Kawasaki laughed. He knew the tricks of information brokers all too well. They liked to break up their intel and sell it at different prices depending on the level of detail. If they sold the information to all the major powers the moment they got it, they could charge twenty or thirty million ryo per piece, and people would still pay.
What Pain had done in the Land of Water had terrified everyone. The shinobi world wasn't just the Five Great Nations; there were countless smaller countries and villages. If he pulled something similar in one of those villages, it would be wiped off the map instantly. With intelligence, they could at least prepare in advance.
The bald man's offer of one hundred million was already generous. After all, his organization also needed to profit by reselling the information. How much they made depended entirely on their sales tactics. Kawasaki didn't need the money, but who would complain about having too much? Besides, his goal was never just about the money.
Kawasaki pretended to consider it for a moment before agreeing. "Alright, I'll start by telling you about the Rinnegan's abilities."
The bald man was ecstatic. The price he'd offered was the absolute limit he was authorized to give, and he was relieved the deal was finally made.
"Excellent, excellent!" The bald man quickly took out a pen and paper. He needed to not only listen carefully but also write everything down to avoid any mistakes.
Kawasaki told the man everything, holding back only a few of the most crucial abilities. The bald man listened and wrote, occasionally asking questions.
"So, the one we saw on the battlefield in the Land of Water was just a puppet?"
"And that technique was an Almighty Push charged to its full power..."
"It can even extract souls... incredible..."
"The summoning has so many variations... and it can split apart..."
"Devour chakra and absorb ninjutsu? That's almost unbelievable."
"Planetary Devastation? Isn't that the legendary jutsu used to seal the Rabbit Goddess?"
The more the bald man heard, the more excited he became. This money was well spent. Such astonishing information! He wrote furiously, afraid of missing a single detail, even double-checking certain points with Kawasaki several times.
By the time the bald man had finished writing, Kawasaki had already drunk two cups of tea.
The bald man asked in surprise, "The Rinnegan is so powerful. How did Obito get his hands on it?"
Kawasaki just smiled and shook his head. "That, I don't know. Perhaps he got it through a sneak attack."
The bald man was desperate to know more, but since Kawasaki was unwilling to say, he had to accept it.
"Alright, our transaction is complete. I have one more favor to ask of you."
Having just closed a huge deal, the bald man was extremely respectful. "Please, Lord Kawasaki, what is your command?"
"Spread a message for me. Say that after friendly negotiations between us and the Mist, the Mist Village has sold all four islands west of the Land of Water to the Uchiha clan for a low price."
The bald man's heart skipped a beat. No wonder the Uchiha were leaving Konoha; they had already secured a new home.
Friendly negotiations? he thought. That probably means the Mist was beaten until they had no choice but to be friendly. This was a cession of territory! It was impossible to achieve with money alone. It seemed this Uchiha clan head was not to be underestimated. He had accomplished this monumental task without anyone knowing. Even the leaders of the Mist Village must have been forced to concede.
"Of course. Rest assured, this news will spread throughout the entire shinobi world."
"Good. You may go. Bring the money next time."
"Yes, sir."
The bald man secured the notes on his person, bowed, and departed. His mind was already racing, calculating how to squeeze the most profit from this intelligence. This kind of information was most valuable when it was fresh. The best way was to have his agents sell it in multiple locations simultaneously.
Kawasaki arranged to meet Minato at Orochimaru's place. As the Uchiha head, Kawasaki could openly meet with the future Fifth Hokage without raising suspicion, even if the Anbu were watching.
Orochimaru hadn't officially taken office yet, but there was only a month left until the transition. His new laboratory was under construction, and a new research team was being selected. Recently, Orochimaru had begun taking control of the Anbu from the Third Hokage and was screening its members, determining who was loyal to the position of "Hokage" and who was loyal to "Hiruzen Sarutobi" the man.
The handover for the two new advisors, Hizashi and Shikaku, was also proceeding smoothly. Both departments were running well. Previously, Akimichi Torifu had been an Elder Advisor in name only, doing nothing of substance. Now that he had passed away, a new advisor should have been appointed to replace him. However, Orochimaru had decided to leave the position vacant for the time being, waiting for the right moment to choose a successor.
When Kawasaki arrived, he was led inside by Karin. He felt much more relaxed here, knowing there were no spies from the Third Hokage.
As he entered the room, he saw Minato drawing natural energy from Jūgo's body. Minato had mentioned last time that he was researching how to purify the energy within Jūgo. When the natural energy in Jūgo's body became excessive, a black Cursed Seal would appear and spread, causing him to go berserk.
But with Minato present, the situation was easily managed. Minato had placed a Flying Thunder God marker on Jūgo, allowing him to transport him anywhere at a moment's notice.
Jūgo's symptoms were particularly severe this time. Half his body was grotesquely transformed, and his eyes had changed color. He was even drooling at the corner of his mouth. But he posed no threat to Minato. In addition to the Cursed Seal, Minato had used the Four Symbols Seal to bind Jūgo tightly.
When Minato saw Kawasaki arrive, he gave him a warm smile. Kawasaki nodded, indicating he wanted to watch.
Minato placed his hands on Jūgo's back and began to draw out all the natural energy. As the Cursed Seal-induced transformation slowly receded, Jūgo deflated like a punctured ball. His eyes returned to normal, the drooling stopped, and his expression grew calm.
The distinct eye shadow of Sage Mode appeared on Minato's face, along with some patterns resembling the Cursed Seal. Minato's expression fluctuated between calm and menacing.
With Orochimaru's expertise, he should be able to find a solution.
The matter of the Giant Tenseigan had served as a wake-up call for Kawasaki. He was a cautious man, always preparing for the worst, and he feared Toneri might attack ahead of schedule. Therefore, all his previous plans had to be accelerated. He needed to share intelligence sooner to prevent Obito from causing more trouble. He also had to start training certain promising individuals earlier than planned.
Kawasaki decided he would set these plans in motion as soon as the Uchiha clan completed its relocation. During the move, he would also have Konan make an appearance. The goal was to lure Obito out and teach him a lesson, so they wouldn't have to be on guard against him throughout the entire migration. Kawasaki had already formulated a two-pronged plan.
A short while later, Orochimaru appeared. He came alone, a sour look on his face.
"Minato, dealing with Hokage matters is far too troublesome. It's an utter waste of my time."
The Third Hokage had already handed over all administrative duties to Orochimaru. For Orochimaru, who sought only to uncover the world's truths, spending so much time on such things every day was truly detestable.
Minato scratched his head awkwardly. "You've been working hard, Lord Orochimaru. Once I've spent a little more time with Naruto, I'll be free to help you again."
Everyone knew how much Orochimaru loathed administrative work. In the past, Minato had always been there to help him manage it. Now that Minato was gone, the entire burden had fallen on Orochimaru's shoulders, much to his displeasure.