"How does the chakra consumption feel?"
Inside the temporarily set-up lab, Orochimaru was asking Nagato about his experience.
"It's better than before, but the chakra drain is still quite high."
Nagato gave an honest report of how he felt.
The artificial eye Orochimaru had implanted was certainly useful—it allowed him to freely unleash all five elemental jutsu—but it consumed nearly double the chakra compared to using hand seals.
"I see. So it has this kind of drawback... is it due to a low compatibility with the host?"
Orochimaru scribbled notes into his notebook, then busied himself again with his own work.
Nagato and the others were long used to Orochimaru's eccentric ways, so they didn't interrupt, instead standing quietly to the side, waiting for instructions.
"Oh, Nagato, you're here again for an eye check?"
At that moment, Hiruko walked into the lab. Upon seeing the three of them, he greeted them casually.
Before Nagato could respond, Hiruko, just like Orochimaru, quickly became absorbed in his work.
"Seems like only you can use that eye. The rest of us don't have the chakra reserves for it."
Watching the two of them busying away, Yahiko chuckled and draped an arm over Nagato's shoulder teasingly.
"Yeah. Besides the five elements, every time I use Storm Release, it also eats up a huge amount of chakra."
Nagato nodded earnestly. Ever since his battle with the unknown Uchiha, he tried to avoid using the eye unless Orochimaru specifically requested it.
The chakra cost alone was enough to give him a headache.
"Speaking of which, where should we go for dinner tonight after all this?"
Yahiko grinned and started thinking about what they should eat later.
"I heard Obito is coming back from the border in the next few days. Should we invite him to join us?"
Konan suddenly suggested.
"Oh? Then how about we ask Jiraiya-sensei to come too? And Takeshi should also be returning from the border, right?"
Yahiko loved lively scenes like that and immediately agreed to Konan's proposal.
"The border, huh... I wonder how Kyōsuke and the others are doing."
Hearing them mention the border, Nagato suddenly thought of their comrades still in the Land of Rain.
"Kyōsuke? He sent me a letter a while ago. Said the mysterious forces of Amegakure have stopped pursuing them."
Yahiko's face darkened as he recalled the comrades who had died at the hands of the enemy.
"Once Nagato's eye is fully adjusted, let's go bid farewell to Jiraiya-sensei."
Konan, sensing Yahiko's mood, spoke up on his behalf.
"Yeah, let's do that."
Yahiko nodded. Just then, Orochimaru had finished compiling the necessary data. He waved Nagato over, then directly reached out to remove the artificial eye, placing it on the experimental table for further tweaking.
"Hiss... No matter how many times I see it, it always makes my eyes hurt."
Watching Orochimaru's practiced movements, Konan instinctively covered her eyes, as if she were the one having them removed.
"Same here."
Yahiko quietly covered his own eyes as well.
...
Elsewhere, after peacefully negotiating with the Nine-Tails alongside Kushina, Takeshi left Minato's house and headed home.
His late-night Wind Release training session with Danzō had left him with a lingering psychological scar. Ignoring Kushina's attempts to get him to stay, Takeshi insisted on going home to face his father.
As soon as he walked in, he spotted Uchiha Shisui in the front yard, installing electric wiring.
"Ahem, hey Shisui, working hard?"
He greeted him casually but didn't linger, quickly striding into the house.
Just as he had predicted, Danzō had already received word of his return. At that moment, he was sitting in the living room, waiting for Takeshi.
"Back already?"
Glancing at him, Danzō looked quite satisfied, though his tone remained cold.
"Yes, I'm back."
Takeshi nodded dutifully.
"Then go get ready for dinner."
Danzō didn't say anything else and got up to prepare the meal in the kitchen.
...
Despite how menacing most members of Konoha's Interrogation Division looked—like criminals who needed to devour a few people daily just to function—the truth was their methods weren't especially cruel.
After ordering the prisoner delivered by Takeshi to be taken to Konoha Hospital and treated for full-body burns, Yamanaka Inoichi, head of the Intelligence Division, donned his black cloak despite the hour and rushed toward the Hokage Tower.
When he opened the office door, he didn't see Sakumo. Instead, seated at the Hokage's desk, Jiraiya was studying a crystal ball.
If he remembered correctly, that ball was the same model the Third used.
"Inoichi? What brings you here so late?"
Hearing the door open, Jiraiya finally experienced what his teacher must have gone through daily. But unlike his teacher, Jiraiya had a much thicker skin.
Calmly putting away the crystal ball without blushing or flinching, he asked casually.
"I've already scanned the mind of the prisoner Takeshi brought back. We've confirmed which Hidden Village they belong to. Also, there's something quite concerning."
"Oh? If it's enough to bother you, let's hear it."
Jiraiya, intrigued, gestured for him to continue without beating around the bush.
"The attackers were from Kusagakure. Moreover, their village has..."
...
That night, for the first time in a while, the former Konoha Four gathered under one roof.
They sat around the table in two rows—Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado on one side, Danzō and Hiruzen on the other.
Sakumo sat at the head, with Jiraiya and Yamanaka Inoichi standing behind him.
"Apologies for being late."
As the door opened, Nara Shikaku's voice came in. He had just managed to calm his wife down and hadn't even had time to eat before rushing to the meeting.
"With Shikaku here, I believe everyone has arrived."
Sakumo nodded at him with a smile, signaling him to stand at his side and then officially began the meeting.
"There's not much to discuss. Since Kusagakure dared to strike at Konoha, they must pay the price."
Danzō, already informed through his own channels, wasted no time and made his usual hawkish proposal—to send troops and destroy Kusagakure.
"Danzō, you're being too extreme. Kusagakure is Konoha's ally. They've maintained friendly relations with us since the First Hokage's time!"
Hearing Danzō's familiar rhetoric, Hiruzen felt like he was reliving his Hokage days. Before Sakumo could respond, he rebutted the idea himself.
"Ally? Hiruzen, have you gone senile? Did you forget how Kusagakure joined Iwagakure to attack us during the Third Great Ninja War?!"
Danzō slammed the table, ready to clash with Hiruzen.
"They were coerced by Ōnoki! Didn't they try to mend relations with us after the war? And if we attack them now, what if Iwagakure retaliates?"
"Then we crush them too! Hiruzen, you're too soft!"
"Danzō, Sakumo is the Hokage!"
"You—!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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