Orochimaru declined the missions the Third Hokage had arranged for his subordinates, instead allowing them to move about freely. These individuals were usually reclusive and rarely seen in public.
However, Orochimaru had a personal bodyguard whom Kakashi saw almost every time he visited. Orochimaru called him "Number One." At first, Number One never spoke a word. Kakashi wasn't even sure if he was capable of speech. But Kakashi could always feel Number One's gaze sweeping over him.
The man felt unnaturally familiar to Kakashi, as if he had known him for a very long time. This filled Kakashi with immense curiosity. Yet, Number One was shrouded head to toe in a long robe, his hair completely concealed, and he wore a mask at all times. Kakashi couldn't guess his identity for the life of him.
Lord Orochimaru held him in high regard, assigning many important tasks to Number One. It was only on these occasions that Kakashi heard him speak. His voice was incredibly deep, still offering no clue as to his identity.
Recently, the shinobi world had been in a state of flux.
When the Uchiha clan exposed Obito, many noted their mention of Obito having already taken his revenge on the Hidden Mist. Consequently, numerous spies began to probe the Land of Water. However, they found the country's defenses to be stronger than ever before. Seeing no advantage to be gained, most factions withdrew after leaving a few corpses behind. The Land of Water was simply too remote, and with the Hidden Mist enjoying geographical and tactical advantages, gathering intelligence proved exceptionally difficult.
The Hidden Cloud's situation, however, was different.
While the spies from other powers were pulling out, the Hidden Cloud seemed to have been injected with a shot of adrenaline. Their agents swarmed into the Land of Water like mushrooms after a spring rain. Wave after wave arrived, one replacing the next as soon as they were eliminated. This forced the Hidden Mist, which had become somewhat more relaxed after Tsunade took office, to once again tighten its security. Foreign trade with the Land of Water ground to a near standstill.
The Hidden Cloud's intelligence operatives and the Hidden Mist became locked in a prolonged war of attrition. The other major powers, unwilling to invest at such a high cost, remained unaware of the true progress of this shadow conflict. It was clear that a significant portion of the Hidden Cloud village had been mobilized.
On the Hidden Cloud's side, after a relentless and costly investigation, they finally uncovered the truth: the Hidden Mist was a paper tiger.
The Three-Tails Jinchuriki, Yagura Karatachi, and the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, were both missing. Of the famed Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, only Chojuro, wielder of the twin swords Hiramekarei, had been seen. The whereabouts of the other sword bearers were unknown.
It had been rumored that the Hidden Mist's Kekkei Genkai clans had been purged. The Hidden Cloud's deep dive confirmed that those clans had been almost completely annihilated. The Yuki, Kaguya, and Hozuki clans—all vital bloodlines—were gone. This, in turn, had plunged the entire Land of Water into turmoil.
The Hidden Mist village was rife with internal factional strife. Despite Mei Terumi's best efforts to consolidate power, she could only barely maintain stability. The village was weaker than it had ever been. The border lockdown, preventing spies from entering the Land of Water, was a desperate attempt to conceal this fundamental weakness.
After synthesizing all available information and consulting with their strategy department, the Fourth Raikage, A, and the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning made a joint decision: the Land of Lightning would begin mobilizing for war. The Hidden Cloud would first dispatch small units to harass the enemy. Once they had confirmed the strength of the Mist's outer defenses, an elite force would execute a forced landing on the island. If they could successfully land and destroy the Mist's outer strongholds, they could establish a beachhead in the Land of Water.
...
Deep within a certain cave, Zetsu, whose form resembled an aloe vera plant, stood beside a stone pillar. Opposite him, a figure as unmovable as a mountain opened his eyes. It was the Deva Path, Pain.
"Zetsu, why have you contacted me?" the Deva Path's voice was as cold and lifeless as ever, as still as stagnant water.
In the past, Obito had always operated from the shadows, typically communicating directly with Nagato. Later, Obito began moving with Zetsu, and Nagato never assigned him a ring. After Obito's identity was exposed, Nagato had even less inclination to do so. Even if the rings had a tracking function, Obito would never have accepted one. Although Obito had mastered the Magic Lantern Body Technique, it could generally only be initiated by Nagato; Obito could not cast it himself. Zetsu, however, carried a ring. Today, he used that ring to contact Nagato directly.
"Leader, it seems the Hidden Cloud has detected the Hidden Mist's weakness. They are probing them and will very likely declare war."
"Is this information reliable?" Pain seemed rather interested.
"Rest assured, Leader. I investigated this myself," Zetsu guaranteed. "The Cloud has probably deployed every spy at their disposal. The Mist is clearly struggling to cope and has likely had its true strength exposed by now. Knowing the Cloud's typical methods, they will probably go to war very soon. This is a golden opportunity for us."
Zetsu was right. As a mercenary organization, they sometimes accepted wartime contracts, but those were usually small-scale conflicts with limited profit. If it escalated to a war between major nations, the potential gains would be astronomical.
"Hmm..." Pain assumed a thoughtful expression.
Zetsu knew Pain was tempted and pressed on. "Leader, the Uchiha's recent actions suggest they may have already partnered with the Hidden Cloud. The Hidden Mist is in grave danger and will be desperate for outside help. This is the perfect time for us to intervene. If we can secure this contract, the organization's financial problems will be solved. We could even launch the plan ahead of schedule."
Pain considered this for a moment. "Obito extracted a large amount of funds from the Hidden Mist. Can they still afford us?"
This was a question Zetsu had not anticipated. Did he not know whether the Mist had money? In truth, the Hidden Mist was destitute.
But Zetsu said aloud, "The Mist's finances are indeed in poor shape, but when faced with a matter of life and death, they will surely be able to scrape together a considerable sum."
Pain nodded in agreement, seemingly convinced with ease. "Very well. Activating the plan early will allow the world to experience pain sooner, and only then can true peace be achieved."
Just as expected. Nagato could never resist the temptation of that plan, Zetsu thought to himself.
"I will send someone to the Hidden Mist to negotiate," Pain said, full of confidence. "This will likely require the entire organization's involvement. Tell everyone to prepare."
With those final words, Pain severed the connection.
Zetsu opened his eyes. Obito was standing beside him, observing Danzo.
"Just as you predicted," Zetsu said, looking at Obito. "The moment Nagato heard he could implement the plan early, he agreed."
Obito sneered. "As if I don't know what's on Nagato's mind."
Zetsu nodded, as if accepting Obito's words. "Nagato's side said they will send someone to the Hidden Mist to negotiate."
Obito nodded nonchalantly, then fell into thought. "I'll keep an eye on Danzo here. Once the Land of Water becomes a battlefield, other nations may get involved. You'll need to gather more intelligence during that time. As soon as things are settled here, I will head to the Land of Water immediately."
"Understood. I'll get right on it." Zetsu's gaze swept over Danzo's aged face. Obito, he thought, this old man is useless now.
As he watched Zetsu slowly sink into the ground, a profound look flashed in Obito's eyes.
...
Hidden Rain Village.
Pain, controlled by Nagato, opened his eyes. "Konan, Zetsu has confirmed the Hidden Cloud's movements. He predicts they will attack the Hidden Mist and is urging me to intervene."
Konan smiled faintly. "That's exactly what he would want."
Nagato and Konan had already discussed intervening with Kawasaki. They hadn't expected Zetsu to be so impatient. Zetsu was merely Obito's mouthpiece; this was clearly Obito's idea.
"Zetsu also suspects the Uchiha have allied with the Cloud," Nagato continued. "He told me that after we earn enough from the war, we can start the Tailed Beast capture plan ahead of schedule. What a shame..."
Nagato sounded genuinely regretful. Konan naturally understood his sentiment. They both knew now that the so-called Tailed Beast superweapon was a lie. They had no intention of capturing the Tailed Beasts. In fact, Obito was still unaware that the Three-Tails was dead. Who knew how long it would take to revive it. At this juncture, there was no way Obito could start the plan early.
She wondered what kind of expression Obito would have when the war between the Cloud and Mist ended and he discovered the Three-Tails was gone. Nagato was very much looking forward to it.
"Perfect timing," Nagato said. "Go deliver the ring and robes to Kawasaki, and tell him the news. See when he thinks is the most opportune time to get involved."
"Alright."
.....
Konoha.
Although Anko had arranged living quarters for Orochimaru and his subordinates, she had yet to visit him herself. Faced with Orochimaru's gestures of goodwill, Anko felt somewhat at a loss.
As for what had happened that day in the Uchiha compound, the sudden removal of her Cursed Seal, Anko remained suspicious. If Kabuto was Orochimaru's man, why would the Uchiha clan back him up? Did the Uchiha not know Kabuto served Orochimaru? Or was there already some collusion between the Uchiha and Orochimaru?
Her mind in turmoil, Anko ultimately feared that Orochimaru posed a threat to the village. That evening, she requested an audience with the Third Hokage, who was still handling his official duties.
"Lord Hokage, I have important intelligence to report," Anko said, glancing around the room.
The Third tapped his pipe on the desk. "There's no one else here. You may speak."
Anko held nothing back, telling the Third everything about her abduction that night and the removal of the Cursed Seal on her neck. Finally, she added, "Kabuto Yakushi personally confirmed that he is one of Orochimaru's subordinates. If Kabuto belongs to Orochimaru, why would the Uchiha clan..."
The Third Hokage set down his pipe and gently gestured for her to stop. "Rest assured, I am already aware of this matter."
"You know?" Anko asked, surprised.
The Third Hokage was very pleased with Anko's loyalty, but there were some details he hadn't shared with her. "Yes, I do. I am grateful that you've brought me this information. But for now, you must pretend you know nothing. Do you understand?"
Anko thought quickly, a guess slowly forming in her mind. "Could it be... Master Orochimaru?!" Anko gasped, covering her mouth.
"What did I just say?" the Third said with disapproval.
Anko snapped back to reality, furtively looking left and right. "Understood, Lord Hokage." A relieved smile spread across her face. So, her master had been on Konoha's side all along.
The Third Hokage spoke gravely. "Anko, although you figured this out on your own, this is a top-secret matter. If it were to be leaked, many people would die."
Anko's smile faded. "I understand, Lord Hokage. I will take a leave of absence and stay home."
The Third Hokage shook his head. "You were Orochimaru's student. There's no need to be so distant."
Anko was stunned for a long moment before something clicked. "I understand, Lord Hokage."
.....
Uchiha Compound.
Although Kawasaki had delegated much of his authority, there were still miscellaneous tasks that required his attention. He had grown accustomed to carrying a pen with him, as the need for his signature arose frequently.
The places Kawasaki frequented most were his office and the snack street. Fortunately, he had the dream space to continue his training. Unfortunately, time in the dream space was synchronized with reality.
Kawasaki had been practicing Water Style for some time now. After the last operation, he had been waiting for the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Mist to descend into all-out war. The Hidden Mist was stubborn; they wouldn't ask for help until they were thoroughly beaten by the Cloud.
With the Hidden Cloud now making its move, Itachi and Shisui had already departed for the front lines. Their actions this time would surely shake the world.
In the village, the Third Hokage remained vigilant. He had handed some of his authority to Orochimaru, but Orochimaru had no interest in it. Minato handled most of the affairs, while Orochimaru himself focused on his daily experiments. Jiraiya spent his days wandering the entertainment district, living a carefree life.
Despite Orochimaru's return, Tsunade had not met with him. She likely still held a grudge over Orochimaru's experiments using the First Hokage's cells.
On the surface, Konoha was peaceful, but this abnormal tranquility made everyone uneasy. The Uchiha had once wanted nothing more than to tear Danzo limb from limb, yet after his escape, they had shown no reaction, as if he were insignificant. It felt like the calm before a storm, and a sense of oppression weighed on the hearts of many ninja clans.
The departure of Itachi and Shisui only deepened the mystery, leaving everyone unable to discern the Uchiha's true intentions.
.....
As time went on, Konan paid a sudden visit.
That day, Kawasaki was touring the snack street. The street was bustling with people. Those who came to Konoha for missions or business all loved to sample the food here. Kawasaki felt as if he had returned to his previous world. The sight of "Chinese" characters on many of the signs, in particular, sent him into a daze.
How many years had it been? Naruto was only five back then; now he was almost twelve, about to graduate from the Ninja Academy. Seven years.
The stirring of a paper crane in his pocket pulled Kawasaki back to reality. He walked into the woods and released the crane. It wasn't long before he found Konan.
Seeing her, Kawasaki immediately apologized. "Sorry, Konan. Danzo escaped."
Konan shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Kawasaki. As long as he's not in Konoha, we'll have a chance to eliminate him eventually."
With that, she handed him a ring and an Akatsuki robe. Kawasaki nodded. If Konan wasn't concerned, he wouldn't dwell on it either. She had a point; the reason they couldn't kill Danzo before was that he was hiding in Konoha, and they had to infiltrate the village just to get to him. Konan's last two visits had been easy only because the Uchiha compound was outside Konoha's surveillance network, and because Kawasaki had the Hyuga as allies, which had made the previous attack on the Hokage Rock much simpler.
Kawasaki put away the robe and took the ring. He saw it was engraved with the character for "Sky." It must have been Orochimaru's.
"With this ring, communication will be much easier in the future," Konan said.
Kawasaki fiddled with it for a moment before stowing it away. "Itachi and Shisui have already left. The Cloud has figured out the Mist's weakness and will attack soon. You need to be ready."
Konan nodded. "That's what I came to tell you. Zetsu has detected the Cloud's movements and is pushing us to intervene in the war."
If Zetsu was actively encouraging Nagato to join the war, it probably meant Obito's power-up was complete. He might even be planning to advance his schedule.
"Judging by Zetsu's attitude, he probably wants to act ahead of schedule. He and Obito might not even know the Three-Tails has been eliminated."
"Nagato plans to go to the Hidden Mist himself to negotiate and lead this mission," Konan said.
Kawasaki immediately objected. "No. You and Nagato going would be a mistake. If you show up uninvited, they're unlikely to take you seriously. As for who should command the mission there..." Kawasaki patted the robe Konan had given him. "You have a new member."
Konan's eyes widened. "You want to go?"
"It depends on the situation," Kawasaki said calmly. "I might go myself, or I might send a clone."
Kawasaki had always been cautious. Konan agreed and didn't press further.
"If Zetsu is pushing this hard, it means Obito's strength has greatly increased now that he has his eyes back. He wouldn't be this confident otherwise."
Konan grew a little worried. "What are you saying?"
Kawasaki paced back and forth, thinking. Obito wanting to collect the Tailed Beasts early meant his Double Kamui had improved significantly, which posed a threat to Nagato and Konan.
"You two need to be careful. Obito could turn on you at any time," Kawasaki warned, then paused before continuing. "But we still have to do what needs to be done. The Hidden Cloud is too powerful right now. Only after they've taken a serious blow will they curb their aggression. First, gather your people. The Hidden Mist will be asking for help soon enough. I've had dealings with Mei Terumi before and left her a hint in my message. If the situation turns against her, she might contact me, and I can offer assistance then."
"If she doesn't contact me, then you can make your own offer."
"We'll follow your plan." Kawasaki was full of ideas, and Konan had always trusted his judgment.