Chapter 240: Intervening Changes
Night had fallen deep. Under a secluded eave somewhere in Konoha Village, two figures conducted a dangerous conversation in the shadows.
"...Are you certain Orochimaru is confident he can control that power? I heard you're his right-hand man." The questioner's voice was low, most of his face wrapped in bandages—this was Sunagakure's team jonin, Baki. Meeting him in secret was Yakushi Kabuto, who had just parted from Orochimaru.
"Hehe, rest assured," Kabuto pushed up his glasses, the gaze behind the lenses hidden in the reflection as his face wore a professional smile. "Since Orochimaru-sama has made this decision, he naturally has considerable confidence."
Though Kabuto wasn't entirely certain Orochimaru could truly control the Tailed Beast's power, he understood clearly that Sunagakure was merely a chess piece in the plan. At this moment, he only needed to say what the other party wanted to hear.
Facing the perpetually smiling Kabuto, Baki's tone remained full of caution. "I truly don't understand how you convinced the Kazekage. If that Ember organization retaliates afterward... you should be clear what that would mean."
"Precisely because we're clear about the consequences, we need an even more precise plan." Kabuto responded composedly. "Whether capturing the Nine-Tails or assassinating the Hokage, if any link goes wrong, we'll immediately abort the operation and assume all responsibility. This is a plan led by Otogakure—naturally we control the risks."
Not far from them, in a concealed shadow, Gekko Hayate's body trembled violently upon inadvertently overhearing this conversation, barely able to suppress his inner shock.
'Seize the Nine-Tails? Assassinate the Hokage?!' Massive waves surged through his heart. 'Sunagakure and Otogakure are secretly colluding, planning such a horrifying attack during the Chunin Exams?!'
At this moment, Kabuto tossed a sealed scroll to Baki, saying, "Then, I'll handle the remaining specific arrangements."
Kabuto's tone suddenly turned cold, carrying undisguised killing intent.
Sensing that cold, bone-piercing killing intent lock onto his direction, Gekko Hayate's heart chilled.
"No," Baki's eyes flashed with fierce light as he stepped forward. "As Sunagakure of the Land of Wind, how can we not assist our allies? Besides, merely dealing with an eavesdropping rat is trivial."
Hearing this, Gekko Hayate completely understood he'd been exposed! Without hesitation, he instantly used Body Flicker Technique, his form retreating rapidly like a ghost, attempting to merge into deeper darkness.
However, there was an obvious gap in their abilities. Before Gekko Hayate could escape the rooftop area, Baki had already pursued like a shadow.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Two figures rapidly chased and crossed on moonlit rooftops. Gekko Hayate was forced to stop, forming a confrontation with Baki ahead. His urgent panting was particularly clear in the silent night sky.
"Cough... so it's the preliminary exam proctor. What are you doing here alone so late?"
Gekko Hayate tightly gripped his ninja blade, crystal clear in his heart that the opponent would never let him leave alive knowing such classified intelligence. It seemed the only option was fighting to the death—perhaps that could win a slim chance at survival...
At this time, neither the pressing Baki and observing Kabuto, nor the cornered Gekko Hayate had noticed that in the shadows of a distant high-rise building, a pair of eyes silently watched everything about to unfold below.
"Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon!"
Gekko Hayate struck first, instantly creating two solid clones that, together with his main body, simultaneously flickered from three tricky angles—left, above, right—blade light directly striking vital points around Baki!
Pff!
The blade indeed transmitted the sensation of cutting into flesh. However, Gekko Hayate's complexion immediately changed drastically—his blade was actually caught tightly by the opponent's tensed muscles and couldn't be withdrawn!
"To master Konoha Style's secret sword techniques at such a young age... Konoha truly abounds with talent." Baki gripped the blade embedded in his shoulder blade with one hand as if feeling no pain, while his other hand had already gathered turbulent airflow emitting howls.
"Your swordsmanship is indeed excellent, but being blocked by me is only natural. However, this next Wind Blade... nothing can stop it!"
Under Baki's cruel and confident gaze, that Wind Release technique instantly completely engulfed the terror-stricken Gekko Hayate!
---
"Is it really okay to leave his corpse here like this? Isn't this a bit excessive?" Kabuto inquired in a flat tone, looking together with Baki at that "corpse of Gekko Hayate" on the ground. "Even if Konoha can't immediately ascertain the truth, such an obvious attack will raise their high alert, won't it?"
"Mm, don't worry." Baki analyzed calmly. "They'll most likely deduce this was done by enemy spies infiltrating the village. A single corpse alone won't make Konoha unilaterally cancel this Chunin Exam involving multiple nations' reputations."
However, from the true perspective—Gekko Hayate panted in lingering fear, staring incredulously at the bizarre scene before him.
Baki and Kabuto stood stiffly in place like two sculptures, eyes vacant, talking to themselves at empty air.
What on earth is...?!
Gekko Hayate whipped his head around, looking at this mysterious masked person who'd appeared beside him at some unknown time.
Beneath the mask, Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan slowly rotated. It was precisely with this eye's power that he wove an illusion for Baki and Kabuto that they couldn't distinguish from reality, saving him at this critical moment.
"You... who exactly are you?" Gekko Hayate forcibly suppressed his post-survival palpitations, asking cautiously. The opponent's attire wasn't Konoha ANBU's standard uniform.
Shisui was also somewhat surprised internally. He'd only followed the leader's instructions to keep an eye on this special jonin named Gekko Hayate, but hadn't anticipated witnessing a scene where he nearly got silenced.
"Rather than probing my identity," Shisui's voice was low and steady, "you should have more important matters requiring immediate attention right now. Rest assured, I bear no ill will toward Konoha. But if they truly dare start a war... then they become my target."
"Could you be..." Gekko Hayate instantly associated him with that organization whose very name struck terror, but he immediately swallowed the rest of his words.
Having just retrieved his life, he knew deeply what the most urgent task was at this moment. He looked deeply at Shisui, nodded, then without further hesitation activated Body Flicker Technique, his figure rapidly vanishing into the night.
After confirming Gekko Hayate's safe departure, Uchiha Shisui turned his gaze back to the two still deeply trapped in genjutsu. The "capture Nine-Tails" plan mentioned in Kabuto's earlier words had raised his high alert.
Through the Mangekyo Sharingan's absolute control over illusions, Shisui asked the vacant-eyed Kabuto in a deep voice:
"Now, tell me your entire plan regarding capturing the Nine-Tails... confess your objectives and specific steps without omitting a single word."
As Kabuto haltingly narrated under genjutsu control, the complexion beneath Shisui's mask gradually became incomparably dark.
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