"Orochimaru. It seems you've harbored a grudge against Konoha all this time. You've been a rogue Ninja for so long just to accumulate enough power to return and seek revenge."
Inside the administrative office of Sunagakure, Fourth Kazekage Rasa sat upright in his seat. His gaze beneath the bamboo hat was sharp, fixed intently on the three people before him.
One of them was very familiar to him—or rather, familiar to every high-ranking official in the Five Great Nations.
It was Orochimaru, who had participated in several Ninja World Wars and established a legendary reputation! Later, it was heard that he committed some crime in Konoha and was hunted by his former teacher, the current Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, leading to his defection.
The other two were unfamiliar faces, likely Orochimaru's subordinates. One was named Kabuto. The other was a short figure shrouded in a black robe with a mask, whose name was unknown.
"Hahaha, you only need to know that we come with sincerity. After all, when it comes to hatred for Konoha, I believe the people of Sunagakure harbor far more than the other three nations."
Setting aside matters of war, consider the alliance between Konoha and Sunagakure.
How did this alliance result in the Fourth Kazekage Rasa before him personally venturing into the desert to pan for Gold Dust just to maintain the Village's expenses?
Because Konoha displayed greater strength, a massive influx of Ninja commissions flowed into Konoha. Over time, Sunagakure's economy naturally faced major issues.
Indeed, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind had recently cut the Hidden Village's funding again, intending to shrink the number of Ninjas.
Rasa fell into silence. This proposal had indeed struck a nerve.
Sunagakure's current predicament was certainly not something that could be resolved through peaceful development. They would either be reborn from the ashes by fully displaying their strength, or they could only remain subservient, falling into the status of a Konoha vassal.
But collaborating with Orochimaru... scenes of their clashes in past wars were still vivid. If the reason was to take revenge on Konoha, it seemed reasonable for someone like Orochimaru.
However... Konoha was deeply rooted and possessed immense strength.
As for Rasa himself, how much power could his proud Magnet Release: Gold Dust technique exert on a battlefield away from the desert?
"You needn't worry about the Third Hokage." Orochimaru seemed to see through all his concerns, his words as precise as a snake hunting its prey. "He... is mine."
As soon as these words were spoken, Rasa's resolve was clearly shaken.
However, the dignity of a Kazekage still had to be maintained. On the surface, the meeting ended without reaching any consensus.
But a few days later, a secret letter was delivered to Orochimaru, specifically inviting him to another location to discuss the specific details.
"The above covers Orochimaru's recent movements. What are your instructions, Lord Danzo?"
In a hot spring shop in the Land of Hot Springs, Amane reported the recent meeting between Orochimaru and Rasa. As for the specific details, she stated they were simply impossible to obtain.
"Well done, Jiu. I didn't expect him to actually collude with Sunagakure... It seems he still has feelings for Konoha after all."
Danzo's voice echoed deep within her mind.
This was the Long-Distance Mind Transmission Jutsu, performed by a Ninja of the Yamanaka Clan with the help of specialized equipment.
Danzo chose to communicate with such painstaking effort precisely because the current situation presented him with an unprecedented opportunity.
"Feelings?" Amane's tone carried a perfectly measured trace of confusion. "Lord Danzo, do we... not need to stop them?"
Among the tenets she received from Root, besides absolute loyalty to Danzo, the rest was the specific meaning of the word 'Root' itself.
Having such a doubt was very normal.
Perhaps wanting to dispel the doubt in Amane's heart, Danzo offered an explanation.
He wanted to let Sunagakure, a potential threat, be completely exposed to Konoha's thunderous might, forcing them to be utterly devoted in the future, never daring to have second thoughts.
Danzo even speculated that Orochimaru would likely strike at the Fourth Kazekage Rasa himself!
"Assist Orochimaru's plan with all your might. It truly is time for my old friend to step down."
After saying this, Danzo's voice continued with a cold edge:
"When the time comes, if you need to act under your real name and face, you know what to do, don't you, Jiu?"
Amane sneered inwardly; she had been waiting for those very words.
"Of course," her answer was resolute.
"I will not leave the slightest flaw. When the time comes, I will appear as a spy planted in Otogakure by Lord Danzo, and at the critical moment, I will turn the tables and side with Konoha!"
"And if I require you to personally execute the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki if necessary?"
"I will execute Lord Danzo's orders without a moment's hesitation!"
Before her voice even faded, a trace of cold killing intent leaked from Amane.
This reaction, which perfectly met his expectations, made Danzo exceptionally satisfied.
A few years ago, when Orochimaru approached Amane during a routine contact report and even told her the truth about her birth, Danzo had broken into a cold sweat.
But the 'loyalty' instilled in Root since childhood was indeed indestructible.
According to the intelligence, when Amane reported these things, her emotions were as calm as a pool of stagnant water.
Thus, he went with the flow and ordered her to remain undercover by Orochimaru's side. Over these years, she had indeed sent back a large amount of critical intelligence.
Once the Konoha Crush Plan began and Orochimaru moved against Hiruzen Sarutobi, plunging all of Konoha into a chaotic crisis, he, Danzo, would step in to save the day!
Added to that was his previous mission sending Amane to the Land of Water, where she unexpectedly obtained important clues about the true culprit behind the attack on Konoha twelve years ago.
With all these achievements stacked up, would they not be enough to force the retirement of the Third Hokage—who had repeatedly lost prestige due to policy errors—and let him take his place?
Oh no, it should be put this way.
Would it not be enough for him to succeed his old friend who had gloriously died in battle?
And if that wasn't enough?... Hmph! Who didn't know that this genius, who successfully transplanted Hashirama cells, could use the legendary Wood Release power, and could suppress a Tailed Beast rampage at any time, was his person?
How could he lose? Tell me, how could he lose?
Danzo felt more and more that taking Amane away while she was still in swaddling clothes was such a correct choice.
He originally thought he would have to endure for a longer time, but now it was time to prepare and mobilize the members of Root... After Amane confirmed this packaged recording was correct, she made several copies and hid them in different places, even placing a few in Ryūchi Cave via Summoning.
She felt refreshed.
Everything was ready.
She, Uzumaki Tian Yin, was now twelve years old.
This meant the main storyline was finally about to begin!
When the time came, as long as she followed Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan into Konoha and then manipulated this information a bit, she should be able to live in the sunlight.
Leaning back in her chair, Amane recalled the past, her heart truly filled with mixed emotions.
"I suppose I could be considered to have started martial arts at age three..."
At age three, she began brutal training in Root; at age four, she was arranged by that old fogey Danzo to kill; at age five, she was forcibly implanted with Hashirama cells, struggling on the brink of life and death until she was six or seven before she could escape that hellhole.
The few months she spent on a spy mission in Hidden Mist afterwards had actually become the happiest time, aside from the shackles of her identity being removed.
She even made friends.
Thinking of Ye and Ameyuri, Amane had to admit in her heart that she really missed them quite a bit.
Ye had taught her many life skills for the normal world.
Ameyuri... although they ultimately failed to be honest with each other, that period of mutual attraction they both vaguely sensed still made her corners of her mouth curl up unconsciously when she thought back on it.
"It's probably best... if we never meet again."
Amane sighed in her heart. If they met again, the chance of them drawing blades against each other was probably as high as ninety-nine percent.
Even though Amane told herself she had tried her best to achieve the best outcome.
But... a spy is a spy.
Finally, there was the encounter with Snake Aunt... [Alright, let's just wait for the conclusion to be revealed. Now, I should get moving too.]
Amane was about to take action as well.
To do what?
The answer was the Land of Waves.
Excitement flickered in Amane's eyes.
Just as she expected, once Orochimaru set the Konoha Crush Plan in motion, he stopped bothering with her unless absolutely necessary.
After all, the possibility of Amane betraying him still existed—in fact, looking at the outcome, it was something destined from the start.
Now, even when he went grave-robbing for 'mystery boxes,' he didn't call for Amane anymore.
He claimed, under the guise of kindness, that a child who was about to return to a life in the light should do fewer such dark things.
Amane knew exactly what was going on; he was likely off to rob the graves of the First, Second, and her father Minato to use as trump cards.
Why not stop him? Amane would have to be able to stop him first; unless caught red-handed, Orochimaru would absolutely deny everything to the death.
Go ahead and dig; maybe Orochimaru would find that Minato couldn't be summoned, and then, having set his heart on it, decide to undo the Reaper Death Seal?
Moreover, this also facilitated Amane's current actions.
She was going to see Naruto, and most importantly, Kakashi.
[You're all stepping up your actions... I can't fall behind either.]
A smile full of anticipation quietly spread across Amane's face.
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