Uchiha Yōwan was walking within the Land of Fire.
In a forest, the kind that could be found anywhere in the Land of Fire, Yōwan came to a clearing.
A hidden mechanical door, fused with the earth itself, opened with the sound of creaking hinges, revealing metal steps descending below.
"You've arrived."
Shinno, the leader of the Sky Ninja, stepped forward with his men to greet Yōwan, only to receive a slight nod in return.
Ignoring Shinno's sycophantic smile, Yōwan lifted his foot and headed straight down to the deepest level underground.
Shinno seemed used to his attitude, calmly dismissing his subordinates and following behind Yōwan alone.
The Sky Ninja Village had once, overestimating its strength, attacked Konoha during the Second Great Ninja War. After Konoha's counterattack, it was destroyed.
Shinno led the remnants of his forces to hide within the Land of Fire.
This power, burning with hatred toward Konoha, had caught Yōwan's eye. With Jigen's permission, he came to Shinno bringing advanced technology from the Ōtsutsuki.
With the power of the Ōtsutsuki, Shinno's men quickly built the Ancor Vantian and equipped themselves with new tools unheard of in the ninja world.
"I've heard that Konoha will soon be holding the Chūnin Exams. For us, this could be a perfect opportunity."
Now that he felt the Sky Ninja had the power to exact revenge, Shinno cautiously observed Yōwan's expression.
The price of obtaining the Ōtsutsuki's power was that the entire Sky Ninja Village became outer-circle members of the Akatsuki Organization. Whatever he wanted to do, he had to gain the approval of the inner-circle members.
Glancing sideways at the shortsighted Shinno, Yōwan sneered in his heart at the man's lack of vision.
Just because they'd gotten some scientific ninja tools and undergone a few body modifications, this old fool thought he could take down Konoha?
"Foolish."
Yōwan's voice was cold.
Facing Yōwan, who was much younger than him, Shinno immediately dropped to his knees in apology.
"Forgive me. I was too hasty."
It wasn't without reason he humbled himself—when he first met Yōwan, the sheer shock had been overwhelming, forcing him to bow his head.
Just recalling their first meeting made his old wounds seem to split open and bleed again.
"However..."
As though recalling something, Yōwan suddenly changed his words.
"Small-scale harassment could be allowed."
Without White Zetsu, Yōwan had long lacked useful intelligence on Konoha.
Just as Takeshi was searching for them, Yōwan too was waiting for a chance to gather intel on Konoha.
Konoha's Research Bureau...
Though Ōtsutsuki technology was leagues beyond what the ninja world could ever catch up to—
The one who controlled Konoha's Research Bureau was none other than Orochimaru, the most mysterious of the Legendary Sannin.
Yōwan decided to send this newly obtained pawn to test the waters, while also gauging Orochimaru's strength.
...
After spending an extravagant restaurant voucher, Takeshi finally managed to persuade Uchiha Hikari to hand over her sample.
With the sample in hand, Hiruko immediately began testing whether it could adapt to Hashirama's cells. Three days later, a piece of good news landed on Takeshi's desk.
Uchiha Hikari could be injected with Hashirama's cells.
Even Hikari could, huh? Fugaku, just how cursed were you, to be so incompatible with Hashirama's cells?
Shifting into a more comfortable sitting position, Takeshi glanced at Itachi, who was busy with paperwork, wondering if he might be just as unlucky as his wretched father—doomed to be incompatible with Hashirama's cells as well.
And then there was Shisui. After countless checks, Takeshi confirmed that this Shisui—who in the original story had awakened the nearly invincible Kotoamatsukami—seemed never to have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan at all, simply because he didn't need to worry about clan-village relations.
Seriously? So he really had become nothing but Root's resident electrician?
Watching Shisui effortlessly fix the lighting system in the Hokage's office, Takeshi didn't even know what to say anymore.
"Sensei, according to your request, the Kikyo Mountain Fortress has been vacated. All the candidates will be housed there."
Noticing Takeshi's gaze fixed on Shisui, Itachi coughed lightly and presented his own completed work.
"Oh, good work. Since you're both here—Itachi, Shisui—I'll tell you about your squad's composition."
Because this Chūnin Exam would involve team battles, Takeshi had to assign teammates.
"Itachi, Shisui, Hikari—you three will form a squad."
Hikari, who had been leaning against the window chewing gum, almost choked on it when she realized she was included.
"Don't panic. Once this is over, I'll take you to the Daimyō's city for some good food. Remember that sushi place you liked last time?"
At the mention of food, Hikari's expression softened slightly. She smirked, turned back to the window, and kept chewing.
"Sensei..."
While Hikari's mood improved, Itachi's did not.
What was Hikari's strength?
She wielded the Mangekyō Sharingan. She could summon Susanoo.
You wanted someone like that to take part in the Chūnin Exams? Did you plan on slaughtering all the candidates from the other villages?
Reading his thoughts, Takeshi smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry, Itachi. Hikari knows how to hold back. Right?"
Uchiha Hikari didn't reply. She just kept chewing her gum.
"Ah, and also—please watch over Haku and Kimimaro for me."
Remembering that his two younger brothers would also be competing, Takeshi shifted in his chair again.
"Hmph, of course."
Hikari didn't mind those two kids. Especially Haku. He was her favorite chef.
...
Outside Konoha, Black Zetsu revealed himself only after confirming that Fugaku hadn't followed.
"That fool... he actually awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
After losing control of Yōwan, he had chosen Fugaku as his new pawn.
But to his despair, no matter how much he guided him, Fugaku never acted in accordance with the tablet's falsified contents. Instead, he just kept eating, sleeping, and strolling lazily around the clan grounds like a retiree.
"Damn it! If that's the case, then even if I obtain the Rinnegan, it's meaningless, isn't it?!"
Thinking of the pair of Rinnegan he had stolen from Madara, Black Zetsu clenched his teeth in fury.
It was all Yōwan's fault. If not for him, Black Zetsu should already be back in his mother's embrace, basking in the love he had missed for millennia.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed. In an instant, Black Zetsu dove underground.
"Hm? Was that an illusion? I could've sworn I heard someone muttering nearby."
A pink-haired kunoichi in strange armor appeared where he had been standing.
"Tch, you're being too jumpy, Fubuki."
With a disdainful look, Fubuki's comrade—wolf-tailed Rōga Nadare—dismissed her suspicion.
Behind them, Mizore Fuyukuma said nothing, silently observing the surroundings.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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