Hizashi's words were filled with resentment as he swung his arm down sharply. Without giving the Third Hokage a chance to explain, he turned and walked away. The Hyuga Clan was already short on manpower, desperately hoping the new generation would mature in the coming years. The death of any clansman was a devastating blow.
The problem was that the whole affair was a tangled mess.
Logically, the escape of a prisoner should have been the responsibility of the guards. But the prisoner was Danzo, and the Third Hokage had specifically cleared out that entire floor of the prison. The official reason was that Danzo held too many secrets and required solitary confinement. Consequently, no additional guards were posted, with only two men assigned to the detail. After all, with the exit blocked, where could anyone possibly escape to?
But Danzo had escaped.
The moment the guards were found dead, the Hyuga sealed the exits. Who would have thought that Danzo would escape by digging a tunnel? To make matters worse, the Hyuga clansman who pursued him was found dead in the forest. His death was gruesome—his abdomen had been torn open by Wood Style jutsu, blood pooling around him.
Sai, who had been monitoring Danzo, had no idea how the three Hyuga members died. He could only guess that the陰陽怪氣 (yin-yang strange aura) fellow was responsible. If Hizashi didn't stand his ground, the Hyuga Clan would have been forced to take the fall. Moreover, Konoha couldn't afford to lose the Hyuga right now, and Kawasaki had even sought an alliance with Hizashi. Therefore, even if it meant offending the Third Hokage, this blame had to be shifted elsewhere.
The Third Hokage sighed, not calling out to Hizashi. The situation was indeed a chaotic mess. He never imagined that Danzo had even modified his own body. Danzo had indeed colluded with foreign villages. The one who helped him escape was likely one of Danzo's successful Wood Style experiments from over the years.
Arguing with the Hyuga now was pointless. The key was to figure out how to patch this gaping hole. Executing Danzo would have eased tensions with the Uchiha and served as an explanation for Kabuto. It might have even allowed Jiraiya to win over a powerful ally with the Rinnegan. Now, all those plans were in disarray. He had no idea how the Uchiha and Kabuto Yakushi would react.
...
Back in Konoha, Jiraiya let out a drunken hiccup, staggering toward his residence. He had been utterly vexed lately. Just when he had finally settled matters with Konan, Danzo went missing. And with Danzo gone, he had no explanation for either Kawasaki or Konan. The title of Honorary Elder was given in vain.
Recently, the Third Hokage had taken to complaining to him about these things, but it was all useless. At first, Jiraiya could listen patiently, but soon he began to think: being Hokage is such a pain, having to worry about every little thing. He truly wasn't cut out for the job.
Leaving the trivial matters for the old man to worry about, Jiraiya took advantage of a break to visit the red-light district, drinking heavily to unwind. He finally managed to vent the frustrations in his heart. Now, he reeked of perfume and powder, with a lipstick mark still visible on his face.
"You're still the same as ever. You haven't improved at all," a mocking female voice remarked.
Jiraiya's head snapped up in surprise. Across from him stood a woman in a kimono, gazing down at him with a condescending look.
"Orochimaru!?" Though his appearance had changed, Jiraiya recognized him instantly.
Orochimaru didn't waste words. "Take me to see the old man."
While sneaking into Konoha was easy for Orochimaru, meeting the Third Hokage directly was still quite difficult. The Hokage's office was swarming with Anbu. Only with Jiraiya as his guide could he see the Third Hokage with ease.
Jiraiya wiped his face haphazardly. "When did you get back?"
Orochimaru shot him a disdainful look. "Hurry up. I have important intelligence."
Oh?
Jiraiya grunted in confusion, his carefree demeanor turning serious. If Orochimaru called it important intelligence, he knew he couldn't afford to be careless. He led Orochimaru toward the Hokage's office. The Third Hokage had been working late recently, so he should be there.
Along the way, Orochimaru stayed close behind Jiraiya. The gazes of many Anbu fell upon them, but seeing Jiraiya in the lead, they looked away. For once, Jiraiya entered the Hokage's office through the main door. Reaching the office, he pushed the door open without knocking.
The Third Hokage looked up and saw Jiraiya leading someone in. No wonder he used the main entrance. Seeing that the room was empty, Jiraiya slammed the door shut.
Orochimaru looked the Third Hokage up and down before speaking in his raspy voice, "You've gotten old, old man."
The Third Hokage guessed from his demeanor that this was undoubtedly Orochimaru. He shook his head upon hearing the words. "Too many things to deal with. It can't be helped."
"What's the deal with Kabuto Yakushi?"
Orochimaru spread his hands. "I've been investigating other matters recently and haven't been in contact with him. Kabuto's actions are likely on Kawasaki's orders."
The Third Hokage nodded. He had suspected it was Kawasaki's doing; the methods were the same as years ago. "Why didn't you come sooner? If you were here, Danzo wouldn't have escaped."
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "The intelligence I've obtained is far more important. It's enough to repay my debt to you. As for whether Danzo escapes, that no longer matters."
"Hmm..." The Third Hokage frowned. Orochimaru considered even Danzo's escape insignificant? What kind of intelligence had he obtained that could cancel out his old debts?
Not keeping him in suspense, Orochimaru lowered his voice. "I have confirmed information. The Fourth Mizukage is dead, and Isobu is gone. Utakata of the Six-Tails has defected."
The Third Hokage's pipe nearly slipped from his grasp. "What did you say!?"
Jiraiya, for a moment, didn't grasp the gravity. "Old man, you don't have to be so dramatic, do you?"
The Third Hokage coughed. This Jiraiya truly had no political sense whatsoever.
Ignoring Jiraiya, Orochimaru continued speaking to the Third Hokage. "Kawasaki has already sold this information to Kumogakure."
"This is bad!" The Third Hokage instantly understood everything.
"Old man, consider this intelligence my repayment to you. I'll be taking my leave now." Orochimaru said, turning to depart.
"Orochimaru," the Third Hokage's voice called out. "Where are you staying now?"
Orochimaru looked back. "For now, I am an honored guest of the Uchiha." His eyes were filled with confidence, ridicule, and a playful amusement.
The Third Hokage nodded. "I see. How can I contact you next time?"
Orochimaru waved his hand dismissively. "I'll find you if I need something. You should worry about Kumogakure first, old man."
...
Land of Hot Water.
In the place where Hidan had been buried years ago, about two meters underground, a head caked in dirt, resembling a desiccated corpse, mumbled in the earth. The surrounding soil muffled his words, making them unintelligible. It was Hidan, who had been beaten to a pulp by Kawasaki.
Blessed by the evil god Jashin, he was immortal. His body could regenerate, albeit very slowly. In the past, he would stitch his wounds shut with thread to aid the process. This time, however, was different. He had been pulverized by two punches from Kawasaki's Susanoo. It had taken years for just his head to recover.
His body was regenerating even more slowly, mainly because it wasn't buried with his head. He could barely feel his body at all... Without his brain to direct it, the body's recovery was agonizingly slow. So now, Hidan was chewing on dirt, laboriously trying to dig his way toward his body.
But his strength was not infinite. If he didn't find his body soon, he would eventually rot in this pit.
Once I get out! I'll sacrifice you to Lord Jashin!
Hidan's eyes were bloodshot as he bit down viciously on another mouthful of dirt.
...
Land of Water.
Inside the main building of Kirigakure, Terumi Mei had already received Kawasaki's reply.
What did Kawasaki mean by this? Could he possibly know that Yagura was dead?
Recently, nearly all of Kirigakure's Anbu had been deployed, solely focused on eliminating spies who had infiltrated the village to gather intelligence. To project an image of strength, Mei had not only mobilized almost the entire Anbu force but had also sent out her own personal guard. At such a critical juncture, secrecy was paramount.
But the content of Kawasaki's letter made her uneasy, and she could only barely suppress her anxiety. Before becoming the Fifth Mizukage, Mei had harbored the noblest of intentions, wanting to end the nightmare of the Bloody Mist and completely reform Kirigakure. However, once she sat in the Mizukage's seat, she discovered that things were far from simple.
The position of Mizukage required not only strong political acumen but also formidable power to back it up. Otherwise, it was easy to end up in her current situation. Many were dissatisfied with her. Although she possessed two Kekkei Genkai, this only represented future potential. At present, she could not command the village with the same authority as Yagura Karatachi.
Now, with the rise of the Uchiha Clan tying Konoha's hands, Mei had received news from other sources that the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha had reached an irreconcilable point. Once Konoha was in turmoil, Kumogakure, with its love for surprise attacks, could easily encroach upon Kirigakure. If news of Yagura's death leaked, Kirigakure would be in grave danger.
If the first letter had made Mei suspicious, the second one confirmed that the Uchiha indeed knew something. Because Kirigakure was far from the Uchiha, by the time she received the second letter, the village had already repelled many spies.
In the second letter, Kawasaki stated that the Uchiha had formed an elite squad available for hire for any type of mission, including warfare. Though Mei didn't know where the leak had occurred, she kept the Uchiha's offer in mind. If the situation became dire, it was a potential fallback plan.
...
Land of Wind.
Due to the short distance, Yashamaru's party quickly returned to Sunagakure. Yashamaru first reported to the Kazekage, Rasa, relaying Kawasaki's message and handing him the letter.
Rasa unfolded the letter and read it. A moment later, his brow furrowed. "What is Kawasaki planning?"
Rasa passed the letter directly to Yashamaru, who also frowned upon reading it.
The letter stated that Kawasaki had evidence of who killed the Third Kazekage and asked if Sunagakure was interested in cooperating. Kawasaki's condition was that Chiyo herself had to negotiate with him.
The Third Kazekage's whereabouts had always been a mystery, and his disappearance had directly triggered the Third Great Ninja War. After so many years, the village had presumed him dead. But if they had a lead on his fate, Sunagakure was obligated to find him; after all, his disappearance had once sparked a civil war. For Kawasaki to claim he knew the killer meant he certainly knew the location of the body.
Before Rasa became Kazekage, Chiyo had been a powerful and assertive figure, sparing no effort to strengthen Sunagakure. She had even intervened in the selection of the next jinchuriki to ensure the village's development.
Karura's ability to leave behind an automatic sand defense for Gaara proved that her sand manipulation was astonishingly powerful. The next generation of jinchuriki was supposed to be cultivated along those lines. However, neither Temari nor Kankuro was the most suitable candidate. It wasn't until Gaara that they found a truly fitting vessel.
During the period of Gaara's frequent rampages in his youth, Chiyo often interfered in Sunagakure's political affairs. But after Rasa's branch of the family began to govern the village effectively, Chiyo stepped back. She rarely even appeared for the education of the new generation. Now, she spent most of her days fishing with her brother Ebizo, pretending nothing was wrong.
Due to Karura's death, a rift had always existed between Rasa and Chiyo. However, given the gravity of this matter, Rasa decided he had to see Chiyo.
...
Land of Earth.
In Iwagakure, Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi returned without incident. Kitsuchi immediately went to report to Onoki.
"So, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Uchiha Clan are now at each other's throats?"
"That's right. Moreover, Otogakure is very likely a puppet of the Uchiha. The entire Uchiha clan's support for the Otokage is proof. What their new elite squad plans to do is unknown."
"This is a letter Uchiha Kawasaki gave me before we left."
Onoki floated up from his seat and took the letter. As he read it, his expression changed drastically.
"What do the Uchiha want?"
In the letter, Kawasaki told Onoki that he had information on Deidara and could even capture him and bring him back. If Onoki was interested, he could contact him.
Onoki didn't let Kitsuchi see the letter and simply dismissed him. In truth, Onoki still hadn't found a suitable successor for the Tsuchikage title. Kitsuchi's personality wasn't suited for it, and Kurotsuchi was too young. There had been Deidara, a prodigy with immense talent, but his temperament was never suited for such a heavy responsibility.
Nevertheless, Onoki was genuinely fond of Deidara. After all, he himself had not been exceptional at Deidara's age. He had a natural affinity for such precocious students. Furthermore, Deidara was the only student who showed the potential to learn his Dust Release.
In battles between Kage-level shinobi, having a one-hit-kill technique was essential for a qualitative leap in combat power. An Iwagakure with Dust Release was on a completely different level from one without it. This was especially true now, with the Uchiha Clan on a meteoric rise.
Onoki had once been effortlessly repelled by Madara Uchiha's Susanoo, unable to fight back at all. The memory left him with a lasting fixation on the Uchiha's Susanoo. He had inherited the title of Third Tsuchikage shortly after the death of Mu, the Second Tsuchikage. It was only after years of arduous training that he mastered Dust Release.
The most terrifying thing about Uchiha powerhouses with Susanoo was their margin for error. As was well known, apart from the Raikage, most shinobi were physically frail. With the protection of a Susanoo, the Uchiha were not easily crippled by stray jutsu. Dust Release, however, could penetrate a Susanoo's defenses, giving Onoki the means to contend with them.
But for many years, he hadn't heard of any Uchiha awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, and Madara had been dead for a long time. As Onoki grew older, his ambitions had faded. Still, he wanted to pass down the Dust Release.
Recently, however, several Mangekyo users had suddenly emerged among the Uchiha. In Onoki's view, the Hokage's lineage was in decline, and Konoha would sooner or later fall into the Uchiha's hands. Meanwhile, he couldn't find a suitable successor of his own. Thus, even when Deidara was causing trouble everywhere with his "art," Onoki could only follow behind and clean up the mess.
But lately, the boy had vanished off the face of the earth, and even Onoki had lost track of him. The shinobi world was vast; if Deidara wasn't active around the Land of Earth, finding him was no easy task. Now, this piece of information from the Uchiha had suddenly arrived, and Onoki couldn't help but be tempted.
If that was the case, he might as well see what tricks the Uchiha had up their sleeve.
...
The Uchiha Clan.
Upon hearing the news of Danzo's escape, every member of the Uchiha Clan was filled with righteous indignation. However, after years of change, the clansmen's perspectives had broadened. They didn't cause a scene; they understood that all they needed to do was trust their clan head.
Konoha had been quietly monitoring the Uchiha's movements with its Anbu, especially the attitude of Kabuto Yakushi, who held the title of Hokage. But Kabuto did not go to trouble the Third Hokage further. Instead, he left the Uchiha clan grounds and returned directly to Otogakure. Unlike his arrival, he left with only a few people from his village. Over a hundred Uchiha clansmen, including Shisui Uchiha, all remained in the clan compound.
This made the Third Hokage more nervous than ever. The Uchiha's power was expanding again. What was worse, Naruto now frequently visited the Uchiha, and his relationship with the Third Hokage had clearly grown distant.
Fortunately, Naruto was also close to Tsunade. The Third Hokage knew that even if Tsunade held a grudge against him, she would not allow the Uchiha to seize power or the jinchuriki by force. After all, Konoha was the life's work of her two grandfathers. If he could convince Tsunade to change her mind and support Konoha, the village might still have a chance to turn things around.
Furthermore, regarding Orochimaru, the last intelligence report suggested that he was lying in wait within the Uchiha clan, preparing to deal them a heavy blow. Although Orochimaru had not yet returned to Konoha, this at least gave the Third Hokage a glimmer of hope.