"What was the purpose?" Shin asked softly. "Of course, it was to weaken our enemies."
"Hm?" Hyuga Tamamo murmured in puzzlement.
Shin lowered his voice. "Whether in a game of chess or in reality, to achieve final victory, all one has to do is weaken the enemy while strengthening oneself."
"Our game against the Sage of Six Paths is nearing its end, but our combat strength is far from ideal. Indra and Asura are his two most important pieces. I have already contacted Asura's reincarnation and successfully gained his favor. If Orochimaru were to make a move against Indra now, it might produce an unexpected result. Why not do it?"
Hyuga Tamamo smiled. "And you are certain things will develop as you predicted? Just based on that incomplete set of information in Orochimaru's hands?"
Shin chuckled softly. "Tamamo, you are a smart person. You should understand how smart people think. What Orochimaru does is determined by his personality. He has always been devoted to uncovering the true essence of ninjutsu in this world. What could be more tempting than the power of Yin-Yang Release passed down by the Sage of Six Paths?
"He definitely will not be able to resist making a move. As for the formulas in those documents, they are there to make them more convincing. You should know that smart people always firmly believe in the 'truth' they deduce and calculate for themselves. Self-righteousness... is a common failing of most people."
"I feel like that statement of yours targeted a whole lot of people," Tamamo remarked calmly.
Shin merely smiled without replying. The mountain wind swept past, and the hollow bamboo chimes rang once more amid the bamboo grove. Peace reigned.
Time slipped by quietly, and before they knew it, the end of Konoha's sixty-ninth year had