Itachi Uchiha's Crisis

Never mind whether Gaara could have had a better life in Konoha.

After Kakashi Hatake led the last group of Konoha ninja escorting the spoils away.

In Sunagakure's highest conference room, the senior officials led by Chiyo were discussing who should become the Fifth Kazekage.

One candidate after another was put forward, only to be rejected in turn.

In the end,

Chiyo overrode all objections and declared without room for doubt, "I propose that Temari become the Fifth Kazekage!"

"She is Rasa's daughter, and her strength has already reached the level of a Special Jonin. As long as she continues to gain experience, one day she will possess the strength needed to serve as Kazekage."

Chiyo's tone was firm and her gaze resolute. She had already made all her plans.

In all of Sunagakure, the number of people suited to become Kazekage and with the right status could be counted on one hand.

Although Temari was not particularly strong, and was not even a Jonin.

But what did that matter?

They were not making Temari Kazekage so she could lead Sunagakure. She was merely a puppet chosen by them.

After its defeat, Sunagakure desperately needed an outlet for its emotions. The villagers held deep resentment toward the higher-ups over the reparations, and they needed someone to take the blame and bear the criticism in their place.

Temari was an excellent choice. Her lack of strength made her easy to suppress, and her young age made her easy to control.

What Sunagakure needed now was simply time to recover. As for who became Kazekage, it truly did not matter.

A startling idea emerged in Chiyo's mind.

She was going to find her grandson!

Sasori of the Red Sands.

She had happened to hear that her grandson had joined an organization of rogue ninja. Based on Chiyo's understanding of Sasori, any organization capable of making someone as proud as him join had to be powerful.

Sunagakure had nearly been destroyed in her hands. Unable to swallow that humiliation, Chiyo dreamed of personally killing Tobirama Senju.

She wanted to find her grandson and hoped to borrow that mysterious organization's power to deal with Konoha.

Even if she died, she wanted to die fighting Konoha!

The war between Sunagakure and Konoha ended in Konoha Hidden Village's victory after only seven days.

The defeated Sunagakure not only had to pay two billion in reparations, but even had to allow Konoha to station troops within its country's borders!

According to merchant caravans from other nations that witnessed it within the Land of Wind, just one day after Sunagakure signed the surrender agreement, a force of several hundred ninja dispatched by Konoha had already begun entering the Land of Wind. Organized Konoha ninja squads could even be seen outside the Land of Wind Daimyo's residence.

Anyone with eyes could see that Sunagakure had truly suffered a crushing defeat this time, to the point where it could no longer even guarantee sovereignty over the territory within its own country.

The entire shinobi world was immediately shaken.

Ōnoki somewhat regretted offering such harsh terms when Chiyo had asked him for aid.

Because he sensed a crisis!

Konoha had actually become powerful enough to utterly defeat Sunagakure in only seven days. Did that mean Konoha could also easily defeat the other ninja villages?

Tobirama Senju's resurrection had already given Konoha another powerful top-tier combatant. Now, Konoha's military strength was this formidable as well. Was this not a sign that it intended to unify the shinobi world?

Most importantly,

After Sunagakure's defeat, aside from demanding economic reparations, Tobirama Senju had also seized Sunagakure's jinchuriki. This left every village possessing a jinchuriki deeply uneasy.

They did not understand why Tobirama Senju was now taking back the tailed beasts when it had been his elder brother, Hashirama Senju, who had personally distributed them in the first place.

Now that he had taken the One-Tail, would he set his sights on the other tailed beasts in the future?

At that thought, every other village felt endangered.

Takigakure and Kirigakure in particular, as neither village was especially strong.

Kirigakure had previously endured its Mizukage being controlled through the Sharingan, while most of the village's bloodline clans had been exterminated under the iron orders of the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura.

The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, had only just purged Kirigakure's internal turmoil. She could confirm that the Fourth Mizukage had been controlled by the Sharingan of Konoha's Uchiha clan, though there was currently no evidence as to whether it had been ordered by the Hokage.

However, having their village's Kage controlled by someone else was far too disgraceful. Spreading the news would have harmed the village's reputation, so she had not publicized it widely. Still, she quietly became more wary of Konoha.

As long as Konoha made another move, perhaps the Fourth Shinobi World War would truly erupt. Only this time, it would be every village joining forces to attack Konoha!

Yet during this time, a major event also took place in a place unknown to the shinobi world.

In the Land of Rain, somewhere in the countryside.

Several figures faced each other amid a steady drizzle.

On the left stood two figures: Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi. However, Orochimaru now looked remarkably different. Feminine traits were especially pronounced across his entire body, and he was even wearing a women's kimono, making him look strikingly glamorous.

On the right stood three figures: Sasori of the Red Sands, Konan, and Pain.

"Kabuto, I never expected you to break free of my control."

The moment the two sides met, a hoarse voice issued a question from Hiruko, the puppet controlled by Sasori.

Kabuto Yakushi merely adjusted the lenses of his glasses and revealed a faint smile without answering.

Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his lips, speaking in a soft, gentle female voice:

"Sasori, after all this time, your temper is still as foul as ever."

After speaking, Orochimaru turned his gaze toward Pain standing in the middle.

When he saw the Rinnegan in Pain's eyes, an almost imperceptible greed flashed through his gaze, but Orochimaru quickly suppressed it.

Because he was not currently a match for Pain, even after switching into this body with the Crystal Release bloodline.

However, while he had no designs on the Rinnegan for now, Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan was something he was determined to obtain.

Seeing Orochimaru's covetous gaze directed at him, Nagato, who controlled the Deva Path, raised an eyebrow slightly and immediately made the Deva Path speak in a cold voice.

"Orochimaru, stop wasting words. You contacted the organization of your own accord—what is your purpose? If your answer fails to satisfy me, I would not mind personally dealing with you, a traitor, today!"

At those words, a sinister smile appeared on Orochimaru's seductive face as he licked his lips.

"If Akatsuki wants to carry out its plan, Konoha will absolutely be one of your greatest obstacles. You must destroy Konoha, or kill Tobirama Senju."

"I came to discuss cooperation with you."

Before Nagato, Konan, and Sasori could recover from their surprise, he dropped a bombshell.

"Perhaps you still do not know?"

"Itachi Uchiha is Konoha's spy planted within Akatsuki!"