Chapter 38: Did I Fall into a Trap?
In the Hidden Cloud camp, the Third Raikage was in the middle of training Dana and Arashi when a Konoha messenger arrived with an invitation from Danzo.
A unrolled the scroll, a playful smile on his face.
It said that although Danzo Shimura should not agree to the Cloud's unreasonable demands, he, for the sake of his village and the peace of the ninja world, was willing to personally agree to one of their conditions to foster a friendly atmosphere between their two villages. He could provide certain... off-the-books items. But these items had a questionable origin and could only be discussed in private. As it happened, there was a scenic mountain range to the west, a perfect place for a private chat over tea.
A rolled up the scroll and chuckled contemptuously. "Dana," he said, "just as you predicted. They've taken the bait."
Dana felt a wave of relief as he read the scroll's contents. "I was starting to think they weren't in a hurry," he grumbled. "It took them this long to bite."
"That's just how Konoha's leadership is," A said. "Indecisive. I figured that out more than a decade ago."
"It's all up to you tomorrow, Dad."
"Don't worry. My son gave me a perfect plan. Nothing will go wrong. But since we're fishing, we need some bait."
And so, Danzo received the Third Raikage's reply. The tone was one of utter disdain. It said, in essence, You're not even a Kage. What makes you think you're worthy of having tea with me? If you have something to trade, be a man about it. The Cloud isn't unreasonable. We can talk. But if you're just wasting my time, I'm a busy man.
Danzo's hand, holding the scroll, turned white with rage. He, Danzo, second only to the Hokage in Konoha, when had he ever...
Calm down. Calm down.
"My lord," one of his subordinates said, "the Raikage's tone is very harsh. Do you think he's seen through our plan?"
Danzo waved his hand dismissively. "No. That's just how the Cloud ninja are. They're all brutes, with no sense of decorum. I figured that out more than a decade ago. The more impatient he sounds, the more certain it is that he has fallen into our trap."
It seemed he would have to offer something tangible. If he showed up to the meeting empty-handed, the Raikage, with his brutish personality, would likely not be pleased. Danzo imagined the scene, and the possibility of getting beaten up seemed very high. Fortunately, he was a cautious man and carried most of his important possessions with him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to produce anything that would tempt the Raikage on such short notice.
But this item would have to be a sacrifice. He couldn't let the Cloud actually get it. He'd have to tamper with it first.
And so, swallowing his pride, Danzo wrote another, much more cordial, reply. He said that what he had to offer was of the highest quality. Konoha had a clan called the Uchiha, whose eyes were very powerful. And what a coincidence, he, Danzo, just happened to have a pair on him, which he was prepared to offer to the Raikage.
You see, Danzo thought to himself with a sense of martyrdom, this Sharingan, which I went to such lengths to acquire, and which I haven't even had a chance to properly study, is now being sacrificed for the good of the village. I, Danzo, am truly a selfless patriot.
He then went over the plan with Sakumo Hatake one more time. Danzo would meet with the Third Raikage. Once he confirmed it was the real Raikage, he would give Sakumo the signal to begin the rescue.
With everything in place, Danzo carefully took a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan from a sealing scroll, his eyes filled with regret. But there was no other way. He was sacrificing this Sharingan for the village. He'd have to find a way to make Hiruzen replace it when he got back. He then performed a small, subtle jutsu on the Sharingan, a technique that would gradually destroy them over time. It was a common trick for destroying evidence and concealing the truth, and Danzo was quite skilled at it.
That night, under a full moon, Danzo stood on a cliff west of the Cloud's outpost, his hands behind his back, his face hidden by a hood.
A short while later, the imposing figure of the Third Raikage arrived with his guards.
Danzo studied him carefully in the moonlight, trying to confirm if he was the real thing. He then exchanged a subtle look with the Aburame ninja by his side. The insects confirmed it.
With the Raikage's identity confirmed, Danzo relaxed. The plan was already halfway to success.
"Lord Raikage," he said with a smile, "the view here is quite lovely. A perfect spot for moon-gazing."
"I have no time for moon-gazing," the Raikage said, cutting him off. "And even if I did, I wouldn't be doing it with you. Did you bring what you promised?"
Such a brute, Danzo cursed internally. It seems this will be over sooner than I expected. I won't be able to hold him here for long.
To keep him occupied, Danzo took a small glass jar from his sleeve. Inside were two crimson eyes, three tomoe evenly spaced around each pupil. They looked both strange and malevolent.
The Third Raikage's expression was one of interest. He reached for the jar, but Danzo pulled it back.
"What is the meaning of this?" A's face darkened.
"This is a show of my sincerity," Danzo said. "But if I give it to you, can you promise..."
As he spoke, he pulled back his hood, revealing his spiky hair. This was the signal he had arranged with his Aburame subordinate. The moment he removed his hood, the insects would relay the message to Sakumo Hatake.
Sakumo, lying in wait outside the Cloud's outpost, received the signal. As planned, he waited another ten minutes to give Danzo enough time to retreat, and then led his team into the camp. They had spent the past few days mapping out the camp's defenses, and Tsunade's location was confirmed. Since their primary objective was a stealth rescue, not a full-frontal assault, they avoided the patrols and minimized conflict.
Everything went smoothly. So smoothly, in fact, that Sakumo began to feel a sense of unease. But after reviewing the entire situation in his mind, he decided to proceed with the plan.
After knocking out a few guards, he finally found Tsunade in a small hut and cut her bonds.
"Sakumo-san," Tsunade said, recognizing him immediately. "How did you get in?" Sakumo was a few years older than her and had already made a name for himself.
"Can you move?" he asked.
"No. My chakra is sealed."
Just as Sakumo was about to examine her, the hut was suddenly bathed in light. Towering walls of light shot up from the ground, trapping them inside. Four ninja emerged from the earth, one at each corner, maintaining the barrier jutsu.
Sakumo's face turned grim. This barrier seemed familiar. If it was that jutsu...
He tentatively reached out and touched it. A powerful electric shock coursed through his body.
Similar to the Four Violet Flames Formation, but with a lightning attribute, he thought with a sigh. We've been had.
A small figure stepped out from the side. It was Dana.
He looked at the people trapped inside the barrier, his face beaming with excitement.
Look what I caught! The White Fang of Konoha!
On the cliff, Danzo, who had been earnestly explaining how difficult his situation was, felt that the time was right. He handed the Sharingan to the Third Raikage and announced that, since their business was concluded, he had to return to his village to report.
But a massive hand clamped down on his shoulder, and the Third Raikage pressed him back down. A large face appeared over his shoulder. "Don't be in such a hurry to leave," the Raikage said, his voice a low growl. "You said you were going to treat me to tea. We've been talking for a while now. Where's the tea?"