The Truth Behind Things

Haku, exiting Orochimaru's command tent, returned to his personal tent within the medical unit.

Because Haku knew medical ninjutsu and was quite skilled, he had been given his own tent on the front lines with the medical team.

Furthermore, he had treated most of the ninja on the front lines, earning the goodwill of a large number of them.

Getting back to the point, Haku, back in his own tent, began to reflect on the events of the past three months.

First, most of the ninja from Kirigakure in the rear had been eliminated by Haku and Minato Namikaze.

Only a few Elite Jonin from Kirigakure remained. Having encountered them several times, Haku judged from their ninjutsu and techniques that they were from a Bloodline Family that had been passed down in Kirigakure since the Warring States period.

After Jiraiya arrived, some more were eliminated. In the end, only one Ice Release Ninja, one Lava Release Ninja, and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen escaped.

Kirigakure's participation in this battle had been a heavy loss, yielding no benefits at all.

Then, unexpectedly, Sunagakure also got involved. Haku wondered why the Kazekage, instead of focusing on making money, had come to participate here. Perhaps they had only sent scout ninja to observe what the other villages were doing, and the result was that Haku discovered and eliminated a Chunin squad as soon as they arrived.

Iwagakure had also stationed a large number of spies here. Although Ōnoki had only recently become Tsuchikage, his skill in stirring up trouble was quite high. It was just that, perhaps due to bad luck, they had also clashed with the ninja of Kirigakure after arriving here.

What surprised Haku and Minato Namikaze even more was that Kumogakure, who was fighting Konoha here, had not sent anyone to harass or attack Konoha's rear supply lines.

According to what Haku said to Minato Namikaze:

"For these past three months, I don't know who they were fighting, it was all chaos. One moment I was chasing Kirigakure ninja, and the next I was attacked by Iwagakure ninja. Luckily, I'm tough, or I don't know where I'd be sleeping right now."

"Haha! You can take it, but I can't. I just skirt around the edges, going wherever there's fighting. I'm just picking up the scraps."

Minato Namikaze also couldn't figure out why the various villages had people stationed here, nor why Haku was rushing to fight everyone else. Wouldn't it be better to stay outside and watch the other villages fight to the death? However, Minato Namikaze didn't offer any words of advice.

When Haku and Minato Namikaze reported this matter to Orochimaru, the patriarch of the Nara clan, who was also working in the command tent, almost pulled all his hair out trying to understand why the people from several villages were sending people to Konoha's supply lines. He could understand them sending people to the front lines, but sending people to the supply lines and then fighting each other was something he had never seen before.

In response, combined with the scroll Haku had given him earlier, Orochimaru suspected that Konoha's Pot Kage might be responsible. He might have spread some message about coming to get his disciple, Haku.

"Achoo!"

Danzo, sitting in the newly constructed headquarters of Konoha's Root, sneezed for no reason.

"Is it because this headquarters is built underground that it's too cold? Should I move the headquarters above ground? No, how can it be called Root if it's on the surface? It should stay underground. However, the defenses here definitely need to be strengthened."

Thinking this, Danzo spoke.

"Go into the village and scout for promising seedlings. Find ways to absorb them all into Root. Don't worry about which clan they're from; bring them all in and perform the Tongue-Cutting-Root-Destruction Jutsu on them."

"Have the arrangements been made to send a letter to Hanzo? Do you know what happened last time the contact failed?"

Hearing Danzo's words, the subordinate was so scared that he immediately knelt on the ground.

"This subordinate is incompetent. I couldn't find out why the last contact failed, and Hanzo said he needs an explanation from us as to why their envoy died."

"Hmph! That idiot Hanzo! I've only just managed to get Hiruzen to agree to let me form Root, and now is a crucial time. Otherwise, I would definitely go and test the temper of this ninja world Demigod!"

Danzo was not satisfied with his subordinate's report and snorted, dismissing him.

Meanwhile, at the Graveyard of Mountains.

"Hmm, your plan is good. It has depleted the strength of several ninja villages and focused their attention on the battlefield between Konoha and Kumogakure. My plan in Kirigakure can be implemented more easily."

The aged Madara Uchiha looked at the person before him, who was hidden in the shadows in a black robe, and asked.

"It's just, are you truly unwilling to accept these eyes of mine? You should know how perfect and powerful they are!"

The figure in the black robe did not respond to Madara Uchiha.