Nawaki's Scheme

Amegakure's initiative in extending goodwill to Konoha and deepening their alliance not only alerted the upper echelons of every nation, but also stirred certain thoughts within Konoha itself.

Amegakure's leader, Yahiko, not only intended to personally visit Konoha, but had specifically demanded that Nawaki and the Third Hokage sign the treaty with him.

This leader had only recently survived a deadly ambush, yet he now trusted Konoha so completely. Clearly, he had something to rely on! At this point, even an idiot could see that Hanzo's death was connected to Nawaki.

What puzzled most people, however, was that Nawaki had been working in Konoha throughout the day Hanzo died. By all logic, he should not have had the time to commit the crime.

Moreover, Nawaki himself avoided answering any probing questions on the matter, leaving most people only half-convinced of their own suspicions.

Only a handful of people who knew Nawaki well were certain that he had personally eliminated Hanzo.

Besides the Third Hokage, the Sannin, and Nawaki's other close associates who knew about the True Clone, those people also included his enemy, Danzo.

Though Danzo had no conclusive evidence, his understanding of Nawaki made him certain that Nawaki had orchestrated the whole affair. The more unbelievable it seemed, the more certain he became. Catching people off guard had always been Nawaki's style. His opponents often thought they had everything in hand, only to be suddenly outmaneuvered and defeated, with no chance of turning things around.

Hanzo's death deepened Danzo's resentment toward Nawaki. This was already the second powerful outside ally Nawaki had taken from him. His first ally had been the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and the heir apparent who was supposed to succeed him. Now, however, the Daimyo was a child barely a few years old.