Speak of the devil.
That evening, in the office. Yuji was busy reviewing and approving documents, having kept Black Zetsu stationed at the Land of Grass base without summoning it.
"What is it?" Yuji looked at Black Zetsu emerging from the ground and asked, already knowing the answer.
"Orochimaru is currently in the Hidden Sound Village in the Land of Rice," Black Zetsu said.
The implication was obvious. Orochimaru's attack on Sasori had been tantamount to provoking the Sand Village directly. Given Black Zetsu's understanding of Yuji, the Kazekage could not possibly let this go unchallenged.
Therefore, its earlier statement that Orochimaru's whereabouts were so mysterious that even White Zetsu could not detect them had been deliberately misleading. This was now presented as the best opportunity to strike at Orochimaru.
"Given the resources of the Land of Rice, the Hidden Sound Village is incomplete and occupies a very small area. To put it plainly, it is just a small village with no meaningful military defensive capabilities whatsoever. Orochimaru will likely remain in the Hidden Sound Village for some time. What do you think?" Black Zetsu said meaningfully.
"Given Orochimaru's personality, even if he were to leave..."
"The Hidden Sound Village certainly would not be easily exposed again. It is rare that White Zetsu managed to locate it this time," Yuji said with a quiet chuckle.
"The Hidden Sound Village has only just been established. Even if he wanted to avoid detection he could not do so indefinitely. He, as the creator of the Hidden Sound Village, will eventually have to appear. It is only a matter of time," Black Zetsu added, its tone carrying a laugh. It sounded completely aligned with the Sand Village's interests, as though sharing a common enemy.
"Regardless, I do not have time to deal with him right now. He is just a rogue ninja who does not dare show his face openly. I do not even consider him a serious threat," Yuji said.
This statement clearly left Black Zetsu somewhat stunned.
It had clearly assumed before arriving that Yuji would immediately set out for the Land of Rice. Even if not openly using the Sand Village's power, he would at minimum take secret action to eliminate Orochimaru as a hidden threat.
"But if we do not eliminate him now, we do not know when we will find him again. Moreover, once Sasori learns of this location, if the two of them meet, I am afraid..."
Black Zetsu let the implication hang.
"Orochimaru is not necessarily a match for Sasori," Yuji replied simply.
Black Zetsu saw his resolute attitude and fell silent.
It was afraid of displeasing Yuji. Perhaps because of the recent birth of his child, the Fourth Kazekage had temporarily set aside the idea of moving against Orochimaru.
Ryuu's existence was something Black Zetsu naturally took note of. However, it could not lay a hand on Pakura or the child. This was the Sand Village, and Yuji was present in the village. There was simply no opportunity. Beyond that, Pakura's own strength was far from weak.
"Is there anything else?" Yuji asked.
"No," Black Zetsu replied.
"Go back then. When I have any decisions regarding Orochimaru I will let you know."
After Black Zetsu departed, Yuji thought quietly to himself.
Attacking Orochimaru directly was not a good move. But there was still another angle to consider.
There was also someone who might be lured into a situation. And that someone could be made to represent the Sand Village's interests from a distance.
Black Zetsu nodded once after thinking this over and disappeared underground.
After it had gone, Yuji took out paper and pen and began writing letters.
He realized that if he actually went to the Hidden Sound Village, he would probably not find Orochimaru there at all. The latter would most likely have already fled. And the Hidden Sound Village would be turned into a farce by the Fourth Kazekage's intervention, with Black Zetsu able to shift all blame onto Orochimaru afterward, claiming it had been Orochimaru's conspiracy all along. Such tactics were simply too transparent and childish.
For now, staying put was the best option.
"Baki."
Within half a day he finished writing three letters. The content was extremely simple. To inform the recipients that the Hidden Sound Village had been established under suspicious circumstances. Beyond Orochimaru, the Hidden Sound Village was likely harboring rogue ninja. Although he had no definitive proof, he presented it as a strong possibility.
If the Fourth Kazekage said so, the other Kage could not simply ignore it. At that point, the Hidden Sound Village would face pressure from several major hidden villages simultaneously, including the Hidden Cloud Village.
"Lord Kazekage," Baki said, pushing open the door upon hearing his name called.
"Have someone deliver these three letters separately to Konoha, the Hidden Mist Village, and the Hidden Cloud Village. See that the respective Kage read them personally," Yuji instructed.
"Yes," Baki nodded, took the letters, and left.
Dealing with Orochimaru did not require the Sand Village's direct intervention. Now was not the time for war. Most critically, the Fourth Great Ninja War could not be instigated by the Sand Village, and the Sand Village must not be seen as the one instigating it.
After Baki left, Yuji snapped his fingers once. A dark figure immediately appeared in the room, kneeling before him.
"Take this letter to Sasori and deliver it as quickly as possible," Yuji said, picking up a separate piece of paper and handing it over.
"Yes," the figure accepted it and disappeared.
Black Zetsu did not dare overstep its boundaries in Yuji's presence. And of course, since it could not do anything directly against Yuji himself, it certainly would not attempt anything against those around him either.
Keep a close eye on Sasori.
Shortly after, Yuji found himself looking up and realizing how late it had gotten. He left the office building alone and strolled to a closed indoor training arena within the village, turning on the lights as he entered.
He retrieved an object, placed it at a distance from himself, and immediately began forming seals. With the manipulation of chakra, the object was instantly enveloped by a transparent triangular spatial barrier.
The Kaguya clan's secret technique. The Mandala Binding Technique.
Next he opened his palms. A crimson chain formed from fresh blood emerged and quickly wrapped around the drill-shaped spatial barrier. The chain transformed into liquid blood, filling the outer shell of the spatial structure, causing it to appear as a solid red triangular mass. After the blood solidified, black sealing script patterns appeared across its surface.
After completing all of this, Yuji held the spatial entity in his hand and examined it carefully.
The Mandala Binding Technique, this space-time ninjutsu, was not only capable of being used to kill or incapacitate opponents. It also possessed a powerful controlling nature toward its target. In other words, it carried the characteristics of Sealing Jutsu.
Therefore, for many years he had been continuously practicing and refining this secret technique. His goal was to develop it into a spatial sealing jutsu.
Originally, to activate this secret technique one had to continuously maintain the hand seals, ensuring chakra was constantly being released and absorbed. If the hand seals were broken, the space would shatter and disappear, and the target would escape.
So he had incorporated his own Blood Release Sealing Jutsu characteristics into the technique to modify it. He had removed the ability of the jutsu's created space to continuously contract and compress, instead strengthening its consolidating and stabilizing properties, allowing it to exist indefinitely without requiring maintained hand seals.
It had become a spatial Pandora's Box.
It no longer possessed destructive power. It possessed only control and sealing.
Up until now, he had acquired most of his abilities from the system, including cultivating various techniques, which he also relied on for raw jutsu power. To the point that even helping the village improve some low-level ninjutsu had not been particularly difficult for him.
In other words, even having become Kazekage, there was a sense in which he had never truly developed a powerful jutsu entirely through his own effort.
One thing he could not deny was that without the system, purely in terms of native ninja talent, he was far inferior to top-tier geniuses like Namikaze Minato. Everything he currently possessed had been given to him by the system.
But the time he had spent training in Sealing Jutsu under the system had genuinely benefited him enormously. It had even helped him find a direction for growth as a ninja. Sealing Jutsu was his path.
Of course, the system had also provided various hidden capabilities on top of this. However, even setting all of that aside, the more he considered it, the more he felt his aptitude in sealing specifically was genuinely quite good.
Once this Space Sealing Technique was fully perfected, he could completely seal Black Zetsu. Outside of someone possessing Six Paths level power, no one in the ninja world would be capable of unsealing it.
Even without possessing Six Paths power himself, relying solely on Blood Release Sealing Jutsu could tightly bind Black Zetsu, though it would not be maximally effective on its own. Combining two distinct types of sealing power was the better approach.
"That direction looks promising. But at present it can only seal something this small. If the scale gets any larger, the transformation and fusion of the techniques becomes considerably more difficult, and spatial stability and duration of effect both need further consideration. There is still work to be done."
"Even without Six Paths level power, this sealing capability is sufficient to deal with it. It will be enough."
He examined the red triangular block resting in his hand, his eyes brightening slightly.
...
STONES 💎
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