Chapter 122: The Exposure of the Rinnegan
"Tsunade, Orochimaru... you two come and explain the situation at that time and your examination results to the Kages!"
"Yes, Teacher."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Tsunade and Orochimaru, who were standing on either side of him, stepped forward one after another.
They each distributed the documents in their hands to the three Kages.
"At that time..."
As Tsunade and Orochimaru narrated, the heat in the eyes of the other three Kages grew increasingly intense.
By the time the two had finished explaining the events and the results, the Kages had more or less finished reading the documents in their hands.
"In other words, the Third Kazekage has mastered a type of Sage Art different from the Three Great Sage Realms, and the effect of this Sage Art is more inclined toward physical recovery?"
"Yes. However, I don't think it's recovery; it's more like increasing vitality."
"Have you gathered any related intelligence?"
"...No."
"Lord Hokage, everyone is in a cooperative relationship now. If you're like this... it makes things very difficult for us!"
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's denial, Onoki was the first to speak.
What a joke! Since Konoha knew this news in advance, how could they not have investigated it? With Konoha's intelligence capabilities... could the intelligence sent back be the same as the intelligence sent back to his Hidden Stone Village!
"Yes, Lord Hokage, if you've gathered any news, just say it. There's no need to hide it. After all, our current goal is Hidden Sand Village."
"Yeah! Yeah!"
With Onoki taking the lead, the other two followed suit.
Rather than believing Konoha Village hadn't gathered any intelligence, they were more willing to believe that Konoha had gathered intelligence but was deliberately keeping quiet.
As for the reason... either they planned to raise the price later, or they held some first-hand intelligence that they couldn't share.
Listening to what the other three Kages said, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't bother to argue, because he knew that no matter what he said, it would be useless.
At least... if he were in their shoes, he wouldn't believe it either.
So Hiruzen Sarutobi opened a drawer under his desk and took out a stack of letters, placing them on the table.
"These are the intelligence reports sent back by spies lurking in Hidden Sand Village over the past few years. You can see for yourselves."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, the other three each picked up a letter to check.
Three seconds later... Onoki was the first to throw the letter back on the table, then leaned back in his chair with a look of total lack of interest.
Only the Third Raikage and the Third Mizukage were left flipping through the letters one by one.
BANG!
The Third Raikage slammed the table heavily, secretly marveling at the quality of the table in his heart before speaking.
"How are they all exactly the same letters? Is Lord Hokage playing with us?"
Looking at the Third Raikage's angry face, Hiruzen Sarutobi was in no hurry to explain. Instead, he turned to look at the composed Onoki beside him.
"Lord Tsuchikage must have received these letters as well?"
"Mm, that's right! Not a word different!"
After hearing the answer he wanted, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned back to the Third Raikage.
"Lord Raikage believes it now, right?"
"Hmph!"
"Then what about your Danzo Shimura? Isn't he known as the darkness of shinobi? Isn't he said to be the number one intelligence expert in the Ninja World! Has he gathered any intelligence?"
"If he really had found something, would he still be missing?"
The others: [...]
"So... besides the word of your Konoha Village, there's no evidence at all!"
"Yes!"
"But I am willing to guarantee with the reputation of the Hokage that this is true."
After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, the conference room fell into a period of silence.
To be honest, although they felt this matter was quite ridiculous, they were still willing to believe it.
However, what they were willing to believe was that Hidden Sand Village possessed a means to make people full of vitality again.
As for what the means was, who performed it, and to what extent it could be done... they still maintained a skeptical attitude.
The reason was simple: a lack of intelligence! And a severe lack at that!
In recent years, the only Elder from Hidden Sand Village active in the Ninja World was Uzumaki Ruming. Original Hidden Sand Village veterans like Chiyo and Ebizo had already begun to retreat to the second line.
But who could tell with the Uzumaki Clan! That face that still looked young even in their seventies or eighties, a face that didn't change until the last few years of life—who the hell knew how much longer Uzumaki Ruming could live.
"Everyone!" Seeing that no one had reacted for a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke again.
"Actually... if you want to know to what extent this Hidden Sand Village Ninjutsu has reached! If there's any danger! What the cost is! It's actually very easy to confirm!"
"Currently, those active on the battlefield from Hidden Sand Village are the younger generation of Ninjas, among whom the oldest is just Magnet Release Sunasuke."
"But as long as we increase the intensity of our attacks and force the older generation of Hidden Sand Village out, we can know the specific effects of the opponent's Ninjutsu."
After hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, the other three Kages also nodded in unison, but none of them spoke.
The logic was sound. Indeed, they just needed to force out the older generation of Hidden Sand Village Ninjas, such as Chiyo and Ebizo.
See if they had actually become younger. If they had, it would mean Hidden Sand Village really had a means to make people young, and it even worked on Kage-level powerhouses.
If they hadn't become younger, it would mean Hidden Sand Village didn't have such a means.
At least... it didn't have much of an effect on Kage-level powerhouses, so the attraction to them wouldn't be that great.
However.
A method is just a method; it's not reality!
The reality was: who would go to force out the older generation of Hidden Sand Village Ninjas? How would they force them?
How much effort to put in and how much force to use in the middle of this was a delicate matter.
Should everyone send the same number of troops? Then Hidden Stone Village has the most Ninjas, so wouldn't the number of Ninjas Hidden Stone Village keeps in reserve be the highest!
Should everyone send troops proportionally? Then how would you know if each hidden village was hiding something!
Should they dispatch troops together, or separately?
If they dispatch together, who would be the commander?
If they dispatch separately, how could they guarantee the simultaneity of the attack? Would they be defeated one by one by Hidden Sand Village again like before?
In the end, those captured would be captured, those beaten would be beaten, and those fleeing would flee!
Wait, and so on... a whole heap of problems!
Although the Four Great Shinobi Villages were currently in a state of cooperation... cooperation was only temporary. Once Hidden Sand Village was dealt with, what followed would be a free-for-all between the various hidden villages.
At least in the eyes of the Tsuchikage, Raikage, and Mizukage, defeating Hidden Sand Village was only Mission One.
Although Hidden Sand Village was rich now, it could only guarantee them one full meal.
But what they wanted was to be full for every meal!
So, how to still have an advantage in Mission Two after completing Mission One—that was a major field of study!
That was why everyone knew the method of forcing out the Hidden Sand Village older generation was feasible, but no one was the first to speak.
And Hiruzen Sarutobi, being an old fox, naturally knew what the others were thinking, so he was naturally in no hurry either.
Now it was just a matter of seeing who would be the first to succumb to the temptation of life.
But just as the four Kages sat in their chairs in a mental standoff... a certain filial son underground was jumping with anxiety!
[Speak! Speak, you motherf*ckers! Send troops! Attack them!]
[(╬￣dish￣)]
After cursing secretly underground for ten minutes, a certain filial son finally spat and left this place... the Capital of Fire.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was currently hosting a banquet for his ministers, with a group of maidservants dancing in the center.
Just as the Daimyo was watching with great interest, a personal samurai walked in and whispered something in the Daimyo's ear.
As the samurai's words fell, the Daimyo's eyes, which were already wide open, couldn't help but grow even wider.
Then, under the puzzled gazes of his ministers, he left the area.
Inside the study.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire could no longer suppress the thumping in his heart and asked impatiently.
"Is this news true?"
"Reporting to the Daimyo, it is true! I have already sent people to verify it. The source of the news comes from a tomb robber, and in the tomb, there happened to be records regarding the Six Paths Sage."
"According to what is written, the owner of that tomb once had the honor of traveling with the Six Paths Sage for a period of time. The tomb owner felt this was his proudest achievement, so he recorded his experiences traveling with the Six Paths Sage, including the words the Six Paths Sage said."
"Among them, it was mentioned that the Six Paths Sage's eyes possessed the power to control life and death. Whoever possesses these eyes can control life and death!"
"Control life and death! Control life and death..."
After the guard finished speaking, the Daimyo was still deeply immersed in shock, his mouth constantly repeating those four words.
[Control life and death! If I, the Daimyo, can possess the Rinnegan... then wouldn't I be able to...]
A long time later... the Daimyo finally gradually came back to his senses, then spoke to inquire.
"Who else knows the news!"
Different from the previous excitement, his voice this time was clearly much more suppressed, and it even seemed to carry a hint of icy coldness.
"Uh..."
Hearing the Daimyo's question, the guard didn't know how to answer.
"Hmm?"
Seeing that the guard was slow to answer, the Daimyo's heart couldn't help but skip a beat, and an ominous thought lingered in his mind.
"Many people know?"
"Yes... yes."
..."Phew~"
"It doesn't matter, at least they don't know where the Rinnegan is."
"Uh..."
Daimyo: [!!!]
Looking at the guard who hesitated to speak.
The corner of the Daimyo's eye couldn't help but twitch.
"Speak! What exactly is the situation outside now!"
"Yes!"
"It's already spreading like crazy outside, and the news that the Rinnegan is in Hidden Sand Village has somehow been leaked out..."
Daimyo [...]
..."What! You're saying Hidden Sand Village also has the Rinnegan!"
Inside the Konoha office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other three Kages had just finished listening to the news that the Anbu had just delivered.
Initially, they hadn't cared much when they heard news of the Rinnegan.
If the Six Paths Sage's Rinnegan really had this ability, how could he have been dead for over a thousand years.
Besides, he's been dead for over a thousand years; who knows what the Rinnegan has become by now.
So they just listened to this news and that was it.
Until... the narration of the second piece of news.
It made Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other three completely unable to sit still.
Because a pair of Rinnegan actually still existed in the current Ninja World, and they were in Hidden Sand Village.
"Everyone! It seems we need to re-evaluate Hidden Sand Village!"
After his calm mind reclaimed the high ground, Hiruzen Sarutobi was the first to speak.
"Indeed! After all, it is the legendary Rinnegan, which can be hailed as the Eyes of the Sage. Presumably, it has its unique points."
Maybe it can grow to the height of the former God of Shinobi, Lord Hashirama. What do you all think?"
As these words landed, the others fell into silence once again.
But this silence was different from before; this time it was complete agreement.
Furthermore... they had all had the honor of witnessing Senju Hashirama's style.
So... Hidden Sand Village... must be hit harder!
At least... the Rinnegan is not something they should possess!
"I will personally lead the Ninjas of the Hidden Cloud Village, and I will also bring along the Ninjas from the surrounding small nations. Hidden Sand Village's Puppet Squad will be left to our Cloud!"
In the end, it was the Third Raikage who spoke first.
Following the Third Raikage's sincere speech, the Kages of the other hidden villages also spoke up one after another.
"I will also personally lead the Ninjas of Hidden Stone Village, and the Ninjas of the surrounding small nations will also be brought along. Hidden Sand Village's exploding tags will be the responsibility of our Hidden Stone Village."
"Konoha will be personally led by me. Reconnaissance, medical care, and timely sharing of intelligence will be left to our Konoha."
"I will let the next Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, lead the Ninjas of the Hidden Mist Village. Hidden Sand Village's logistics and supplies will be left to our Hidden Mist."
"Mm."
As for the Third Mizukage not taking the field, the others also indicated there was no problem.
After all, if he really went to the battlefield, he might even need others to take care of him.
"In that case, let's discuss the specific combat matters, as well as how much material each of you plans to contribute."
"Mm." *3... Inside a certain unknown small nation.
A person with only a single braid on top of his head was holding a goblet.
Lying on a sofa, he was quietly savoring the fine wine in the glass.
Just then, a middle-aged man walked in from outside the room.
"Sir, all the equipment you wanted has been transported back."
"Mm! Arrange for it to be set up, let them start work as soon as possible, and produce some results."
Hearing the subordinate's report, the braided man sipped his fine wine and spoke without looking back.
"Yes, Sir!"
"Emm... Sir, I heard two pieces of news on the way back that I thought you might be interested in."
"Let's hear them."
"Yes!"
"One is about the Six Paths Sage. Legend has it that the Six Paths Sage's eyes have..."
"Next piece of news."
"Uh... yes. It is said that a new Rinnegan has appeared in the Ninja World, and I heard it's in Hidden Sand Village."
"Oh~"
He had originally thought the second piece of news would also be some worthless information, but after hearing it, the braided man clearly showed a look of interest.
"Is the news reliable?"
"There is a high probability it's reliable. It's already spreading like crazy in the Ninja World, so the news is likely true."
"Hehe... interesting!"
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