The Next Morning
The black market had just posted a bounty on surviving Uchiha.
Naturally, Orochimaru appeared almost immediately.
He went to an intelligence broker to purchase information about the Land of Whirlpools—but to his mild surprise, someone else was already there.
Sasori.
The moment Sasori sensed Orochimaru's chakra, he turned around slowly. His eyes narrowed.
So much for secretly gathering Sharingan intel.
The air instantly became awkward.
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"Well, well… Sasori. I didn't expect you here. Surely you're not buying information about the Land of Whirlpools? I thought Sharingan held little value to an 'artist' like you."
The mockery was obvious.
Sasori's expression darkened. Behind him, the puppet Hiruko shifted slightly, ready to attack.
The intelligence broker nearly pissed himself.
"S-Sirs! Esteemed ninja-sama! The information is free! Please, take it! Just don't fight here!"
Normally, no intelligence dealer would give anything away for free.
But one was a former Sannin of Konoha.
The other was a puppet monster who turned people into collectibles.
He had no desire to die as collateral damage.
Orochimaru chuckled.
"I am a man of principles," he said smoothly, placing money on the table. "Please count it."
The broker reached for the cash—
A split second later, a hidden blade pierced straight through his heart.
He collapsed.
"Why… kill me…? I didn't—"
Dead.
Sasori withdrew the blade calmly.
"I dislike loose ends."
Then he looked at Orochimaru.
"I don't want to continue partnering with you. But regarding the Land of Whirlpools—we seem to share interests. Let's go together."
Orochimaru tilted his head.
"How refreshing. Cooperation."
He paused, then added thoughtfully:
"Have you considered this might be a trap set by Zetsu? Why inform all of us about the Uchiha remnants? Out of kindness?"
Sasori snorted.
"Of course it's a trap. We're being used. But tell me—if there's proof an Uchiha with a Sharingan is there… can you resist?"
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed.
Yesterday, he had only mild curiosity.
But then he received intelligence from Danzō Shimura.
Among the Uchiha who fled Konoha—
Shisui Uchiha was there.
A Mangekyō Sharingan wielder.
And attacking Shisui wouldn't violate Akatsuki's internal rules.
Now that was worth the risk.
Orochimaru smiled.
"No. I suppose I can't resist."
A Few Hours Later
After Orochimaru and Sasori left, another familiar figure arrived at the black market ruins.
Jiraiya.
He had been searching for Naruto for months, using black market channels.
Nothing.
So he left the Land of Fire to expand his search abroad.
And the first thing he heard upon arrival?
The black market hub had been destroyed.
By Orochimaru.
Jiraiya sighed deeply.
"I'm trying to find my idiot godson… and instead I get news about that snake."
His day just got more complicated.
Back in the Land of Whirlpools
Zabuza Momochi and Mangetsu Hōzuki had been imprisoned for half a month.
Finally, Naruto came to see them.
When they saw him, both men frowned.
In their eyes, Naruto was hiding his identity deliberately.
He had crushed them effortlessly.
He commanded Shisui Uchiha.
Someone like that had to be high-ranking in Konoha.
Yet he refused to show his true face.
Naruto stepped forward and casually loosened part of their seals.
Zabuza immediately barked:
"If you're going to kill me, do it! A proud warrior of Kirigakure does not surrender to Konoha!"
Naruto blinked.
"If you wanted to die that badly, you could've killed yourself before I captured you."
He smirked.
"And who told you we're Konoha ninja? This is the Land of Whirlpools."
Zabuza frowned.
"You're not from Konoha?"
Mangetsu narrowed his eyes.
"Wait… are the rumors true? Did the Uchiha defect from Konoha?"
Zabuza scoffed.
"You believe that nonsense?"
Mangetsu shook his head slightly.
"I don't believe enemies easily. But if Konoha possessed a sealing expert this powerful, the Fourth Hokage wouldn't have died during the Nine-Tails attack. Nor would they have struggled with Kumogakure."
Zabuza went silent.
That made sense.
If Naruto were Konoha's, he'd be in ANBU—not building something in the ruins of Uzushiogakure.
But if he wasn't Konoha…
Then this was even more terrifying.
Someone daring enough to shelter Uchiha and openly offend the strongest ninja village?
That required either insane confidence—or insanity.
After thinking, Mangetsu looked at Naruto.
"If you're not Konoha ninja, why attack us? We have no grievance with you. Is it because you're sheltering the Uchiha?"
He added carefully:
"We can keep your secret. We won't reveal it."
Shisui's expression turned… complicated.
Naruto laughed.
"Killing you would also keep it secret."
Mangetsu sighed softly.
"If you truly intended to kill us, we'd already be dead. You kept us alive for a reason."
Naruto nodded.
"You're smarter than the loud one."
Zabuza's eyebrow twitched.
"I'm just more straightforward."
Mangetsu continued calmly:
"State your conditions. As long as it doesn't require betraying Kirigakure, we can consider it."
Naruto tapped the table lightly.
"Before conditions… I want to know something."
His gaze sharpened.
"Why were you planning to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage?"
The room fell silent.
Zabuza and Mangetsu exchanged looks.
Their secret… exposed just like that?
Then they glanced at Shisui.
A master of genjutsu.
If their memories had been searched, resisting would've been pointless.
Still, one question lingered in their minds.
Why ask?
Was this man planning to strike Kirigakure himself?
They wanted to overthrow the Mizukage.
But they still cared about their village.
If they didn't, they would've simply defected and become missing-nin.
Instead, they chose the far more dangerous path—
Killing their own Kage to save Kirigakure from rotting further.
Now the real negotiation was about to begin.
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