"The situation is already this critical, are we still going to keep enduring it?!"
The one who spoke was the Gekko Clan Head, a gaunt man with eyes as sharp as blades.
He glared with his triangular eyes, angrily scanning the many Shinobi Clans' representatives seated at the table, the fire in his chest already uncontrollable.
The surrounding Clan Heads, however, all fell silent.
Nara Shikaku watched this scene unfold, unconsciously rubbing his furrowed brow, the gruesome scar on his face twitching slightly with his movement.
After the Hokage organization's meeting concluded, these Ninja Clan Heads did not immediately disperse; instead, as usual, they went to a secret room beneath the Akimichi Clan's compound to begin another meeting.
Just as Danzo Shimura had judged.
The Shinobi Clans were merely a loose alliance, not a tightly knit group.
They also had their own internal interests.
"Then what do you propose we do?"
Inoichi Yamanaka looked coldly at the fool in front of him, his lips pressed tightly as he reprimanded, "Danzo Shimura has made up his mind to wait for us to walk into his trap. Are you trying to rush everyone to their deaths?"
"A Hokage without the support of the Shinobi Clans is merely a representative of the common people and the Sarutobi Clan."
As if slightly displeased by this statement, Shibi Aburame, who had been sitting silently aside since the beginning, suddenly spoke.
"Exactly, what do you mean, 'to their deaths'!"
Inuzuka Tsume looked at Inoichi Yamanaka unkindly, stating coldly, "We are merely fighting for the reasonable rights of the Shinobi Clans. Do you think we want our entire clan to rebel?"
At these words, the entire conference table fell silent, everyone unconsciously lowering their gaze, their expressions serious.
There was no other reason.
The precedents of the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans were clear, and the consequences had been too severe.
Although the overall situation in Konoha currently seemed unchanged, only they clearly understood how serious the decline in power and status of these two clans truly was.
The Uchiha, originally the largest clan, lost hundreds of elite Ninja in a single night, and all members with Mangekyo Sharingan rebelled.
The Hyuga fared even worse; their entire Main Family was massacred by their own people, and they began self-governance by an Elder Council, with a complete change in their power structure. Even those former Branch Family elders who were not from the Main Family, and once held high status within the clan, were utterly trampled into the dirt.
For them, the rulers of the Shinobi Clans, the former result was certainly terrifying, but the latter outcome was often even more terrifying.
Power, that bone-eroding poisoned fruit that makes one unable to stop.
After tasting its sweet flavor, who could easily let it go?
Presumably having caught the fleeting hesitation in everyone's eyes, Nara Shikaku finally spoke: "Alright."
"Since we are all gathered here, it means we share a common goal."
"To protect our Shinobi Clans and the transcendent status of our Bloodline Limits."
"I believe everyone agrees on this, right?"
As soon as Nara Shikaku spoke, the Clan Heads, who had been arguing fiercely moments before, all set aside their differences and turned to look at him.
As the Hokage's chief strategist, and also a genius Ninja with an IQ approaching 200, his words carried significant weight anywhere.
"Indeed."
Seeing that everyone remained silent, Shibi Aburame quietly responded on their behalf.
Looking at the expressions of those around him, Nara Shikaku knew they were full of apprehension and would certainly not easily commit at this moment. This, in a way, created a delicate balance within their loose alliance.
Only at such times could his words have an effect.
"If that's the case, we must at least agree on a common principle."
"That is, in non-essential circumstances, no one shall unilaterally use force against the Hokage side, under the guise of rebellion, leading to significant losses for our alliance."
Nara Shikaku calmly scanned everyone, his expression steady: "The Uchiha and Hyuga precedents are not far off; I believe everyone can understand how firm the Third Hokage's resolve truly is."
"If anyone dares to violate this principle, at least my Nara Clan will absolutely not stand with them."
"This is a path to destruction."
"Does anyone have any objections to this point?"
Upon hearing this, everyone around them nodded silently.
The reason they banded together despite their internal conflicts was precisely for the safety and stability of their own clans, wasn't it?
Of course.
The main reason, however, was another point.
During the Uchiha rebellion, the Hokage faction displayed a rallying power and a capacity to endure costs that exceeded their imagination.
If they were to confront them head-on, even if the Shinobi Clans ultimately won, how great would the losses be?
Shinobi Clans were not commoners; their interests always stemmed from their own clan.
And each of them, in terms of the number and quality of Ninja within their clan, could not compare to the Uchiha or Hyuga, not even reaching a third of their strength.
If their clan members were all dead, what good would it do for the Shinobi Clans' alliance to win?
Nara Shikaku nodded slightly at the sight.
However, just as he was about to continue, the Gekko Clan Head, who had spoken first, raised his hand and asked, "Since it's 'non-essential circumstances,' then naturally there are 'essential circumstances.'"
"Clan Head Nara, in your opinion, when would it be considered essential?"
Clearly, as the head of a minor clan, and also a representative of the militant faction pushed forward by certain individuals, he needed to clarify many things.
Nara Shikaku pursed his lips, his expression slightly grave: "As for essential circumstances..."
"Naturally, it would be when the Third Hokage, disregarding everything, even at the cost of the Village suffering significant economic losses, seeks to completely eradicate the several Shinobi Clans that contributed the most among us."
"At that point, even if we don't want to act, we probably won't have the opportunity."
At these words, everyone present was in an uproar, and the Gekko Clan Head immediately pressed, "Then must we hand the initiative to the Third Hokage?"
"We are already at a disadvantage; if so, how can we protect the interests of our respective clans?"
Many of the surrounding Clan Heads shared this sentiment, their gazes fixed on Nara Shikaku.
"Quite the opposite."
However, Nara Shikaku seemed to have anticipated their reaction, his tone steady: "In this struggle, we are the ones who hold the initiative."
A sudden silence fell over the room.
Nara Shikaku's voice continued, speaking rapidly: "Please calm down and consider: if we do not give the Third Hokage any leverage, then what reason would he have to act against us?"
"Conversely, our clans control the economic lifelines within Konoha Village. Apart from the annual military allocations from the Daimyo, which we cannot influence, all kinds of supplies, armaments, materials, and factories are our private property."
"As long as the current standoff continues, and the Third Hokage does not relent for a moment, he can only watch Konoha gradually decline, with annual research funds, educational funds, and standing expenditures having to be cut again and again."
"These funds and resources are the foundation upon which the Hokage faction sustains such a large number of commoner Ninja."
"If these financial outlays for winning popular support are gone, then in just one or two years, or even a few months, the balance of power between us and the Hokage faction will reverse."
"Moreover, are all members of the Hokage faction fools who cannot see such a future? Does Danzo Shimura not harbor ambitions to replace Hiruzen Sarutobi?"
"By then, whether it's impeaching the Hokage or simply initiating elections for the Fifth Generation, it will all be led by us."
Upon hearing these words, everyone present quieted down, most furrowing their brows and falling into thought.
They could all clearly distinguish between short-term economic interests and core family rights.
It's just that they would have to endure for such a long time... Nara Shikaku, however, did not continue speaking, merely watching everyone quietly, waiting for them to make their own choices.
Finally, seeing everyone raise their heads one by one, he calmly said, "It seems, gentlemen, you have made your decision."
"Does anyone have a better suggestion?"
When Nara Shikaku's voice fell, the entire room was silent.
"Very good."
His voice was calm, but his gaze was fixed on everyone, his tone solemn: "What our Shinobi Clans face today is the first major shift in the power structure since the establishment of the Ninja Villages. Today's alliance will determine whether our Shinobi Clans can continue to stand at the top of Konoha's pyramid in the future."
"I hope, gentlemen, we advance and retreat together."
While Nara Shikaku and the other Shinobi Clans were meeting to decide their subsequent strategies, Root was bustling as usual.
However, Hiruko had originally thought that after Aizen entered the Root system, their entire department would undergo some major changes—at least, he, who constantly embezzled funds for his own projects, might suffer a severe blow.
To his surprise, in the days following their first meeting, Root remained completely calm.
Even the scene he had envisioned, where Aizen Sōsuke would appear before him, taking over his research department while coldly mocking him, did not occur.
This unusual calm, instead, made Hiruko inexplicably uneasy.
Until this day.
"Knock, knock."
The door to the room suddenly knocked.
Hiruko, who had remained vigilant these past days, instinctively stood up. After sensing a somewhat familiar Chakra outside the door, he naturally opened it.
"What is it?"
His voice was flat.
"Lord Hiruko."
"Lord Danzo has announced that all department heads are to meet in the Third Workshop today to discuss follow-up matters concerning the Shinobi Clans."
The one who spoke before him was a young man wearing a mask and with short white hair.
Seeing this familiar appearance, Hiruko unconsciously recalled the prey he had once targeted years ago.
Kakashi Hatake.
However, later, after Lord Danzo also began collecting Sharingan, he conducted some research on the Sharingan through his authority and no longer placed as much importance on this particular prey.
"I understand."
The young Root member opposite him showed no reaction and quickly left the doorway.
After his figure had departed, Hiruko's brow furrowed slightly.
Regarding the Shinobi Clans...
Such an internal affair actually required all Root department heads to meet.
It was truly rare.
Root, under Danzo Shimura's governance, had always been a specialized machine where everyone performed their assigned duties, entirely focused on executing his personal goals, and rarely allowed their department heads to offer their own opinions or compete for funds.
Hiruko instinctively felt that something was amiss but did not say much.
He turned and walked directly towards the Third Workshop.
By the time he arrived inside, most department heads were already present, and Danzo Shimura sat quietly at the head of the long table, while others took their seats according to the nameplates on the table.
However, upon seeing the figure seated to Danzo Shimura's left, Hiruko's pupils involuntarily constricted.
The figure opposite also noticed his gaze; he turned his head, pushed up his thick glasses, and smiled gently at him.
Aizen Sōsuke.
What exactly had he done to that fool Danzo Shimura these past few days?
Hiruko's wariness was not unfounded.
In a hierarchical department like Root, everyone, even their seating arrangements, had strict requirements. The place Aizen was now sitting in used to be Orochimaru's spot.
Directly opposite him was Aburame Ryoma, Danzo Shimura's current right-hand man.
Hiruko thought this, his eyes narrowing slightly, a pensive look on his face.
It wasn't until all department heads had arrived that Danzo Shimura spoke in a deep voice, "Since everyone is here, let the meeting begin."
"The theme of today's meeting is to officially classify Orochimaru's defection and to outline the subsequent process of clearing out Orochimaru's remaining forces within the Village."
"?!"
Hearing this, everyone present was stunned.
Although many of them knew that Orochimaru had been missing from the Village for some time, and had vaguely understood that Hiruzen Sarutobi had once led people to search Orochimaru's research base within the Village.
However, this was the first time that Orochimaru's departure had been formally classified as a defection.
Moreover, weren't they here to discuss how to deal with the various Shinobi Clans?
What did this have to do with Orochimaru?
Not only these minor department heads, but even Aburame Ryoma, Danzo's right-hand man, couldn't help but frown, looking at him with confusion.
"Please, everyone, remain calm."
Just as everyone was still somewhat bewildered, the unfamiliar young man at Lord Danzo's side suddenly spoke gently, "Lord Danzo means that after careful consideration, he believes that a huge anti-Konoha force has always persisted within Konoha Village, engaging in collusion."
"Orochimaru was one of the first representatives to surface."
"The Uchiha and Hyuga, who subsequently launched a coup and rebellion, as well as the representatives of various Shinobi Clans who are currently attacking the Hokage line, which represents Konoha's orthodoxy, are also members of this group."
"For the peace and stability of the Village, we, the Root buried beneath Konoha, need to make our own efforts."
Aizen Sōsuke's tone was gentle, his voice strong, but his words caused everyone present to pause.
So that's it.
Lord Danzo intends to set up a target, a 'rebel group,' to deal with the Shinobi Clans?
As for whether Orochimaru actually defected, or whether such a huge anti-Konoha force truly exists in the Village?
That simply wasn't important.
Aburame Ryoma, worthy of being Danzo's right-hand man, quickly grasped Lord Danzo's objective by drawing on past lines of thought.
However, his tone was still somewhat uncertain, and he tentatively asked, "Lord Danzo, by what standard should we determine which Shinobi Clans are loyal?"
"It's simple."
Danzo Shimura's voice was calm: "Next, in order to break the monopoly of the Shinobi Clans and collectively raise the strength of all Konoha Ninja, our Root needs to further advance Jonin Aizen's research and development of artificial Bloodline Limits—for a long time to come, this will be one of the most important tasks for all Root research departments."
His voice paused here, and Aizen Sōsuke proactively rose from his seat, nodding to everyone present.
Many people present were meeting this young researcher for the first time.
Their initial impressions were mostly subtle.
Most people within Root were either the most extreme radicals in the Village or tools raised from various orphanages from a young age.
And this young man in front of them, just looking at his gentle smile and polite demeanor, seemed completely out of place in this dark environment.
Only Hiruko, upon hearing this point, felt his heart skip a beat, and he subconsciously looked at Danzo Shimura, trying to find any suspicious traces on his face.
Unfortunately, he saw nothing.
Danzo Shimura's voice continued: "During this research process, we need, and must, collect sufficient data on Bloodline Limits, secret techniques, and cultivation from various Shinobi Clans."
"Currently, the two largest anti-Konoha forces in the entire Village have already been defeated."
"And what we need to do is observe the attitude of all Shinobi Clans in obeying the Village's overall situation."
"If anyone opposes Root's demands, it will inevitably mean that they are still colluding with this huge anti-Konoha force! They are one of the important forces remotely controlled by the defected Orochimaru!"
"As the Root of Konoha, we must let them know that no one can block the glorious path of all Konoha members enhancing their strength and developing their own Bloodline Limits!"
Listening to Danzo Shimura's words, although everyone present still had some doubts in their hearts, they couldn't help but become excited as they realized that the Village was finally going to eradicate these tumors entrenched in Konoha one by one and open up broader prospects for civilian Ninja.
Even if it might take a long time for Aizen Sōsuke to develop artificial Bloodline Limits, the mere fact that they could act against the various Shinobi Clans implied enormous potential for profit.
Bloodline Limits, secret techniques, cultivation, medicine.
Behind each of these words lay the technical foundations accumulated by each Ninja Clan over thousands of years, their core data hidden deep within their clans.
Simply gathering this data would inevitably mean huge breakthroughs in various aspects of research and development.
Who could not be tempted by this prospect?
Among everyone present, only Hiruko listened with a pounding heart.
"How is this possible?!"
He wasn't against this course of action, but because he knew all too well what a selfish and self-serving scoundrel Danzo Shimura was.
"How could Danzo Shimura risk potentially huge losses to make Root act alone in such a massive undertaking?"
"Normally, he would definitely dump such an important task onto that idiot Hiruzen Sarutobi's head."
"Aizen Sōsuke! It must be him!"
"But what kind of bewitching spell did he cast on Danzo Shimura? Could he have already controlled him?"
The more he thought this way, the more a strong, suppressed fear grew in Hiruko's heart.
It was chilling.
It had only been a few days?
The only thing that gave him a slight sense of relief was that he wasn't the only one among those present who remained clear-headed.
Aburame Ryoma, after hearing this command, couldn't help but frown and ask, "Lord Danzo."
"For such a major operation, shouldn't we first consult with the Third Hokage?"
"If subsequent actions encounter obstacles, and we proceed on our own, it might be very difficult to deal with the dissatisfaction of so many Shinobi Clans..."
His words were actually very subtle.
A mere Root, in essence, was nothing more than an agent of Konoha's will.
Without Hiruzen Sarutobi's support, failure was an inevitable outcome.
One must remember that Shinobi Clans were military groups, integrated in military and politics, connected by family bloodlines, and with long histories.
If pushed too hard, how could they not retaliate?
At that point, the complete annihilation of Root was not impossible.
Danzo Shimura seemed to have anticipated this question, and with a calm expression, he gave Aizen Sōsuke a look.
Aizen immediately rose and replied, "Lord Ryoma is absolutely right; Lord Danzo has also considered this point."
"Therefore, before acting, what we need to do first is to manipulate public opinion, widely spreading the news that Orochimaru defected from the Village and had extensive contact with various clans within the Village."
"During this process, the Uchiha Clan took the lead, but they didn't expect that Orochimaru had already been defeated by us and fled the Village, failing to complete the inside-outside cooperation, which led to their sudden failure."
"However, under the wise leadership of the Third Hokage, the Uchiha and Hyuga have now reformed."
"What we are about to do is merely to clear out some lingering poisons within the Village."
"Precisely so."
Danzo Shimura set the tone with a calm voice.
Hearing him say this, Aburame Ryoma's heart immediately settled by three points.
It seemed Lord Danzo's intention was only to launch small-scale attacks.
In that case, even those Shinobi Clans probably wouldn't be able to say much.
"I understand."
Aburame Ryoma's response gradually eased the apprehension in everyone else's hearts, and they began to consider how to maximize the profits from this operation.
No one noticed that Hiruko's face was becoming increasingly grim.
Soon, the meeting drew to a close.
After the meeting ended, Aizen Sōsuke stepped out of the room, contemplating the next issues.
He actually hadn't controlled Danzo Shimura.
He merely used the power of Kyōka Suigetsu to offer some suggestions, making Danzo Shimura believe that everything was proceeding according to his own thoughts, and simply went with the flow.
Ever since his two consecutive failures in his previous life, he no longer believed that acting autocratically, as he once thought, was feasible.
After all, humans themselves possessed an extremely high degree of unpredictability.
What he needed to do now was to seize the opportunities he needed amidst the chaos.
Chaos was a ladder.
Since he wanted to create a "Soul Society" that could contain his own power, the resources and power he needed were endless.
He needed Root, and even the power of the entire Konoha, to accomplish all of this.
Just as Aizen was thinking this, slowly stepping into the deeper darkness.
A figure suddenly darted out from the corner ahead, blocking him squarely, their gaze cold.
Looking at the man with the physique of a mere youth in front of him, Aizen's face revealed a slight smile: "We meet again, Lord Hiruko."
"Aizen Sōsuke."
Hiruko stared at him with a chilling gaze, his voice icy: "You've only just entered Root, and you're already causing such a stir."
"With your intelligence, you shouldn't be unaware of what will happen next."
"What... what is your objective?"
Hearing this, Aizen Sōsuke merely smiled gently, feigning confusion: "What are you talking about, Lord Hiruko?"
"I merely did what I was supposed to do, nothing more."
"Many things in this world cannot be decided by small figures like you and me, can they?"
"6"
Hiruko, however, just watched him quietly, as if trying to discern something from that kind and gentle face.
Finally, he snorted coldly and brushed past Aizen.
"Hmph."
"I'll be watching you, Aizen."
Aizen Sōsuke stood in place, listening to Hiruko's footsteps gradually fade away.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Hearing this, Aizen Sōsuke merely smiled gently, feigning confusion: "What are you talking about, Lord Hiruko?"
"I merely did what I was supposed to do, nothing more."
"Many things in this world cannot be decided by small figures like you and me, can they?"
"5"
Hiruko, however, just watched him quietly, as if trying to discern something from that kind and gentle face.
Finally, he snorted coldly and brushed past Aizen.
"Hmph."
"I'll be watching you, Aizen."
Aizen Sōsuke stood in place, listening to Hiruko's footsteps gradually fade away.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Noncommittal.