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If the news of the Third Raikage leading his troops to their deaths on the battlefield was a sudden disaster for the Kumogakure, then for Konoha, it was an astonishing reversal.
When all the knowledgeable Jonin of Konoha were troubled and almost everyone thought Konoha would have to fight another brutal Kikyo Castle defense battle, a repeat of what happened in the Land of Wind, Sawara Kiri suddenly, like a meteor, easily crushed the Third Raikage, who was considered the Kumogakure's greatest asset and was implicitly known as the strongest Ninja in the entire Ninja World.
This incident, whether for Konoha as a whole or for Sawara Kiri personally, had an impact that could not be underestimated.
Almost all Konoha Ninja, upon hearing this news, reacted with disbelief at first.
And then with ecstasy.
When they received reports of the Konoha front lines advancing towards the Kumogakure, this fervor and surprise reached a peak.
However, even in such an environment, there were still those who rejoiced and those who grieved.
Mitokado Homura's residence.
Mitokado Homura knelt calmly before the table, slowly poured himself a cup of tea, and silently watched the tea leaves float from horizontal to vertical in the swirling steam. His gaze seemed to pass through the small teacup, looking into the distance, and he remained silent for a long time.
He was still waiting for someone.
In a short while, while the tea cup was still warm, many figures had already entered this private residence one after another.
The first to arrive was Utatane Koharu, followed by Sarutobi, Ino–Shika–Chō, and the leaders of several other organizations he had founded.
Do not underestimate the position of Hokage Advisor.
As close comrades of Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, both Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu held considerable power within the Village, involving themselves in politics, economics, and military affairs—to control such a large force, the manpower required would naturally be substantial.
However, when Mitokado Homura scanned the room, he saw that the usual crowd that could fill the entire study was now less than half its size.
It was clear that many people had keenly sensed the unspoken conflict between them and the "Substitute Hokage Council" trio, and had now shifted from firmly taking a side to straddling the fence, waiting for the outcome of the struggle between the two parties.
As for those sitting there now, they were not necessarily loyal; in fact, some of them might have already pledged their allegiance to the "Substitute Hokage Council." The only reason they were still here was either because the outcome was not yet decided, or they believed that given the status of Mitokado Homura and his allies, even if they were to lose, they would not lose too badly, and would at least retain a certain degree of power—in short, it was simply opportunism and wishful thinking.
Unfortunately, his close comrade Utatane Koharu did not see things as clearly as he did.
Upon noticing the few empty seats in the room, the already short-tempered Utatane Koharu could not help but mutter under her breath:
"These ungrateful bastards."
"Enough."
Noticing the subtle emotions vaguely revealed by those around him at her words, Mitokado Homura immediately interrupted: "Those people can be dealt with after the matter is over; it's not too late."
"Let's talk about the current problem first."
He first set the tone for the meeting, and then turned to look at the others around him: "Now, the outcome of the Second Shinobi World War is already decided; it's merely a matter of how many more victories we secure. The 'Substitute Hokage Council' is also bound to begin a new round of expansion after the war—not just us old folks, but many of you will likely not escape this tribulation."
"The more wishful thinking one harbors, the harder one falls in the end."
Mitokado Homura said, sweeping his sharp gaze across everyone present, not specifying whom he was referring to, yet seemingly addressing everyone.
"The only way to protect everyone's interests is to unite us into a stone that the 'Substitute Hokage Council' cannot chew."
Among the crowd, the current acting Leader of Sarutobi Clan was the first to speak, his tone very firm:
"Mitokado-sama, just tell us what we need to do; that will be enough."
"We, the Sarutobi Clan, will surely remember your kindness, Lord."
In reality, it was he himself who would remember his kindness.
Because after Sarutobi Hiruzen's incident and the vacancy in the Sarutobi Clan, this Leader of Sarutobi Clan rose through the ranks by relying on Mitokado Homura's political power.
Now, his position could be said to be completely tied to the other party.
Seeing this, the other few also took the opportunity to express their sincerity, their voices getting louder and louder.
Only the clan leaders of Ino–Shika–Chō waited quietly. They exchanged glances, and seeing that the Nara clan leader had no intention of speaking, they all fell silent—in this alliance, although there were continuous internal divisions and mergers, it was ultimately completely dominated by the Nara Clan.
Mitokado Homura glanced at their reactions, not at all surprised. He then took a sip of tea and slowly began:
"Now, the 'Substitute Hokage Council' faction returns with the momentum of a great victory; a head-on confrontation is certainly not a good strategy, and Sawara Kiri's strength is by no means something we can underestimate."
"Given this, the best option is to befriend and divide one of the factions within the 'Substitute Hokage Council'."
"The 'Substitute Hokage Council' is not a monolith. Jiraiya may not have ambitions yet, but Orochimaru's desire to become Hokage has always been clear. For this very reason, we must make them fight among themselves internally—in such a situation, supporting Tsunade, who has both reputation and strength but a weak personality, is the correct approach."
Everyone nodded slightly at his words, but the Nara clan leader still listened indifferently.
"In addition, we must advance on three fronts: human relations, politics, and economy," Mitokado Homura's voice grew calmer, but within that tranquility lay an indescribable ruthlessness. "If we cannot make the 'Substitute Hokage Council' realize our capabilities, then they will surely treat us as soft persimmons to be fiercely squeezed for their display of power."
"The faction led by the Leader of Sarutobi Clan needs to wait for a critical moment to control the market, ensuring that the prices of food and Ninja tools can be controlled."
"The president of the Association of Disabled Ninja needs to focus on contacting and organizing veteran Ninja from the first war, ready at any time to act to protect the interests of the older generation of meritorious Ninja."
"At the same time, we must also appropriately express to Tsunade's side our willingness to align with her and support her ascension."
At this point, Mitokado Homura seemed to sigh with considerable helplessness, and calmly said: "In reality, if we had a choice, we wouldn't need to make things so tense. If the pressure from the 'Substitute Hokage Council' wasn't so great, shedding a little blood or cutting off some flesh wouldn't be unacceptable."
"After all, we are also Konoha Ninja, we also love the Will of Fire, and we are also Ninja who have contributed a lot to the Village."
As soon as he finished speaking, flattery immediately filled the air.
Only when he felt it was getting a bit too cloying did Mitokado Homura wave his hand at the crowd in resignation, summarizing:
"Alright, alright, that's how it is."
"In short, at times like these, the more we need to understand what's important and not disrupt the peaceful situation in the Village over trivial matters."
"However, if the 'Substitute Hokage Council' side truly fails to understand, then we will have no choice but to act."
"Yes."
Amidst this chorus of agreement, the meeting continued for some time. Everyone discussed the specific details of their upcoming actions, and once they had a clear understanding of these points, the meeting finally concluded.
After everyone had left.
Utatane Koharu still sat at the table, her brow furrowed in a high knot, seemingly somewhat displeased:
"Homura, aren't these methods a bit too soft?"
"Do you think I don't want to be tougher?"
Mitokado Homura had just picked up his teacup, and at the mention of the matter, he immediately bristled with displeasure: "That Danzo, before he left, he confidently guaranteed me that he would definitely take down the Third Raikage."
"If he had succeeded, how could our current situation be like this?"
"Now, it's a mess. Not only do I have to bear the pressure for him, but the responsibility for the defeat has also fallen on me, and that brat Sawara Kiri has taken the credit for the victory. This is truly..."
At the end of his words, Mitokado Homura himself couldn't help but sigh softly.
Their original plan was not like this; at the very least, they wanted to contend equally with the "Substitute Hokage Council." How could they have ended up having to go into hibernation like this?
But, circumstances dictated it.
"Oh, right."
Utatane Koharu seemed to suddenly remember something: "Where did Danzo go?"
"Right now, he should be in Root's underground research lab, I suppose."
Mitokado Homura put down his teacup, contemplating: "Hiruzen, although he took back his Root before, he didn't really touch anything inside..."
"Hiruzen, sigh."
Utatane Koharu sighed again.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen were still here, why would they have to endure such grievances now?
Damn it, Third Raikage.
And that damn brat Sawara Kiri!
Underground at Root.
Shimura Danzo was reading a research report while listening to his subordinates' recent information summaries.
At this time, his right arm had already been reattached with a pale arm—in terms of Hashirama cells resources alone, he should be the richest in the entire Ninja World; even Uchiha Madara didn't have as much as he did.
After his defeat that day, he retreated to the rear, and upon discovering that the logistics center only had a little over a hundred troops, he decisively abandoned the plan to establish a second defensive line to resist the Third Raikage.
Instead, he returned to the Village in one breath, attempting to reorganize a large army using his intelligence and resources.
This time, he had learned from experience.
To deal with a powerhouse of the Third Raikage's caliber, at least a super-large encirclement group of about 10,000 people would be needed to continuously wear down his stamina and Chakra.
Fighting the Third Raikage one-on-one, as he or Sarutobi Hiruzen had done before, was simply too foolish.
A wise man like him would disdain such an approach.
Just like Shodai-sama back then, could a normal person really confront him head-on?
Whoever did would be a fool.
Evidently, in Shimura Danzo's mind, he had already elevated the current Third Raikage to the level of a 'God of Shinobi', on par with Shodai-sama.
However, he had only heard half of today's news when his ears suddenly twitched, and he spun around in disbelief, abruptly asking:
"What was the previous intelligence report?"
"The Kumogakure army is retreating from the front line," a Root Ninja replied, his voice devoid of emotion.
"No, the one before that," Shimura Danzo said urgently.
"Sawara Kiri slew the Third Raikage, annihilating over a hundred Cloud Ninja accompanying him."
"What?!"
Shimura Danzo's eyes widened instantly, and he shot to his feet, knocking over the chair behind him with a dull thud.
He had thought he misheard.
"Sawara Kiri!?"
It wasn't that he hadn't heard this name before; in fact, it was quite familiar, as he had practically scoured all information about him since childhood.
But...
"How is that possible?"
Shimura Danzo paced back and forth in the dimly lit office, repeatedly uttering that sentence in a tone of utter incomprehension.
The Tailed Beast-transformed Third Raikage was simply beyond human power to defeat.
He had personally experienced it.
Yet now, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old child suddenly appeared, claiming to have killed the Third Raikage.
Could it be false news?
No.
If it were truly false news, the Kumogakure's reaction would be much greater than his.
But the Kumogakure had begun to retreat to the rear...
After a brief moment of shock, Shimura Danzo immediately considered the subsequent implications of this event.
If Sawara Kiri returned victorious, what would happen in the Village?
Almost immediately, Shimura Danzo realized something.
The Third Hokage's Advisor Group was doomed.
He was currently an outsider, and a very obvious radical.
If he possessed Sawara Kiri's power, he would have eliminated all obstacles in his path to becoming Hokage, unless he was in a particularly good mood.
Most importantly, the Advisor Group's overall strength was now weaker than the Substitute Hokage Council; any resistance would be futile, offering no hindrance whatsoever.
But similarly, his own guarantee of remaining in the Village would also be gone.
Shimura Danzo thought, growing increasingly anxious, yet unable to find a solution, he could only pace around the office like a headless chicken.
Suddenly, he seemed to make a decision and said to the Root Ninja beside him:
"Contact Orochimaru for me."
"Tell him I have a great weapon to give him."
"It's related to Wood Release."
Upon hearing this, the Root Ninja beside him knelt without hesitation:
"Understood."
Only after giving these miscellaneous orders did he seem to relax slightly, though his brows were still furrowed in a headache, his thoughts growing increasingly chaotic.
With these thoughts, he walked deeper into the underground of this base.
He passed through a long corridor, stepping into the profound and silent darkness, walking for an unknown duration.
Only then did a faint light appear in Shimura Danzo's eyes.
It was the faint glow emitted by the biological incubator in operation.
In the center of this underground laboratory stood a tall glass cultivation cylinder.
Inside the cylinder, a young child floated in the cultivation fluid, wearing a respirator over his mouth and nose, completely unclothed, and peacefully asleep.
A faint but extremely strong life force could be felt from within the child.
Shimura Danzo looked up at this child, into whom he had poured countless efforts, and his brows finally gradually relaxed.
His codename was 'Tenzō'.
This was the only experimental subject that had fortunately survived after he and Orochimaru had conducted a full round of Hashirama cells cultivation, and he was also the only Wood Release user in the entire Konoha at present.
Although still young, Shimura Danzo could already imagine the power this child would display once he grew up, having personally experienced the power of Wood Release.
The only regret was that due to his naturally limited cellular capacity, his upper limit would most likely not reach the level of Shodai-sama.
However...
As if thinking of something, Shimura Danzo slowly exhaled.
He turned his head and spoke to Shinno, who was recording data beside him:
"Have you made any progress on the 'Cell Activation' technique you mentioned before?"
Shinno's expression immediately brightened with excitement, and he quickly replied: "Yes, yes! Danzo-sama! The basic structure of that technique was completed long ago, but now..."
He lacked a sufficiently powerful Chakra source.
Even if it was a medical forbidden Sealing Technique, it was still a forbidden Sealing Technique.
If such a forbidden Sealing Technique were used without a sufficiently powerful Chakra source, the reduction in lifespan would be obvious.
Shimura Danzo's tone grew calmer: "If I were to ask you to apply that technique to this child, could you make him grow as quickly as possible?"
Shinno was startled.
He instinctively turned to look at the tiny child, only about one or two years old, in the cultivation cylinder, then looked blankly at Shimura Danzo, carefully reminding him:
"Danzo-sama, even with the maximum activation of his body using the Cell Activation Technique, his intelligence cannot grow along with it."
"If used improperly, the result will only be a child with the body of a teenager but the mind still at the instinctual level of a one or two-year-old infant..."
Mentally disabled.
He didn't voice the last word, but he believed Shimura Danzo understood this point.
Such a thing, no matter how powerful it was, held little meaning for Shimura Danzo at present.
However, Shimura Danzo ignored his warning and looked at him calmly:
"I'm asking you if you can do it."
Shinno paused, but then suddenly remembered the various resources he had received during this period and immediately nodded with certainty:
"Absolutely no problem."
"That's good."
Shimura Danzo's voice was calm: "I need you to cultivate this child to around twenty years old as quickly as possible, preferably within a month."
"In addition, I will dispatch another team to perform some soul secret techniques on him; you must remember to cooperate with their work."
Shinno's mind grew more confused as he listened.
What exactly did Danzo want to do?
Nevertheless, he replied repeatedly:
"Yes, I understand."
Upon hearing this answer, Shimura Danzo finally seemed to let go of some of his worries and turned to walk out the door.
Shimura Danzo had always been cautious.
Consider defeat before victory.
For him, this was common sense.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to escape from the Third Raikage's grasp a few days ago.
It was also for this reason that while trying to connect with the Substitute Hokage Council, he was also considering the last resort if he were to be rejected.
According to Shinno, the 'Cell Activation Technique' could allow a person to gain stronger cellular activity—which meant more Chakra—at the cost of reduced lifespan and cell division count.
So, with Tenzō's physique, if his body were to grow to around twenty years old in one go, the power he would gain would be astonishing.
A mere dozen years of lifespan, Shimura Danzo certainly didn't care.
Furthermore, he had long since copied his lifetime's knowledge and consciousness through Sealing Technique and soul secret techniques.
Once all this soul information was imprinted into Tenzō's young soul, his will could be rapidly stimulated and developed into another Shimura Danzo in this world.
Great power, a young body, rich experience...
All of this would constitute the strongest and most cunning Ninja in the world.
This idea had actually formed in Shimura Danzo's mind a long time ago, and the reason it had been delayed until today was that he knew very well that even so, it would only be a 'clone' of Shimura Danzo, not himself.
For someone with his extremely selfish personality, this was essentially a form of death.
Unless he had no other choice, he truly did not want to take this step.
But now, at least everything had to be prepared.
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