A Gift Before Parting

Above the Root base, two figures stood facing each other within the shadows of the architecture.

"Using Impure World Reincarnation to remotely control the situation in Konoha—we unexpectedly had the same idea, Hane-kun."

Listening to the familiar tone coming from the mouth of the reanimated ninja, Hyuga Meigoku, who was being controlled by Hyuga Hane, chuckled: "After all, if I use Impure World Reincarnation, I can shift the blame onto you should things go awry."

Orochimaru paused, not minding this harmless joke; the only reason they were using Impure World Reincarnation was for the sake of convenience.

He looked the figure up and down, shaking his head with amusement, "You've become quite confident. Is it because your strength has improved?"

"Confidence comes from the accumulation of strength and knowledge. If I had grown to this point and still dared not face you, you would be the one disappointed, Orochimaru-sensei!"

Hyuga Hane said in a low voice.

"...Sensei, is it."

With a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, Orochimaru watched Hyuga Meigoku quietly for a moment, as if he could see the soul of Hyuga Hane through this reanimated vessel.

That was correct; he was Hyuga Hane's teacher, his second teacher.

Might Duy had helped the boy build a solid foundation in taijutsu, while he had filled in all the gaps in Hane's repertoire. He had never held back in his instruction—experimental research, forbidden techniques, sealing arts...

Perhaps there had been transactional elements involved, but the boy was undoubtedly his disciple.

And the only one to have truly graduated!

"I heard you have mastered the Flying Thunder God. As someone who was already a standout in the Hyuga Clan, having mastered it, you now possess the strength to stand firm in the Shinobi World."

Orochimaru smiled, "Now, are you going to fly out of this cage called Konoha?"

"It is not yet time."

Hyuga Hane denied, "They will leave, and I still wish to witness the peace that the Fourth Hokage craved."

Looking at him with some surprise, Orochimaru turned toward the entrance of the Root base, lost in thought, "The Flying Thunder God and the Nine-Tails are quite intimidating, but after the First Hokage died, neither the Second nor Mito could bring peace to the Shinobi World."

"Minato is a fresh breeze for Konoha, but he cannot blow across the entire Shinobi World. You should be very clear on that."

"Mm." Hyuga Hane nodded calmly.

Orochimaru tilted his head, his peripheral vision fixed on him. Without asking about his intentions, he shifted to a tone of reflection: "The birth of Shin was something you and I witnessed together, but you haven't seen his Mangekyo ability yet, have you?"

"He is my most satisfying creation to date. The power of the Senju and the Uchiha achieved balance within him. After I imbued his birth with meaning, the power Shin awakened did not disappoint me."

"Although the ocular technique Tsunade was struck with requires time to activate, even the Byakugan would find it difficult to detect before it is fully unleashed. Furthermore, without understanding one's original intent, one can never break free from the genjutsu. Such a technique is one even I would not dare say I could handle with ease."

Speaking of this, Orochimaru's eyes flickered.

If Shin were not able to dispel it, he would not have dared to let him use it on Tsunade.

"A genjutsu similar to Izanami?"

Observing the Root base with his Byakugan, Hyuga Hane watched as Tsunade gradually lifted her head, her eyes no longer carrying a trace of confusion or hesitation.

Not only was the ability similar, but the process of casting it was also much the same. The initial genjutsu chakra in Tsunade's mind was like a seed; it required Tsunade to experience events that left a deep impression on her memory before it could be triggered.

She must have been hit by this ocular technique before coming to the Root base... was it a Transcription Seal?

Judging by the time from the genjutsu's deployment to its conclusion, the time within the genjutsu space was similar to Tsukuyomi. Under Shin's control, Tsunade had likely experienced a significant amount of time within it, repeating the process of entering the Root base and killing Shizune many times over.

And even if Shizune hadn't truly died, repeating such a process was a form of torture—a trial of Tsunade's soul.

Shizune's importance to her went without saying. Without finding her original intent, she could not have escaped the genjutsu. The shadow left by the death of her loved ones was something Tsunade had ultimately overcome in such an environment.

"In this way, the Third Hokage's original arrangements have gone to waste."

Orochimaru smiled slightly: "In the end, the old man only wanted to try forcing Tsunade into a pseudo-desperate situation to make her face her past. Danzo was merely feigning cooperation, wanting to ferret out the contingencies Sarutobi-sensei left behind."

"Neither of them held any hope that Tsunade would succeed. Since that is the case, I shall help her along. Consider it my... parting gift."

There was little left in Konoha that he cared about. This war was the last time he would contribute to the village.

Hyuga Hane chuckled: "Your gift will leave the Third and Danzo suspicious of one another."

Orochimaru returned the smile: "Hane-kun doesn't seem to care much."

Hyuga Hane shook his head, saying calmly: "You seem to have forgotten my status."

"...The Shadow Guard, the Hyuga Branch Family... I see."

Orochimaru was thoughtful.

With Tsunade recovered, if she were to remain in Konoha for the long term, the only person she could possibly support was Namikaze Minato.

Coupled with what she had sacrificed to avoid this crisis, the impact on the Hyuga Branch Family would be profound. No one knew what Danzo might do, and no one believed he would kindly help the branch family remove the Caged Bird.

Combining the two, Hyuga Hane would instead receive Tsunade's protection in Konoha... and to prevent Hane from being "seduced" by Danzo in the name of freedom, Tsunade would take the initiative to help him remove the Caged Bird!

Strictly speaking, he had helped Hane...

Or rather, Tsunade was bound to recover; it was only a matter of who was pulling the strings behind the scenes.

It could have been Sarutobi Hiruzen, it could have been him, or it could have been... Hyuga Hane.

"Besides, this cage called Konoha is suitable for raising birds."

As Orochimaru pondered, Hyuga Hane's indifferent voice reached him, causing him to pause before breaking into a smile.

"Indeed, it is."

As the two communicated, a drastic change had already occurred within the Root base.

When Tsunade's expression shifted, Hyuga Tokuma, standing behind Danzo, immediately struck out with an Air Palm at Shin, who was nearby, while shouting to Danzo:

"Lord Danzo, he is one of the Uchiha! Tsunade has been caught in a Genjutsu; she may no longer be affected by her hemophobia!"

Without orders from Hyuga Hane, he only needed to play the role of Danzo's subordinate for now.

Danzo became instantly vigilant, body-flickering to the side as he glared at the Root Jonin who had been attacked by Hyuga Tokuma.

Orange chakra bones manifested around the man's body, easily blocking Tokuma's attack before he abandoned the skirmish and sprinted toward the exit at high speed.

Danzo's eyes narrowed.

That skeletal structure—was it Susanoo?

Mangekyo Sharingan...

Since when had the Uchiha clan birthed this pair of ominous eyes again?

Hiruzen, is this your trump card?

Sensing the aura on Tsunade's side growing increasingly powerful, Danzo reached out to stop the Root ninjas who were about to pursue.

"You are no match for him. Deal with Tsunade first!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen understood him, and his own understanding of this old friend was equally profound.

Everyone in Konoha capable of stopping him had been taken to the battlefield, leaving the village entirely to his machinations; naturally, he could sense that something was amiss.

But could he afford not to act? How old was Minato?

Twenty-three!

And what about himself?

He could not outlive the other man!

Furthermore, Minato had already begun cultivating the next generation for Konoha: Kakashi, a Jonin at twelve, and Hyuga Hane, who had mastered the Flying Thunder God at fifteen...

The older generation of the ninja clans was withering away, while the new generation—those like Nara Shikaku who graduated from the Ninja Academy and inherited the Will of Fire—continued to emerge.

Even the Uchiha had birthed more and more individuals like Obito and Shisui, people who resembled Kagami.

Teacher Tobirama's suppression and transformation of the ninja clans had always existed, and even the Uchiha had gradually found their place within the policies he left behind, standing beside the Hokage.

Under such circumstances, could he afford to wait?

Konoha's strength was immense, and its potential was the greatest in the Shinobi World; why could it not go even further?

Only if he, Danzo, became Hokage could he lead Konoha away from the gentleness of Hiruzen's administration and stand at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World!

He had to act, and he had to secure enough support during this opportunity.

Therefore... if Tsunade truly overcame her hemophobia, she would become the greatest obstacle currently facing Konoha.

"Keep her here, dead or alive!"

Following Danzo's cold command, dozens of Root ninjas launched a simultaneous assault on Tsunade!