Chapter 11: Conspiracy
"It's raining again, just like last time."
Yusuke silently noted as the fine drizzle soaked his cloak. This wasn't his first visit to the Land of Rain; he had been here on missions during previous conflicts.
Chakra flowed silently through Yusuke's body, forming a thin layer of fire-nature chakra across his skin. When raindrops touched this layer, they instantly evaporated—not through intense heat, but a subtle burn that left no steam. If it were high-temperature vaporization, Yusuke would be walking around like a steaming engine, drawing too much attention.
After the Konoha delegation arrived in the Land of Rain, it didn't take long for Hanzo the Salamander to personally welcome them. It was clear that Danzo and Hanzo had met before—they quickly engaged in familiar conversation. Among the group of drenched ninja, Yusuke stood out with his hair still perfectly intact, immediately catching Hanzo's eye. At the same time, Yusuke quietly observed the man known across the ninja world as the "Demi-God."
Hanzo's appearance gave off the vibe of a low-level villain: clad in a standard Amegakure uniform, with a short black cloak draped over his shoulders. His face was concealed behind a metallic gas mask that covered his mouth and cheeks, leaving only his eyes and nose visible. Long, dry blond hair flowed down his back, and his gaze was fierce and aggressive—clearly not someone to mess with. His weapon was equally odd: a scythe with a chain attached at the end, the other end tied to a counterweight.
Hanzo didn't wear the mask to protect himself from others' poison—quite the opposite. The mask was to prevent his own toxic breath from harming those around him.
In his hometown, there once lived a deadly black salamander. When the creature died, its poison sac was surgically implanted into young Hanzo's body, granting him a natural immunity to toxins. But it came with a price: with every breath he exhaled, toxic gas would leak out. This made others fearful of him. To avoid harming people unintentionally, Hanzo was forced to wear a gas mask and breathe through his mouth. Removing it gave him an edge in battle, but if the poison sac in his abdomen were to rupture, even he couldn't withstand its effects.
After the Konoha delegation was settled in their guest quarters, Danzo disappeared with Hanzo for a private discussion.
Yusuke had no interest in the confidential meeting between the two men with "Zō" in their names. He was only here as a formal envoy—tasked with witnessing the negotiations and reporting back to the Third Hokage.
Had Yusuke been one of the Third's trusted elites, he might've tried to uncover whether Danzo and Hanzo were up to some shady dealings. But he had no intention of doing any of that. Instead, he simply relaxed and conserved his energy, waiting for the official talks to begin.
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In Hanzo's private chamber, Danzo sat calmly on a chair, eyes closed as if meditating. Two Root operatives stood behind him, silent as statues. Opposite him sat Hanzo, looking visibly displeased.
"So this is the compensation Konoha is demanding? Savage," Hanzo sneered, flipping through a document. "With these terms, even five years from now Amegakure may not recover."
This document outlined the reparations demanded by Konoha—and clearly, Danzo had leaked the terms to Hanzo before any official negotiations.
Danzo remained still, eyes closed as he spoke in a calm tone. "I have the authority to make major concessions on those terms... but in exchange, you'll need to offer something else."
Hanzo didn't seem the least bit interested in the offer of concessions. Instead, he changed the subject.
"No need for concessions. Just help me with one thing, and I'll accept all of the terms."
Danzo's eyes snapped open, surprised. He knew how harsh the terms were. His original plan had been to trade away some of Konoha's interests, then negotiate secret compensation from Hanzo to benefit Root. Hanzo agreeing to the full terms outright caught him off guard.
"What kind of help are you asking for?" Danzo asked cautiously.
Hanzo leaned forward slightly. "Have you heard of a group called Akatsuki? They've been active near the Rain Village lately—spreading their ridiculous message of peace."
Danzo raised an eyebrow. "With your reputation as the 'Demi-God,' you can't handle a small-time group like that?"
Hanzo's tone turned grim. "Their leader is not ordinary. According to my intel, one of their core members possesses the legendary Rinnegan."
Danzo's composed expression cracked. Eyes wide, he exclaimed, "What?! You mean the so-called 'Eyes of the Sage'?"
Seeing the greed flash in Danzo's eyes, Hanzo smirked beneath his gas mask.
"That's right. The Rinnegan. A power of myth. I don't fully understand his capabilities yet, which is why I've avoided direct confrontation."
"But now, I've uncovered key details about their inner workings. With your help, I'm confident we can wipe them out. We'll split the eyes—one each. You'll win favor with the Hokage and boost your own position in the power struggle."
Hanzo was sure Danzo wouldn't refuse such an offer.
Danzo nodded slowly but frowned. "I'll go along with this... but are you really sure we can take down someone with the Rinnegan?"
Hanzo gave a sinister chuckle. "To be honest, not in a head-on fight. But I've found their weakness. If your men cooperate, our success is all but guaranteed."
Danzo's voice turned serious. "Then I'll remain in the village for a few more days to coordinate. But I want to be fully informed of every detail. I won't be used as a pawn."
"Of course," Hanzo said. "Your Root agents excel in infiltration. I need them to slip into the enemy organization and capture a key figure. With that person in our hands, even the Rinnegan bearer will be forced to surrender."
Danzo gave a curt nod. "Very well. Notify me when it's time to act."
"By the way, there was an interesting ninja in your group today," said Hanzō, recalling the moment he welcomed Danzō and noticed Yūsuke. "It looked like even raindrops couldn't get near him. He seems quite skilled."
Danzō snorted. "That guy was sent by the Third to keep an eye on me. Don't count on him for our plans. You've probably heard of him—he's known as the 'Blazing Blade,' Uchiha Yūsuke."
Realizing Yūsuke's identity, Hanzō simply nodded and didn't press further. He had initially thought Yūsuke was a member of Danzō's elite Root organization and considered recruiting him for their plans. But now that he knew the man wasn't under Danzō's command, there was no point in pursuing the idea.
Unaware of the secret conspiracy being plotted by Hanzō and Danzō against the Akatsuki, Yūsuke took part in the official negotiations between Konoha and Amegakure the next day. Though the discussions were painfully dull, something about them made Yūsuke uneasy.
Despite the usual back-and-forth bargaining, the Rain ninja ended up conceding on every single point—an incredibly unusual outcome. After all, Hanzō was not known as a weak or submissive leader. Even as a defeated force, Amegakure shouldn't have been so quick to yield.
"Danzō and Hanzō must have struck some secret deal," Yūsuke thought, furrowing his brow. But despite his suspicions, he had no idea what kind of shady agreement the two had reached.
Once the negotiations were concluded and both sides signed the peace agreement, Konoha's mission to secure reparations from Amegakure was effectively complete.
Back at their lodgings, Yūsuke approached Danzō. "Danzō-sama, with the mission complete, when will the envoy return to Konoha?"
"I'll be staying a few more days," Danzō replied curtly, glancing at Yūsuke.
"May I ask why?" Yūsuke pressed.
Danzō flung his sleeve and scoffed. "I'm the envoy leader. I have no obligation to explain myself to you." With that, he turned and walked away, followed closely by two of his most trusted subordinates. One of them was Yamanaka Rei, who had once attempted a sneak attack on Yūsuke and ended up humiliated.
Watching them leave, Yūsuke frowned, deep in thought.
The timing of all this was significant. The election for the Fourth Hokage was reaching a critical phase, and Danzō, as Orochimaru's backer, had been busy rallying support within the village. The Third Hokage's decision to send Danzō to Amegakure at such a crucial moment could very well have been a strategic move to disrupt his plans and slow Orochimaru's campaign.
Under normal circumstances, Danzō would've returned immediately after finishing the talks. The fact that he chose to remain could only mean one thing—whatever he was planning in Amegakure was even more important than getting Orochimaru elected.
Over the next few days, Yūsuke kept a close watch on Danzō, shadowing him in secret. However, as expected from the leader of Konoha's top espionage unit, Danzō's security was airtight. Yūsuke couldn't get close and was nearly discovered on multiple occasions by Root's surveillance ninjas.
"Danzō-sama, it seems like we've been followed these past few days," said Yamanaka Rei respectfully. "I've ordered our scouts to stay alert, but we haven't been able to catch the tail."
"It's probably not Hanzō's men," Danzō replied coolly. "Most likely it's Uchiha Yūsuke snooping around. Sarutobi sure knows how to be a nuisance." He snorted again and then added, "Ignore him for now. How are our preparations coming along?"
"We're just about ready," Rei reported. "We've already secured a few members within Akatsuki. Once the plan starts, they'll cooperate with us to ensure the target is captured."
"Excellent. Hanzō has already arranged a meeting with Akatsuki's leader," said Danzō, voice calm but trembling slightly with excitement. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I must obtain the Rinnegan—only I am worthy of wielding the legendary 'Eyes of the Sage.'"
"But if the one following us really is Yūsuke, won't he try to interfere or sabotage our plan?" Rei asked, visibly concerned.
While Rei didn't think Yūsuke posed a real threat to their operation, she still harbored deep resentment toward the man who had publicly humiliated her. If Danzō could take him out, all the better.
"He's alone and deep in enemy territory. He won't be able to stir up much trouble," Danzō said with a dismissive wave. "Once I have the Rinnegan, he'll be the first to die."
Three days later, Yūsuke noticed Root operatives suddenly mobilizing in large numbers. Realizing something big was about to happen, he trailed them from a safe distance. Danzō himself had joined the operation, this time dressed not in his usual half-black, half-white robes, but in a standard Konoha ninja uniform—clearly indicating he was prepared to take action personally.
Meanwhile, deep within a valley in the Land of Rain, Hanzō met face-to-face with the Akatsuki's leader, Yahiko. Standing beside Yahiko were Nagato and Konan, with other Akatsuki members lined up behind them.
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