Izumi's face was pale. She certainly knew that the Cloud and Rock Villages had gone to war.
In fact, Root had played a role in instigating the conflict between the two villages.
That was why she was so devoutly loyal to Danzo Shimura.
She patiently put on her Falcon mask, returned to Root's underground base, and requested an audience with Danzo.
Reporting every word Byakuya had said without error, she bowed her head deeply, daring not to look at Danzo's expression.
She was afraid to see disappointment on his face. If that happened, the possibility of killing the Third Raikage, as Byakuya had suggested, would crumble.
For some reason...
Memories of the brutal training she underwent in the Cloud Village as a child flashed before her eyes like fleeting shadows.
Those who hadn't experienced it could never imagine how cruel and inhuman it was.
Danzo said softly, "So he wants intelligence on the Three Great Sage Regions."
It wasn't a question, but a repetition of what she had just said.
"Heh. Tell him Root has no intel on Mount Myoboku or Shikkotsu Forest. We only have intelligence on Ryuchi Cave, gathered from Orochimaru. When he returns from this mission, give it to him along with the mission reward."
The boy had previously reported encountering a giant blue-black snake in the Land of Rivers. This must have laid the groundwork for today's request, so Danzo wasn't overly suspicious.
On second thought, Shuten-doji's background was very clean. Based on his life in the Leaf, he shouldn't know about secret matters like the Sage Regions or Senjutsu. It probably was related to that snake. But that was just speculation; better to have him explain it himself.
"Understood."
"Also, have him write down everything he's been hiding from me and give it to Hiroya."
"Yes."
Izumi waited a moment. Seeing Danzo had no further orders, she returned to the Ninja Academy.
Danzo also left the underground base and headed to the Hokage Building to see Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The method Byakuya proposed for killing the Third Raikage was something the Leaf was already doing.
Danzo had only wanted to test Falcon and Shuten-doji's ability to analyze intelligence.
The result was obvious.
Falcon failed.
Even though she was originally from the Cloud Village, she failed.
Shuten-doji, on the other hand, saw right through to the crux of the matter.
Borrowing a knife to kill.
Moreover, both the Cloud and Rock were enemies of the Leaf. He and Hiruzen were happy to see them fight to the death. Ideally, the Raikage and Tsuchikage would take each other out.
Hokage Building.
The Hokage, standing at the pinnacle of the Hidden Leaf, didn't even look up. "Danzo, you're here."
"Minato Namikaze has achieved good results on the Cloud front, stalling the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and A. It's time to proceed with the next phase of the plan for the Rock Village."
Hiruzen looked at the intelligence report from the front lines in his hand and nodded slightly. "Thanks to Minato. Jiraiya taught a good student. You didn't come to see me just to discuss something that's already set in stone, did you?"
"I plan to send someone to contact Pakura of the Sand and attempt to form an alliance with the Sand Village."
"Hmm? Elaborate."
"It will certainly fail. This will reveal the Leaf's weakness to the Sand."
Hiruzen suddenly looked up, staring at the impassive Danzo. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"If I were the Sand high command, I would feign agreement to the alliance. Then, when the Leaf shifts its attention from the Land of Rivers defense line to the Land of Hot Water defense line, I would tear up the treaty and declare war on the Leaf."
Hiruzen looked shocked. "You want to lure the enemy in deep? No. The Leaf doesn't have the spare combat power for that right now."
"We do."
"Where?"
"Me." Danzo said solemnly.
"You?"
"Yes, me. I will defeat the elite Sand forces that penetrate deep into the Leaf's territory. They will surely think they've outsmarted us and become arrogant. Our side, facing a threat to the village's very survival, will fight with the resolve to shatter rather than bend. Arrogant soldiers are bound to lose! An army burning with righteous indignation is bound to win! That is the art of war.
After this battle, the Sand will no longer pose a threat to the Leaf, and the resources within the Land of Rivers will be ours for the taking."
"No." Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk. "It's too risky. If it fails, the consequences are unimaginable."
"Unimaginable how? Hiruzen Sarutobi, don't forget, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is still in the village."
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki..."
Danzo's gaze was cold. "A war orphan lucky enough to survive. The Leaf raised her until now. The debt of gratitude is heavy enough. If the time comes to repay that debt of upbringing, she has no reason to refuse."
"What if the Nine-Tails goes berserk?" Hiruzen countered.
"You don't know?"
"What?"
"She taught the Uzumaki clan's sealing jutsu to Minato Namikaze."
"..."
Hiruzen was silent for a long time before sighing. "How do you know?"
Danzo smiled. "So you are aware of it. Even if the Nine-Tails goes berserk, we can use the Four Violet Flames Formation combined with Uzumaki sealing jutsu to reseal the monster."
But Hiruzen still shook his head. "I do not agree."
"I have already sent someone."
"Danzo Shimura, you..."
Danzo turned and walked toward the door. "Hiruzen, you are too soft. It is precisely because of your softness that the Leaf is now surrounded by enemies on all sides."
"Don't forget, I am the Hokage!"
"Heh."
Walking down the corridor, Danzo sneered internally. If Tobirama Senju hadn't designated you as the Third Hokage, the title might not have been yours.
Of course, there were some things he didn't say clearly.
In reality, whether the Sand Village agreed or not, the Leaf actively seeking an alliance already exposed its own weakness.
That was also why Danzo didn't care if the mission succeeded or failed.
---
Izumi relayed Danzo's words to Byakuya with a sweet smile.
"Congratulations."
Byakuya was cleaning up the puddle in front of the warehouse. "What's there to congratulate?"
"It means you are highly valued."
"I wish I wasn't valued."
Hands behind her back, Izumi skipped around him in a circle, bending slightly to look up at Byakuya's face. "We are all insignificant nobodies. Only by trying our hardest can we fight for a sliver of a chance to survive."
"That's you."
"Oh? Does civilian-born Byakuya have a way to protect himself in this era where human life is as cheap as grass? I don't believe it."
Having said her piece, she waved. "See you next time."
"Goodbye, Teacher Izumi."
He locked the three heavy doors of the warehouse.
Byakuya returned home with a heavy heart.
He took out paper and pen.
Regarding Ryuchi Cave, he would pin it on the two bounty hunters he killed.
He had mentioned it to Orochimaru anyway.
The fact that Danzo didn't know proved inversely that Orochimaru hadn't told the old goat about Byakuya learning the Flying Thunder God Jutsu.
As for Tobirama Senju's jutsu, he would say his deceased parents told him stories about the Second Hokage's great deeds, including his miraculous techniques. Additionally, he heard things from other ninja who talked about how powerful the Second Hokage was, discussing his unique Water Style and the Shadow Clone Jutsu he developed.
After all, the Hidden Leaf wasn't like the Hidden Mist with its insane secrecy protocols, where Mist ninja in the Fourth Great Ninja War didn't even know the abilities of the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki.
That was the gist of it.
He finished writing.
Ate.
Headed toward the forest outside the village.
The system's timed mission had to be completed tonight.
Starting tomorrow, he would begin developing new Storm Style jutsu.
Time waited for no one.