The possible dealings between Orochimaru and the Akatsuki hung overhead like the Sword of Damocles, creating a sense of urgency that surpassed even Danzo's threat. They involved a greater, more uncontrollable danger. If certain forbidden powers fell into the hands of those rogue ninja, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Ling could not confirm whether the information was true, nor could he determine the mysterious figure's intentions, but he could not remain indifferent. Yet with his current standing and strength, he had neither the standing nor the ability to interfere in a transaction far to the southeast involving an S-rank rogue ninja.
The only thing he could do was pass this hot potato, along with its accompanying urgency, to someone capable of handling it.
The next day, when Fox arrived for her routine "special examination," Ling no longer resorted to hints. Once the examination was over and Fox was packing her instruments to leave, he spoke directly, his voice low and serious.
"Please inform Lord Hokage that I've received unverified information from an unusual source-Orochimaru, the rogue ninja, may be meeting members of the Akatsuki southeast of the Land of Fire for some kind of transaction involving dangerous energy or forbidden techniques. The time is unknown, as is the exact location, but... the situation may be urgent."
Fox's hands stopped packing instantly. The gaze behind her mask suddenly sharpened, piercing Ling like shards of ice. The air throughout the hospital room seemed to freeze.
Orochimaru! The Akatsuki! Those two names together were enough to make any informed Konoha ninja's scalp prickle!
"Your source?" Her voice remained cold, but now carried a note of extreme gravity.
"I can't disclose it, but the information has some credibility." Ling looked straight at her without averting his eyes. "I can't verify it, and I have no power to intervene. All I can do is report it."
Fox stared hard at him for several seconds, seemingly searching his eyes for any trace of lies or exaggeration. In the end, she said nothing more, merely giving a very quick nod. "Understood. This matter is classified top secret."
Without asking another question, she swiftly finished packing and swept out of the hospital room like a whirlwind, her footsteps more hurried than ever before.
Ling knew this news would reach Tsunade's desk as quickly as possible.
Passing on the information felt like shedding part of a heavy burden, but a deeper emptiness and helplessness followed. He remained trapped in this hospital room, trapped in the quagmire of Konoha's internal power struggles. When it came to events that might unfold far away, events capable of changing the balance of the shinobi world, he could only be a passive observer and someone who sounded the alarm.
That feeling made him profoundly uncomfortable.
He needed strength, a voice that carried weight, and the standing to take part in certain events and change them himself!
Train! He had to train even harder!
Over the following days, Ling devoted all his time and energy to training. He doubled the intensity of his taijutsu training, pushed his chakra refinement almost to his limits, and worked on developing his Sharingan and Jōgan to the point of neglecting food and sleep. The scar on his left shoulder repeatedly tore open and healed during one grueling training session after another, bringing searing pain, but he regarded even that as a form of tempering.
He purified and absorbed the yin release energy supplied by the Fragment more efficiently, forming a delicate, dynamic balance with the Yang Release nourishment Tsunade continued to provide. His chakra reserves grew steadily, and its quality became purer and more concentrated. With frequent use and assistance from the Jōgan, his mutated Sharingan's perception grew increasingly terrifying. He even began to faintly brush the edge of a deeper power-not mere copying or genjutsu, but an absolute grasp of "trajectories" and "weak points."
On the evening of the third day of Ling's frenzied training, Tsunade once again came to the hospital room in person. This time, her expression was even graver than before, with a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.
She waved the guards outside the door and erected a simple soundproof barrier.
"The value of the information you provided is immeasurable," Tsunade said without preamble, her tone heavy. "Our covert agents stationed in the Land of Rice Fields, southeast of the Land of Fire, paid a tremendous price to confirm signs of Orochimaru and his forces operating along that country's border. They also detected traces of chakra suspected to belong to members of the Akatsuki. Although we cannot confirm the exact nature or timing of the transaction, the danger has been confirmed."
Ling's heart jolted. The information was real! The mysterious figure hadn't lied to him this time!
"Jiraiya has already left to investigate," Tsunade continued, her brows tightly furrowed. "But the Akatsuki operate in secrecy, and Orochimaru is exceptionally cunning. The situation doesn't look promising."
She changed tack, fixing Ling with a piercing gaze. "Konoha's internal problems must be resolved as soon as possible! We have neither the time nor the energy to continue this endless infighting with Danzo! We must cut out this cancer completely before he can forge even more dangerous ties with outside threats!"
Ling heard decisive killing intent in her words. Tsunade clearly intended to seize this opportunity to cut through the tangled mess in one stroke!
"How is your injury?" Tsunade suddenly asked.
Ling paused briefly, then understood what she meant. He moved his left shoulder, feeling the scar that had almost completely merged with his muscles and bones, leaving only a faint ache, and answered in a low voice, "Essentially fine. It won't affect my ability to fight."
Tsunade studied him carefully, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes. She could sense that in just a few short days, the boy's presence seemed to have grown more solid again. Deep within those eyes, which occasionally flashed with an unusual sheen, lay a startling potential.
"Good." Tsunade nodded, seemingly reaching a decision. "Danzo's stronghold is heavily defended. A frontal assault would cause too many losses, and it would be easy for him to counterattack with forbidden techniques or escape. We need an opening, one that will let our elite forces strike straight at its heart."
She stared at Ling and spoke each word distinctly. "According to some Root codes we recently deciphered, Danzo apparently still hasn't given up on you... or rather, on those mutated eyes of yours. Sometime soon, he may use a device hidden in his underground laboratory in the Forest of Death to attempt to locate, disrupt, or even... forcibly strip away your ocular power from a distance!"
Ling's pupils contracted sharply! Forcibly strip away his ocular power? Danzo actually had a method like that?!
"This poses an extreme danger to you, but it's also our opportunity!" Tsunade's voice carried a steely edge. "The instant he activates that device, gathers energy, and shifts the focus of his defenses will be when his stronghold is least defended and most closely connected to the underground laboratory! That will be our best chance to launch a surprise attack!"
Ling instantly understood Tsunade's plan-use him as bait to lure the snake from its hole, then strike straight at its lair!
It was undoubtedly extremely dangerous. He would be directly exposed to Danzo's sinister methods. If Tsunade's assault was delayed even slightly, or if Danzo had another trick up his sleeve, Ling could very well be doomed!
But this was also the only shortcut to breaking the stalemate and eliminating the hidden threat completely! Moreover, personally taking part in the decapitation strike against Danzo would undoubtedly help him gain Tsunade's complete trust and a higher position more quickly.
Both the risks and the rewards were enormous.
Almost without hesitation, Ling raised his head and met Tsunade's gaze resolutely. "I understand. What do I need to do?"
Tsunade seemed quite satisfied with his decisiveness and said in a low voice, "You don't need to do much. Go about your activities normally, but make sure you spend most of your time inside the Safe House we've prepared for you. We've already set up reverse-detection and interference barriers there. The moment you sense an abnormal energy lock or fluctuations in your ocular power, use this to send a signal."
She handed Ling a small kunai engraved with simplified runes of the Flying Thunder God Formula.
"Then protect yourself and hold out until we deal with that device and the guards outside!" Tsunade's tone allowed no argument. "I'll personally lead the assault on the underground laboratory. Kakashi and Fox will take an elite squad straight to Danzo's command center!"
Coordinated surprise attacks, striking on two fronts! Tsunade was serious this time. She intended to uproot Danzo in one stroke!
"Yes!" Ling accepted the kunai and gripped it tightly, feeling as though he held a storm on the verge of erupting.
Tsunade gave him a long look. "Stay alive, Uchiha Ling. Konoha's future needs blades like you, blades that dare to face the darkness."
With that, she dispelled the barrier and turned to leave, her Hokage robe sweeping behind her in a resolute arc.
Ling stood alone in the hospital room. The kunai in his hand was cold to the bone, but his heart blazed.
The bait had been laid, and the blade had been drawn.
The moment that would decide his fate was approaching.
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