In the dead of night, at the Konoha Barbecue Shop.
A group of people had just finished celebrating Rock Lee's recovery.
The youngsters agreed to train hard and face off in the finals of the third test in a month. Some bold ones even challenged Uehara Naraku.
After bidding everyone farewell warmly, Uehara Naraku returned to the inn where he was staying. Leisurely, he poured a cup of tea and turned to the shadow in the dark corner: "Kabuto, how is the situation going, have you found the woman named Karin?"
"Yes."
Yakushi Kabuto emerged from the darkness and replied, "I have temporarily placed her in a small town near Konoha."
"Protect her well, she is a gift for my teacher."
Uehara Naraku gently instructed Yakushi Kabuto and then continued, "When the Chunin Exam is about to end, you will go with me to capture Shimura Danzo. If we can't capture him, we'll kill him on the spot."
"Yes."
Yakushi Kabuto smirked as he adjusted his glasses, "Lord Naraku, I've always been responsible for the contact between Lord Orochimaru and Shimura Danzo. I can use the guise of discussing the plan to destroy Konoha to invite him for a meeting at that time."
"Doesn't matter, he won't escape anyway."
Uehara Naraku clenched his fist confidently, "Shimura Danzo, I have specially prepared for my teacher as a gift when I return to the Hidden Rain Village. Even if it's just his corpse, my teacher will be pleased."
"..."
Once again, Yakushi Kabuto felt his new boss was unreliable.
Back when he worked as Orochimaru's assistant in the Akatsuki, Yakushi Kabuto met Konan once. He didn't believe that cold, blue-haired woman would be pleased to see Shimura Danzo's corpse!
No, no woman would be happy to see a corpse as their gift, right?
Unfortunately, Uehara Naraku seemed so sure of himself that Yakushi Kabuto hesitated to speak up and change his decision.
Besides, killing Shimura Danzo was something Yakushi Kabuto wanted to do as well.
"Alright, that's it then!"
Uehara Naraku waved his hand, giving a few final instructions: "Next, you need to monitor Orochimaru's movements, ensure the smooth progress of his plan to destroy Konoha, and by the way, guide him to research White Zetsu."
"Understood."
Yakushi Kabuto donned his hood and disappeared into the night.
Once Yakushi Kabuto left, Uehara Naraku began plotting his plan. He had to find a way to turn Naruto dark and make him defect.
This task was incredibly difficult!
Honestly, getting Sasuke to defect was much simpler.
Today, Uehara Naraku felt that with just a beckoning finger, Sasuke would follow him out of Konoha and become a rogue ninja.
Damn, Sasuke is really easy to deceive!
As long as he holds a grudge against Uchiha Itachi and can help him become strong enough to kill Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke is willing to join.
But Uehara Naraku had no interest at all.
In comparison, Uzumaki Naruto, with his stubborn determination, gave Uehara Naraku a headache. He really couldn't find a way to darken Naruto, unless he leaked information using someone's identity.
In about a month's time, Uehara Naraku was determined to kill Shimura Danzo, so should he capitalize on Danzo's identity?
After all, once Uehara Naraku killed Danzo himself, the Ninja World would lose a scapegoat.
No, there was another person whose time was running out as well.
Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Uehara Naraku's lips curled up slowly. Rather than using Shimura Danzo's appearance and risk exposing himself in Konoha, why not make use of Sarutobi Hiruzen!
Anyway, the Third Hokage conspiracy theory market did quite well in the otaku world, with lots of blemishes that couldn't be washed clean!
Uehara Naraku almost immediately finalized this plan.
The night before the finals of the Chunin Exam, disguised as Sarutobi Hiruzen, let Uzumaki Naruto discover that his respected Grandpa Hokage was always a schemer, surely a dark Hokage would cause Uzumaki Naruto's beliefs to collapse!
An oversight!
Such a straightforward plan, why bother racking your brain thinking it over?
Uzumaki Naruto's dream is to become Hokage. Once he sees that the Third Hokage of Konoha is so dark-hearted, he will surely forsake Konoha completely!
If his lifelong dream collapses, what is there to hold onto?
The only trouble is, not to show any loopholes.
Uehara Naraku needs to find a way to stage a play, allowing Uzumaki Naruto to accidentally discover that 'The Third Hokage' is a dark person, so he will believe it for sure.
Also, once the finals start and Orochimaru initiates the plan to destroy Konoha, have someone throw dirty water on Sarutobi Hiruzen to solidify his image as a schemer. How else can Uzumaki Naruto doubt?
Then wait for Orochimaru to kill Sarutobi Hiruzen, wouldn't it be impossible to prove anything?
After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen indeed had his share of darkness. As the leader of a significant Ninja Village, how could he remain untouched by anything?
Uehara Naraku excitedly rubbed his hands, formulating this plan: "As long as the plan succeeds, it will almost certainly darken Naruto. I really am a genius!"
Now that this plan is confirmed, the remaining task is how to smear the Third Hokage and think about what dirty secrets Sarutobi Hiruzen might have...
First, start with Uzumaki Naruto's parentage.
In fact, during the Nine-tails chaos, the Anbu first reported to Sarutobi Hiruzen instead of Namikaze Minato, implying that Anbu's power might have still been in Sarutobi Hiruzen's hands.
This suggests an addiction to power.
Uehara Naraku pondered for a while and decided to reconstruct this event as Sarutobi Hiruzen coveting power, instructing Uchiha Obito to initiate the Nine-tails chaos, plotting the deaths of the Fourth Hokage couple, and reclaiming Konoha's power.
Second, address Uzumaki Naruto's growth.
It's undeniable that Sarutobi Hiruzen constantly monitored Uzumaki Naruto's growth, fearing the influence of the Nine-tails Chakra on him, and thus continuously instilling in him the Will of Fire.
Moreover, Sarutobi Hiruzen publicly banned others from discussing Uzumaki Naruto being a Nine-tailed Jinchuriki, yet did not forbid villagers from shunning Uzumaki Naruto.
This is blatant PUA.
This is mental brainwashing.
Uehara Naraku pondered a bit more and planned to modify this as Sarutobi Hiruzen cultivating a loyal wartime weapon, secretly ordering others to shun Naruto while leading him to accept the Will of Fire, which was actually only meant to make the Jinchuriki serve him.
Third, starting with Uzumaki Naruto's bonds.
Sarutobi Hiruzen personally appointed Hatake Kakashi as the instructor Jonin of the Seventh Class, as he saw a fit in Kakashi's connection with the team. After all, Kakashi had the Sharingan and was a disciple of the Fourth Hokage, surely capable of protecting the son of his teacher and educating the Uchiha orphan.
This is using bonds as restraint.
Uehara Naraku pondered again and planned to rework it so that Sarutobi Hiruzen assigned Kakashi, with the Sharingan to constantly monitor and control Naruto, to prevent any rampage from the Nine-tails; and then leaked Kakashi's connection with Uchiha Obito.
Aside from these, he also planned to add in Sarutobi Hiruzen secretly guiding Uchiha Itachi to defect and command him to slaughter the Uchiha Clan.
After all, Danzo has taken the blame for Sarutobi Hiruzen so many times, it's time for a reversal!
After a night of contemplation, Uehara Naraku reluctantly completed his plan.
Now, having devised the plan to such an extent, he was certain he could guide Naruto to darkness and betrayal. If it still failed, he'd stop doing this task!
Heh, how could it possibly fail?
Once back, he would apply to Teacher Konan for two sets of Akatsuki uniforms.
One for twelve-year-old Uzumaki Naruto, another for sixteen-year-old himself.
He could soon bring the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki back, wouldn't that be deserving of a uniform and official membership?
However, after Uehara Naraku completed his Naruto defection plan, a variable appeared in his plans.
An old man returned to Konoha.
One of the Konoha Sannin, the Toad Sage Jiraiya.