Chapter 196: CHAPTER 196
"Since we've already decided to take action, there's no room for wishful thinking. All of you must fight with everything you have. Even I, old as I am, will personally enter the battlefield. Whether we succeed or fail depends on our resolve. If you value your life, do not hold back."
It was the aged voice of Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage. Despite his frailty, his resolve now surpassed even that of the Raikage.
His sharp gaze swept over the assembly. In that moment, Onoki's presence was overwhelming — like a warrior heading to his final battle.
The other Kage and village representatives, spurred by his determination, pledged to commit their full strength. Whether they were truly sincere or merely saving face, only they themselves knew.
As these bold declarations echoed inside the command tent, a disturbance broke out outside.
"Planning to gather all nine Tailed Beasts to resurrect the Ten-Tails... I can help with that. Leave the Nine-Tails to me."
The voice was old, harsh, and filled with malice — sending chills down the spines of many.
"Another visitor? Who the hell is it this time?!"
"Damn it, who leaked our plans?"
"Wait... doesn't that voice sound familiar?"
The murmurs were mixed with unease and hostility. Most came from younger elite shinobi or middle-aged commanders. Only the elders remained silent — their expressions stiff and grim.
Onoki's eyes narrowed. Though he couldn't see past the tent walls, he already knew who it was.
"Impossible… He should be dead."
Onoki's war-hardened instincts flared. It wasn't the strength of the intruder that made him uneasy — it was who he was, and the implications of his appearance.
Shimura Danzo.
The infamous former elder of Konoha. Executed by Sasuke Uchiha after the Five Kage Summit.
Danzo stood before them now, alive.
Shock rippled through the shinobi as they stepped out of the tent and laid eyes on him.
How could someone who had died so publicly be here? What did this mean?
Danzo, ever composed, sneered.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not here representing Konoha. I've come to propose a… mutually beneficial arrangement."
"I'm interested in the Ten-Tails. And you need help getting the Nine-Tails out of Konoha. Let's not kid ourselves — none of you has the power to extract it by force."
Danzo's bluntness caused a tense silence. No one replied immediately, but the glares directed at him were ice-cold.
Danzo's eye narrowed.
"What's with the silence? Are you rejecting me?"
"You barge into a confidential summit and expect us to trust you without question?" Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, stepped forward. "You were executed. How are you alive now? How do we know this isn't some scheme cooked up by Konoha?"
Though confrontational, Rasa's challenge was a veiled invitation — to justify himself.
Danzo exhaled slowly, regaining some confidence. At least they were talking.
With a grunt, he slammed his cane into the ground, commanding attention.
"If I wanted to betray you, I could have already informed Konoha of your secret alliance. Let me ask you — what would your 'peace' look like if that brat Shikamaru Nara caught wind of this?"
The name-drop — switching "Kawaki Aoba" to Shikamaru Nara, the correct canon Chief Advisor post-Naruto's Hokage tenure — served both as explanation and threat. He made it clear that he wasn't a pawn.
Murderous intent rippled through the crowd, but no one dared act.
Killing Danzo would be easy. But the consequences?
"I'm sorry, everyone. I should've mentioned this earlier."
A new voice emerged from the shadows — low, oily, and full of ancient malice.
"Danzo knows of your plans… because I told him."
Black Zetsu.
His sudden appearance brought an eerie silence to the field.
Although his appearance was strange, he had been inconspicuous in the crowd—until he spoke. His words instantly drew attention, even glares.
Black Zetsu stepped forward with a sly smile and said, "I apologize for not discussing it with you beforehand, but cooperating with Danzo is the most effective way to secure the Nine-Tails."
"Rather than relying on your endless sacrifices to fill the void that is Konoha's defenses, wouldn't it be wiser to let someone like Danzo handle it?"
His meaning was clear—he didn't trust them to succeed. He didn't believe they had the ability to extract the Nine-Tails from Konoha.
His words were offensive, but Black Zetsu remained fearless, walking straight to Danzo's side and standing with him.
"Is this not an alliance?" he asked. "If four villages can form one, why can't the two of us?"
Among the Kage, the elder Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, exhaled heavily and said in a deep voice, "Very well. If Danzo can deliver the Nine-Tails, then what harm is there in including him?"
"However, the Nine-Tails is the strongest of all Tailed Beasts. We won't rely on you alone. Our original plan to storm Konoha jointly and capture the beast will still proceed."
"Hmph, go ahead and die if you wish. Just don't interfere with my plans. The Ten-Tails will be mine. I only want to reclaim what's rightfully mine—and make Danzo and those who betrayed the Will of Fire pay."
Danzo's visible eye burned with vengeance.
But observing his erratic demeanor, Ōnoki remained cautious and decided to test him one last time.
"Danzo... I understand your motives. But tell us—how are you even alive? You died during the Kage Summit."
Danzo gave a mocking grin. "Still trying to probe me?"
"Lord Danzo, you misunderstand. It's just… everyone's curious."
"Hmph. Call it what you like. Yes, I died. What happened in Konoha wasn't some ruse. You can rest easy on that."
"I'm also not under the control of that masked Akatsuki leader. My return is due to a jutsu—Konoha's forbidden technique: the Impure World Reincarnation. As the Root of Konoha, how could I not have prepared for death?"
The crowd stirred.
Impure World Reincarnation—a forbidden technique that could return the dead to the world in a state close to life itself. A terrifying jutsu, and yet a miracle. It was proof of Konoha's deep foundation, and it only fueled the other nations' wariness.
"Alright," Ōnoki said, "then let's make this official. But let's be clear: we won't dwell on past grievances prior to this alliance. From this point forward, no underhanded actions—let's avoid misunderstandings."
Though spoken generally, his eyes stayed fixed on Black Zetsu.
Despite the solution he provided regarding the other Tailed Beasts, Ōnoki remained deeply suspicious. Years of battle instincts told him: Black Zetsu wasn't one of them. He had his own goals.
Perhaps he knew something no one else did.
When the Ten-Tails appears… I must watch him closely, Ōnoki thought.
He exchanged a glance with Rasa, the Kazekage, and the two turned away at the same time. The meaning was clear—they shared the same instinct.
Six nations had formed an alliance, but only one could truly win. The game was brutal, and no one wanted to lose.
The meeting resumed, shifting to tactics for attacking Konoha and capturing the Nine-Tails.
Danzo listened quietly, cold and calculating. These fools didn't trust him. Very well. Let them suffer first.
He would have his revenge on Konoha—but he wouldn't let these other villages off either. In fact, this was a perfect opportunity to weaken all his competitors.
Yes—his plan from the beginning was to inflict heavy losses on the other villages. Only by eliminating rival powers could he emerge as the final victor.
He had even expected resistance when he proposed taking the lead in capturing the Nine-Tails.
As expected, they dismissed him and pressed forward with their own plans.
Fine, Danzo thought. When the time comes, I'll make sure your forces suffer. The more dead, the better.
After personnel allocations were discussed, the most difficult question arose:
How to deal with Kawaki Aoba?
And how to draw him away from Konoha?
This was the most crucial step in their plan.
"If one village declares war on Konoha, Kawaki Aoba will definitely be distracted," suggested an elder from the Hidden Cloud.
"Excellent idea," someone responded. "Given Kawaki Aoba's volatile temperament, he'd absolutely react. Since this elder proposed it, the Cloud should be ready to take action."
"Indeed," added another. "You may proceed. None of us will forget Cloud's contribution."
Suddenly, the Hidden Cloud elder found himself the target of everyone's expectations. His suggestion had cornered his own village.
Praise came from other elders, but all he received from his own comrades were angry stares.
He opened his mouth but had nothing to say. He had blundered terribly.
Another Cloud ninja, unable to endure the awkwardness, stepped forward.
"Everyone must be joking. The Cloud has just lost our Raikage. Our forces are weakened. We can't shoulder such a critical role. Perhaps another village—"
"You're mistaken," a Stone elder interrupted. "Losing your Raikage is exactly the justification needed to declare war. Konoha would expect retaliation. If we declare war, with no clear motive, Kawaki Aoba will be suspicious—and that would sabotage everything."
The reasoning was airtight. All the other villages nodded in agreement.
Even some of the Cloud ninjas, when thinking it through, realized the logic—though they still refused to accept the burden.
Despite their resistance, they couldn't shake off the responsibility. Everyone's words clung to them like chewing gum, sticking the blame squarely on their shoulders.
After all, it was their Raikage who'd been killed by Kawaki Aoba.
And now, thanks to one careless suggestion, the entire Cloud village cursed the elder who had opened his mouth in the first place.
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