Chapter 114: The Unmasked Gambit
Nara Shinsuke's analysis hung in the air, cold and logical. Jiraiya's usual boisterous demeanor vanished, replaced by a grave seriousness.
"So," Jiraiya concluded, the words tasting like ash, "Kagenori came to the Land of Grass with the sole purpose of finding this Uzumaki Miyuki. His goal is to have her replace Kushina as the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki."
Nara Shinsuke gave a slow, confirming nod. "That is the most logical conclusion. The matter of the Jinchuriki is of the highest strategic importance. Regardless of his precise intent, the Hokage must be informed."
Jiraiya understood the gravity completely. The Tailed Beast was a weapon of mass destruction; any intrigue surrounding its vessel demanded the utmost caution. "I'll report this to the old man immediately."
After dispatching a hawk carrying a detailed letter to Sarutobi Hiruzen—outlining the discovery of Uzumaki Miyuki, Shinsuke's suspicions, and Kagenori's transfer request—Jiraiya knew he couldn't wait for a reply. He had to confront the source.
He found Kagenori and Kakashi just as they were finishing a meal. "Kagenori," he said, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "We need to talk."
Kagenori's brow furrowed in irritation. Again? This Sannin was becoming a persistent nuisance. But rank was rank. "Kakashi, return to the barracks," he instructed before turning to follow Jiraiya to a secluded spot beneath a large, gnarled tree.
"Kagenori," Jiraiya began, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "Why were you searching for Uzumaki Miyuki?"
Kagenori's expression was a mask of mild annoyance. "I happened upon her."
"Happened upon her?" Jiraiya's gaze was sharp, penetrating. "I think not. Shinsuke pieced together your movements. You've been conducting a systematic search of this country since you arrived. Kagenori, you know about the Jinchuriki, don't you? You came here to find her. Your goal is to have Uzumaki Miyuki replace Kushina as the vessel. Am I wrong?"
Kagenori's lip curled slightly. The Nara clan's intelligence was indeed a formidable thing. There was no point in further subterfuge; the core of his plan had been laid bare.
"Yes," he admitted, his voice flat and unapologetic. "That is precisely my goal."
Jiraiya's face hardened. "Kagenori, abandon this folly. It's impossible. Kushina has been trained in Lady Mito's sealing arts. She can suppress the Nine-Tails. Uzumaki Miyuki has no such training. The beast would run rampant, and the damage to Konoha would be catastrophic. Furthermore, Lady Mito does not have the time or strength to train a new apprentice. Do not waste your energy on a futile endeavor! I give you my word, Kushina's status will be known to only a handful. She will not be mistreated."
A cynical, mocking smile played on Kagenori's lips. "So, in Jiraiya-sama's eyes, I am a fool chasing fantasies. And your 'word'? Can you truly guarantee it? The scandal around Lord Sakumo was a 'confidential' mission, yet the entire village knows the details. If that can be leaked, what is truly safe?"
Jiraiya flinched, the rebuttal striking a nerve he couldn't defend.
Kagenori pressed his advantage, his tone turning cold and pragmatic. "If your concern is control, set it aside. Uzumaki Miyuki can learn the sealing arts after becoming the vessel. And until she does, I will suppress the Nine-Tails."
"You?" Jiraiya's eyes widened in disbelief. "How could you possibly—"
Kagenori's grey eyes flashed, shifting in an instant to the complex, scythe-bladed pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan. "You recognize these eyes, do you not, Jiraiya-sama? The Mangekyō Sharingan holds dominion over the Tailed Beasts. Do you still believe my efforts are 'futile'?"
Jiraiya stared, a cold dread trickling down his spine. The Mangekyō. A legend even among the Uchiha, a power thought lost. And it had been awakened not by a pure-blooded Uchiha, but by this half-blood outcast. The irony was as profound as it was terrifying.
Yet, his resolve held. "Kagenori, even with that power… can you watch over her every moment of every day? The Hokage will never agree. Kushina is the safer, more stable choice. With your Mangekyō, her control would be even more absolute."
Kagenori deactivated his Sharingan, his gaze returning to its usual cold grey. "Jiraiya-sama, I believe that outcomes are shaped by will and action, not pre-ordained fate. That day has not yet arrived. Until it does, all possibilities remain open. If there is nothing else, I must rest. I trust you will process our transfer to the Land of Hot Springs."
He turned and walked away, not waiting for a dismissal. He knew Jiraiya would report every word of this to Sarutobi. It was better this way. Let them know his purpose and his power. Let them see the value he represented and the threat he could become.
As he walked, his mind worked through the calculus. His revealed Mangekyō would force Sarutobi to reevaluate his worth, especially during a war. If he could accumulate enough achievements, his value to the village could eventually outweigh the perceived risk of his plan. And then there was the Uchiha problem. The clan was desperate for influence, throwing their shinobi into the war's meat grinder in a bid for political power. Sarutobi feared them. A powerful shinobi with a Mangekyō Sharingan, who was firmly in the Hokage's camp and held a deep-seated hatred for the Uchiha main family, was an asset beyond price.
Uchiha Masaki's earlier attempt at reconciliation hadn't been about his Sharingan alone. It was an investment in a rising power within the Hokage's faction. Now, that power had just increased exponentially. The game was escalating, and Kagenori had just revealed a queen on his board.
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