Naruto: The Wind Calamity

The Konoha side prepared themselves. As they expected, Sunagakure would fight tooth and nail to ensure that Konoha wouldn't have a say in who became their Kazekage.

Arisa said, "We can't give you a say in who becomes our leader. It's a strict no for us. However, we understand the points Suzuki Fujin made yesterday. As such, we want to offer you something that will be even more beneficial for Konoha."

Homura asked, "What is it?"

Arisa replied, "In exchange for giving up on this demand, we will not only give you our knowledge on puppetry techniques, as you want, but we will also give you Elder Chiyo's research in this area."

——

With the help of a Yamanaka ninja, Shikaku used a Chakra Transmission Communication device to contact Fujin's army. To his surprise, the one talking was Renjiro and not Fujin. He thought, 'On one hand, it's a relief that I don't have to convince him. On the other hand, the fact that he isn't communicating despite having such critical information is worrisome. I hope he isn't acting independently right now…'

From the perspective of others on the council, Fujin wouldn't make such a bold move as it would hurt his prospects of becoming a Hokage. They were only worried due to Fujin's youth and relative inexperience. However, Shikaku understood very well that Fujin didn't have much interest in taking such a troublesome responsibility. So, he was far more worried. Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do to stop Fujin from such a long distance away.

He explained his reservations to Renjiro and told him not to make a move as of now. In the end, he said, "For now, let's wait for the negotiations to end. If they are successful, we'll give up on this opportunity since we'll gain a lot anyway."

However, if they are still incomplete, I'll discuss the matter with others in the council to make a decision. Most likely, Fujin will have to make a move during the night to eliminate most, if not all of the squads Takahiro marked. In the meantime, have a few Yamanaka ninjas read the memories of the dead ninjas to ensure that Takahiro's information is accurate and that this isn't a trap. Also, ensure that Fujin doesn't make a move until we give orders."

He began walking back to the main tent while thinking, 'As I suspected, the village is still against starting a war impulsively. If Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade had returned and Lord Third and Kakashi had healed, the situation could have been different. However, right now…'

Renjiro sighed and wondered, 'Now, how do I convince Fujin? He has become way too adventurous in the last few weeks. Sigh, I hope he hasn't already snuck some clones out…'

Returning to the main tent, Renjiro informed the rest about Shikaku's decision. Once he was done, everyone looked at Fujin, wondering what he'd do. The senior ninjas were slightly nervous. However, Fujin's response would stun every one of them!

——

In Land of Hot Water, Orochimaru reappeared in his base and saw Jugo weaving hand seals once again. He dropped to the ground and rested against the wall while breathing roughly. He muttered, "That's enough. You can stop now. I have broken the contract."

Jugo stopped weaving hand seals, but he couldn't believe his ears. He wasn't the only one. The remaining subordinates of Orochimaru in the base were shocked to their core!

For decades, Orochimaru's name had been intertwined with the snakes of Ryuchi Cave. Their raw power and cunning had been one of his greatest weapons, carving a bloody legacy through countless battlefields. Alongside the other Sannin, his snake summons had toppled armies, striking terror into all who opposed him.

The two were so closely intertwined that the thought of them breaking the contract was unthinkable. Yet, the unthinkable had happened! Serving the contract was a massive loss to Orochimaru's prowess. It was also a blow to his identity as a shinobi.

What also surprised his subordinates was the state he was in. The image he projected at that moment was far from the cruel, imposing and infallible image he created. The aftermath of the brutal battle was visible on his body. He looked completely drained of chakra. His face had been badly damaged by Tsunade. Even though Orochimaru expertly dodged the massive snakes, the White Snake Sage inflicted several injuries on his body. His left arm looked ruined and several massive cuts were visible on his remaining body. Despite being immune to most poisons, some parts of Orochimaru's body had turned purple, showing that Ryuchi Cave's knowledge of poisons exceeded that of Orochimaru!

Apart from Jugo, none of his subordinates had ever seen him in such a terrible state. Jugo thought, 'This is unbelievable… I didn't think I'd see him in such a state once again in just a month! Even though he isn't as injured this time, I can feel that he is losing his spirit…'

Orochimaru finally opened his eyes and noticed how his subordinates were looking at him. He was immediately infuriated. Unfortunately, he didn't have the energy to do much.

Breathing heavily, he thought, 'I can't sustain this body for much longer… Though I want to take Sasuke's body next, my body will collapse far before he is brought to me. Not to mention, I don't have many capable subordinates left…

Anbu watches over the new Uchiha Compound at all times. And, whenever Sasuke isn't there, he will be around Kakashi. Konoha might even provide him additional security since they know my intentions for him. If true, none of my current subordinates could kidnap him from Konoha even if he comes along willingly.'

As he rested, Orochimaru quickly analyzed his possible options. In the end, he sighed and decided, 'I have no choice. I have to get a new body now. Sasuke can wait.'

——

To the surprise of Renjiro and others, Fujin casually nodded and said, "Hmm, I thought as much. I doubt Sunagakure will give up this last opportunity to survive."

Needless to say, none of them expected Fujin to back down. On the contrary, they expected him to actively create more openings to exploit. Their surprise immediately changed to suspicion. Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "What? Did you see a ghost or something? Or did you want to disobey a direct command from the village?"

Hoka wondered, 'That's it? No, this isn't how he operates.'

Illumi thought, 'That is logical. However, something feels off…'

Konomi didn't buy Fujin's act and concluded, 'He must have done something secretly! There's no way he would give up on such a good opportunity!'

Renjiro sighed internally, wondering, 'What did he do this time? I should have let him keep his cautious, non-confrontational nature instead of changing it and making him fight enemies head-on…'

——

Homura and Koharu glanced at each other. Both found the offer very tempting. The benefits of getting access to Chiyo's knowledge were far more tangible than having a say in who the Kazekage would be. After all, Sunagakure could just terminate the deal if they gained enough strength, but the knowledge would forever remain with Konoha.

They were about to agree when Hiromasa suddenly said, "Hmm, this proposal is good. We don't have any issue accepting it. However, it's for the good of Sunagakure that I hope you'll give Konoha the veto power."

Hiromasa's words surprised everyone. In a moment, everyone glanced at him. Homura and Koharu wondered, 'What in the…? What is he doing?'

Meanwhile, the Sunagakure side wondered, 'For our good? How is it in our interest for Konoha to have such a power over us?'

Had it been anyone else, they would have rejected it right away. After all, the deal was nearly done. They could see that others were on board. However, the one speaking was the clan leader of the legendary Senju clan! Hence, Yura and Arisa decided to see what he was talking about.

Yura asked, "What do you mean?"

Hiromasa sighed and said, "I know you have your doubts. But believe me, if you know what I do, you would agree without a second's hesitation."

The Sunagakure ninjas frowned. It didn't sound like Hiromasa was lying. However, they couldn't make such a huge decision by trusting the words of their enemy. Even so, they hesitated. Arisa realized, 'The key here is the information he knows. It's likely he wants to give that information to make us agree to this. In a way, he's selling information to us for these rights.'

She quickly analyzed before concluding, 'If this information is truly that important, then agreeing here wouldn't be a loss. Luckily, we still haven't reached our bottom line. I can link their veto with Wind Daimyo and it'll still be acceptable for Sunagakure. The only question is, is that information worth such a price?'

Arisa calmed down and asked, "What is the information?"

[A/N: Next chapter: Battling 7 rank S ninjas!]

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