The Meeting Beneath Sound Village (Part 1)

In the deepest part of the Sound Village Underground Base, even the air seemed to have frozen.

There was no morning light streaming through the windows of the Hokage Office in Konoha, no clamor of the Allied Forces gathering, no tragic resolve to face death. There was only the ever-present artificial light source, pale and coldly illuminating this secret council chamber located three hundred meters underground.

The council chamber was circular, with a huge obsidian round table in the center. The tabletop was engraved with complex Sealing Jutsu, which could both insulate against sound and block all forms of Chakra probing. Seven high-backed chairs were placed around the round table—all of which were currently occupied.

Neji sat in the main seat.

He wore a simple black ninja outfit, without a human skin mask or special lenses, nor the Akatsuki's red cloud black robe. On his forehead, the blue Curse Mark of the Caged Bird Seal stood out starkly in the pale light, like a scar that would never heal. His hands were clasped together on the table, his fingers long and steady, his nails meticulously trimmed. There were no bulging veins around the pupils of his Byakugan, but when his gaze swept over them, everyone felt as if they were completely seen through.

Sasuke sat to his right.

The owner of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan had his eyes closed and arms crossed, seemingly dozing. But the cold, sharp, and oppressive Chakra fluctuations emanating from him betrayed his inner turmoil. His long black hair cascaded over his shoulders, his deep blue high-collared robe was spotless, Kusanagi Sword leaned against the chair, its scabbard occasionally flashing with lightning.

Orochimaru sat to Neji's left.

The founder of Sound Village, Sannin and missing-nin, was dressed in a white lab coat. His golden snake-like eyes gleamed with interest in the dim light. His pale fingers tapped lightly on the table, the rhythm casual, as if he were appreciating some kind of silent music. A signature, ambiguous smile played on his lips, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

Kabuto sat next to Orochimaru.

As Orochimaru's most capable assistant, Dou adjusted his round-framed glasses, his face bearing his usual gentle smile. But occasionally, a flicker of Orochimaru's thirst for knowledge and power would flash in his eyes behind the lenses. His hands rested on his knees, his posture as upright as a model student.

Suigetsu, Jugo, Karin sat on the other side of the round table.

The three members of Taka: Suigetsu was idly wiping his Kubikiribōchō, a toothpick dangling from his mouth; Jugo his eyes closed, but there were faint traces of Natural Energy flowing around his body; Karin was staring intently at Sasuke, her red eyes behind her glasses filled with worry and infatuation.

This is a strange combination.

A Hyuga Clan who wants to break free of the Caged Bird, an Uchiha Clan who wants to burn down the old world, a scientist who only wants to witness the truth, an assistant who longs to prove himself, and three fanatical followers of the Uchiha Clan.

But at this moment, they are sitting together for a common goal.

"Before the meeting begins, I'd like to inform you of something."

Neji spoke, his voice calm and clear, echoing in the closed council chamber. All eyes were on him.

"Under Kabuto's leadership, Taka — Sasuke didn't participate—successfully captured over fifty White Zetsu on the outskirts of Konoha." Neji looked at Kabuto, "Thank you for your hard work, Kabuto-senpai."

Kabuto smiled and nodded, "It's just a mission. While White Zetsu's camouflage abilities are strong, they aren't very alert when acting alone. We spent three days setting traps in the forest southeast of Konoha and capturing them in batches. Now, all the White Zetsu are imprisoned in specially made sealing containers, their Chakra completely suppressed, ready to be used as containers for the Impure World Reincarnation at any time."

This news eased the tension in the council chamber somewhat.

Fifty White Zetsu represent fifty perfect vessels for the Impure World Reincarnation technique. White Zetsu's bodies originate from the God Tree, and their affinity for Chakra far surpasses that of ordinary humans. As Reanimated Body, they can unleash power closer to the deceased's full strength in life. Furthermore, because they lack self-awareness, they do not exhibit rejection or resistance like human vessels.

Neji let out a soft breath. This was the best news he'd heard in three days. With these containers, the plan would have a much higher margin for error.

"Then, the meeting shall officially begin."

He glanced around at the people at the round table, his gaze finally settling on Sasuke.

"First, regarding the arrangements for Sasuke," Neji said. "In tomorrow's battle, I will still appear under the Madara Uchiha's body—no, let's use the same name for that."

He paused, making sure everyone's attention was focused.

"According to the latest intelligence, the person who claims to be Madara Uchiha is actually Obito Uchiha. He was Konoha Genin who was presumed dead in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge sixteen years ago, a disciple of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, and a teammate of Kakashi Hatake. He was also the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails Rebellion attack sixteen years ago, and... the one who assisted Itachi Uchiha in carrying out the Uchiha clan massacre."

He said that last sentence very softly.

But the effect is like throwing a boulder into a calm lake.

Sasuke suddenly opened his eyes.

The patterns of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan spun wildly in its crimson pupils, and a chilling killing intent permeated the air, causing the temperature in the council chamber to plummet. Karin instinctively covered her mouth, Suigetsu stopped wiping his Kubikiribōchō, Jugo opened his eyes, as the Natural Energy began to fluctuate erratically.

Orochimaru narrowed his golden snake eyes slightly, observing Sasuke's reaction with great interest.

"Uchiha Clan ... Obito?" Sasuke's voice was forced out through clenched teeth, each word carrying a chilling edge. "You mean, the one who helped Itachi wipe out my clan...this is him?"

"Yes." Neji calmly met his gaze. "According to my intelligence, the Uchiha Clan plotted a coup, and the Third Hokage and the Konoha High Command decided to suppress it. Itachi Uchiha was chosen as the executor, but he couldn't do it alone. So, a mysterious man claiming to be Madara Uchiha approached them, offering his help. That 'Madara' was Obito."

He paused, then added crucial information, "Obito used his Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha, resulting in the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and his wife. Afterwards, he assisted Itachi in the massacre of his clan. For the past sixteen years, he has been lurking in the shadows, building the Akatsuki, collecting the Tailed Beast, with the ultimate goal of activating the Eye of the Moon Plan and using the Infinite Tsukuyomi Genjutsu to envelop the entire world."

Sasuke fell silent.

But his body was trembling slightly. It wasn't fear, but anger, hatred—a near-mad excitement at finding his true enemy. For years, he had believed his enemy was Itachi Uchiha, who had massacred his clan. After Itachi Uchiha's death, he transferred his hatred to the Konoha High Command: Danzo, the Third Hokage. After killing Danzo and communicating with the Third Hokage, he hoped to use his own power to revolutionize Konoha and change the Shinobi World.

But now, Neji tells him that there is actually an even deeper and earlier enemy.

Obito Uchiha.

The person who manipulated the Nine-Tails, killed the Fourth Hokage and his wife, assisted Itachi in wiping out his clan, and then formed the Akatsuki to continue wreaking havoc on the Shinobi World.

"So..." Sasuke slowly, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping, "My target is Obito Uchiha. So, when will I participate in the war?"

Neji nodded to himself.

Sasuke's reaction was calmer than he had expected. He didn't immediately go berserk or lose his temper; instead, he immediately asked the most crucial question. This shows that during his training with the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and his time with Orochimaru, Sasuke had indeed grown, becoming more composed and better able to control his emotions.

That's good.

A calm Sasuke is more useful than a furious Sasuke.

"Your participation time depends on when Uzumaki Naruto joins the battle," Neji stated clearly.

This answer made Sasuke frown.

"Why?" he asked. "Why should we wait until Naruto joins the battle before we do? Wouldn't we have a better chance of winning if we acted first and caught Obito off guard?"

This is a reasonable question.

In the council chamber, everyone else looked at Neji, waiting for his explanation.

Neji remained silent for a few seconds.

Deep down, he had an unspoken answer: Because Naruto is the main protagonist, and while you are a protagonist, your ranking is a bit lower. I'm afraid you'll appear too early and get instantly killed by the current Obito. Obito's current strength includes the Rinnegan, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and even a map-wide Ninjutsu like the Tengai Shinsei. Even though Sasuke has awakened the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and has the Complete Body Susanoo, his opponent is currently the strongest Shinobi World, Obito; going up against him would be like sending him to his doom.

But I can't say that.

He needed another reason to convince Sasuke.

"I have carefully studied your and Naruto's battle records," Neji finally spoke, his voice sincere and rational. "When you two fight individually, while you are both very strong, you have obvious weaknesses. Naruto is powerful but his tactics are limited, while you are tactically flexible but lack stamina. However, when you cooperate, the effect is greater than the sum of its parts."

He looked at Sasuke, Byakugan, he could see the subtle changes in Sasuke's Chakra flow.

"When you Zabuza in the Land of Waves, you defeated Jonin your first collaboration. During the Chunin Ninja Exams against Orochimaru, you teamed up to fight against the Curse Mark state. At the Valley of the End, although you were opponents, that battle showcased your potential for teamwork—the combination of Lightning Release Wind Release, and the synergy Sharingan and the Nine-Tails Chakra."

Neji paused, letting the information settle.

"Most importantly, you and Naruto have a special kind of chemistry. That chemistry isn't something you can train for; it's a bond forged through life-and-death experiences, shared pain, and a deep understanding of each other's hearts. On the battlefield, this chemistry is often more effective than any tactic."

Everything he said was true.

However, it also concealed the most crucial fact: Naruto and Sasuke are the protagonists of this world, and their combination has the added advantage of protagonist aura. In the original work, it was the two of them who joined forces to defeat Obito and Madara, and finally sealed Kaguya. Although the plot has changed a lot now, the basic rule should not change—the protagonist team always wins when fighting the villains.

Sasuke stared at Neji, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan slowly spinning, trying to discern lies or scheming in those Byakugan.

But all he saw was calm, rationality, and a sense of composure as if he were stating the facts.

"That reason..." Sasuke finally said, his tone clearly unconvinced, "Is not enough to convince me. If it's just about teamwork, I can operate with Taka. Suigetsu, Jugo, Karin —we have the same teamwork."

Suigetsu immediately straightened her chest, Jugo nodded, and Karin's eyes sparkled.

Neji sighed inwardly.

Sasuke is indeed not easily fooled.

"Well, let me put it more directly." He changed his approach, "Obito's goal is to capture the Nine-Tails and revive the Ten-Tails. So Naruto will definitely become the focus of the battlefield. If we join the battle early, Obito's attention will be diverted, and he might change his tactics, postpone capturing the Nine-Tails, or do something we can't predict."

His voice turned serious.

"But if we wait until Naruto joins the battle, until Obito focuses all his attention on capturing the Nine-Tails, until he is certain of victory and begins to lower his guard—that will be the perfect time for us to strike. At that moment, he will be at his strongest, and also his most vulnerable."

This reason is more in line with tactical logic.

Sasuke remained silent for an even longer time.

Finally, he nodded slowly.

"I understand," he said, but there was still a hint of reluctance in his voice. "Then, I will wait for Naruto to join the battle. But once he joins, I will act immediately, regardless of whether you send a signal or not."

"Okay," Neji agreed.

He knew that Sasuke needed this autonomy. As Uchiha Clan, and as the owner of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Sasuke had his own pride and could not completely obey other people's arrangements.

As long as the overall direction is consistent, details can be compromised.

Sasuke's problem is solved. Neji moves on to the next part of the meeting—this part only concerns Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"Brother Kabuto." He looked at the young man wearing round-framed glasses, "After the war begins tomorrow, I need you to resurrect the Kinkaku and Ginkaku using the Impure World Reincarnation in the southeast corner of Konoha and have them attack Konoha."

This task clearly surprised Dou.

He pushed up his glasses, looked at Orochimaru, and asked in his eyes.

Orochimaru nodded slightly to him, his golden snake eyes showing tacit approval.

"No problem," Kabuto replied immediately, his gentle smile returning. "The preparations for the Impure World Reincarnation of Kinkaku and Ginkaku are complete. The containers used are specially made White Zetsu bodies, which can maximize their strength from their previous lives."

"Make sure to create chaos, but avoid mass casualties," Neji clearly instructed. "The key is to make Zetsu aware of the anomaly in the southeast. We need to show Obito that even without the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, he can gather the Chakra of Nine Tailed Beasts."

"Understood." Kabuto nodded. "I will control the movement of the Reanimated Body and create enough chaos."

Neji nodded in satisfaction. Kabuto's execution ability has always been very strong, which is why Orochimaru values him so much.

The next question is crucial.

"Lord Orochimaru," Neji turned to the left, "Nagato's Impure World Reincarnation experiment should be fine, right?"

Mentioning this name changed the atmosphere in the council chamber.

Nagato.

The former leader of Akatsuki, the possessor of the Rinnegan, the "god" who single-handedly destroyed Konoha. Now, is he to Impure World Reincarnation as a pawn against Obito?