Thirty-one: Black Zetsu, has this generation of Uchiha produced any geniuses?

"Akatsuki, is it..."

The next day, inside a farmhouse on the outskirts of Amegakure.

After hearing the intelligence from Uchiha Sakuya, Orochimaru stroked his chin, lost in thought.

"Although it is unclear how the Akatsuki came to possess our intelligence, Uchiha Sakuya-kun is correct; at the very least, we remain safe for the time being."

"Regardless, we must remain highly vigilant regarding this Akatsuki Chamber of Commerce."

Dan Katō said, "People's hearts are as unpredictable as the depths of the sea. They may appear to be sharing information about the laboratory, but no one can guess what schemes they are harboring."

"But can we afford not to go?"

Jiraiya gripped the letter from the Akatsuki, his brows furrowed. "We have been scouting Amegakure for days and haven't found a single lead on the laboratory. Now that we finally have one..."

"What if something goes wrong?"

Dan Katō spoke up again, "What if we get trapped inside because of this? What if there is an ambush or a trap within that laboratory? How can we be so reckless as to enter just because of a single letter!"

"Then are we supposed to just waste more time here?"

Jiraiya stared at Dan Katō. "How long can the front lines in the Land of Wind hold out? What if Hanzo manages to conquer it? If we don't hurry and find the toxin of that Salamander, the Demigod, what will happen if they launch an assault on Konoha..."

"Enough, stop arguing."

Orochimaru frowned, cutting off their dispute.

He did not understand it himself; it was as if Jiraiya and Dan Katō were naturally at odds. Whenever they performed missions together, they would inevitably clash for one reason or another.

He glanced at Uchiha Sakuya, who sat to the side, silent.

He seemed to have anticipated this outcome long ago, his face showing no surprise.

Sigh, the mortals of this world are mostly ignorant; only one person truly understands me.

He let out another long sigh in his heart and spoke to Uchiha Sakuya, "Sakuya-kun, let us proceed according to your plan."

He added, "However, I believe we should make some adjustments."

"Adjustments?"

Uchiha Sakuya asked, puzzled, "Orochimaru, what do you intend to do?"

Meeting Uchiha Sakuya's gaze, Orochimaru replied, "You and Tsunade cannot go to the laboratory. The ones who should go are myself and Dan-kun."

"Oh?"

Uchiha Sakuya blinked. "You mean..."

"Even if you and Tsunade entered the laboratory, you would not be able to locate the Salamander's toxin."

Orochimaru shook his head. "The only one capable of finding the toxin is a researcher like myself, who is highly sensitive to toxic agents."

He looked at Dan Katō. "Dan-kun, you will accompany me. Your Spirit Transformation Technique is extremely useful for reconnaissance. Furthermore, should danger arise, your Spirit Transformation Technique will allow us to find a path for a clean retreat."

"...Very well."

Although he was somewhat unwilling to play into the hands of the Akatsuki organization, what Orochimaru said was reasonable, and there was truly no better alternative at the moment.

"Tsunade will go to retrieve Shota's body."

Orochimaru pondered for a moment before speaking, "The body of a Konoha ninja must never be left hanging there."

"Understood."

Tsunade nodded.

"Jiraiya, have you completed the preparations I asked you to make these past few days?"

Orochimaru asked Jiraiya.

"As you instructed, I have already buried a large quantity of Toad Oil at the key nodes throughout Amegakure."

Jiraiya nodded.

"Excellent."

Orochimaru looked at Uchiha Sakuya. "Jiraiya, you must find a way to leave the village today and prepare for extraction outside. Once we succeed, we will rely on you to provide support from the outside."

"No problem."

Jiraiya nodded.

"And what about me?"

Seeing that Orochimaru had finished distributing the tasks, Uchiha Sakuya pressed for an answer.

"As for you, Sakuya-kun, you have a task of the utmost importance."

Orochimaru began, "This task is critical—it concerns the lives of all four of us—and only you, the strongest among the five of us, can accomplish it."

"...Toad Oil, you mean!"

Uchiha Sakuya's eyes sharpened.

"Exactly as you have surmised!"

Orochimaru nodded: "We need someone to draw the attention of Amegakure; we must have enough space and time carved out for us. Only you can accomplish this."

He continued: "The Toad Oil from Mount Myoboku burns at an extremely high temperature. This creation is naturally suited for Fire Style users and can amplify the power of Fire Style techniques on a massive scale."

"And the most crucial part is..."

Orochimaru looked at Uchiha Sakuya and said: "Once this Toad Oil ignites, it is very difficult to extinguish with water. Even in the heavy rain of Amegakure, it is easy to spark a massive conflagration."

"Orochimaru is correct."

As an inheritor of the senjutsu of Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya knew the power of their Toad Oil better than anyone.

"The ignition point of our Toad Oil from Mount Myoboku is very low. In a rainy environment, even the slightest spark can set it ablaze; it is quite dangerous to handle under normal circumstances."

"Sakuya-kun, I will have to trouble you to stir up a real storm inside Amegakure. The bigger the commotion, the better."

Orochimaru stared at Sakuya: "One hour. As long as you cause chaos in Amegakure for one hour, it will be enough to create the space we need to retreat with the poison. It is very dangerous, but it is also something only you can do."

"Understood."

Sakuya nodded heavily.

"Leave it all to me."

Somewhere in a dim underground chamber.

The sound of dripping water awakened the old man.

He opened his somewhat cloudy eyes, felt his vitality wane once more, and sighed softly.

He had grown older again.

"Hashirama..."

He leaned back in his chair, softly calling the name of his late best friend.

"Lord Madara."

The black shadow at his feet suddenly rose, taking the form of a pitch-black figure before him: "The transplantation of the Rinnegan is complete."

"Is that so?"

The old man known as Madara Uchiha nodded: "Are there any signs of rejection?"

"None at all."

The black shadow marveled at the old man's decision: "As expected of Lord Madara. That Senju-Uzumaki Bloodline you chose is truly formidable. To be enveloped by such immense ocular power and yet withstand it all—you must realize that an ordinary person would be consumed and lost within that vast power the moment they implanted even a single eye."

"Hmph, that is the product of the essence of Hashirama and myself; it is not something an ordinary mortal could bear."

Madara Uchiha said with pride.

"Speaking of which, Black Zetsu, during the time I have been asleep, have any interesting geniuses emerged from the Uchiha Clan?"

He asked the black shadow.

"There have, Lord Madara."

The pitch-black shadow nodded: "There is a young genius who just turned fourteen and has already reached Three Tomoe. I have observed the ocular power in his eyes; he is very, very close to the Mangekyō."

"...Fourteen, you say?"

Madara Uchiha nodded in satisfaction: "That is acceptable. In the Warring States period, he would be considered a small genius. What is his name?"

"His name is Uchiha Sakuya."

"Hmm... place a few White Zetsu by his side. Let me observe him."

Madara Uchiha yawned: "In any case, it will be a long time before I sleep again. Let me see the resolve of this Uchiha."