"An attack on Konoha?" Hearing Orochimaru's words, Rasa repeated them to himself.
He gave a soft chuckle and said coolly, "Look at Konoha now—everything is flourishing, bursting with life. You, Orochimaru, think you can launch a counterattack against Konoha? Dream on."
Hearing Rasa's doubts, Orochimaru replied in his hoarse, chilling voice, "What if we had the Uchiha on our side?"
At the mention of the Uchiha, Rasa finally showed some interest.
He asked in confusion, "The Uchiha of Konoha are joining this plan too? They're one of Konoha's founding clans."
Hearing him, Orochimaru sneered. "Lord Kazekage, don't play dumb."
"I'm a rogue ninja, yet I know all about the dirty business between the Uchiha and Konoha. How could you not?"
Rasa wasn't offended by Orochimaru's jab.
He said calmly, "If you can persuade the Uchiha, Sunagakure is willing to cooperate."
The reason he agreed was simple.
Sunagakure didn't care who destroyed Konoha. It only cared whether Konoha would be destroyed.
Orochimaru nodded. Then a snake appeared from his sleeve.
"This snake is the agreement between Lord Rasa and me. When the time comes, I'll notify you."
After Orochimaru left, the Anbu of Sunagakure who had been standing nearby with his head bowed in silence revealed a pair of blood-red Three-Tomoe Sharingan and fixed his gaze on Rasa.
The Anbu then vanished from the spot in an eerie fashion.
Rasa, completely unaware, stood up and left the reception room.
On his way back, Orochimaru frowned.
Something was off. Something was very off.
The Kazekage had agreed far too readily.
It was as if he'd known Orochimaru would come.
Orochimaru shook his head, trying to clear it.
Only three people knew about his secret meeting with Danzo.
How could the Kazekage have seen it coming?
He was just being paranoid.
After reassuring himself, Orochimaru continued on his way.
In the distance, Uchiha Yan watched him coldly.
Orochimaru disappeared from sight.
Yan murmured to himself, "I didn't expect that using the ocular technique I got from the system earlier wouldn't diminish my eye power."
"But..." Uchiha Yan began to feel a headache coming on.
How was he supposed to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan? None of the three—Obito, Itachi, and Shisui—had given him a Mangekyō Sharingan reward.
It wasn't as if he could just gouge out his own eyes and replace them with Itachi's.
Uchiha Yan was suddenly tempted by the idea.
It wasn't impossible. He had Hashirama Cells in his body, so he could practically use the Mangekyō Sharingan indefinitely...
Then Uchiha Yan shook his head, putting the thought aside.
He was the one moving the pieces now, not a pawn.
All he had to do was stay behind the scenes and move the pieces.
Konoha's office.
Danzo pushed open the Hokage's door without knocking.
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned at Danzo's attitude, but out of restraint, he held back his anger.
He tried to keep his tone even.
"So it's you, Danzo. What is it?"
Danzo sat down of his own accord, facing Sarutobi Hiruzen across the desk.
He said indignantly, "Hiruzen, I think we should add a few more people to Konoha's Advisory Council."
Hearing Danzo's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth twitched.
He feigned confusion. "Danzo, who are you planning to recommend?"
Without so much as a blush, Danzo said, "Why, Uchiha Fugaku, the Uchiha Clan Head, of course."
Before you continue