By now it was dusk. Torches blazed with crackling sounds, which only made the silence in the meeting room stand out more.
Orochimaru spoke casually, as if the enemy wasn't one of the strongest ninja villages in the world, but just some random nobodies.
It wasn't arrogance. This confidence came from countless life-and-death fights.
In his early years, the name of the "Sannin" had already spread, making him one of the most famous ninja alive. Now, after so many more years, his power had only grown. Last night he had turned the battle around on his own, once again proving his strength. And with Genie's strategies, he was certain he could control the battlefield.
In the meeting room, the Konoha squad leaders exchanged uneasy looks, staring at the man in the first seat in surprise.
Everyone knew how strong Kumogakure was. Even with Konoha holding the advantage last night, they had only barely won and couldn't crush the enemy completely.
And that wasn't even Kumogakure's full strength.
To defeat them, there was still the fortress to deal with. Even if it was only partly finished, it would already be surrounded by countless traps, sealing techniques, and barrier jutsu.
Trying to beat an enemy with greater numbers and strength while fighting on unfavorable terrain was basically impossible!
But even though they clearly understood the gap between the two sides, Orochimaru's stance still stirred their blood.
After all, war meant death, and ninjas were still human. Even carrying the "Will of Fire," they weren't the same as Root's cold tools.
On the battlefield, who wouldn't want a strong leader like this to turn the tide and bring victory?
Especially the Uchiha captains. They admired strength by nature, and seeing Orochimaru like this made them burn with the desire to surpass him.
Too bad, with their limited education, none of them could say something poetic like, "A true man should seize this chance."
For the moment, the meeting room burned with excitement, hotter than the flames of the torches.
Of course, they didn't dare to say anything reckless. What couldn't be done was still what couldn't be done. All eyes turned to Orochimaru, waiting.
Among them, Fugaku's gaze showed some worry. He knew well the inside story of this war and feared Orochimaru's methods might be too harsh, causing heavy losses for the clan.
But surprisingly, Orochimaru's plan wasn't anything complicated. It was simply a trade.
The Fourth Raikage and the two Jinchuriki—Kumogakure's three strongest forces—were taken out of the equation by Orochimaru. The Konoha army only needed to focus on destroying the fortress. And for that, Orochimaru had even prepared extra support.
The roomful of ninja looked at each other. If things went the way Orochimaru arranged, they really did have a chance to win.
But… what about the Raikage and the Jinchuriki? Did Orochimaru plan to fight all three himself?
Judging from last night's fight, Orochimaru might be able to stall two Jinchuriki, but the Raikage? Impossible.
If there was no fortress holding him back, the Raikage could break away whenever he wanted. Even Orochimaru's Yamata no Orochi form couldn't stop him.
Under their doubts, Orochimaru gave no explanation. He simply used his authority to silence all opposition.
It was the fastest, most direct plan—so long as they didn't fail.
When the meeting ended, the ninjas left one after another to prepare for the coming battle. Only Shisui was told to stay.
He stood there with a puzzled look, but the question he then heard made his face change.
"Shisui, you should have a way to stop a Jinchuriki in tailed beast form, right?"
Orochimaru grinned, cutting straight to the point. "You've awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, haven't you?"
Hearing this, Shisui's expression shifted. He gave a bitter smile and asked, "How did you find out, Orochimaru-sama?"
Ever since awakening the Mangekyo, Shisui had been cautious. Because of the clan's tense relationship with the village, he had never used it in public. He had no idea where he had slipped up.
But Orochimaru had called it out directly, which meant he had proof.
"There are no secrets forever."
Orochimaru smiled. He didn't care whether Shisui admitted it or not. Instead, he asked, "Shisui, what do you think of this war?"
Shisui had been worrying about the consequences of Orochimaru knowing his secret. But when he heard that question, he froze for a moment.
This war started because Kumogakure wanted to take advantage of Konohagakure's weakened state after the Nine-Tails attack. They aimed to crush Konohagakure and even spark another great ninja war to completely divide it up.
The Konohagakure council had already discussed this clearly, so why was Orochimaru-sama asking this question again?
Shisui thought for a moment, linking the Mangekyou Sharingan with the Nine-Tails incident. A chill ran through him as he quickly stood up and denied it, "Orochimaru-sama, the Nine-Tails being controlled has nothing to do with me!"
Orochimaru said calmly, "But it has everything to do with the Uchiha, and the Mangekyou Sharingan, doesn't it?"
Shisui was silent for a moment. Orochimaru then changed the subject and said,
"Still, both the Third Hokage and I believe most of the Uchiha are innocent."
Before Shisui could feel any relief, Orochimaru continued,
"But for the other ninjas and villagers to believe that, the Uchiha clan must prove it themselves."
"This war… is the chance."
Orochimaru spoke without holding back, explaining the deal he had made with the Third Hokage and Uchiha Fugaku.
Shisui's expression shifted as he let out a sigh. "The clan leader… he actually agreed."
"He had no choice. The village can trust the Uchiha once, but if the mastermind strikes again, how do we explain it then?"
Orochimaru spoke slowly, "A light promise of trust is built on the villagers' blood and bones. The village can't afford that."
"So the Uchiha must prove themselves, and make it clear that the Nine-Tails attack and any future attacks are the work of an outside enemy, not a traitorous rebellion."
"This is the stance the Uchiha must take!"
Hearing this, Shisui finally understood everything and calmed down. "What do you want me to do, Orochimaru-sama?"
"That depends on your choice."
Orochimaru looked at Shisui and said, "Are you willing to give up those Mangekyou Sharingan?"
"For the village, whether the Uchiha suffer heavy losses or lose a pair of legendary forbidden eyes, both would prove the clan's resolve to protect the village."
"There's no need to say more, Orochimaru-sama."
Shisui spoke calmly without a change in expression. "These Mangekyou eyes… I have no attachment to them."
With Shisui's intelligence, he understood that this so-called choice was nothing but a joke. When Orochimaru arranged the plan against Kumogakure, these Mangekyou eyes had already been counted in.
Shisui didn't mind. He never craved the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan. If it was for the village, for his clan, he was willing to give them up.
Still, being used like this left a bitter taste in his heart.
"You seem to misunderstand me."
Orochimaru smiled. "Even without you, I have other ways to stop a Jinchuriki."
"Jiraiya is still in Konohagakure, and I have the ability to summon him to the battlefield."
"But the time I can keep the summoning active is limited, and later in the war, your clan will have to hold the line with their bodies."
"They're the ones who truly have no choice."
"So… what is your answer?"
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