Strategic Team Assembles

Zeyu sensed his surroundings and, finding nothing unusual, prepared to take the others and leave.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Zeyu noticed his Flying Thunder God Technique mark on Kakashi. He turned his head and fixed a resentful gaze upon the man beside him.

"Kakashi-sensei, hand it over," Zeyu said, extending his hand toward Kakashi.

"Ah, I completely forgot. My apologies, my apologies," Kakashi said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

He then pulled out Zeyu's kunai and returned it.

Zeyu looked at the kunai in his hand, let out a deep sigh, and said, "Kakashi-sensei, this counts as theft. And you even dragged Genma-niisan into it."

Kakashi could only offer an awkward laugh upon hearing this.

Seeing this, Zeyu realized there was no longer any point in hiding things. He walked into the center of the four men and extended both his arms.

Kakashi and Genma exchanged a look, smiled, and stepped forward to grab Zeyu's arms.

So it really is the Flying Thunder God Technique, Elephant thought, stepping forward to grab Zeyu's other arm.

The four of them then looked in unison at Hayate, who was still bewildered. Not yet understanding the situation, his hand hovered in mid-air.

"What are you standing there for?" Zeyu said, grabbing Hayate's hand.

In the next second, the figures of the five men flickered and vanished from the spot.

When they reappeared, they were already in Zeyu's room.

"Cough, cough, this is..." Hayate was somewhat startled, coughing as he took two steps back.

"Who exactly are you? To think you can use the Flying Thunder God Technique! And why did you bring us away?" Elephant asked.

Zeyu walked over to the table and took off his waist pouch. "Well, don't be so impatient, Brother Elephant. Let's talk about this slowly. Since things have already reached this point, why don't we stir up some trouble together?"

Zeyu glanced at the open drawer. A scroll was clearly not in its original position, and the visible text was different from before.

Well, that was a rush. Now my secrets are all laid bare, Zeyu thought. He casually put his ninja tools back and closed the drawer.

Then, as he removed his mask, he turned around and said, "I am Konoha's Zeyu Nichiro. Let us discuss how to deal with Orochimaru."

On the other side, because Zeyu had taken the two men away under the cover of noise and the process had been extremely swift, Kabuto and Baki had not noticed anything unusual.

After the two finished their discussion, they went their separate ways.

Kabuto arrived at Dosu's location, wanting to confirm whether he was dead.

"Oh? You're actually still alive?" Kabuto said, standing beside Dosu, who was pinned under the rubble.

"You really are unlucky. Wouldn't it have been better to just die like this?" Kabuto chuckled softly and slowly crouched down.

Dosu, with only one arm exposed, twitched his fingers and whispered in a very faint voice, "I... am... better... than... Sasuke..."

"Heh, so you want to prove yourself that badly? Interesting. As it happens, there is still one person left who can let you try. Heh heh." Kabuto chuckled, pushing up his glasses.

After Zeyu revealed his face, Elephant and Hayate were very surprised and felt a complex mix of emotions. Genma, having seen Zeyu's build, had already been surprised when he realized he was just a youth.

Truly a hero among the young, Genma thought, watching Zeyu busy arranging a map.

The group crouched on the ground, surrounding a map of Konoha. Zeyu closed the windows, lit a candle, placed it by the map, and sat cross-legged on the floor.

Just as the others thought Zeyu was about to speak, he suddenly formed a cross-seal with his hands and created a shadow clone. The clone sat cross-legged behind Zeyu, closed its eyes, and began to sense the surroundings.

"Is he sensing the area?" Hayate asked.

"Well, when discussing this kind of topic, it never hurts to be cautious," Kakashi said.

Subsequently, the group began to exchange information. Kakashi spoke of the situation with Sasuke, Elephant spoke of Gaara, and Zeyu recounted the meeting between Kabuto and Baki he had just witnessed.

"Then, it's time to answer my question, Zeyu. Why did you bring us away?" Elephant asked.

Zeyu folded his arms, closed his eyes, and pondered for a long time before saying, "First, if you had been discovered, the enemy would have killed you both to ensure their plan remained hidden."

"Second, even if you could defeat them, you would only be alerting the enemy. They would become even more cautious in the future, making it much harder for us to uncover their schemes."

"Hmm, you're right, but why are you so certain we would be discovered? Besides, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gather vital intelligence. If we miss it, there might not be another chance," Hayate said after a moment of thought.

The others nodded in agreement, turning their gazes toward Zeyu.

Zeyu slowly opened his eyes and said, "Because I know what they are planning, and I don't want you to take that risk."

The group looked at him in astonishment, and Zeyu continued, "If you fail, things will become very troublesome. I don't want it to reach that point."

"How could you possibly know what the enemy is planning?" Elephant asked hurriedly.

At this, Zeyu simply uttered two words: "Deduction."

"Nonsense! What can you prove with just deduction? This isn't a game; this is war!" Elephant said, clenching his fists in agitation.

Genma and Hayate stood to the side, looking disappointed, and both let out a sigh.

Just then, Kakashi held up a palm and said, "Well, since we're already here, let's hear Zeyu's deduction first. We might just get some unexpected results."

"It's alright, Zeyu. Say whatever you need to say."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," Zeyu said with a smile.

His expression then turned serious. He tapped the map with his finger and looked at the group. "Now, I am going to begin analyzing the battle situation. If you have any objections, please save them until I am finished."

The group exchanged glances and nodded.

I need to make this sound as reasonable as possible, or it will seem too fake, Zeyu thought as he looked at the map.

He then said, "First, it is actually quite simple to figure out what the enemy is doing if you just stand in their shoes and think for a moment."

"To crush a ninja village, divide their resources, and reap the benefits, there is only one most direct and effective method..."

"Kill their Hokage."

Upon hearing this, the group's faces filled with shock; cold sweat broke out on their foreheads, and a chill ran down their spines.

"You mean their target is the Hokage?" Elephant said, his pupils trembling.

"Don't be hasty, Brother Elephant. Let me continue," Zeyu said.

"Now that we know their objective, their next moves become obvious."

"Combining the intelligence we already have:"

"They will use the Chunin Exams, specifically when Sasuke fights Gaara, to have Gaara—the One-Tail jinchūriki—transform into his beast to create chaos."

"Then, the lurking enemies will signal all their forces, both inside and outside, to begin the assault, working from both ends."

"While we are busy dealing with the attack, Orochimaru, who has been hiding, will emerge to assassinate the Hokage."

"That is their plan."

After Zeyu finished, the group frowned in deep thought, filled with confusion.

After a long silence, Elephant said, "What you say makes some sense, but there are many holes. For instance, how can they ensure their large force isn't discovered by the patrolling Anbu?"

"And where would Orochimaru hide? How could he assassinate the Hokage in front of everyone?"

The others nodded after hearing Elephant, then looked at Zeyu.

Zeyu smiled slightly to himself, thinking, I was waiting for you to ask that.

Then, Zeyu said, "If Orochimaru wants to avoid being disturbed, a barrier ninjutsu would suffice."

"And to ensure the large force isn't discovered, they would need the help of specific individuals."

"For example, a high-ranking official who knows the flaws in the Anbu's patrols or has the authority to direct them."

"A high-ranking official? Who?" Elephant asked, puzzled.

"Hmph, besides the Hokage, who else has the authority to command the Anbu?"

"Shimura Danzō." As soon as Zeyu said this, the air seemed to freeze. The others could hardly believe their ears.

"That's impossible! Danzō is not only a high-ranking official of Konoha but also a close friend of the Hokage, and he has made many contributions to the village."

"How could he possibly help Orochimaru harm the Hokage? That would be treason against Konoha!" Elephant exclaimed, standing up abruptly.

"Hey, Zeyu, don't talk nonsense. This isn't something to joke about," Genma said.

"Cough, cough. That's right. If this gets out, you're done for, cough," Hayate said.

Kakashi stood to the side, silent, his eyes closed in deep thought.

"Kakashi-sensei, what do you think?" Zeyu asked.

"Hmm... let's set that aside for a moment. You still haven't told us where Orochimaru is hiding," Kakashi replied.

The group cast casual glances toward Zeyu, clearly dissatisfied with his previous remarks, their eyes filled with suspicion. Zeyu then spoke up.

"Heh, as for that, he is naturally in the place closest to his target. That way, he can initiate his plan the moment the opportunity arises—or if he's lucky, complete it in an instant."

"He is sitting right next to the Hokage."

Upon hearing this, their eyes widened in shock.

"Hey, wait a minute. The one sitting next to him is supposed to be the Kazekage. Zeyu, how are you coming up with such outrageous claims?" Genma said.

"Tch, the Hokage really misjudged you. You're just a brat who only knows how to spout nonsense," Elephant added.

"Cough, cough. I thought you were going to say he was beside the Kazekage; that would have been more reasonable," Hayate said.

"Zeyu, you must have some basis for saying this. Can you explain?" Kakashi asked.

Zeyu realized something was a bit strange; why was Kakashi speaking up for him so much?

Has Kakashi guessed something about me? Oh~ after all, he saw that scroll. Could it be that Kakashi thinks I... Zeyu thought, a smile tugging at his lips.

He cleared his throat and continued.

"Everyone, don't forget: the Kazekage is also a Kage."

"Orochimaru went to such great lengths, forming an alliance with the Sand Ninja and pulling strings with Danzo—do you really think he did all that just to share the fruits of victory with them?"

"Absolutely not. The alliance is just a front. He used it as a cover to ambush the Kazekage and then take his place right beside the Hokage."

"That way, he can achieve his goal the moment the battle begins, without anyone ever suspecting a thing."

After Zeyu finished speaking, a long, collective silence fell over the group.

"Cough, cough. If that's the case, the whole situation suddenly seems quite logical and ingenious," Hayate said after a long period of contemplation.

"Indeed. If that's really the case, then the Hokage is in grave danger," Genma said.

"It certainly sounds like something Orochimaru would do," Kakashi remarked.

"It really does seem that way. Wait, Zeyu, you still haven't explained Danzo. Why would he help Orochimaru?" Elephant asked.

The group turned their gazes toward Zeyu in unison once more.

"It's simple. He wants to be Hokage," Zeyu said, spreading his hands and shrugging.