"I see..."
After listening to all the intelligence, Jiraiya nodded in understanding.
"Orochimaru... you can't believe a single word he says!" he declared firmly. "He has never spoken a single honest word since childhood. Lying is second nature to him! Even when we were students under the old man, he always used underhanded tricks to beat me!"
"I knew something was off! No way someone like Orochimaru, who has already betrayed the village, would suddenly grow a conscience and help Konoha!"
"Yeah, now that Jiraiya-sama has pointed it out, everything makes sense!"
The group of jonin began chattering among themselves, their voices filled with admiration.
And so, the flattery began to flow.
Hiruzen watched Jiraiya, who was basking in the praise with a smug expression. He couldn't bring himself to say anything to ruin the mood. This was the last one left, after all. He had to be cherished.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya's smile grew more and more twisted. He was someone who normally valued his dignity, except when it involved Orochimaru.
So, he was enjoying this immensely.
With so many jonin backing him up, the story would spread throughout Konoha. From now on, people would remember him as the prodigy who had been exceptionally talented since childhood, the true face of the Sannin.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, would be remembered as the one who lagged behind, using despicable tricks to bully an innocent, pure-hearted young Jiraiya.
How evil! How outrageous! How tragic!
Outside the crowd, Minato watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but start reflecting. Had he been wrong about his teacher all along? Something about this whole situation just didn't seem to connect properly.
So... was he the only one who still felt that something was off?
He glanced at Hiruzen, only to find the old man looking serious, deep in thought.
Except… why was he clutching his chest?
"Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?"
Minato became a little nervous. Hiruzen was truly an old man now, if something happened to him, it would cause a huge political earthquake in the village.
"I'm fine," Hiruzen replied blankly. "I just inhaled a bit too hard on my pipe and choked."
The pain of conscience! He couldn't listen to this nonsense anymore. He couldn't take it! Enough was enough!
"Alright, let's get back to the main topic," he reminded everyone.
He even used chakra to amplify his voice, making sure everyone could hear him loud and clear. The group of jonin gradually quieted down, though they still looked reluctant to drop the topic.
"I'll handle Orochimaru," Jiraiya declared, showing his sense of responsibility. Since he had accepted the praise, it was only fair he took on the task.
"Good. With you taking care of that, there's nothing to worry about. Now, let's move on to the movements of the other villages," Minato said. "Even though Orochimaru's words can't be fully trusted, they might still contain some truth. Based on our latest intelligence, Suna has moved part of its military force to the border of the Land of Rivers. Of course, Konoha has already received an official statement from them claiming this is just a military exercise."
"Hokage-sama, besides Suna, have the other villages made any moves?"
"That's what I wanted to discuss with you all," Minato continued. "Aside from Suna, Iwa has also been making similar moves at the border of the Land of Grass. As for Kumo, we don't have any information yet. Kiri remains uncertain, but the ANBU have already been dispatched to investigate."
The moment he mentioned the ANBU, the jonin present immediately showed nervous expressions. Their thoughts were unanimous, such an important task was left to the ANBU? Are you giving up?
Masashi, standing nearby, got the rare chance to observe firsthand the current reputation of the ANBU within the village. It was beyond bad. "Disastrous" didn't even begin to cover it.
"You don't need to worry. This time, I assigned former members of Root to handle the task," Minato finally said, unable to ignore the piercing stares from the jonin.
As Hokage, especially as the one who personally dismantled Root, he really shouldn't have said that. But just look at these jonin's faces! If he didn't say something reassuring, their morale would collapse!
He felt like this was absurd beyond belief.
Hearing the Hokage's "official guarantee," the jonin collectively sighed in relief, looking reassured.
Oh, it was Root members? Then everything was fine. No problem at all. Some of the jonin even shot Minato a look that said, You're really playing around, huh?
Minato just felt exhausted. He wanted to retire.
Other villages' leaders had ANBU that were their pride, their shadows, the very extensions of their will. They were elite, dignified, and awe-inspiring. But his ANBU? They were basically just helping other people slap him in the face. Left cheek, right cheek, and as a bonus, a smack to the forehead.
Beside him, Masashi facepalmed.
Hiruzen's old face twitched.
Fugaku, Koharu, and Homura all maintained poker faces. As part of Konoha Council, they were all experts in controlling their microexpressions. No way they'd show any reaction that could mislead their subordinates.
At that moment, the jonin also realized this, and the atmosphere in the room gradually became awkward. Mainly because they had panicked too much upon hearing that the ANBU were handling the matter.
Dying on the battlefield, they could accept that. But being screwed over by their own intelligence unit? That was something they absolutely couldn't stomach.
Ever since Danzō's downfall and the dissolution of Root, the jonin had come to a troubling realization, without Root, the ANBU had become an absolute disaster. Torabe was undoubtedly a good man, and everyone acknowledged that. But… that kind-hearted man leading the ANBU? Yeah, that was just a bad fit.
"Masashi, we're counting on you."
"Exactly, exactly! With Masashi handling it, we can all rest easy!"
"If you need any help, just say the word!"
Once again, the jonin started hyping up Masashi, each one patting their chest with passion. At least the atmosphere had become more lively, easing the earlier awkwardness.
"Hokage-sama." Masashi ignored their flattery and the veteran officers' antics. "What's our next move?"
Minato was genuinely touched. Out of the entire room full of jonin, only Masashi seemed to care about him!
Shikaku, don't you dare hide! I see you over there!
"For now, we should prepare for the worst-case scenario and be ready to adapt to any changes. If nothing happens, that would be ideal. But if something does, the village must be able to respond immediately."
"Understood, Hokage-sama!"
This time, the jonin responded in perfect unison, showing proper respect.
"Also, regarding the Police Force, Masashi, I'll need you to inform them as well," Minato continued. He hadn't forgotten about this critical military force stationed within the village. "I understand that the Police Force is short on manpower. I'll issue missions to handle regular security patrols. For now, it's best if the force operates in small squads to ensure they can respond to sudden incidents effectively."
"Understood," Masashi nodded.
The Police Force's structure was different from the ANBU's, it was organized into three tiers: divisions, squads, and teams. With its expansion, it now had around four to five hundred members, serving as Konoha's first line of defense against external threats.
In other words, the Police Force wasn't responsible for protecting the village's leadership, it was responsible for protecting the village itself. If they protected anyone, it was the civilians.
Protecting the higher-ups? That was the ANBU's job. That was also the Second Hokage's original intention when he established the Police Force. He never expected the Uchiha clan to care about his personal safety, but he believed they would do everything in their power to protect the village and its people.
"This concludes the current arrangements," Minato said, turning to Hiruzen. "Sandaime-sama, do you have any other suggestions?"
"You've planned everything well. I have no objections," Hiruzen said, puffing on his pipe with a satisfied expression.
"Then, I won't take up any more of everyone's time," Minato said, waving his hand. "Meeting adjourned."
The jonin dispersed, and Masashi prepared to head to the Police Force headquarters. Suddenly, a large hand reached out and grabbed him.
"Masashi, wait up."
"Jiraiya, I need to report to the Police Force immediately. If you have something to ask, why not ask on the way?" Masashi replied.
He really didn't want to discuss Orochimaru with Jiraiya.
"Sounds good!" Jiraiya readily agreed. "But don't you dare use the Flying Thunder God to escape halfway!"
Masashi: "…"
He was totally planning to. Oh well. Jiraiya was a genuinely good person, so… he would just endure.
Masashi followed the dispersing crowd, quickly exiting the Hokage's office and heading south.
"Slow down a bit," Jiraiya caught up using the Body Flicker Technique. "How strong is Orochimaru now?"
"Definitely not as strong as you. So this time, you won't lose," Masashi replied casually.
He wasn't lying.
Jiraiya had been walking the path of Sage Mode for years. At this point, his raw combat strength had already surpassed Orochimaru's. At least in terms of pure battle ability.
"Hahaha! Last time, I just let my guard down," Jiraiya chuckled, but he still felt a sting on his face when he recalled the punch Orochimaru had landed on him back then.
"What do you think Orochimaru will do?" This time, his tone was serious.
Even now, he couldn't understand what had pushed Orochimaru to cut ties with his past so completely. Danzō wasn't a good person, but he knew that his dedication to Konoha was unquestionable. Orochimaru's methods were ruthless, and many in the village feared his cold rationality. But he knew that deep down, Orochimaru's blood still ran hot.
"People's hearts are hard to measure. If even you and the Third Hokage don't understand Orochimaru, then no one can predict his thoughts."
Who the hell knew what that guy was planning? With how unpredictable the story had become, even Masashi had no clue what would happen next. If Orochimaru suddenly shouted "For Demacia!" and went to pick a fight with Nagato, he wouldn't even be surprised.
That guy was basically the ultimate wildcard villain.
"And what about this next month? What's your plan?"
"I'm going to train Sasuke and the others."
"Are you teaching them new jutsu?"
"No, just helping them refine their chakra control and cohesion."
"Sounds interesting. How about I train Naruto?"
"I have no objections, but you'll have to talk to Kushina about it yourself. I'm not in a position to bring it up."
"Kushina, huh…" Jiraiya hesitated for a moment. He had a bit of a guilty conscience when it came to her.
"Forget it," he sighed. "I'll just train them with you instead. Less trouble that way."
---
"Zetsu, has Masashi left Konoha?"
"Yes. He took his students for training, and Jiraiya went along as well."
"Good. We can start preparing now."
In the lush, dense forest, a few people were having a conversation. One of them was dressed in a black robe, while the other two wore black cloaks with red clouds.
"Are you all really that afraid of Masashi? Here, let me just curse him to death."
"Hidan, shut up," Obito looked at the newcomer. "Your so-called immortality isn't without weaknesses. Do I need to remind you again?"
"Don't talk to me like that! Do you think you're the boss or something?" Hidan flared up angrily.
He was originally a ninja from Yu. However, in his eyes, that weak village wasn't worthy of serving his great Jashin. So, after slaughtering a bunch of people, he ran away.
Later, that weird guy named Zetsu found him and introduced him to an organization called Akatsuki. His first conversation with the leader of the organization hadn't exactly gone smoothly.
To be blunt, he thought this so-called leader was insane. But he needed an organization, and Akatsuki was indeed strong. No choice, after all, even a devout follower of Jashin had to eat.
So, he ended up partnering with a stingy miser named Kakuzu.
Recently, the leader had given him a mission, to work with this guy who refused to show his face and attack Konoha.
He didn't care who they were attacking, but wasn't this guy being a little too arrogant? Sure, he was strong, but the great follower of Jashin would never submit!
"Tobi, should we move to another location to wait? What if it's a trap?" Black Zetsu asked.
Tobi was the name Obito used within Akatsuki. Whenever other members were around, Black Zetsu would always address him this way.
"No need. Orochimaru won't break his promise," Obito said.
"By the way, since those people are already involved, why are you stepping in as well?"
"Fumiki is too troublesome. Using this opportunity to eliminate him is beneficial to me," Obito replied. "If possible, we can also use Orochimaru to create chaos in Konoha. That way, Masashi will be too preoccupied to focus on anything else."
Seriously, can't you two just get along? Is your grudge really that deep? Black Zetsu didn't say this out loud. After all, Obito was incredibly stubborn.
But having more people involved was good, it would cause even more damage to Konoha. Konoha was an obstacle that needed to be removed. As for targeting the Uchiha clan? He thought that was completely unnecessary.
He had manipulated the Uchiha members for a thousand years, he understood their "potential" all too well.
Someone like Obito, who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan in a life-and-death situation without first having a base-level Mangekyō, was one of a kind. Aside from Indra's reincarnations, the Uchiha who pursued power quickly had very limited potential.
Masashi, however, was an exception, he wasn't focused on shortcuts; he wanted the full package. To Black Zetsu, as long as Masashi wasn't pushed into direct opposition, he wouldn't be a threat. As long as they didn't actively target the Uchiha clan, Masashi wouldn't stand in their way.
So… He couldn't help but glance at Obito a few more times. What kind of Uchiha wants to wipe out their entire clan?
"That plan isn't bad. Orochimaru should want revenge against the Hokage. If the Hokage dies, Konoha will fall into turmoil."
"If it becomes a fragmented mess, that'll just benefit the Uchiha. Simply killing the Hokage is meaningless," Obito scoffed. "Everything is going according to my plan. Zetsu, just do your job."
"Alright, I'm just reminding you, don't underestimate Konoha." Black Zetsu didn't argue with him but was ready to leave at any moment.
They were in a forest, an environment perfect for its abilities. The group waited a little longer. Hidan, bored out of his mind, sat down, leaned against a tree, and fell asleep.
"Keeping watch? Nah. I never keep watch. Besides, I trust my comrades won't stab me in the back."
Not that they could kill me anyway.
"He's here," Obito suddenly said.
Hidan opened his eyes.
Through his Sharingan, Obito saw a chakra source rapidly approaching from underground. Lightning suddenly crackled in his hand, forming into a spear that he thrust into the ground.
"Oh my, Tobi, you've gotten a lot stronger."
Just as the lightning spear was about to strike, a figure emerged from the ground, dodging the attack. Landing lightly, the newcomer looked at the scorched earth around him and commented in a slightly appreciative tone:
"You've gotten quite skilled with Lightning Release."
The newcomer was none other than Orochimaru.
"Is this the guy?"
Hidan stood up, resting his scythe on his shoulder. This weapon had been custom-made for him by Akatsuki, tailored to his abilities.
"Cut the act," Obito took a step forward. "Where's the thing I asked for?"
"Demanding something right away? That's not how it works," Orochimaru licked his lips. "Equivalent exchange, my dear. What you want is a jutsu I worked hard to develop."
"That jutsu originally belonged to Konoha. Stop flattering yourself." Tobi sneered and held up a finger. "One billion. When I become Hokage, Oto can earn a billion a year."
Orochimaru chuckled.
"If Masashi said that to me, I might believe it. But you? What makes you think you can say that?"
"Because I will become the Fifth Raikage."
"That's just talk." Orochimaru remained unimpressed. "I have no interest in promises about the future, ninja promises are worthless."
"I can give you what you want right now. I will have Kumo make a move."
"Not enough," Orochimaru said. "Kumo's ninjas only act in their own interest. Unless Suna and Iwa move first, they won't do anything."
"Then… are you interested in Kumo's research on Muzo's technique?"
"Oh?" Orochimaru's eyes lit up. "You actually got your hands on that? Kumo never trades that technique."
Of the Five Great Ninja Villages, Kumo originally had the weakest arsenal of jutsu. But during the Warring States period, they had invested the most in research and weren't held back by tradition.
To perfect the jinchūriki technique, the Raikage clan had practically wiped out their own family line. And to counter Edo Tensei, which had caused them great harm in the past, they had done extensive research, sealing captured Edo Tensei bodies and gathering whatever was left of Muzo's remains for study. Yet despite all their efforts, they had never developed a practical application.
Black Zetsu watched silently. He took the bait. Obito's really improving.
Hidan sighed in disappointment. Guess there won't be a fight today.
He sat back down under the tree.
Meanwhile, Obito and Orochimaru continued their negotiations.
"You've never seen my true face, have you?"Obito asked as he began removing the bandages from his face.
Orochimaru remained silent, simply watching as Obito slowly unraveled the bandages. At that moment, only one thought ran through his mind, What's wrong with this guy? Does he think he's so good-looking that I want to see his face?
He had never been particularly concerned with people's appearances, unless they were lying on his operating table. In that case, he needed to observe how their physical features changed.
The discarded bandages fell to the ground.
At this point, even if Kakashi stood in front of him, he wouldn't recognize Obito anymore. After all, he was using someone else's face. However, this face did attract Orochimaru's attention because Obito had a pair of Sharingan.
Having spent years operating in the ninja world and inheriting Madara's legacy, Obito, or rather, Black Zetsu, had a few spare Sharingan in storage. To reinforce the narrative that he was a hybrid of Senju and Uchiha descent, and to avoid raising suspicions among those familiar with his real appearance, Black Zetsu had even carefully selected a three-tomoe Sharingan from the stockpile to implant in Obito.
Although Obito could only use Kamui with his right eye, as long as he didn't activate his Mangekyō Sharingan, he appeared to be a fully functioning Uchiha with both eyes intact.
"You're an Uchiha?" Orochimaru asked in slight surprise.
As far as he knew, ever since the founding of Konoha, no Uchiha had ever defected from the village. Even when Madara left, Hashirama never officially declared him a missing-nin.
"Just a pair of eyes is enough for you to make that judgment, Orochimaru?" Obito sneered.
In the next instant, he swung his sleeve. Fierce, barbed wooden tendrils erupted from his left sleeve, shooting toward Orochimaru.
"Wood Release..."
Orochimaru waved his hand, summoning a gust of wind that sliced through the wooden tendrils, sending wood chips flying everywhere.
He reached out and caught a fragment, studying it closely.
It was real, this was genuine Wood Release. And it was even better than the artificial versions he had experimented with in the past.
"Amazing... What's your real name?"
"Tobiyama Hizō," Obito replied, crossing his arms. "Don't misunderstand, Orochimaru. My point is that possessing the Sharingan doesn't necessarily mean someone is from the Uchiha clan."
"So, having the Wood Release doesn't necessarily mean you're from the Senju clan, either?"
Orochimaru was once again convinced that his decision to abandon the Wood Release experiments was correct. Why bother trying to recreate it artificially when it could be passed down through bloodlines? Worst case, he just had to wait for a few more generations.
"Kumo isn't stingy with its own people," Obito continued. "I've already obtained their research on those forbidden jutsus. But without Edo Tensei, that knowledge is useless. Let's trade."
Back then, he had relied heavily on Kamui and throwing chunks of wood at people. Now, however, he had to admit, ninjutsu was amazing. No wonder Kakashi had spent so much time refining his skills.
Obito had now rebuilt his entire combat style from scratch. Even if Kakashi stood in front of him now, as long as he didn't speak, didn't activate his Mangekyō, and didn't use Kamui, he was confident Kakashi wouldn't recognize him.
"Does your previous offer still stand?" Orochimaru asked.
"Hmph, I will become the Raikage. If you're willing to cooperate, I'll keep my word." Obito chuckled to himself, so this legendary Sannin was really that concerned about these things?
"How generous of you." Orochimaru smirked. "In that case, give me a moment."
He sat down on the ground, pulled out a brand-new scroll, and began writing.
"What are you doing?" Obito frowned.
"Writing down the jutsu," Orochimaru replied. "A fair trade. Since you're holding up your end, I'll give you the complete version."
"Fine, but make it quick."
Obito leaned against a tree and sat down, letting Orochimaru focus on his writing. He then turned his gaze toward Konoha. This time, he would make sure the village suffered a devastating blow! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, after this, the chance of these major villages coming together again would be slim.
The wind rustled through the forest, making the leaves whisper in the breeze. He found the sound... rather pleasant.
Up ahead, Orochimaru finally put down his pen, rolled up the scroll, and walked over.
"That was quick," Obito remarked.
"Edo Tensei isn't difficult to use," Orochimaru said. "The real challenge is understanding it. Without sufficient comprehension, you won't be able to use it properly. If you can't figure it out, don't blame me."
"If you're being honest in this trade, I have no reason to." Obito smirked coldly.
He didn't mind trading knowledge if it furthered his own goals. After all, everyone, including Orochimaru, would eventually become a resident of the Infinite Tsukuyomi world.
Even though he had started seriously honing his own strength, he still viewed all ninjas from a higher perspective, as if looking down on them.
Even Orochimaru.
He found the Sannin's caution somewhat amusing.
Obito withdrew his hand, took out the scroll he had prepared in advance, and tossed it to Orochimaru.
"Here. Take it."
"Not bad. You're a straightforward guy." Orochimaru grinned as he exchanged scrolls with Obito.
Then, instead of merely glancing at it, he sat down on the spot and began carefully reading through each section. Both of them had been honest in this transaction, neither had tampered with their scrolls.
Orochimaru had thoroughly documented all of his research on Edo Tensei. And Obito had given him the raw, unaltered research data from Kumo. Kumo had spent decades studying this field, and Orochimaru now had unrestricted access to their findings.
While Orochimaru absorbed this knowledge, Obito carefully read through everything on Edo Tensei.
"Excellent," he said. "Orochimaru, go ahead and cause chaos, I'll back you up."
"Glad to hear it," Orochimaru smirked. "Pleasure doing business."
They exchanged glances, then, in unison, stood up, turned around, and went their separate ways.
"Let's go, Hidan!"