"Hmm?"
As Danzo was experimenting with his newly enhanced Byakugan, he suddenly noticed a white snake infused with chakra slithering toward his residence.
"This chakra..."
"Is it Orochimaru?"
Danzo narrowed his eyes.
With his upgraded Byakugan, he could now not only see other people's chakra but also identify individuals based on their unique chakra signatures.
To his Heaven's Eye, everyone's chakra flow had distinct variations.
Even Orochimaru's masterful stealth techniques couldn't escape his gaze.
Danzo watched as the white snake skillfully avoided all the surrounding guards and slipped through the window crevice into his room.
The moment it entered, it was met with Danzo's calm and unwavering gaze.
Even Orochimaru, disguised as a white snake, felt a slight moment of awkwardness.
"Visiting at Midnight? You Came Empty-Handed?"
"Visiting so late at night without bringing a gift? That's quite rude, don't you think?"
Danzo sat back in his chair, his expression calm and composed.
Realizing that his cover was blown, Orochimaru abandoned his disguise.
The white snake opened its mouth, and in his usual dramatic fashion, Orochimaru emerged from within.
Danzo still couldn't understand why Orochimaru loved such eerie entrances.
It always felt... a bit odd.
But perhaps that was simply the difference between Orochimaru and normal people.
The awkwardness on Orochimaru's face quickly vanished. His golden, vertical pupils locked onto Danzo.
"Apologies for the intrusion, but I have some questions for Lord Danzo."
Danzo wasn't surprised at all.
With his recent drastic improvements, it would be strange if his so-called 'ally' didn't have suspicions.
"Go ahead."
His gaze remained calm and authoritative.
Seeing this, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, his pupil slits flashing with curiosity.
"I want to know—how did you master Mokuton (Wood Release)?"
There was a hint of excitement in his voice.
"If I recall correctly, the prosthetic I implanted in you shouldn't have such immense power."
In response, Danzo slowly raised his right hand.
The bandages loosened, revealing his grayish-white prosthetic arm.
Under Orochimaru's watchful eyes, a small branch sprouted from the artificial limb, unfurling a vibrant green leaf—
Only to wither away moments later.
This display of precise control left Orochimaru momentarily stunned.
"I don't really know why," Danzo said casually.
With a flick of his wrist, the withered branch crumbled into dust.
"Perhaps it's because I have fully embraced the Will of Fire?"
Orochimaru's face immediately darkened.
"The Will of Fire?"
Did Danzo really think he was that naive?
Orochimaru obviously didn't believe such nonsense.
But Danzo didn't care what he thought.
He understood Orochimaru's suspicious nature—no matter what he said, the snake would never fully trust him.
So why bother giving a real answer?
Just feed him some nonsense.
As expected, Orochimaru immediately said:
"Everyone has their secrets. If Lord Danzo doesn't want to share, I won't press further."
Then, his tone shifted slightly.
"However, I do have one more thing to confirm…"
"Do you still remember our agreement?"
Orochimaru's golden pupils bored into Danzo, as if trying to see through him.
But all he saw was a veil of mist—an enigma he couldn't unravel.
Danzo smirked internally.
"As expected, this guy is always paranoid."
Fortunately, he had inherited all of the original Danzo's memories.
Combined with his understanding of the original storyline, he wasn't at risk of exposing anything.
Of course, even if he did slip up, it wouldn't really matter now—his strength had already reached an entirely different level.
With this confidence, Danzo remained calm and unfazed.
"We've made many agreements, Orochimaru. Which one are you referring to?"
Orochimaru smiled faintly, choosing not to answer directly.
Instead, he changed the topic:
"I just hope Lord Danzo can end this tiresome war quickly. I have experiments to get back to."
Danzo narrowed his eyes slightly.
Thinking back to those children in the underground laboratory, his lips curled into a cold smirk.
In a hoarse voice, he replied:
"I assure you, this war will end very soon."
Orochimaru chuckled softly and turned away.
"In that case, I won't disturb Lord Danzo's rest any longer."
——————
After testing and confirming the terrifying range of his newly enhanced Byakugan, Danzo called for a high-level strategy meeting early the next morning.
The purpose of this meeting? To decide the battlefield for the upcoming war.
"After taking control of the northern territories, Iwagakure and Kumogakure will inevitably march south to seek a decisive battle with Konoha."
During the meeting, Nara Shikaku stated this with absolute certainty.
Their ultimate goal was to permanently seize these territories, which meant they could only feel secure if they utterly crippled Konoha's main forces.
Otherwise, the moment they withdrew their troops, Konoha would launch a counterattack—something they couldn't afford to risk.
Similarly, Konoha could not tolerate the prolonged occupation of its northern lands.
Thus, both sides had a strong incentive to seek a decisive battle.
Shikaku's pen moved across the map, pausing sharply on a mountainous forest region in northern Fire Country.
"Since they want a final battle, let's give them one—on our terms!"
"To maximize our strategic advantage, the battlefield must be complex. That's our best shot at victory."
As he said this, Shikaku's gaze unconsciously drifted toward Danzo.
Because just the night before, Danzo had secretly summoned him and revealed a critical piece of information:
He possessed a scouting jutsu that could cover a 15-kilometer radius.
Danzo didn't specify what kind of jutsu it was, but the sheer scale of its range had shocked Shikaku to his core.
In terms of coverage, Danzo alone exceeded the entire Hyuga Clan combined.
To put it in numbers:
Danzo's Byakugan detection range = 15× that of a normal Hyuga.
Total scouting area = 225× larger than a regular Hyuga's field of vision.
Despite his shock, Shikaku chose to believe Danzo after a moment of hesitation.
After all, Konoha's defeat would be disastrous for Danzo.
As the leader of the Militant Faction, a loss would severely damage his political standing.
Moreover, Danzo's loyalty to Konoha was undeniable.
He was ruthless, willing to use any means necessary, but he would never betray Konoha.
Finally, Danzo had claimed that this was a forbidden technique created by the Second Hokage himself—which made Shikaku even more inclined to believe him.
With this information in mind, Shikaku decisively revised Konoha's battle plans.
He chose the most complex terrain within Fire Country—a mountainous forest region riddled with underground caves.
This area was originally just rough, mountainous terrain.
However, after a legendary battle between the First Hokage and a powerful enemy, massive trees had taken root across the landscape.
The dense forests, rugged mountains, and intricate cave networks had fused into a single, treacherous battlefield.
In such a difficult environment, neither Iwagakure nor Kumogakure could march their armies in traditional formations.
Instead, they would be forced to split into smaller squads—engaging Konoha in fragmented skirmishes.
This was exactly what Danzo and Shikaku wanted.
With Danzo's full backing, Shikaku's strategic plan was swiftly approved.
Even Orochimaru, though visibly skeptical, chose not to object.
After all, in times of war, Danzo's authority as the leader of Konoha's military faction was nearly limitless.
Until the war was completely lost, his power remained absolute.
He had no need to explain himself.
Even if others didn't fully understand or agree with his decisions—
They only needed to obey.
Lord Danzo would lead them to victory.
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