Orochimaru, Where Is What I Asked For?

Afterward, Sunagakure secretly sealed off the entire village and began a covert, frenzied manhunt.

"It wasn't just stolen."

Minato braced his crossed hands against the desk, his expression incomparably grim.

"Our informant specifically emphasized one detail in the intelligence."

"That mysterious person displayed a dojutsu while suppressing the One-Tail and fighting Sunagakure's upper ranks."

"It was the Sharingan."

Aokawa set down the scroll, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop with crisp clicks.

The Sharingan.

A black robe.

Space-time ninjutsu.

Put those elements together, and a name was practically on the tip of Aokawa's tongue.

Obito Uchiha.

That man had finally begun collecting the Tailed Beasts ahead of schedule.

The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, had died by his hand. Sunagakure had lost a Kage-level powerhouse capable of suppressing a Tailed Beast, and they could not find a suitable Jinchuriki vessel.

The One-Tail, Shukaku, was nothing more than a juicy piece of meat laid out on a chopping block.

It was entirely reasonable for Obito to pick such an easy target.

Minato drew a deep breath, an exceedingly dangerous chill flashing through his eyes.

"Based on these characteristics, this should be the person who attacked Kushina and the village on the Night of the Nine-Tails."

"The masked man who called himself 'Madara Uchiha.'"

Aokawa nodded slightly and continued along Minato's line of thought.

"Judging by the usual conduct of those Land of Wind higher-ups..."

"If Sunagakure found a Sharingan on its own territory and lost a strategic weapon like a Tailed Beast..."

"They would absolutely pin the blame on Konoha at the first opportunity."

"They might even use it as an excuse to join forces with other great nations against us, demand astronomical reparations, or directly start a war at the border."

If they could not win, they threw a tantrum. If they