Meanwhile, on the borders of the Land of Earth…
Ever since being "disciplined" by Senshi, Madara and Obito seemed as if they'd lost their souls, suddenly turning into a pair of couch potatoes. While Senshi and Kakuzu were both making a mint in the mercenary business, Madara and Obito had once known the joy of "zero-cost shopping" (robbing for free).
Now, if you told them to earn money doing mercenary jobs, even though they clearly had the strength to keep grabbing things for free, it felt way too restrictive.
Inside the forest, Madara was silent for a good while, then turned to Obito and said, "Alright, Obito, no need to hide it any longer. If you have some new idea, just say so. Your suggestions so far—raiding caravans, kidnapping caravan bosses—those were all brilliant. If you've got more of these money-making tricks, we can solve our problem right away."
Obito was speechless. He couldn't come up with anything useful at all. Because virtually every big or small nation in the ninja world was either connected to Senshi or allied with Amegakure, they basically had no room to maneuver.
Unless they built their own shinobi village, then built an entire country, and went "full custom mode" to bring in profits, but that required such massive early investments that even that would be less efficient than going mercenary in the black market.
After thinking it over, Obito said to Madara, "For the time being, let's just go see the black market. Senshi and Kakuzu can rake in piles of money from it, so there's no reason we can't. If worst comes to worst, we can lie in ambush near the black market and rob other mercenaries. 'Peers are enemies,' right? As long as we don't mess with Senshi's mercenaries, Senshi can't say anything if we rob other mercs."
Hearing that, Madara gave Obito a pat on the shoulder. "Obito, you really are a genius at making money. Alright, that's settled—for now, we'll do just that!"
Having run out of other ways to make cash, Madara had no choice but to compromise a bit. Staying out in the woods like hermits forever was no solution. Maybe going to the black market, taking merc jobs, would let them stumble on more profitable opportunities.
Obito, having persuaded Madara to give in, felt relieved. He worried the old man might be too stubborn and keep going against Senshi, which would be a real headache.
…
While Madara and Obito were upgrading and transitioning their business, Konoha continued to develop. Ever since hitching a ride on Orochimaru and Senshi's coattails, Konoha's growth had become extraordinarily rapid.
Sure, Senshi and Orochimaru were both rather shady characters—Senshi charged sky-high fees for everything, and Orochimaru sold his so-called "longevity supplements" as if they were miracle cures, conning high officials and the Five Kage alike. But even if Konoha was getting fleeced, it wasn't total swindling.
Whenever Senshi took money, he really did get things done. Take Konohamaru, for instance—these days, his development vaguely showed signs of becoming a "Child Version Hashirama."
As for Konoha's other collaborations with Senshi, it was always "one ryō for one ryō's worth of results, one hundred ryō for one hundred ryō of results." And if they were paying hundreds of millions, then that was "hundreds of millions worth of results," right? Couldn't possibly be subpar.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's antics in Konoha likewise caused no major trouble—he wasn't just conning Konoha, he was tricking the entire ninja world.
When everyone everywhere was being tricked, well, you couldn't say Konoha alone was losing out. As a result, Konoha's development wasn't hindered in the slightest; it was still booming.
In Konoha Village, the Uchiha clan's training grounds…
At that moment, aside from Naruto, Sasuke, and Jiraiya, Kakashi was also there. Kakashi had come to speak with Naruto about matters relating to Obito.
After investigating for a while, Kakashi was already quite sure that the masked ninja who kidnapped Naruto had to be Obito. He had known that Obito was still alive for some time—he even asked the Third Hokage to allocate some people to help investigate Obito's trail.
But then, a series of events befell Konoha, preventing that plan from being carried out. Now, with the village in a period of peace and renewed growth, he finally had another chance to look into Obito.
In the Uchiha clan's training grounds, once Kakashi stated his reason for coming, he stood there awaiting Naruto's answers. Naruto scratched his head. "So you wanna know more about that masked creep who grabbed me, huh? Let me think."
In truth, Naruto didn't actually know all that much about Obito. That night, he'd lost control due to Obito and Danzo's provocations, ended up going berserk, and was swiftly knocked out and abducted.
By the time he came to, he was already back in the village, rescued by Senshi. So most of what Naruto "knew" actually came from Senshi and the Third Hokage.
After carefully thinking it through, Naruto gave Kakashi a straightforward account of everything he did know: "That masked guy might be a Uchiha—then again, maybe not. He does have a Sharingan like Sasuke's, but Karin-chan isn't Uchiha either and has a Sharingan. Plus, Danzo called him 'Madara,' but me and Sasuke checked the records; Uchiha Madara should have died many years ago. Anyhow, that night, he showed up out of nowhere, said he was responsible for my parents' deaths, and I flew into a rage. We fought, and he ended up capturing me."
While Naruto explained, Kakashi took out a small notebook, jotting things down. To Naruto, maybe it wasn't much, but to Kakashi—one of Konoha's elite—it was fairly useful intelligence. Once Naruto paused, Kakashi asked, "And after that? Where did he take you? Could you describe what the surroundings looked like?"
Naruto just shook his head. "After that, I was badly hurt. I was unconscious the whole time. I only recall fleeting impressions of two armored 'Mechas' battling endless swarms of wooden dragons and wooden giants. Looked like Sensei was clapping his hands, calling out jutsu names—and all these jutsu would appear and fight those two huge mechas. I can't remember anything else. Next thing I knew, I woke up back home, rescued by Senshi-sensei."
Kakashi: (O_O)???
Naruto's story left Kakashi feeling totally confused. All that talk about Senshi battling two giant, armor-clad mechas? Those "mechas" were presumably Susanoo from the Uchiha clan, but why two of them?
Apart from Obito, who else was there? And that wave after wave of Wood Dragons, Wood Golems—maybe Naruto was exaggerating?
According to the village archives, even Hashirama the First Hokage hadn't been able to unleash an entire ocean of Wood Dragons and Wood Golems at once.
That said, Naruto's comment about "Senshi-sensei just clapping his hands to launch jutsu" did match what was known of skilled Mokuton users—clap once, and ninjutsu emerged.
Though Naruto's information was helpful, it was still limited. So Kakashi decided he needed to ask Senshi directly about Obito. Once he left the Uchiha district, he headed to the Konoha Mission Assignment Center, where he knew one of Senshi's Wood Clones occasionally picked up high-value missions. Not long after Kakashi arrived, he indeed found Senshi.
He immediately walked up, respectfully announcing, "Lord Senshi, there's something I'd like to ask you about."
Senshi, casually browsing through assignment scrolls, replied, "Hmm? What's up?"
Kakashi said frankly, "I want to know more about the ninja who kidnapped Naruto. From what I've gathered, he should have died many years ago."
Senshi glanced at Kakashi. "Yes, that's Obito. He basically almost died back then, but ended up being… let's say, reactivated."
Kakashi: (O_O)???
"Reactivate" someone like that? But if even Senshi confirmed the kidnapper was Obito, Kakashi was determined to dig into it. Obito and Nohara Rin had huge personal significance for him.
Continuing, Kakashi asked respectfully, "Lord Senshi, how did Obito survive?"
Senshi clicked his tongue. "Ah, that's complicated. Hard to explain in a few words. You'd be better off finding him yourself and asking him directly."
Kakashi's eyes lit up. "You… you know where Obito is, Lord Senshi?"
Senshi nodded. "Roughly, yeah."
"Roughly?"
Kakashi was puzzled. In his mind, Senshi was practically omniscient and omnipotent. So why did Senshi say only "roughly know?" Did that mean he couldn't pin down Obito's exact location? If even Senshi only had a rough idea, then maybe he truly couldn't help find Obito…
Kakashi's assumption came from inexperience. If Orochimaru were there, he'd immediately think, "Better check how much money you have!"
Indeed, with Senshi's intelligence resources, there was no place Obito could hide. Senshi's vagueness simply signaled an excuse to jack up the price. Kakashi, still naive to Senshi's style, just looked confused, so Senshi inwardly found it amusing, though he kept his laughter hidden.
Instead, Senshi said, "Yes, I only have a general idea. As for other people, they can barely track Obito at all. Previously, Obito moved around the Land of Earth, causing tremendous damage. Even though Iwagakure dispatched tons of top shinobi, they never even glimpsed him. You probably know how Obito's Sharingan ability works—if he wants to vanish, he could teleport to basically anywhere in the ninja world in a blink."
Those words definitely made sense to Kakashi. If that was how it was, then locating Obito would be extremely difficult, especially given that specialized space-time ability.
Even if you knew where he was at a single moment, it might do no good if he could warp away in an instant.
Thus, Kakashi said weakly, "So, Lord Senshi, does that mean even you can't guarantee you'll find Obito?"
Senshi smiled. "Under normal circumstances, yes. But if I burn a massive sum, I could pinpoint his location. Are you trying to search for him, to learn the truth?"
Kakashi was visibly excited. He certainly wanted that truth. Obito and Rin were the unhealed scars of his life. "Lord Senshi, how do we find him?"
Senshi sighed, raising a single finger. "This much."
Kakashi exhaled with relief. Spending ten million ryō for an investigation was steep, but he had done many missions, so it wasn't out of reach. He said at once, "Understood, Lord Senshi. I'll pay ten mill—"
"Stop!" Senshi cut him off, then clarified, "Kakashi, that might work for finding some random ninja. But Obito is truly a special case. He doesn't come cheap. Let's say… one hundred million."
Kakashi: (O_O)???
He was flabbergasted. In the black market, the bounty for Sarutobi Asuma was around thirty million. Paying a hundred million just to track Obito was enough to purchase Asuma's head nearly three times over! Daylight robbery, indeed.
Still, though the price was outrageous, Kakashi decided it was worth it. Obito and Nohara Rin meant the world to him. If Obito was alive, he had to figure out why he never returned to the village, and why he'd targeted Naruto.
Of course, he'd need the Third Hokage's approval before going ahead. Once Kakashi thought that through, he told Senshi, "Lord Senshi, I have to request the Hokage's permission first, then I can set off to find Obito."
Senshi nodded. "Alright." (He didn't mention that next time, Kakashi should bring a suitcase of money, trusting Kakashi's smarts to handle it.)
With that, Kakashi left the mission center for the Hokage's Office.
…
Inside the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was smoking his pipe in deep thought. Suddenly, three knocks came at the door. "Come in," he said calmly. Once Kakashi stepped in, the Third's face softened. "Kakashi. Something on your mind?"
Kakashi spoke plainly, "Lord Hokage, regarding the masked ninja who kidnapped Naruto: I've confirmed details with Lord Senshi and learned some clues. I'd like permission to continue investigating."
Hiruzen's eyes grew thoughtful. Indeed, it was crucial to keep investigating. Danzo had once secretly cooperated with that man; who was to say they wouldn't collaborate again?
So long as that ninja's identity remained a mystery, it was a hidden threat to Konoha. After pondering a bit, Hiruzen gave his decision:
"Kakashi, I'll leave this matter to you. Start by confirming his identity and motives. If you need an elite squad to coordinate an operation against him, come back and consult me first."
"Understood, Lord Hokage!" Kakashi replied. That had been easier than expected, so he was relieved. All he needed now was to gather the funds and approach Senshi.
Konoha was in a smooth patch these days. Apart from Danzo's endless misfortunes, nearly everyone else was thriving.
From the "Konoha F3" viewpoint, they thought their home was entering a golden era and they—together with Konoha—were the biggest winners.
Unbeknownst to them, though, the true winner was someone else altogether. That someone had, by now, been completely vindicated: Orochimaru.
To whitewash himself, Orochimaru had pinned many of his past sins on Danzo. By now, the "Hokage of Taking the Blame," Shimura Danzo, had to carry so many burdens that if he'd been anyone else, he'd have crumbled long ago.
But still you couldn't necessarily call Orochimaru the absolute biggest winner, given that all the money he made through various channels eventually went to Senshi as commissions, netting him "employment points." Rather, he'd simply boarded Senshi's giant cruise liner and, by choosing wisely, reaped a decent reward.
Yes, it ended with Danzo as the sole casualty. Senshi was the one who truly cleaned up, Orochimaru had profited repeatedly, the Konoha F3 believed themselves pretty successful, and Danzo was utterly ruined.
Even the Root Division Danzo had poured his life into ended up morphing into an "Orochimaru shape." In the earliest days, Root's members had been absolutely loyal to Danzo, but once Orochimaru took it over, stamping each ninja with his Curse Mark, they fell in line.
Orochimaru was, after all, a senior figure in Root. He well knew the reason behind their blind loyalty to Danzo was brainwashing. He was also skilled in that area himself.
Beginning the very day he put Curse Marks on them, he'd started brainwashing them day after day. By now, the loyalty of many Root ninjas was increasingly shifting from Danzo to Orochimaru.
In Root's base, inside the main hall, a debriefing meeting was underway. The numerous Root members stood in a row, awaiting Orochimaru's arrival.
They didn't wait long; soon he emerged from his lab and came to the front. Seeing him, the Root ninjas' gazes turned resolute. When Orochimaru reached center stage, everyone in unison shouted:
"LOY—AL—TY!"
Orochimaru: (O_O)???
He froze for a second. Indeed, he'd let Kabuto handle most of the reprogramming. Kabuto must have taught them something odd, for "Loyalty!" to appear. If Hiruzen saw this, would he think Orochimaru was plotting a power grab? Then again, the vibe was pretty sweet. At any rate, from now on, Root was fully in custom mode under him.
Nodding slightly, Orochimaru said, "Good! Very spirited!" Right afterward, the white-masked Root member codenamed "Hyō" stepped forward and bowed. "Lord Orochimaru, we've completed all your recent orders. What are your next instructions? Should we continue following Lord Danzo's assignments from before?"
Orochimaru waved him off. "No. Those are Danzo's old directives—call them the old three steps. Now we'll be using the new three steps!"
Leopard was puzzled. "New three steps? My lord, are they 'invite to dinner, behead them, then take them in as subordinates'?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "No, that's also part of the old plan. Our true new three steps are: first, expand intelligence gathering, strengthen our intel network; second, recruit and train talent, so Root's power grows; third, assist my own research projects and help me raise more funding."
When Orochimaru enumerated these goals, the Root members responded in different ways.
Those thoroughly brainwashed by Orochimaru had no objections. But some had deeper indoctrination by Danzo.
Even though they were gradually being molded into Orochimaru's shape, Danzo's influence lingered. One such person, Aburame Torune of the Aburame clan, spoke up: "Lord Orochimaru… ahem, it's just… If Root only does those tasks, don't we lose Root's spirit? We're the Root, living in darkness to support the 'Leaves' in the light. In the past, the unmentionable tasks that guaranteed Konoha's prosperity… that's what Root handled in secret."
After Aburame Torune raised this, other ninjas who'd endured double-dosed brainwashing from Danzo and Orochimaru also started murmuring.
Many thought his point made sense. If Root turned into something like "Anbu with a side job assisting Orochimaru's research," wasn't that basically losing the essence of Root?
Another ninja, from the Yamanaka clan—codenamed "Fū"—stepped forward with a respectful bow. "Lord Orochimaru, what you're saying doesn't really match the core tasks Root's always followed. Root's core mission has always been: exist in the shadows, defend Konoha, use every possible means to help the village develop. Doing what you propose… are we still Root in spirit?"
Orochimaru was clearly amused. Perfect timing. They'd reached that juncture in reprogramming. Now it was time to bring them to the next level of mental transformation.
Clearing his throat, Orochimaru smiled darkly, "All that you're talking about is the old Root. That old Root was rotten, outdated, scorned by all, doomed to be swept away by history. Under my leadership, Root has a far better path for safeguarding Konoha and propelling it to far greater heights than ever before!"
Clap, clap, clap!
No sooner had Orochimaru finished than Kabuto, standing behind him, began applauding enthusiastically.
Several Root members followed his lead, so thunderous applause filled the hall. Others, though, were simply bewildered.
A "far better path?" One that would protect Konoha and help it develop better than ever before? They couldn't imagine what that might be.
Observing their confusion, Kabuto pushed up his glasses. He knew Orochimaru was about to display his high-level intellect. He had to pay close attention and memorize every line. Indeed, his hunch was right. Orochimaru cleared his throat once more and elaborated:
"In matters of ruthlessness and cunning, Danzo was already at the pinnacle, yet he failed. That tells us that slyness alone cannot save Konoha—unless Konoha can find someone even more vicious and crafty than Danzo. But does that man exist in Konoha?"
At that, all eyes in the hall turned as one toward Orochimaru.
Yes… such a talent definitely exists. And that talent was precisely the one who had long ago sold out Danzo, inherited Danzo's entire Root estate, and become their new lord: Orochimaru!
~~~
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