Yagura smiled faintly as he looked at Orochimaru.
"You were the one who insisted on saving your dear teacher Sarutobi's life."
"So for my sake—and for your teacher's—it's only right that you pay a little price, don't you think?"
Orochimaru licked his dry lips.
Seriously… such a small body, but already so cunning. He never wants to come out on the losing end.
Yagura raised his brows, eyes tilting upward smugly. He had a full hand of trump cards, jokers and bombs galore, facing off against an opponent holding only a Jack.
How could he lose? Why should he take a loss?
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the exchange between the child and his former student, too weak to speak.
Ever since Uchiha Madara's death, no one in the Uchiha Clan had been able to evolve their Sharingan into a Mangekyō Sharingan.
That eye had become a legend—part of both Uchiha and Konoha lore.
It had earned a place alongside the Byakugan as one of Konoha's two great dōjutsu.
But now, Uchiha Shisui—a rising star of the Uchiha Clan—had awakened the Mangekyō.
A direct descendant of Uchiha Kagami, Shisui had inherited the Will of Fire. Betraying Konoha was unthinkable for someone like him.
Yet this revelation had been sealed off by strict orders from Hiruzen and Minato. Almost no one in Konoha knew about it.
Orochimaru said, "You should thank me, Sarutobi-sensei."
He had unwittingly become Yagura's information source for intel from Konoha. Being the good guy was a pain. Orochimaru could feel Sarutobi's stare growing more murderous by the second.
And the more Hiruzen thought about it, the more convinced he became. That had to be the only explanation.
Back during the fight, it had already felt like every move he made had been anticipated by the Mizukage.
So it was Orochimaru who'd leaked his—and Konoha's—intel to Yagura!
"Thank you? If not for you, would I be in this mess in front of the Mizukage?!"
It's all your fault—Orochimaru!
Hiruzen looked at Orochimaru with deep contempt... and sorrow.
The defection had largely stemmed from a power struggle between Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō, forcing Orochimaru out of the village.
Not even a year ago, Hiruzen had discovered one of Orochimaru's labs... and had still let him live.
But now? Joining another village, and handing over Konoha's confidential intel—including that of the Hokage himself?
"Orochimaru! You've lost the right to call yourself a shinobi!"
...
Orochimaru shifted his gaze.
Blood continued to pour from the piercing wound inflicted by his own student—one that had narrowly missed his heart.
He'd deliberately avoided any fatal spot.
Yagura clicked his tongue and offered a sarcastic compliment on his behalf.
"Hokage, your student's still more loyal than Minato's. You should be grateful."
Hiruzen panted heavily.
Who was he talking about?
Minato's students?
Kakashi Hatake? The supposedly dead Uchiha Obito from the Kannabi Bridge battle? Or Nohara Rin—the girl who'd died by Kakashi's hand after falling under genjutsu?
After that fierce battle, the intel Yagura had dropped about Konoha echoed endlessly in Hiruzen's mind.
It could very well be true—and possibly tied to Konoha's current crisis.
And the implications behind Yagura's words? Enormous.
"What do you mean by that?!"
Yagura played coy. "It's getting late. I should withdraw. Next time, we'll have another go, Hokage."
Hiruzen didn't press further—he was eager to see the boy gone. Still, he sneered,
"Aren't you afraid the Raikage will cause you trouble for this?"
After all, the Raikage was still locked in combat with Jiraiya.
Yagura abandoning the field now was nothing short of throwing his ally under the bus.
"It's easy to come up with a reason."
Yagura paused, turned back with a grin.
"A battle with the Third Hokage—both sides suffered heavy injuries. If not for the intervention of the Konoha rogue Orochimaru, I would've died right there~"
"Hey." That was pushing it.
Orochimaru twitched with a visible vein popping on his forehead. Another pot of blame dumped on him.
Yagura raised an eyebrow. "The capable bear more burden. You'll live."
If Kirigakure and Konoha chose to tell the outside world a consistent version of this skirmish...
Orochimaru would become more than just a Konoha traitor.
In this narrative, he'd be the man who saved the Mizukage from the Hokage.
Betrayer of the Hokage—savior of Kirigakure. A loyal shinobi of the Mist.
Of course, Orochimaru had the option to refuse. He could give up, leave Sarutobi to die.
But faced with Yagura's impassive eyes, he looked away. A glance at Hiruzen—who had nothing left to say.
Hiruzen no longer knew what to make of his most brilliant student. Betrayer of Konoha. Yet, here he was, saving his life at the edge of death.
Orochimaru—what are you really thinking?
You spared me once. I'll spare you—and Konoha—this time.
Let's call it even.
Not wanting to linger and tempt fate, Orochimaru spoke first. "Let's go."
There was a decisiveness in his tone that hadn't been there before.
It was clear. His bond with Konoha—cut.
A surprising but welcome bonus from this operation, Yagura thought.
He nodded. "Good."
Then, turning back with a casual wave, he said, "Later, Hokage. Take care. Don't worry, we'll have chances to work together again."
With that, Yagura pulled the fuse on a signal flare and fired it skyward.
The sharp whistle of igniting gunpowder cut through the air like a bird's cry.
The Mist shinobi still in fierce combat saw the signal.
It was the retreat signal.
Commander Hoshigaki Hōzuki and the squad leaders barked orders: "All units, retreat!"
...
[Kisame: That's it? They're retreating?
Utakata: Don't underestimate the Mizukage.
Kisame: Then explain why he pulled out.
Utakata: I don't know. Lord Mizukage has his own reasons. We just follow orders.
Kisame: Hmph. If only you treated me the way you treat him... But whatever. Human politics. You're about at your limit anyway.
Utakata: Mm. Thank you, sensei.
Kisame: [shakes himself off] ]
Utakata released his Tailed Beast Mode.
His training time hadn't been long enough. He wasn't yet proficient. The transformation put immense strain on his body.
"Ten-Finger Barrage!"
"Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin!"
"Ice Style: Freezing Wind!"
With backup from Hoshigaki and the others, Utakata safely withdrew from Nara Shikaku and the Konoha squad's attack zone.
Even the opposing Jinchūriki retreated. The Mist shinobi were pulling back in order, efficiently, and without chaos.
That flare left no doubt for the Konoha forces.
Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza asked, "What should we do, Shikaku? Should we pursue?"
Emotionally, Shikaku wanted to chase them down and deal them a heavy blow.
But he was a man ruled more by logic than passion.
Before him stood a massive ice-dome wall, frozen by Ice Release, blocking the path.
With Sarutobi gone, Shikaku was the highest-ranking commander on site.
"No pursuit. We hold position and recover."
Some Konoha shinobi nearby protested.
"Shikaku-san, you're just letting them go?!"
"They're not retreating from defeat."
The withdrawal was too organized. They even took their fallen comrades' bodies. Every step covered, prepared for potential pursuit.
This wasn't a rout. If they chased, it'd just prolong the war.
And to be blunt—Shikaku's men weren't their match.
Their numbers were about even.
But Konoha's Ino–Shika–Chō trio was facing an equally elite selection from Kirigakure.
Even among ordinary shinobi, the Mist's individual strength was already on par with Konoha's.
The Mist had always been known for taijutsu and kenjutsu, yes.
But now they infused elemental chakra—Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning, and Earth—into their blades. This new style of chakra-infused kenjutsu was something Konoha had never seen before.
"Chōza, stay here with the others. Be ready in case they counterattack."
Shikaku needed to locate Hiruzen and figure out the bigger picture. "Inoichi, you're with me."
"Got it."
Retracing their steps...
They soon found Hiruzen, heavily wounded.
After understanding the full sequence of the battle, they split up—Inoichi secretly escorted the Hokage back to the village for treatment, while Shikaku remained behind to command the Konoha forces.
For now, the battlefield between Konoha and the Mist had come to a temporary close.
...
Once outside Konoha's inner borders, Yagura sent word to the Fourth Raikage about his own "defeat" and injuries.
At the same time, he received news: the Fourth Raikage and Killer B were still fighting.
But this was an opportunity too good to pass up—one they hadn't had even after years of war during the Third Shinobi World War. A direct breach into Konoha territory.
The Raikage was obsessed with pressing the attack, wanting to strike while the iron was hot. That was understandable.
But Yagura's goal was different.
Konoha's foundation ran far deeper than it appeared. It couldn't be toppled in one surprise offensive.
It would take attrition. One blow at a time.
The Third War. The Nine-Tails incident. Kumogakure's raid. And now, Yagura's plot against the Uchiha.
...
"A teacher's life... is quite the expensive thing," Yagura muttered as he stopped walking.
He had rejoined the Mist shinobi.
This place was far enough from Konoha not to be scouted, yet close enough for a swift return.
Orochimaru seemed to have expected that things weren't over yet. He didn't resist. If anything, he looked intrigued.
With a raspy voice, he asked, "Heh. And what do I owe you this time?"
After everything Yagura had done, it wasn't hard to deduce his real target in this operation: the Uchiha Clan.
Ordinary Sharingan weren't worth much.
But Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan? That, Yagura clearly valued.
And Orochimaru was intrigued too.
"I need you to run an errand back to Konoha."
Yagura handed him a scroll. "Deliver this to the Uchiha. Make sure it's obvious. You'll live."
"Well, that's rude."
Orochimaru took the scroll, just as rude, and casually began untying the string to read it.
Yagura didn't flinch. He crossed his arms and raised a brow—go ahead.
It wasn't some sensitive intelligence, or a heartfelt letter trying to win over the Uchiha.
Orochimaru unrolled it fully, stared for a long time, and frowned. "Blank?"
There was no text.
And it wasn't some kind of chakra-encoded hidden message either. He was sure.
"Yup. Blank."
Yagura nodded with a smile. "At most, it has some of my chakra on it."
For monitoring purposes.
So all he wanted... was for Orochimaru to hand over a blank scroll with Yagura's chakra on it?
"Alright."
Orochimaru could already guess what kind of ripples this "letter" would cause—but he agreed anyway.
He was on the pirate ship now. And he intended to see the job through.
The life and death of the Uchiha clan had nothing to do with him.
Parting ways with Orochimaru, Yagura led the forces of Kirigakure out of the Land of Fire.
On the way, they passed through the Land of Bears and had a brief interaction with the ninja from Hoshigakure.
Then, they departed from the continent altogether.
...
Meanwhile, Konoha was fighting on home ground. Those who had just recovered from the battle with the Nine-Tails were immediately thrown back into combat, steadily reinforcing the front lines against Kumogakure.
Jiraiya managed to hold off both the Fourth Raikage and Killer B, buying valuable time for Konoha.
Though the Fourth Raikage and Killer B hadn't lost, Kumogakure had.
Their deep strike force, surrounded and isolated, eventually couldn't hold out against the ever-growing number of Konoha shinobi.
Then came more bad news—the Fourth Raikage received word that Kirigakure had begun its retreat.
Furious and bitter over the lack of preparation that caused them to miss such a golden opportunity, the Raikage and Killer B led the retreat of Kumogakure's forces.
For Konoha, the disaster was finally over.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had died in battle.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Jiraiya were both gravely wounded.
In the span of a single night, Konoha's shinobi had fought three brutal battles, with casualties numbering in the thousands.
...
By early the next morning, news had spread throughout the shinobi world—causing a massive uproar!
The reactions of Ōnoki and Rasa aside, what stood out was the sheer scale of death and destruction. Another catastrophe. Another staggering loss of life.
What were Konoha's higher-ups even doing?
People cried out—Their parents, their children, their very lives! Can Konoha not even guarantee the basics anymore?!
Why had the Nine-Tails rampaged?
Why had Kumogakure and Kirigakure chosen this exact moment to launch such deadly attacks?
Once again, someone had to take the fall.
Whether it was Hiruzen Sarutobi or Shimura Danzō, they were both seasoned political players, masters at the art of deflecting blame.
Hiruzen moved first—launching an emergency PR campaign that pinned everything on the vessel of the Nine-Tails: Naruto Uzumaki.
Public outrage, which had been directed at the village leadership, was swiftly redirected toward a child.
Naruto became the incarnation of the Nine-Tails, the so-called culprit responsible for the Fourth Hokage's death and the catastrophe that had befallen Konoha.
And as the official narrative now stood—he was not Minato's son.
As for Danzō, he couldn't shift blame onto an infant barely a month old.
But there was another target capable of bearing the weight.
The Uchiha clan.
Not even Orochimaru could be blamed for this one.
In the aftermath, as Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, and others replayed and analyzed the Nine-Tails' rampage in excruciating detail, something troubling surfaced.
Many shinobi had seen the Nine-Tails' eyes change—into the three-tomoe Sharingan.
This meant one thing: the Nine-Tails might very well have been under the control of the Uchiha.
As Hiruzen racked his brain for a way to explain this to the villagers...
His ANBU brought urgent news—
Shimura Danzō had mobilized his ROOT forces and surrounded the Uchiha compound!
"Danzō, what are you doing?!"
He had always been aggressive, but this time, he had truly stunned Hiruzen. The Third Hokage rose immediately and rushed to the scene.
At such a critical moment, wasn't this just adding fuel to the fire?!
When he arrived at the Uchiha compound, he saw the standoff with his own eyes.
Two sides locked in confrontation: Shimura Danzō and Uchiha Fugaku.
The tension in the air was so thick, it was like swords were drawn and ready to clash.
"Danzō—"
"Hiruzen, you came just in time."
Danzō stepped forward, face grim, holding up a sheet of paper in his hand.
Not far behind him, Uchiha Fugaku's face was even darker—tinged with despair and a sickly pallor.
Hiruzen gave the paper a glance and asked, "What is this?"
"Correspondence between the Uchiha and Kirigakure," Danzō declared.
Hiruzen, like Orochimaru before him, immediately noticed something—the scroll was blank.
"The ones from Kirigakure entered Konoha," Danzō said coldly. "My men saw them visit the Uchiha."
He turned sharply to Fugaku. "If you've got nothing to hide, then why destroy the contents of the scroll?"
"Danzō, I've already explained clearly!"
Suppressing his anger, Fugaku shouted, "That scroll was already blank when I received it! And I presented it openly for inspection!"
...
Among the crowd of Konoha shinobi, Orochimaru stood hidden—what Danzō had captured was merely his snake clone. From a distance, he quietly observed both sides.
So that's how they're playing it...
The Mizukage had actually anticipated Danzō's thoughts and actions to this precise degree.
"Sometimes I really think that Mizukage is terrifying in a way that doesn't match his age."
Orochimaru had never before seen this kind of dimension-shifting strategy in the shinobi world.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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