On the retreat, Kageyama Kogetsu caught up with Orochimaru, dropped from the sky into the mountain forest, then bounded along with him back to the Konoha camp.
"Heh heh, Kogetsu-kun's strength truly shocked me—you were actually on par with Ōnoki." Orochimaru felt a little sour inside, but outwardly he looked full of appreciation.
Geniuses are worth admiring, but one more gifted than oneself is a bit hard to swallow.
"On par?"
"You flatter me, Orochimaru-senpai. I only managed to keep my life under Ōnoki's hands," Kogetsu said with a faint smile.
"That alone is extraordinary."
"For your age, you're the foremost prodigy since Konoha was founded."
Kogetsu smiled without confirming or denying it.
Orochimaru wasn't wrong. Among his age group since Konoha's founding, no one surpassed him.
Seeing Kogetsu stay quiet, Orochimaru turned his head and focused on rushing back, his desire to grow stronger burning even hotter.
At the same time he silently guessed what secret Kogetsu held—his growth was absurdly fast.
Back in the Academy, as a genin, and even as a chūnin, he had performed well, but only somewhat above the norm.
When exactly had this person exploded onto the stage?
After he gained the Byakugan—no, when he obtained it.
According to the files, the process of acquiring the Byakugan was odd; he even managed to cut off Kirigakure shinobi at the pass.
Even if he'd already had a flying summoning then, something still felt off.
Right, the records show he vanished for a stretch before getting the Byakugan—could he have had a fortuitous encounter in that time?
Curiosity aside, Orochimaru presently had no thought of provoking Kogetsu; he was truly not someone to trifle with.
Back at the Konoha forward camp, everyone went about their duties in orderly fashion.
But in the gaps of work the shinobi inevitably discussed Kogetsu's performance...
Though the duel had been at the battlefield's edge, many had seen parts of it.
Facing a village's Kage—Ōnoki, renowned across the ninja world for decades—and still walking away whole, how could people not be fired up?
In the ninja world, strength rules. The front is dull and stressful, so word spread fast.
As the news circulated, Kageyama Kogetsu's name rang ever louder, on the verge of becoming a front-line idol.
Human sorrows aren't shared; while Konoha buzzed, Iwagakure's mood was heavy and low.
Ōnoki's failed strike not only dented his own prestige but also hurt morale at the front.
To recover it, Ōnoki and Kitsuchi tried a number of measures before steadying the ranks.
Since he couldn't remain at the front, to stabilize things Ōnoki transferred the Five-Tails' jinchūriki, Han, to the line.
Not only that, Iwagakure shifted strategy, abandoning proactive assaults for what they do best—defense and counterattack.
Skilled in Earth Release and famed for unity, Iwa truly excels at defensive counterplay. They refuse to conclude the battle quickly—just dragging it out, grinding it down.
Battle reports reached Konoha; after surprise, the higher-ups felt mostly delight.
Of course, they weren't fools. Kogetsu's outrageous pace of improvement raised questions.
But Kogetsu's consistent excellence made them disinclined to nitpick.
However he gained his strength, as long as it benefitted Konoha it was fine. Even if there were downsides, so long as the gains outweighed them.
Danzō did want to pry into Kogetsu's secret of progress, but like Orochimaru, he didn't dare act rashly.
...
Time flowed like water; in a blink, a year passed and it was Konoha Year 54.
Konoha's war with Kumogakure had lasted more than two years; the war with Iwagakure, more than one.
Land of Lightning, Kumogakure, the Raikage Building, small conference room.
The Fourth Raikage A sat in the chief seat, the last trace of youthfulness shed; he now looked truly imposing.
Kumo's elders and other high officials sat on either side, discussing whether to end the war...
After debate they reached consensus: given the village's finances and the attrition inflicted on Konoha, the war should be ended. Fighting on would bring diminishing returns.
"Ahem, before we adjourn I have one more proposal." A middle-aged man with a white bandage headcloth, a small mustache, and an eyepatch raised his hand.
A's gaze fell on him, then flicked to the two elders, a thought stirring.
The elders' faction wasn't trying to stir trouble, was it?
Hmph. Whatever they planned, he could now basically control the field.
"Speak, Ōmui," the Fourth Raikage said impassively.
"I propose we go to Konoha to sign a peace accord," Ōmui said in a low voice.
Huh?
Most Kumo officials were baffled. What good was a peace accord?
Why waste the time—just withdraw.
Ōmui, a squad leader of Kumo jonin-equivalent, gave a wry smile: "I've got a terminal illness. I don't have long. So I want to stake myself to outplay Konoha once."
"Rather than waste away on a sickbed and die in frustration, I'd rather use this life to make one last contribution to the village."
Silence fell. No one knew what to say for a moment...
After a pause, the Fourth Raikage A stood and bowed. "Ōmui, though we differ in outlook, you're a good man."
Seeing this, the others rose and bowed as well, setting aside past disagreements to salute sincerely.
Ōmui rose and returned the bow, then smiled: "Don't be sad. Shinobi live and die in a day—that's normal."
"To have reached a squad-leader's post and lived to now, I'm already content."
"Please sit. Hear my plan."
They obeyed, every one intent.
"Using the pretext of signing a peace accord, we enter Konoha. At night, in disguise, we seize a chance to infiltrate the Hyūga clan and abduct the Hyūga clan head's eldest daughter."
"If by luck we succeed, we get her back to the village as fast as possible."
"With such a seed, Kumo can obtain the Byakugan. If we breed the bloodline well, the Byakugan becomes inexhaustible."
If Hinata truly were taken and could not be recovered, she would become a tragic birthing machine.
Continuous childbearing would inevitably sap her vitality and shorten her lifespan.
Uzumaki Kushina, if abducted, would fare no better—her sealing arts would be coveted, and the Uzumaki bloodline too.
"If we fail, then I die at Hyūga hands—best of all by Hyūga Hiashi's, next by a main-house member."
"After I'm dead, use it as a pretext to force Konoha to hand over the killer, demanding the Byakugan."
"If they refuse, threaten to resume the war."
"I've calculated this carefully."
"Konoha's leadership has friction with the Hyūga. The chance they'll back them is small, and Sarutobi Hiruzen's temperament is relatively weak. The plan's odds aren't low."
They all sighed inwardly. Ōmui was choosing death.
To make trouble inside Konoha, to infiltrate the Hyūga—famed across the ninja world for reconnaissance—wasn't that seeking death?
In their minds, the Hyūga would surely have impenetrable guard; infiltration was impossible.
In truth, Hyūga shinobi generally lacked ambition, content with the status quo, proud of their birth. After three years of peace, their vigilance wasn't high.
"Full support. I'll have our spies secure a layout of the Hyūga compound," the Fourth Raikage said solemnly.
"Support."
"Support."
"Support."
"..."
<><><><><><>
Read Advanced Chapters on : patreon.com/Kaizo247
~ Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]