"What do you want me to help you with?" Uchiha Chizuru asked.
"It's very simple. I want you to help me deal with someone," Chao Yanqian said. "You don't need to kill him or capture him. You just need to force him to use his full strength and retreat. I believe that, as an elite of the Uchiha clan, this should be easy for you."
"Oh? Who is it?" Uchiha Chizuru asked suspiciously.
Chao Yanqian's request sounded simple just force someone to show their full strength. But the simpler it sounded, the more wary Uchiha Chizuru became. If it were truly that simple, why would Chao Yanqian offer the secret to unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan in exchange?
"The Scorpion of the Red Sand," Chao Yanqian replied.
"The genius puppeteer from Sunagakure? The Scorpion of the Red Sand?" Uchiha Chizuru clearly recognized the name and immediately asked doubtfully, "Do you have some sort of grudge against the Scorpion of the Red Sand?"
"No," Chao Yanqian replied. "As long as you help me force him to use his full strength, I will tell you the secret of unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan. It should be easy for you. This is a win-win situation!"
"If there's no grudge between you and Sasori of the Red Sand, then why do you want to deal with him?" Uchiha Chizuru frowned.
"I have my reasons. You don't need to worry about that," Chao Yanqian said.
"Do you need me to kill him?" Uchiha Chizuru asked.
"You must not kill him," Chao Yanqian said in a deep voice. "You only need to force him to retreat at full power and make sure I'm safe during the retreat. Once it's done, I'll tell you the secret to unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Sasori had already become a rogue ninja from Sunagakure. Whether he lived or died didn't matter much. What mattered was the evidence of his assassination of the Third Kazekage, which had thrown Sunagakure into political turmoil.
If Chao Yanqian really killed Sasori, Chiyo the old woman of the Sand might come after him with everything she had.
"I can agree to this," Uchiha Chizuru said after a moment of thought. "But you must first tell me how to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"That won't work," Chao Yanqian refused, shaking his head. "Your strength is too great. If I tell you how to awaken it now, what if you go back on your word?"
"Then how do I know the method you're offering actually works?" Uchiha Chizuru asked rhetorically.
Chao Yanqian smiled. "The method I offer may not guarantee awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan. Besides the method, you also need the right conditions. But this method was hypothesized by the Second Hokage himself. Surely you trust in his research. As for my trustworthiness, after our last collaboration, you should have an idea. Who knows? We might even collaborate more in the future. So, what do you say?"
It was undeniable that every Uchiha was obsessed with the power of the Mangekyō. Once, Uchiha Madara had used its power to rival Senju Hashirama and, together, they founded Konohagakure.
Though Madara lost to Hashirama at the Valley of the End, Hashirama also died not long after returning to the village. Clearly, both men were gravely injured in that battle.
But Madara's methods had far surpassed Hashirama's expectations. The battle at the Valley of the End was merely part of his grander plan to obtain the First Hokage's power. And in the end, Madara succeeded.
Other than Madara, and the mysterious force manipulating from the shadows, this secret was currently known only to Asakura.
The Uchiha clan had long been marginalized by the village's leadership. Squeezed out of the political center, they were now desperate to regain their lost glory especially the glory they once held during the Warring States Period.
If Uchiha Chizuru could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, his status within the clan would soar. He might even become the next leader of the Uchiha.
Tsunina was certain ,Uchiha Chizuru could not refuse this offer.
"Hmph. Now that we're far from the Konoha camp, aren't you afraid I'll just capture you and force you to reveal the secret?" Uchiha Chizuru asked coldly.
"Haha! If you still have any reason left, you won't try something that foolish." A mocking smile appeared on Chao Yanqian's lips. "Plenty of people saw us leave the camp together. If something happens to me, do you think the village will let you go? Besides, even if I'm not your match now, I wouldn't go down without a fight."
"Fine. I agree to your terms," Uchiha Chizuru finally said.
He couldn't resist the temptation of the Mangekyō Sharingan. Even if there was only a sliver of hope, he would take the chance.
Besides, Chao Yanqian's request was simple: just force Sasori to use his full strength. That was not a problem for someone like Uchiha Chizuru.
"Excellent. Then let's have a pleasant cooperation," Chao Yanqian said with excitement.
"You better not be lying to me," Uchiha Chizuru warned coldly. "Or I'll make sure you die in agony."
"Of course not. A powerful partner like you is exactly what I've been hoping for," Chao Yanqian replied with a smile.
"Hmph." Uchiha Chizuru snorted. "Do you have Sasori's whereabouts?"
"Of course!" Chao Yanqian answered. "Tomorrow, I'll speak with Lord Orochimaru. He'll assign the two of us to a joint mission. That's when we'll make our move."
"You can convince Lord Orochimaru?" Uchiha Chizuru raised an eyebrow.
Chao Yanqian chuckled, then added, "It's not persuasion it's cooperation."
"Cooperation? Between you and Lord Orochimaru?" Uchiha Chizuru was visibly shocked.
"Don't underestimate me," Chao Yanqian said with a mysterious smile. "Strength isn't everything. Some things can only be done through cunning. Just like now you're stronger than me, yet you're still listening to my plan."
"Watch it, brat. Don't get too cocky," Uchiha Chizuru growled.
Though he was eager about the cooperation, being manipulated by a younger ninja still irritated him deeply.
He had once stood on the battlefield against Sunagakure. And now, he was being asked to help someone deal with Sasori. While he stood to gain something significant, being used as a tool still left a bitter taste in his mouth.