From the swirling vortex, two figures stepped out—Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Madara.
Danzo's expression changed instantly. He instinctively took two steps back, then glared at Hiruko with fury in his eyes.
"You bastard," he hissed. "You've aligned yourself with them?"
He had inherited Senju Tobirama's deep suspicion—turned hatred—of the Uchiha, but even that wasn't enough to steel him against the oppressive presence of the two strongest Uchiha alive.
"Why are you surprised?" Hiruko replied coldly, his smile gone. "Strength is all that matters. Whether it's Konoha, Akatsuki, or anyone else… I'll work with whoever helps me grow stronger."
Among all the rogue shinobi in the world, Hiruko stood apart. He hadn't rebelled out of trauma or betrayal, but out of sheer inadequacy. A ninja with no talent, dismissed and disrespected, he left Konoha to forge his own path. Everything he'd done since then was to gain power—so that one day, they'd all be forced to look up to him.
"Heh. Shimura Danzo… how ironic."
Madara studied Danzo with disdain, his gaze finally resting on the man's eye socket. "You're Tobirama's disciple… and yet you've filled yourself with Uchiha power."
Though much of Madara's strength was currently sealed, his original eyesight remained sharp. The man before him bore not only the Sharingan, but also the physical strength of Senju Hashirama himself—Danzo was far from ordinary, even in his twilight years.
"There's no right or wrong when it comes to power," Danzo shot back, tense but guarded. "Though I never thought you, of all people, would stoop to such tactics."
Madara's expression remained unreadable. "No right or wrong in power… a fine philosophy. Why concern yourself with methods at all?"
Danzo flinched slightly. It was a throwaway remark, yet Madara had taken it seriously. The difference in presence between them was palpable—and unsettling.
Still, he took a breath and asked, "If you've gone through all this trouble, what is it you expect from me?"
Danzo had no intention of being a pawn. He was only cooperating for now, buying time until he could relay this to the village—and potentially use Orochimaru to eliminate the threat.
Madara answered plainly, "Funding. Equipment. A secure place to operate."
"But let's start with what you get in return."
Before Danzo could reply, Madara turned his head toward Hiruko. "Tell him why you're really here."
Danzo remembered Hiruko had mentioned an 'accident' in a previous experiment. His eyes narrowed.
"The accident was real," Hiruko began, "but perhaps not the way you think."
He paused dramatically. "Someone attacked us. One of Nagato's Rinnegan was destroyed. I suggested we try to replicate it—using the damaged tissue to culture a clone."
Danzo's breath caught.
"But guess what?" Hiruko continued. "The resulting face wasn't Nagato's. It was an exact match for Madara-sama."
Danzo's face twisted. "You mean…"
"Yes," Madara said calmly. "Those eyes were mine. I only ever lent them to Nagato."
That one sentence shattered Danzo's mental footing. Dozens of implications swirled through his mind. Whatever the full truth was, it was clear: Madara had suffered a setback—and needed him.
Which also meant Madara was now willing to bargain.
Danzo eyed him warily. "You want me to act… and in return, you'll offer the Rinnegan? That's absurd. I'm not worth that much."
He was being honest. As much as he craved the Rinnegan's power, he knew better than to expect it. Eyes like those didn't just fall into anyone's hands.
Madara's lips curled ever so slightly. "Of course not."
In the blink of an eye, he appeared directly in front of Danzo and raised a hand toward his face.
Danzo's instincts screamed at him to move—but under Madara's gaze, his body froze. He could do nothing but watch as Madara's hand touched his right eye.
A strange energy surged through him. At first, it was euphoric—then came a searing pain, like his eyeball was being ignited from within. He gritted his teeth, veins bulging, trying not to scream.
After what felt like an eternity—but was only a few minutes—Madara stepped back.
Danzo staggered, gasping, his right hand clutching his face. A slick, unfamiliar sensation throbbed in his socket.
When he looked down, his hand was stained red.
"This is…?"
"Your advance payment," Madara said flatly. "So? Why don't you test your new ability?"
Danzo slowly lifted his head. His right eye was spinning, its three tomoe folding into a jagged, shuriken-like shape.
"…The Mangekyō Sharingan."
Even he could hardly believe it. The most feared evolution of the Sharingan—one he had desperately desired for years—now his.
Despite the pain, he was elated.
He believed now. Madara wasn't bluffing. Only the true master of the Rinnegan could perform such a miracle.
Madara turned away. "Complete your task, and I'll give you the other eye as well. Is that enough of a reward?"
Danzo's face remained stoic, but inside, his thoughts were a storm.
'He's binding me with gifts. If this ever leaks, I'll be ruined. The Uchiha alone would tear me apart. And yet… I can't walk away.'
It was a trap—but one he had no choice but to walk into.
Still, he wasn't without options. Madara clearly feared Orochimaru and Nagato. Perhaps he could use them as leverage later.
"Understood," Danzo said coolly.
Madara nodded to Hiruko. "Explain the specifics to him."
As the two moved to the side, Obito—silent until now—spoke up.
"You gave him a Mangekyō Sharingan. That's… generous."
Opening that kind of eye wasn't easy. It would've taken serious cost, even for Madara.
"Just power," Madara replied, calm as ever. "It's wasted on me now. Better to invest it."
Thanks to the cell enhancements Danzo received years ago, his body was already far stronger than a normal shinobi's. He might one day awaken a Mangekyō on his own. All Madara had done was hasten that evolution.
Obito gave Danzo a cold glance. "Aren't you worried your 'fish' will eat the bait and spit out the hook?"
Madara chuckled. "People aren't fish. They're greedier."
Even now, Danzo chased the title of Hokage like a dying man gasping for air. People like that were predictable—and easy to control.
---
Two more days passed.
Orochimaru and his group arrived at the vast lake outside Amegakure. On Meteorite Island, Nagato and his team were already waiting.
"Tsk, tsk…"
Orochimaru eyed Nagato's mismatched eyes with a smirk. "I walk away from our last fight unscathed, and then this happens to you? Careless."
Nagato remained silent.
One of his Rinnegan had been replaced by a normal black pupil. The imbalance was clear—and unsettling.
He had confirmed it himself. The Rinnegan wasn't his birthright—it had always belonged to Uchiha Madara.
And that realization stung more than any wound.
Had this happened years ago, it might have shattered him. But now? He simply endured.
"Konoha and Akatsuki negotiating peace," Nagato finally said. "Is that all you came for?"
"Not quite." Orochimaru's gaze flicked to Kakuzu and the other Akatsuki behind Nagato, before nodding toward Nara Shikaku.
"Diplomacy is best left to professionals. We've established peace—the rest is just paperwork."
Nagato gave a small wave, signaling his men to take over.
As they walked away, Orochimaru leaned closer. "So… how was your encounter with Uchiha Madara?"
"As expected of someone who stood shoulder to shoulder with the First Hokage," Nagato muttered, eyes low.
Orochimaru grinned. "So we won't be learning their whereabouts from you, then."
He licked his lips. "But I'm curious. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path… it's still in your possession, yes? Let me take a look. It was Madara's summon, after all—maybe I can trace him through it."
Nagato's brow furrowed. "That's not going to happen."
He already regretted being tied to that abomination. Letting Orochimaru near it would only make things worse.
"Don't be so quick to refuse," Orochimaru said lightly. "I'll trade you something for it—information. I'll tell you the statue's origin. You can judge whether it's worth it."
Nagato narrowed his eyes. "Even if you do… how can I know you're telling the truth?"
"I'll give you a method to verify it," Orochimaru replied. "Decide afterward."
Nagato thought a moment, then nodded. "But whatever you say, I'll be sharing it with Konan."
"Of course."
Orochimaru turned to Jiraiya. "Still standing there like a statue? Go join the others."
Jiraiya scowled. "You could at least pretend to respect me…"
Still, he sighed and walked off toward the negotiations.
As Orochimaru watched him leave, he turned back to Nagato and Konan with a strange smile.
"Sometimes," he said quietly, "knowing too much… is more dangerous than knowing nothing at all."
_____________________
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