By then, dusk had fallen. The blazing torches had been lit, crackling away and making the meeting room's silence all the more pronounced.
Orochimaru spoke casually, as if the enemy he was talking about weren't one of the Shinobi World's most formidable villages, but some ordinary strays.
It wasn't arrogance. Orochimaru had earned this confidence through life-and-death battles.
Back in the day, the name of the Sannin had spread far and wide, marking them as some of the strongest shinobi in the world. Many years had passed since then, and Orochimaru's strength had only grown. Last night, he had turned the tide of battle single-handedly, proving his strength once again. With Genie's strategy, he was even more certain he could control the battlefield.
At Orochimaru's words, the squad leaders from Konoha's ranks looked at one another in dismay, then stared in astonishment toward the head of the table.
Everyone knew how powerful Kumogakure was. Even with the home-field advantage last night, Konoha had only managed to gain a slight edge. They hadn't been able to crush the enemy completely.
And that wasn't even all of Kumogakure's forces.
The other problem they would face in defeating Kumogakure was its fortress. Even if it had only just been built, there were bound to be countless traps and protections in place, including Fūinjutsu and Barrier Ninjutsu.
With the terrain against them, defeating an enemy whose forces outnumbered and outmatched theirs was simply impossible!
Yet even though they clearly understood the difference in strength between the two sides, Orochimaru's confidence still made the Konoha shinobi in the meeting room feel their blood rush.
War meant people died. Shinobi were people, too. Even those who bore the Will of Fire were different from the tools in Root.
On the battlefield, who wouldn't want a powerful leader like him to turn the tide and lead them to victory?
The Uchiha squad leaders especially revered the strong. Seeing Orochimaru act this way, they could hardly stop themselves from wishing they could take his place.
Unfortunately, their education had ended at the level of prenatal lessons, so they couldn't come up with some classical phrase like, "A true man should ride in such a chariot."
For a moment, the meeting room seethed with excitement, its fervor hotter than the blazing torches.
Of course, no one dared speak recklessly. If there was no solution, there was no solution. Everyone fixed their gaze on Orochimaru.
Fugaku's eyes, in particular, held a trace of worry. He knew the truth behind this war and feared Orochimaru's methods might be too cruel, costing his clan too many lives.
But what surprised everyone—and even gave them reason to doubt—was that the method Orochimaru proposed wasn't especially clever. It was simply a matter of trading one piece for another.
Orochimaru had ruled out the Fourth Raikage and the two Jinchuriki—the three strongest fighters on Kumogakure's side. All the Konoha Shinobi Army had to do was destroy Kumogakure's fortress, and Orochimaru had arranged additional support for that as well.
The people in the meeting room exchanged glances. If things went as Orochimaru had laid out, they did indeed have a chance to take the fortress in one battle.
But... what about the Raikage and the Jinchuriki? Did Orochimaru intend to take on all three by himself?
Judging by last night's battle, Orochimaru might be able to hold off the two Jinchuriki, but the Raikage was another matter entirely.
If there were no fortress to destroy, the Raikage could break through and leave at any time. Orochimaru's Yamata no Orochi form couldn't stop him.
Faced with everyone's doubts, Orochimaru offered no explanation. He simply used his authority to silence the opposition.
It was the easiest and fastest method, provided they didn't suffer a defeat.
After the meeting, everyone dispersed to prepare for the coming battle. Only Shisui was asked to stay behind.
Shisui stood where he was, puzzled, but the question he heard made his expression change.
"Shisui, you should have a way to stop a Jinchuriki in Tailed Beast Transformation, shouldn't you?"
Orochimaru grinned. "You awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, didn't you?"
Shisui's expression shifted several times before he gave a wry smile. "How did you find out, Lord Orochimaru?"
Since awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shisui had been careful, mindful of the delicate relationship between the Uchiha and the village. He had never used it in front of anyone, and he couldn't figure out where he'd slipped up.
Yet Orochimaru had called it out plainly. He clearly had solid evidence.
"There are no secrets that last forever."
Orochimaru smiled. Rather than press Shisui to admit whether he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he asked, "Shisui, what do you think of this war?"
Shisui had been considering the consequences of revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan to Orochimaru. At the question, he paused in surprise.
Kumogakure had taken advantage of Konoha's weakened state after the Nine-Tails Incident, hoping to suppress the village and perhaps spark another great Shinobi World War, carving up Konoha completely.
The Konoha High Command had already discussed the matter thoroughly. Why was Lord Orochimaru asking him about it now?
After thinking for a moment, Shisui linked the Mangekyō Sharingan to the Nine-Tails Incident. A sudden chill ran through him. He hurried to his feet and denied it. "Lord Orochimaru, I had absolutely nothing to do with someone controlling the Nine-Tails!"
Orochimaru replied calmly, "But the Uchiha, and the Mangekyō Sharingan, definitely had something to do with it, didn't they?"
Shisui had no answer. But Orochimaru changed tack and continued,
"Still, the Third Hokage and I both believe that most members of the Uchiha are innocent."
Before Shisui could show any joy, Orochimaru went on,
"But the other shinobi in the village, and the other villagers, have to believe that too. The Uchiha Clan needs to prove its innocence."
"This war is the opportunity."
Orochimaru held nothing back as he explained the deal he had made with the Third Hokage and Fugaku Uchiha.
Shisui's expression shifted repeatedly. He sighed. "The clan head... I can't believe he agreed."
"Circumstances left him no choice. The village could trust the Uchiha once, but if the mastermind attacks again, how are they supposed to explain that?"
Orochimaru spoke slowly. "Beneath those light words of trust are the villagers' flesh and bones. The village can't afford to bear that cost."
"So the Uchiha Clan has to prove its innocence, and establish that the Nine-Tails attack and any future attacks were invasions by outside enemies, not rebellions by traitors within the clan."
"That is the position the Uchiha must hold firm!"
After hearing this and thinking through what had happened lately, Shisui's expression settled back into calm. "What do you want me to do, Lord Orochimaru?"
"That depends on your choice."
Orochimaru glanced at Shisui. "Are you willing to part with those Mangekyō Sharingan?"
"To the village, the Uchiha Clan suffering heavy losses and the Uchiha Clan losing a pair of legendary Forbidden Eyes could both prove the clan's resolve to protect the village."
"There's no need to say more, Lord Orochimaru."
Shisui remained calm. "I don't have any particular attachment to these Mangekyō eyes."
With his intelligence, Shisui could see that this so-called choice was a joke. When Orochimaru arranged the operation against Kumogakure, he had already factored these Mangekyō eyes into his plans.
Shisui had no objection. He wasn't greedy for the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. If giving it up could help the village and his clan, he was willing to do so.
Still, being maneuvered so thoroughly left him feeling somewhat resentful.
"You seem to have misunderstood me."
Orochimaru smiled. "Even without you, I have other ways to stop one of the Jinchuriki."
"Jiraiya is ready in Konoha, and I have the ability to summon him to the battlefield."
"But the summoning can only be maintained for a limited time. Later in the war, your clan members will have to use their flesh and blood to hold the enemy back."
"They're the ones who have no choice."
"So, what's your answer?"
Before you continue