Salamander Hanzo voluntarily proposed to contact the Ninja World...
At that time, she greatly admired Salamander Hanzo's foresight and generosity and, coupled with her trust in his character, went along with the idea of convening the Five Kage Conference at the Hidden Rain Village...
At that moment...
She had already fallen into Akihara Kagura's trap!
"Everything was so naturally accepted."
Salamander Hanzo's voice was old yet powerful, and from behind, Akihara Kagura, who controlled this old man's body, finally got to the serious matter: "The Five Kage Conference was successfully held. The Ninja Villages of the Five Great Countries would undoubtedly fight endlessly for the position of Alliance Commander..."
"It was then that I appeared..."
"And gifted you all a tremendous fear..."
"In that meeting, I only wanted you to fully understand one thing: none of you are qualified to oppose me. Only Lady Tsunade or Salamander Hanzo is most suitable..."
"What a pity."
Akihara Kagura, controlling Salamander Hanzo, looked at the other village's Kage: "You will certainly oppose Lady Tsunade because she and Konoha have gained too much benefit from the Ninja World..."
"I understand Lady Tsunade very well. She is someone who will back down. She needs a suitable person, someone willing to support her in seeking Mr. Madara's help as the Ninja Alliance Commander..."
"Hanzo, while seemingly retreating, analyzed the so-called pros and cons. Facing the other Ninja Villages questioning Lady Tsunade, she had to take a step back, choosing a person she was deeply impressed with from her youth to become the Ninja Alliance Commander..."
"And this person..."
"Had long become my puppet."
"You see..."
There was a hint of pleasure in the voice as Akihara Kagura controlled Salamander Hanzo, seemingly satisfied with a move he made years ago.
"One of the important reasons I deliberately feigned retreat years ago, allowing you to become Hokage, was because I knew that during the pivotal moment of the Ninja World's unification, you would nominate Salamander Hanzo, someone who seemed mighty in your youthful perception, thus pushing this puppet I controlled long ago to become the Ninja Alliance Commander..."
"..."
Fear engulfed them like seawater.
All of this...
Once again, went exactly as Akihara Kagura had predicted.
Initially, after witnessing the strength of the Ninja Alliance, that intense enthusiasm in their hearts disappeared without a trace. They only felt their hearts, with each word of Akihara Kagura, sinking into an abyss of fear...
Whether it was Tsunade, Jiraiya, or the other Kage, even the always-strategic Nara Shikaku, all felt a deep-seated fear.
Even the elderly Third Tsuchikage Onoki was gasping heavily, his forehead covered in cold sweat. He could wipe away his sweat, but the panic in his eyes could not be removed!
Clap clap clap...
Uchiha Madara gently clapped his hands.
In the forests of Konoha, Uchiha Madara had long heard Akihara Kagura personally acknowledge two cunning plots, and even when he heard those stories again, he had to admit that Akihara Kagura's schemes were quite brilliant...
"Truly splendid..."
A look of appreciation appeared on Uchiha Madara's face as he genuinely praised: "In terms of strategy and cunning, I've always thought that the insidious and despicable Tobirama was crafty, but in this aspect, he's not even qualified to serve you tea..."
"However..."
"You still overlooked one thing..."
Uchiha Madara grinned, showing a smile: "Why do you think Nagato, using the Rinnegan, didn't discover that Salamander Hanzo was your puppet, and the true owner of the Rinnegan wouldn't realize his true identity?"
Uchiha Madara chuckled lightly, narrowing his eyes: "Kid, now that your puppet identity is exposed, whatever plans you had for Salamander Hanzo can be declared over at this moment..."
"Mr. Madara."
Salamander Hanzo had already clasped his hands and spoke softly: "Do you want to guess, which one of the Six Paths Puppets Hanzo truly is?"
"Disperse!"
Uchiha Madara immediately realized something, biting his teeth with an unsightly expression: "Everyone leave here, this guy is that kid's Animal Path!"
It was too late to stop it!
Even the Limbo was too late!
He shouldn't have flown over in the air; he should have dealt with this puppet long ago. That smooth-talking kid always played these little tricks!
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Salamander Hanzo's palm slammed onto the railing of the tower!
A familiar figure appeared beside Salamander Hanzo, ignoring the fear and anger in the eyes of others, looking down at the hundred thousand Ninja Alliance under the tower, speaking out their first words with genuine innocence like a child.
"So many people..."