Seeing the aggrieved look on Orochimaru's face, Zeldris could barely contain the smile tugging at his lips.
He had never seen such an expression on Orochimaru before.
The great Orochimaru—one of the legendary Sannin, a cunning manipulator and schemer—reduced to this? Defeated in negotiation?
The thought alone made Zeldris chuckle inwardly.
A twisted grin formed on his face as he looked Orochimaru in the eye and said, "As expected of Orochimaru-san, the scientist of the shinobi world. Truly decisive! Looks like 500 million is still within your tolerance."
Of course, Zeldris knew Orochimaru didn't have that kind of money.
All of his research was bankrolled by none other than Danzo Shimura—Konoha's infamous backroom operator, often blamed for everything that went wrong.
The reason Danzo tolerated Orochimaru's madness was simple: Orochimaru always delivered.
That's why the two had such a long-standing, secretive partnership.
This outrageous price tag? Just bait to squeeze more out of that sly old fox, Danzo.
Zeldris could already imagine Orochimaru crawling back to beg for more funds. Just picturing Danzo's reaction made him grin ear to ear.
While Zeldris was still enjoying the thought, Orochimaru finally spoke.
"There is... one more thing I need your help with, Zeldris-san."
Orochimaru tried to force a polite smile, but the thought of forking over 500 million made it twitch into a grimace.
Zeldris arched a brow in curiosity. Another thing?
Before he could ask, Orochimaru's expression shifted, a cold glint flashing through his eyes.
"It's about the Fourth Kazekage," Orochimaru said. "After the attack on Konoha, I need your assistance... to eliminate him."
Zeldris's eyes widened slightly in amusement.
Ah, there it is.
Trust Orochimaru to follow up extortion with betrayal.
Rasa really was too trusting. Didn't he realize who he was dealing with?
In the original timeline, Orochimaru ambushed and killed Rasa without batting an eye. Clearly, history was about to repeat itself.
"You're asking me to help kill your ally?" Zeldris said, a teasing tone in his voice. "You and Rasa aren't exactly enemies. Or wait... you two teamed up to scam me, didn't you?"
The smile faded from Orochimaru's face, replaced by slight panic.
"No, no, Zeldris-san. Don't misunderstand," Orochimaru said quickly, his voice tight. "I'm only interested in Rasa's Kekkei Genkai. His Magnetic Release... it's quite rare, and I need it for my research."
More like you need his gold dust to pay me back, Zeldris thought with a scoff.
Orochimaru could feel Zeldris's gaze drilling into him, that smile turning ever so slightly cruel.
If not for the fact that he still needed Zeldris's cooperation, Orochimaru would've attacked him already. But no—timing was everything.
Once Rasa was out of the way, he'd have access to more funding and resources.
And then… perhaps Zeldris would be next.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed for a moment. He couldn't deny it—he was interested in Zeldris. Not in alliance, but as a potential vessel. A new container.
This white-haired enigma intrigued him. And Orochimaru always took what intrigued him.
But now wasn't the time.
Just as his thoughts spiraled darker, Zeldris spoke again, his voice suddenly icy.
"That's good to hear," Zeldris said softly. "Because if I ever find out you tried anything funny…"
His eyes sharpened, and for a split second, Orochimaru felt like he was standing at the edge of a cliff in a storm.
A chill ran down his spine.
This pressure…
Then, just as quickly as it came, the moment passed.
Zeldris smiled again, light and carefree.
"You really need my help with someone like the Fourth Kazekage, Orochimaru-san? I thought that would be child's play for someone like you."
Orochimaru paused. "It's best to eliminate obstacles quickly. With your help, it'll be done in an instant."
So cautious, Zeldris thought, amused. Still hiding cards after all these years.
He gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
Orochimaru continued, "Two days from now. Be ready."
He flashed that snake-like grin, then vanished with a shimmer of chakra.
Zeldris stood still, gazing in the direction Orochimaru had disappeared. His expression was unreadable.
Two days, huh?
A smile crept back onto his lips.
"Time to have some fun."
Just then, a presence approached, snapping him from his thoughts.
Itachi Uchiha walked toward him, quiet and composed as ever. In his hands was a large wooden box.
He stopped in front of Zeldris and said flatly, "The mission is complete. Your commission."
"If there's nothing else, I'll be resting."
Zeldris gave him a nod. "Thanks for your work, Itachi."
Itachi turned to leave without another word.
Zeldris watched him go, brow slightly furrowed.
He's changed lately, Zeldris mused. Not as guarded. He used to watch me like a hawk.
Was Itachi starting to trust him? Or was he just more at ease now?
It felt… strange.
Maybe I've been idle too long. I'm starting to imagine things.
With that thought, a mischievous smile crossed Zeldris's lips.
Time to tease him next time. Let's see how much that "calm" mask holds up.
Zeldris coughed lightly and said in a calm, almost casual tone:
"Oh, by the way, Itachi."
"I've taken on a new mission."
The words hung in the air.
Uchiha Itachi paused mid-step. His expression didn't change, but his eyes flicked toward Zeldris, a hint of curiosity surfacing.
Zeldris didn't look back. He stood still, hands in his pockets, before speaking again.
"This time, I plan to take action myself."
"?!"
Itachi's pupils shrank slightly.
He's going himself?
Over the past few months, Itachi had grown familiar with Zeldris's habits. He didn't move unless the mission was serious. If Zeldris was stepping in personally...
The implications were heavy.
Despite the tension tightening in his chest, Itachi kept his voice steady.
"What's the mission? Do you want me to come along?"
Zeldris finally turned his head, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips as he raised an eyebrow.
"I'm going to destroy Konoha. Want to come?"
"?!"
Itachi's calm cracked.
His breath caught for the briefest second. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly.
Destroy Konoha? Now?!
The suddenness of it left him momentarily speechless. He had assumed Orochimaru was still biding his time, waiting for the right moment to strike. And yet—
This was it?
His mind spun. The past few months had been quiet—too quiet. Zeldris's usual calm had lulled him into lowering his guard. But now, this?
He couldn't hide the flicker of emotion that crossed his eyes.
Zeldris noticed, of course. The faintest smile curled his lips.
So he still cares about Konoha.
Just mentioning it makes his heartbeat waver.
He tilted his chin slightly, mocking, amused.
"What's wrong, Itachi?"
"Afraid?"
"You had no problem annihilating the Uchiha clan... but now you hesitate at destroying a village?"
He chuckled darkly, voice low and confident.
"Don't worry. I'm going too. Nothing will go wrong."
"Come. Let's give them a taste of real fear."
"…"
Itachi's mind went blank for a moment.
Had Orochimaru already contacted Zeldris?
Why was this attack happening so suddenly?
No time to dwell on it. He needed to pass this intel to the Third Hokage as soon as possible. Any delay could be fatal.
But then, he realized—Zeldris was watching him closely.
Too closely.
Itachi froze.
Was this… a test?
Is he trying to see if I'll slip up? After all this time… does he still doubt me?
Realizing this, Itachi quickly adjusted. He lowered his gaze slightly, concealing his reaction, and within a second, his usual cold, unreadable expression returned.
Then, he spoke with flat indifference:
"Is that so? What's the exact timing?"
"It's not just the two of us and Orochimaru, is it?"
Zeldris watched him silently.
The shift was impressive.
Heh. As expected from Itachi.
He's practically an actor. That emotional control is insane.
Not even a ripple in his tone. Faster than the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God.
Zeldris knew exactly what Itachi was trying to do.
Trying to probe me now, huh? Trying to sniff out the real plan?
He almost laughed.
Then let's play. Let's see who's better at acting.
With a calm expression and no hesitation, Zeldris replied:
"The operation's set for two days from now. Just me and Orochimaru. But if you're interested… we can make it three."
His voice, tone, and posture didn't falter for even a second.
Not a hint of deceit.
Even Itachi, who'd been watching carefully, was momentarily caught off guard.
No hesitation. No trace of a lie.
It looked completely genuine.
So… that's really it?
Just the three of us?
If that was the case, the scale couldn't be too big.
As long as I keep my cover, I can sabotage it if needed. And if Zeldris doesn't notice… even better.
But wait.
Only three people…?
Could this be… about the Jinchūriki?
Realization struck like a lightning bolt.
That bastard Orochimaru… is he after the Nine-Tails?!
Itachi's expression didn't change, but his heart beat faster.
After a pause, he simply nodded.
"Understood."
Zeldris smiled faintly, watching the back of the man walking away without another word.
You'll be shocked when the time comes… Itachi.
Meanwhile, in Sunagakure, Land of Wind—
The Village Hidden in the Sand was slowly returning to normal after Zeldris's last attack. Though they had recovered structurally, the memory of that night was burned into the minds of everyone.
Gaara—the One-Tailed Jinchūriki—was still missing.
The scars were deep, even if invisible.
But now, under direct orders from the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, the village was preparing for war.
Everyone already knew.
Sunagakure was about to march on Konoha.
This battle would determine not only the outcome of a single conflict, but the future of Sunagakure itself.
Every ninja in the village understood the weight of what was coming. Though tension ran deep and anxiety crept into their hearts, they continued their preparations with unwavering focus. No one dared slack off.
"Do you think Lord Kazekage is truly confident about attacking Konoha this time?" someone asked in a low voice.
"Of course," another replied firmly. "He's the Fourth Kazekage! We have to trust him."
"Yeah… that's right."
The murmurs passed through the ranks, an attempt to soothe the growing pressure in their chests.
Suddenly, the doors to the Kazekage's office swung open with urgency.
"Kazekage-sama!" a Sunagakure ninja reported with a bow. "Preparations are complete. We await your command!"
Rasa stood from his desk in a swift motion. A glint of sharp anticipation flickered in his eyes.
"The day has finally come..." he muttered to himself, his voice cold and resolute. "Relay the orders. Prepare for deployment."
"Yes, Lord Kazekage!" the ninja responded before quickly exiting.
Rasa's hands clenched into fists as he stood still for a moment, savoring the weight of the moment. His heart was racing—not out of fear, but from the sheer anticipation that had been building up for years.
That night—when he came.
Zeldris.
That monstrous intruder had singlehandedly torn through Sunagakure's defenses like paper. Not only had their strongest weapon, Gaara—the One-Tail Jinchūriki—been captured, but their pride had been shattered. The village had been brought to its knees.
For a time, Sunagakure had teetered on the brink of collapse. Whispers had even begun circulating that they might lose their place among the Five Great Nations.
But Rasa refused to let that happen.
When he later discovered that the infamous attack had been the work of a rogue Konoha shinobi, his rage focused. He began quietly rebuilding Sunagakure's strength and plotting his revenge. And then, not long ago, a visitor arrived—one with silver hair, a snake-like smile, and eyes filled with ambition: Orochimaru.
The moment their eyes met, Rasa knew they shared a common goal.
In the past, he might have hesitated to move against a giant like Konoha. But now? The once-mighty Uchiha clan was no more. Konoha's internal power had splintered. Their defenses were weakened.
This was the moment he'd been waiting for.
With Orochimaru by his side and the element of surprise on his side, he believed this operation could succeed.
If it did, Sunagakure wouldn't just recover its reputation—it would surpass every other village and take its place at the top.
Rasa smirked to himself, eyes gleaming with conviction.
"Konoha's fall is inevitable," he whispered. "And Sunagakure's rise… begins now."
Just then, another ninja burst into the room, eyes bright with anticipation.
"Kazekage-sama! Is it time to move out?"
Pulled from his thoughts, Rasa took a steady breath and nodded. Though he tried to maintain a calm exterior, excitement surged through him like a storm.
"Good," he said, voice low but commanding. "Give the order."
He stepped forward, cloak flowing behind him, and raised his hand toward the east.
"Head for Konoha!"
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