The Chess Player

"Counterattack Konoha?" Hearing Orochimaru's words, Rasa couldn't help but repeat them to himself.

He chuckled softly and said indifferently, "Konoha is currently so full of vitality and thriving; for you, Orochimaru, to want to counterattack Konoha, are you dreaming?"

Hearing Rasa's skepticism, Orochimaru responded in his hoarse, cold tone, "And what if we add the Uchiha to the mix?"

Upon hearing the name Uchiha, Rasa finally became a little interested.

He asked skeptically, "The Uchiha of Konoha are also joining this plan? They are one of the founding clans of Konoha, after all."

Hearing his words, Orochimaru sneered and said, "Lord Kazekage, don't play dumb."

"The dirty business between the Uchiha and Konoha is clear to me, a rogue ninja, let alone to you."

Hearing Orochimaru's jab, Rasa didn't feel embarrassed.

He said in a flat tone, "If the Uchiha can be persuaded, Sunagakure is willing to cooperate."

As for why he agreed, the reason was simple.

Sunagakure didn't care who destroyed Konoha; they only cared whether Konoha would actually be destroyed.

Orochimaru nodded, and then a snake emerged from his sleeve.

"This snake is the agreement between me and Lord Rasa. When the time is right, I will naturally notify Lord Rasa."

After Orochimaru left, the Anbu from Sunagakure who had been standing quietly with his head bowed revealed a scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan, staring at Rasa.

This Anbu then vanished from the spot in a bizarre fashion.

Rasa, completely unaware, stood up and left the reception room.

On his way back, Orochimaru frowned.

Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

The Kazekage had agreed far too readily.

It was as if he had anticipated that he, Orochimaru, would come.

Orochimaru shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

Only three people knew about his secret meeting with Danzo.

How could the Kazekage have anticipated it?

It was all just his own paranoia.

Comforting himself, Orochimaru continued on his way.

In the distance, Uchiha Yan was staring at him coldly.

Orochimaru disappeared from his sight entirely.

He muttered to himself with a sigh, "I didn't expect that using the ocular jutsu obtained from the system previously wouldn't cause a decline in ocular power."

"However," Uchiha Yan felt a headache coming on.

How on earth was he supposed to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan? Neither Obito, Itachi, nor Shisui had given him a Mangekyo reward.

He couldn't just gouge out his own eyes and install Itachi's, could he?

Uchiha Yan suddenly felt tempted.

It wasn't impossible; with Hashirama Cells in his body, the Mangekyo Sharingan would be almost infinitely usable...

Immediately after, Uchiha Yan shook his head, pushing the thought to the back of his mind.

Right now, he was a chess player, not a chess piece.

He just needed to sit back and be a player behind the scenes.

Konoha office.

Danzo pushed open the Hokage's door without knocking.

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned at Danzo's attitude, but out of self-restraint, he didn't lash out.

He tried his best to keep his tone normal.

"Oh, it's you, Danzo. What is it?"

Danzo sat down in a chair opposite Sarutobi Hiruzen without invitation.

He said righteously, "Hiruzen, I think the Konoha advisory council should add a few more people."

Hearing Danzo's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth twitched.

He feigned confusion and asked, "Danzo, who do you intend to recommend?"

Danzo said without batting an eye, "Naturally, it is the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Fugaku."