The Dark Follower on the Moon
"His puppet mastery is excellent," Orochimaru said calmly, "but he is not my match."
He understood what Uchiha Hikari was thinking.
"Hikari is an envoy sent by Sunagakure to Konoha. If anything were to happen to her, the consequences would be severe. A full-scale war between Konoha and Sunagakure could erupt. And if that happens… I would have to return to the battlefield."
At those words, Uchiha Hikari's expression dimmed.
She stepped closer, wrapping her arms tightly around Orochimaru's waist. Burying her face against his chest, she spoke in a soft, almost anxious voice.
"Why didn't Sunagakure send someone stronger as their envoy? If something happens… won't you really have to return to war?"
"It isn't that they don't want to," Orochimaru replied. "There simply isn't anyone more suitable."
Though he did not know every internal detail of Sunagakure's affairs, he possessed enough intelligence to understand their current situation.
At present, the only elite ninja Sunagakure could truly rely on was Chiyo. Her younger brother, Ebizo, specialized in espionage; his personal combat strength was limited. As for Chiyo's son, Akagitsune, and his wife Eryu, both were skilled puppet masters—but neither could serve as political envoys in such a delicate situation.
Sunagakure's choices were limited.
"Orochimaru… you don't need to go to the Hokage Building, do you?"
Hikari glanced toward the distant Hokage Building and subconsciously tightened her grip around his waist.
"What business do negotiations between the Sunagakure envoy and Konoha's leadership have with me?" Orochimaru said lightly. "I am merely a Jonin."
He reached out and gently pinched her cheek.
Despite her prestige within Konoha, Hikari was still officially just a Jonin who had recently returned from the battlefield and was resting.
"Have you rested enough?" Orochimaru asked calmly. "It's time to resume your training."
"Mm!"
Hikari nodded obediently and ran toward the open training ground. There, she began practicing the ninjutsu Orochimaru had taught her.
Hokage Building
Danzo Shimura strode into the command chamber with visible displeasure.
Inside, Chiyo of Sunagakure was already seated.
"You're late, Danzo," Hiruzen Sarutobi said mildly.
An ANBU had been dispatched earlier to notify him.
"Hmph."
Danzo did not reply. He walked to his seat and sat down stiffly. If Chiyo had not been present—and if he did not need to preserve Hiruzen's authority—he might have thrown the reports on his desk directly at the Hokage's face.
"Let us begin," Hiruzen said calmly.
"Hokage-sama," Chiyo spoke without unnecessary movement, "this is a message Lord Kazekage instructed me to deliver to you personally."
She placed a scroll on the table.
An ANBU bodyguard inspected it carefully before handing it to Hiruzen.
The Third Hokage opened the parchment.
It was a peace treaty.
The Third Kazekage had acknowledged the widening gap between Sunagakure and Konoha and no longer wished to continue hostilities.
Konoha was already engaged with Iwagakure and the Hidden Mist. Hiruzen had no desire to open another front.
Ending this short war diplomatically would be ideal.
A Proposal Beneath the Surface
In later conversation, Chiyo subtly expressed Sunagakure's willingness to form an alliance with Konoha.
However, Konoha's leadership did not provide a clear response.
The matter of the One-Tailed Jinchuriki—Bunbuku—was also raised.
Konoha's position was simple: if Sunagakure wanted Bunbuku returned, they must provide significant funds and supplies in exchange.
This was bad news for Chiyo.
Sunagakure's economy was fragile. Securing such resources would be extremely difficult.
Worse still, the Third Kazekage appeared indifferent toward Bunbuku's fate.
Chiyo, however, had witnessed the terrifying power of the Tailed Beast Ball.
She understood clearly: without Shukaku, Sunagakure's strategic position would weaken drastically.
Even if the Jinchuriki was unstable, Shukaku remained a final trump card. In the worst-case scenario, the beast could perish alongside the enemy—an act of desperate defiance befitting one of the Five Great Nations.
The meeting ended quickly.
An ANBU escorted Chiyo to a hotel under heavy surveillance.
Konoha's Internal Debate
"Judging from her attitude," Danzo said coldly, "the Third Kazekage wants an alliance."
He crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed.
"The key issue," Utatane Koharu added, "is whether Sunagakure can afford to redeem the One-Tail."
Danzo snorted.
"That idea is unrealistic."
He spoke with authority.
"Root intelligence reports that the Wind Daimyo has considered cutting Sunagakure's funding. Their finances are unstable. With their barren environment and lack of resources, they cannot provide what we demand."
His eyes gleamed with ambition.
"Rather than ally with them, we should conquer them. Sunagakure is nothing more than a toothless paper tiger. Deploy the Sannin. Strike quickly. By the time the other villages react, Sunagakure will already belong to us."
Form an alliance?
Ridiculous.
"Haven't we accepted their peace treaty?" Hiruzen's tone hardened.
"Why hesitate?" Danzo slammed the table.
Hiruzen glared back.
"What would conquering Sunagakure bring us?" he demanded. "Their land is barren. Their resources are scarce. The cost in ninja lives would be enormous."
He lit his pipe and exhaled slowly.
"Furthermore, an invasion would push Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and the Hidden Mist toward cooperation. We would create our own encirclement."
Silence fell.
Danzo reluctantly acknowledged the logic.
Yet he remained dissatisfied.
Chiyo's Investigation
At the hotel, Chiyo sensed the ANBU surveillance surrounding her.
Using a puppet disguised as herself, she left it seated inside while she transformed into an ordinary middle-aged woman and slipped away unnoticed.
Her mission extended beyond peace.
The Third Kazekage had tasked her with assessing Konoha's relationship with Kumogakure.
Rumors suggested cooperation.
But was it true?
By nightfall, she returned.
The evidence confirmed that Konoha and Kumogakure were not allies. Whether secret dealings existed remained uncertain.
She also heard rumors about Danzo Shimura—some called him the "Midnight Guardian God."
Chiyo's cheeks flushed faintly as she recalled exaggerated village gossip.
"Ridiculous…" she muttered.
At that very moment, deep within Root headquarters, Danzo sneezed repeatedly while reviewing documents. Irritated, he slapped the desk lamp beside him several times, making it flicker violently.
The Root ninja behind him remained expressionless.
Uzumaki Mito's Perspective
Later, Hiruzen sought counsel from Uzumaki Mito.
"If Sunagakure cannot pay," he asked, "should we return the One-Tail?"
"You are the Hokage," Mito replied calmly. "Such decisions are yours."
She had recently spoken with Bunbuku.
The argument between the Nine-Tails and Shukaku inside their respective hosts had been… enlightening.
Apparently, the Nine-Tails believed the number of tails determined strength.
Naturally, Shukaku took offense.
If not sealed within hosts, the two beasts might already have fought.
"Act according to your judgment," Mito said finally.
She would not decide for him.
Moonlit Realization
That night, silence enveloped Orochimaru's home.
The lake near the training grounds reflected the moonlight like polished silver.
After dinner, Orochimaru stood atop the water's surface.
For years, he had attempted to create a Truth-Seeking Orb.
Every attempt had failed.
Yet he refused to abandon the idea.
The moon hung above him—like a massive eye.
His thoughts drifted to the descendants of Ōtsutsuki Hamura who lived upon the Moon.
The Hyuga clan on Earth descended from that lineage.
Legends spoke of a massive Tenseigan formed from countless Byakugan, its core said to be Hamura's eyes.
If the Gedo Statue had disappeared…
Would they search for it?
Orochimaru activated Sage Mode.
The Yin Seal released its chakra.
Porcelain-white horns curved from his head. A pale serpentine tail hovered behind him.
He extended his perception.
There.
A faint, nearly imperceptible trace of chakra woven within the moonlight itself.
So that was how they scanned the world.
The Gedo Statue's disappearance must have caused upheaval on the Moon.
The Main Family and Branch Family of Hamura's descendants likely disagreed once more over their ancestor's final words.
One believed in preserving the world created by the Sage of Six Paths.
The other believed in judging—and possibly destroying—it if it had failed.
If conflict had erupted…
Did Uchiha Madara's summoning of the Gedo Statue indirectly trigger civil war on the Moon?
If so…
Then both factions might still exist.
Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed.
A new possibility surfaced in his mind.
If the descendants of Hamura possessed such power—
If their internal conflict weakened them—
Then perhaps…
There was something on the Moon worth claiming.
And perhaps—
The true danger was not the earthbound wars between villages.
But the silent gaze watching from above.
Orochimaru smiled faintly beneath the moonlight.
A new experiment had just begun.
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