Konoha Village, Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Tsunade, and Nara Rokaku, the three high-ranking officials, waited for the Fox to arrive.
Sarutobi Hiruzen already had a bad feeling in his heart. He asked, "Fox, how is the investigation going?"
"The situation is not good, one could even say it's very bad," Yōkō said.
"The Third Kazekage is missing, and other villages are eager to test Sunagakure's true state. Kirigakure's invasion into the Land of Wind at Shapo Port had a simple goal—simply to kick them while they were down and seize Shapo Port. But the Kiri-nin were not strong enough and soon retreated.
The real trouble is Iwagakure. According to the intelligence I've gathered, Iwagakure's invasion into northern Land of Wind was a feint. Iwa-nin retreated quickly. I suspect Ōnoki and Rasa have already met. Ōnoki used a combination of threats and persuasion, and the two sides have reached some sort of cooperation agreement."
Hearing this, everyone grew tense. Compared to the inexperienced Rasa or the crazy Kirigakure, Ōnoki's every move could tug more sharply at Konoha's nerves.
"Kirigakure is also making moves," Yōkō continued. "Spies have sent back information that Kirigakure elder Genji met with other village leaders in the Land of Waves."
Yōkō's voice lowered. "Everyone, various signs indicate that the other villages are secretly allying and preparing for war. Their target is our Konoha Village.It seems an Anti-Konoha Alliance is forming in the shinobi world."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's worst premonition had come true. The other villages, led by Ōnoki, were indeed conspiring against Konoha.
Nara Rokaku spoke while thinking, "I had thought that with the Fox Department Head's ability to kill Tailed Beasts, other villages wouldn't dare provoke Konoha easily. I didn't expect Ōnoki and the Raikage to put aside their differences and cooperate. If there is an Anti-Konoha Alliance, its core must be Ōnoki and the Raikage. If these two are forced to join hands under pressure from Konoha, I imagine people like Rasa and Genji wouldn't pass up this chance to challenge the shinobi world order. Perhaps we will soon face the situation of the four great villages uniting against our Konoha."
Yōkō said, "I've cultivated a spy within Sunagakure. That spy is very strong and might be able to delay or even prevent Sunagakure from joining the Anti-Konoha Alliance. An alliance of the four great villages could bring us catastrophic disaster. But another force is equally terrifying..."
Everyone looked at the Fox, unsure who could pose a greater threat than the four great villages.
Yōkō said, "After Uchiha Madara's death, he left behind many extremely dangerous subordinates. Tobi, Uzumaki Nagato, Uchiha Obito, Sarutobi Kanenosuke, and others. After Uchiha Madara's careful cultivation, each of these individuals possesses the strength of a Kage-level ninja. For the past four years, I have been searching for these people. But they are well-hidden; I can't find them. Tobi has the Mangekyō Sharingan, Wood Release, and the Ephemeral Technique that allows him to travel freely underground. Uzumaki Nagato has obtained the legendary Rinnegan. If Uchiha Madara's subordinates join forces with the four great villages, then..."
Nara Rokaku's expression changed. He instantly thought of the worst-case scenario: over fifty thousand ninja from the four great villages invading the Land of Fire. The Kage of each village, plus Madara's several powerful subordinates, and the Jinchūriki, all wreaking havoc in different parts of the Land of Fire... Konoha would face the crisis of annihilation. The Third Hokage is strong, the Fox is strong, but Konoha has too few powerful individuals on its side.
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Fox, you continue to gather intelligence on the enemy villages, paying special attention to the Anti-Konoha Alliance. Tsunade, you are responsible for preparing war supplies, on the scale of a great shinobi war. Rokaku, you are responsible for organizing Konoha's ninja and forming several ninja corps. Since Ōnoki and the others want a war, then let's fight. When has Konoha ever feared war?"
Nara Rokaku stood up, looking at the Hokage who had suddenly erupted with a sharp aura. The unease in his heart diminished considerably. Tsunade and the Fox exchanged a glance. This was the first test concerning Konoha's survival or destruction that they had faced since becoming high-ranking officials.
As the others were leaving, Sarutobi Hiruzen called out to Yōkō.
"Fox, you stay for a moment."
Only Sarutobi Hiruzen and Yōkō remained in the office.
"Fox, I still need to thank you for helping cover up Orochimaru's matter."
Yōkō thought it was something else. It was about Orochimaru.
The forbidden jutsu Orochimaru was researching were each extremely dangerous. The Living Corpse Reincarnation, the Impure World Reincarnation—forbidden jutsu that tread the line between life and death—required a large number of test subjects. Orochimaru's subordinates had been helping him collect subjects, and even the Black Ant Squad directly under Sarutobi Hiruzen had been assisting Orochimaru.
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Orochimaru is very important to the village. In the upcoming Third Great Shinobi War, I hope Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade can join forces against the enemy once more."
Yōkō nodded and said, "Tsunade is very mature now. With Tsunade keeping an eye on Orochimaru and Jiraiya, I think they won't cause any problems."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "I will recall Jiraiya and have Orochimaru slow down his experiments. It's time for the three of them to train together. For the Third Great Shinobi War, Konoha must respond with full force. We need to tell the shinobi world that even if they form some Anti-Konoha Alliance, they cannot destroy Konoha."
Yōkō thought to himself, After Jiraiya returns to the village, he won't come after me, will he? First Kato Dan, then the Fox... Jiraiya is really too unlucky, it's never his turn.
After leaving the Hokage's Office, Yōkō used Body Flicker to arrive at the training ground behind the Senju Clan grounds.
Uzumaki Kushina, seeing Department Head Fox, quickly stopped her sparring with Minato.
"Lord Fox, are you taking me outside the village for special training again? I'm ready to go anytime."
Yōkō looked at Kushina and thought, Ōnoki, Kushina will definitely give you a surprise.
The Barrier Corps and the Sealing Corps quickly appeared. Yamanaka Inson saw Department Head Fox nod at him and knew the Fox was going to conduct special training for the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki again.
The group arrived at a secluded valley outside the village. Yōkō briefly checked the state of the seal and had Kushina release Nine-Tails chakra. Tsunade had specifically warned Kushina that she could only undo the seal when the Fox was present.
Six translucent tails appeared behind Kushina. Each tail contained Adamantine Sealing Chains. In this semi-transparent chakra cloak state, Kushina's rationality was unaffected.
Kushina first practiced the Tailed Beast Ball. Tilting her head back, a translucent Nine-Tails head formed, and red and blue chakra appeared. The chakra rapidly condensed into a Tailed Beast Ball the size of a human head.
Seeing the Nine-Tails chakra was very stable, Yōkō had Kushina continue extracting more chakra, while he himself used Body Flicker to the ridge of the mountain.
On the ridge, Yōkō glanced at the nervously watching Namikaze Minato.
All other war preparations were false. Konoha's real war preparation should be to give Minato the Flying Thunder God Technique. But Yōkō wasn't the kind of person to selflessly dedicate himself. Right now, he and Minato were more like colleagues in Konoha, at most a senior who showed concern and a grateful junior.
How could he give Minato the forbidden jutsu while also bringing Minato under his command...
***
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(End of Chapter)