Escape From Konoha

Chapter 184: 180: The Pursuit of Power

The trio leaped off Soryu's body, and kept watching Nagato's back.

"You should be Nagato from Akatsuki. Now with Madara gone, perhaps we can have an honest conversation." Shiraishi was the first to break the silence, addressing Nagato.

In response to Shiraishi's invitation, Nagato remained silent. After a brief contemplation, he suddenly started running forward, showing no inclination for negotiation.

Seeing Nagato leave without saying a word, Shiraishi's group didn't hesitate and swiftly pursued. If peaceful negotiations wasn't an option, resorting to forceful coercion was a direct and effective strategy, saving them from unnecessary complications.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Nagato's flat voice resounded through the air. The surrounding atmosphere distorted rapidly, and the trio felt as though they had collided with an invisible wall, stopped their advance. They were forced back by a sudden repulsion, causing dust to swirl around them.

When the trio turned their heads to look again, they found that Nagato had distanced himself, reduced to a small dot on their horizon.

"Chase!"

hiraishi didn't waste words, moving quickly. While the biggest threat had been neutralized, the problem of the Rinnegan could not be ignored. The full extent of the doujutsu' capabilities remained unknown to him.

Nagato ran with determination, noting that the three were hot on his heels. Compared to himself, they seemed far more interested in his pair of Rinnegan. The legendary power had the potential to draw the attention of countless ambitious individuals.

"Nagato-sama, I strongly advise against engaging them right now. Even if you unlock a new power within you, taking on two people might be possible, but three is beyond your current abilities."

Black zetsu's voice whispered in his ear. He had silently approached Nagato, having mastered blending with earth and trees and moving far faster than white zetsu. He was concerned that Nagato might overestimate his newfound power, confront the three Shiraishi behind him, and endanger himself. In Black zetsu's view, such a battle would be extremely dangerous.

"Don't worry, I have no such intentions." Nagato responded, his tone unwavering. He had a plan of his own. "I need to find a quiet place urgently to get used to my body and the new powers. Mastering the Rinnegan's abilities, the Wood Release, or the Uzumaki clan's jutsu will take considerable time. I may need one to two years to fully understand these powers, successfully integrating them."

Rinnegan aside, he needed to start learning the secret jutsu of the Wood Release and abilities of the Uzumaki clan from the basic stage. It was extremely dangerous to fight against a strong enemy in his unskilled state.

"That's good. There's no need to rush. As long as you've mastered the Rinnegan's power, there'll be no shortage of time to deal with them. It won't take a few years, then these these three people will be dealt with.." Black zetsu agreed. He remained loyal to Nagato's judgement.

At his current level of Rinnegan development, mastering Wood Release jutsu and the abilities of the Uzumaki clan, it was currently impossible for him to be an opponent of the three. Taking on one of them would be a challenge, while two might be managed with difficulty. However, facing all three together was bound to result in defeat.

"How is Konan?"

"Rest assured, Nagato-sama, Konan has been relocated to a secure hideout, she's safe now."

"Take me there."

"Yes, but before that, we should lose these three pursuers. It isn't an option to let them keep chasing after us."

Black zetsu planned to intervene and slow down Shiraishi and his companions, creating an opportunity for Nagato to escape.

"No, I'm in a hurry, and I have a new jutsu that's perfect for the situation. I want to test the power of this sealing jutsu."

In a surprising move, Nagato quickly joined his palms, gathering a huge amount of chakra. The two palms then separated, creating a small, inconspicuous black orb, about the size of a fingertip.

Black zetsu was shocked, his eyes reflecting incredulity at Nagato's power. "What's this?"

"Go."

Nagato muttered softly, sending the small black orb rapidly soaring away from him, ascending into the sky.

"Chibaku Tensei!"

The three who were in pursuit suddenly felt an intense suction force engulfing their bodies. They were immobilized, as if restrained by an invisible barrier that prevented them from advancing. With a sudden repulsion, they were forcefully pushed backward, and the ensuing turbulence caused dust and debris to fill the air.

The gravitational pull from the small black orb intensified, drawing in larger and larger stones from the surrounding area. In a mere ten seconds, a colossal stone sphere hung in the sky, slowly ascending higher.

Boom!

A deafening sound reverberated from within the stone ball.

An incomplete piece of stone suddenly jutted out from the otherwise perfectly formed massive stone sphere, crashing down to the ground.

Accompanied by a more violent explosion, flames painted the sky as dust billowed. Amid the tumult, within the gaping cavity of the massive stone ball, a blood-red Chakra giant loomed. It appeared to be standing at the bottom of the stone sphere, though it was upside down.

Subsequently, the blood-red giant unsheathed its massive sword, wildly cleaving at the stone ball, causing stone fragments to rain down.

Boom!

The stone sphere shattered into pieces, and the blood-red giant descended to the ground. During its descent, it somersaulted and landed firmly, unleashing a devastating shockwave that swept across the surrounding forest.

"The disappearance of his hakra is probably due to that black creature." Ayane scanned the area with her white eyes but failed to detect Nagato's whereabouts.

"He doesn't appear in our information, and it's the first time I've met him. He also has remarkable stealth and tracking abilities." Shiraishi frowned, sensing that the situation was growing more complicated.

Surprisingly, under Madara's command, there were scouts with even greater stealth capabilities than White zetsu.

"It's almost as if it looks like White zetsu in appearance. What should we do next? Should we continue to pursue?" Ayane, carrying Madara's body, knew that continuing the search now held little promise of finding Nagato.

Pressing his throbbing neck, Shiraishi said, "Considering the enemy's exceptional stealth capabilities, it doesn't make sense to continue searching. Let's return. Our most important objective has been accomplished."

Moreover, with Nagato's appearance, he knew that there was currently no room for negotiation. At least for now, negotiations were impossible.

"Do you want to forget the Rinnegan?" Ruri frowned, as she believed that young Rinnegan wielder was more threatening than the old Madara.

"We can't do much if we can't locate him. And..." Shiraishi raised his head and looked ahead, saying, "As long as the connection between him and the Land of Rain remains, we can always track his activities within that country."

"Yeah, I didn't expect that the demigod's death would happen this way. Now, the Land of Rain and Amegakure have become riddled with holes." Ruri sighed.

Indeed, as Shiraishi stated, as long as Akatsuki's relationship with the Land of Rain persisted, waiting there was a viable option. Many towns in the country, including Ame, harbored spies from the Land of Demons.

"There's no remedy for the poor geographical location. Small countries are essential for maintaining stability in the larger nations. This has nothing to do with justice or evil, but the need for survival. There is no true peace in this world, only the survival of the strong and the subjugation of the weak. From that point of view, I can't be certain I can persuade that guy with the Rinnegan because I'm not a pacifist and Akatsuki's concept of peace has been deeply rooted."

In any era, the situation remains the same. Nations are either at war or preparing for it. In a way, he, Madara, and Nagato represented opposing views that couldn't convince each other.

Even the proposed negotiations are rooted in the idea of using force to compel the other party to surrender when persuasion fails. Therefore, even heart-to-heart discussions might not change the other party's commitment to his peace philosophy.

This ninja world adheres to a familiar pattern: only the strong can ensure peace, while the weak are vulnerable to domination.

A prime example of a small country surviving within the cracks of larger nations is the Land of Rain. Ravaged by the three Ninja World Wars, the guardian demigod of the Land Of Rain, Ame, fell in battle.

Amegakure's system nearly crumbled, and the Land of Rain has become a vassal of the Land of Fire. This spells trouble for Ame, as Konoha aim to gain control of Amegakure and access its jutsu and research data.

"Let's go, the only thing left is the Land of Water that needs to be taken care of. Looking at the progress over there, Yagura launched a coup, it should be over within the next two years, we must be ready to welcome our allies."

"Do we need to deal with Konoha? Shall I go over and add more fires to make them fight more intensely?"

Ayane played with a kunai in her hand, licking her lips.

"Don't worry about that other side. The demigod is dead, and the Land of Rain has completely become a vassal of the Land of Fire. The Rinnegan will definitely not be indifferent. He would definitely use some other means to regain the power of Amegakure, and confront Konoha either openly or secretly."

After the Ninja World War, it may not be a bad thing for Konoha to be trapped in the quagmire of the Land of Rain.

A light flashed in Shiraishi's eyes.

.....

The Battle of the Land of Rain ended with Konoha's victory.

When Sunagakure was besieging the leader of Anegakure, Hanzo, the Konoha troops belonging to Konoha's Orochimaru gave up supporting Amegakure's troops, and turned around to attack Sunagakure's base camp in the Land of Rain. As a result, thousands of Sunagakure's ninjas guarding the camp were wiped out. All supplies were either removed or burned to the ground.

To wipe out Hanzo's forces in Amegakure, Suna paid a heavy price, sacrificing nearly 2,000 of its own ninjas on the battlefield against Hanzo.

Out of the initial 7,000 Suna ninjas assembled on the Land of Rain's battlefield, their numbers dwindled by a staggering 3,000 in one fell swoop. In contrast, Konoha achieved almost ten times the results, at the cost of hundreds of ninja lives.

These hundreds lost their lives while attacking the Duna canp. Kandachi, the new leader of Amegakure, formally submitted a surrender document to Konoha, expressing his willingness to lead all the remaining Amegakure ninjas into becoming an affiliated village of Konoha.

In the heart of Amegakure, countless corpses, irrespective of age or gender, were strung up on ropes connecting the towers. Passersby could hardly ignore these gruesome displays, but none dared to protest. Instead, they lowered their heads and hurried by.

Standing beside the hanging corpses were four Konoha Anbu ninjas who cast cold glares at the Ame ninjas and villagers, using these gruesome sights to intimidate any potential opponents.

On a high tower, Danzo, donned in a black coat with bandages covering half his head, gazed down upon the village, condescendingly observing the corpses hanging in Ame's center.

"This way, all traces of Hanzo will disappear from this village. After many years, there will be no rumors about 'Hanzo' in this village."

"This is the result of the leadership of Danzo-sama and Orochimaru-sama."

The new leader of Amegakure, Kandachi, approached Danzo, speaking in a respectful tone.

Following Konoha's instructions, Konoha had orchestrated Kandachi's betrayal and planned Hanzo's death at the hands of Suna. With Konoha's assistance, he then ascended to become Ame's new leader.

"Although we've helped you secure leadership in Ame, there are still many voices against in this village. You should be careful."

"Yes, just give me five years, and I can..." .

"I'll give you no more than three years. I won't tolerate the presence of hostile Konoha elements in this village three years from now. If you can't achieve this, the village will cease to exist."

Any existence that poses a threat to Konoha must be eradicated, a shared sentiment between Danzo and the Anbu.

"Th- this..." Kandachi hesitated.

"Hiruzen has decided to expand Root's activities. You know what that means..., Kandachi." Danzo's expression remained cold as he locked eyes with Kandachi.

"The Third Hokage..." Kandachi's face darkened slightly.

He had originally assumed that the issue of Amegakure would be directly overseen by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Even though he had secured leadership in Amegakure with Danzo's and Orochimaru's assistance, he had no desire to cooperate with these two opportunists.

Kandachi was shocked. While the Third Hokage was known for his benevolence and kindness, he was unyielding when it came to Konoha's interests. He had handed over the management of Amegakure to Root and incrementally increased Root's power, a move that took Kandachi by surprise.

"Put away your little thoughts and do you job properly. Konoha will treat you fairly. If you do a good job, I can extend an invitation for you to join Konoha and become a Jonin." Danzo assured.

Kandachi forced a smile but refrained from responding.

Kandachi wasn't stupid. Who would chose a Jonin position with no real power over becoming the ruler of Amegakure.

Although he would be under Konoha's control, he would be the sole ruler of Amegakure in Danzo's absence, a situation more appealing and free than being a Konoha Jonin.

Kandachi had already tasted the allure of power and wasn't about to relinquish it easily.

"By the way, Danzo-sama, what has Suna said?" Kandachi shifted the conversation's focus.

"They have submitted a peace proposal. In the immediate future, they won't be able to launch any attacks against Konoha." Danzo replied.

Moreover, after this battle, Orochimaru's accomplishments and reputation had risen to a higher level. Combined with the achievements accumulated in the Second Ninja World War, Orochimaru's ascent to the Fourth Hokage role was a foregone conclusion, with no room for others to contest.

Next, Orochimaru should occupy a vital position in the Anbu, preparing for the Fourth Hokage. Danzo thought about the future steps in his mind.

As a direct subordinate unit of the Hokage, the Anbu consisted of 70 elite members selected from tens of thousands of villagers. They were divided into two ministries and deputy ministries, forming seventeen teams, each comprising four members. This constituted the total Anbu force.

Presently, both the head and deputy head of Anbu were from the Sarutobi clan. Although they were exceptional ninja, they couldn't compete with Orochimaru, a Fourth Hokage candidate.

For the ministerial and deputy ministerial positions, Orochimaru was the natural choice. By establishing his authority within the Anbu, Orochimaru could pave his way to becoming the Fourth Hokage, securing his position.

After all, the Anbu was Hokage's most formidable elite force and a pivotal component of the Hokage system, which had to be directly managed by the Hokage himself. It was only a matter of time until Orochimaru assumed leadership of the Anbu, and the era of Root's growth would be complete.

Danzo foresaw a bright future, one where he and Orochimaru would eradicate any opposition and use sheer power to deter nations from coveting Konoha. Any existence posing a threat to Konoha would be obliterated.

As Danzo contemplated these promising futures, a Root member suddenly appeared, kneeling before Danzo.

"Danzo-sama, there's an urgent message from the village." the Root ninja presented a letter with both hands.

Danzo paid no mind to Kandachi's presence. He opened the letter and read it, a frown forming on his face.

"Is Kumo finally making a move? Forget it, let Orochimaru handle it and it would be good to add another merit."

The letter contained simple information – Kumogakure was showing suspicious activity in the Land of Tea and appeared to be preparing an attack on the Land of Fire.

Perhaps this was a response to Konoha's performance on the Land of Rain battlefield, as Kumo seemed unwilling to let Konoha's growth go unchecked.

The reputation of a ninja village was critical in securing clients from various countries during times of peace, ensuring a stable financial income.

Kumogakure had always aimed to challenge Konoha for the title of the most prestigious ninja village. Observing Konoha's changing battlefield fortunes in the Land of Rain, there was a high likelihood they would target the Land of Fire.

"Kandachi, I'm heading back to Konoha now. Ame is in your hands. Suna shouldn't be a concern for you, so avoid acting rashly."

"Please take care on your way back, Danzo-sama. Visit us when you have the opportunity." Kandachi replied, although he privately hoped Danzo wouldn't visit again.

The figures of Danzo and Root Ninja disappeared on the overlooking platform under the cold rain.

....

Upon returning to Konoha, Danzo proceeded directly to the Hokage Building's meeting room without going to rest.

Kumo's aggressive move had alerted him to the severity of the situation, and there was no time to delay. It was necessary to promptly sign a peace agreement with Suna and assign Orochimaru to handle the Kumo forces in the Land of Tea.

Inside the meeting room, Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu were present, showing that the meeting had just concluded.

"You've returned just in time, Danzo; we've reached a decision." Hiruzen put down the pipe in his mouth, and smiled at Danzo who had hurriedly arrived.

"When will Orochimaru leave?"

Danzo nodded and inquired directly about Orochimaru's departure to the Land Of Tea.

"Well, we have actually made different arrangements for Orochimaru." Hiruzen showed hesitation.

"Different arrangements?" Danzo raised his eyebrows, casting a critical glance at Homura and Koharu. The two advisers coughed and averted their gaze, unwilling to meet Danzo's stare.

A sense of foreboding grew in Danzo.

"Yes, Orochimaru is a talented ninja, particularly in his mastery of jutsu and research capabilities. He is an outstanding talent in the ninja world. Therefore, we've decided that Orochimaru's next assignment is to join your Root division to further develop new technologies and fundamentally increase Konoha's strength."

Joining Root? Danzo was momentarily stunned, as the situation had taken a sudden and unexpected turn.

Orochimaru hadn't been dispatched to the Kumo battlefield or even assigned to Anbu but was, instead, directed to a far more secret department – Root.

Was this appropriate for someone aspiring to become Hokage? Root's operations were highly confidential, known to only a select few in the village. Joining meant giving up one's name, fame, and personality to become an nameless contributor to Konoha's dark endeavors.

Orochimaru had also previously been a part of Root, but in a supervisory role, a situation significantly different from what was being proposed now.

Did Hiruzen and the others have concerns that Orochimaru was too powerful and might resist their control? Danzo scrutinized Hiruzen, attempting to read his true motivations.

Struggling to keep his emotions in check, Danzo posed a pointed question to the advisers, Homura and Koharu. "Do you both agree with this decision?"

"Yes, indeed. While Orochimaru performed admirably on the Land of Rain battlefield, securing concessions from Suna, the methods he used were morally questionable, involving the betrayal of allies. This could have negative repercussions in the international scene."

"Nonsense! War is not a game, and victory is the most important. Orochimaru's ability to make Suna to lose over 3,000 ninja at minimal cost is a testament to his military skills."

Danzo retorted, his gaze cold. He locked eyes with the two advisers, his cold stare revealing his disappointment, with this his two friends.

"That.... the act of betraying allies leaves a lasting impact on our international reputation. It.is important for Orochimaru to calm down."

Koharu resisted the pressure exerted by Danzo and expressed her views.

"You're worried that Orochimaru's influence will outstrip your own."

Danzo's voice carried an implicit threat as he confronted the two centrist advisers directly.

"Danzo, how can you say such a thing? We have diligently served Konoha for all these years." Homura frowned, acknowledging the unethical nature of their actions.

Initially, both advisers had also supported Orochimaru's immediate placement in Anbu. However, they feared that once Orochimaru became Hokage, his shared hardline approach with Danzo would leave them marginalized.

Once Orochimaru became the Hokage he wouldn't take them seriously. Therefore, with Hiruzen, they agreed that Orochimaru could become the fourth Hokage and the power of of Anbu wouldn't be handed over to him prematurely.

As a result, they had decided to keep Orochimaru hidden within Root.

"Yes, Orochimaru's potential is too high, and we are concerned that ninja from other villages might attempt to assassinate him."

Koharu argued to justify their actions.

"If Orochimaru is so easily assassinated, it reflects on his own lack of strength. Your decision may disappoint him and may make him disappointed with the village."

Danzo, however, was not convinced.

In response to Danzo's stubborn attitude, Homura and Koharu heaved deep sighs. It was their collaborative efforts with the hardline factions that had compelled them to temporarily place Orochimaru within Root.

"It's for his own good. Orochimaru needs time to calm down."

Danzo felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment as he let out a quiet sigh. He turned his head to look at Hiruzen, who remained silent, smoking his pipe with a complicated expression on his face.

While he took pride in his disciple's remarkable accomplishments, he couldn't shake his concerns about Orochimaru's current standing in the village. These intertwined emotions left Hiruzen in a state of inner turmoil.

"Hiruzen, are you really planning to do this?" Danzo asked with a tone heavy with doubt.

"There's no other way. Orochimaru's betrayal of Amegakure requires me to provide an explanation to Amegakure. The First Hokage's will emphasizes the importance of harmony, which is the correct way to manage the village. Orochimaru lacks talent in this area. I hope he can understand the essence of the will of the First Hokage. Otherwise, i don't feel at ease entrusting the village's future to him."

"I understand. Carry out your plan as you see fit... I hope you won't come to regret today's decision, Hiruzen."

Danzo responded calmly. He left this statement behind, his expression unyielding, and walked away from the meeting room one step at a time.

An eerie silence enveloped the meeting room, and the three individuals within it understood that Danzo's anger was genuine this time. They would have preferred to see his anger expressed openly on his face thanmasking it in this way it only made the situation more unsettling.

Hiruzen sighed, a deep exhaustion consuming him both physically and mentally as he sat in a chair, muttering to himself.

"I too face my own challenges. The village can't endure the conflicts of another faction at this time. I hope you can understand my actions, Danzo. I'm also considering the village's future."

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