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Even a man as experienced as Baki felt his brain almost short-circuit in that moment.
A Jinchuriki was a village's "ultimate weapon," their nuclear deterrent. And he had defected just like that?
Or was this an imposter?
But that stance, that aura, that demeanor... combined with the intelligence the Sand had gathered over the years, it all pointed to one conclusion: the boy in front of him was, with ninety-nine percent certainty, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of the Hidden Leaf.
Furthermore, Kabuto wouldn't dare joke about something like this.
In three days, they were launching a surprise attack on the strongest ninja village in the world. The elite forces of both villages were already approaching their designated positions. One leader had already arrived, and the other was about to set off.
With the rise and fall of two great ninja villages hanging in the balance, Baki didn't believe Kabuto had the motive or the guts to lie.
So, no matter how unrealistic it seemed, when it remains the only possibility, Baki had to accept that this absurdity was reality.
After taking a deep breath, Baki quickly regained his composure.
"Heh, naturally, Menma-kun. We called you here today to confirm the final steps of the plan so you can act with peace of mind. Right, Baki-san?" Kabuto said with a light chuckle.
Baki stared dead at Menma, his expression cold and severe. "There won't be any problems with the plan. At least on the Sand's side, we will ensure every step is flawless. The first wave of the offensive will proceed exactly as scheduled, initiated by us."
"The question is, will you guys mess up? And as for him..." Baki gestured to Menma. "What exactly is Menma-kun's attitude? 'Acting depending on the situation'? What does that mean?"
"What does it mean? exactly what it sounds like," Menma retorted. "I will cooperate with you, but the condition is simple: your plan must not fail. As far as I know, Konoha is already on alert. The village's security is currently relaxed on the outside but tight on the inside. And Jiraiya, a man as famous as Orochimaru, has returned to the village. Don't tell me you haven't heard a whisper of this? Your plan looks perfect on paper, but what if something goes wrong? I have no interest in throwing my life away with you."
Menma returned Baki's cold stare, his words dripping with a chilling grimness.
His blunt tone carried a hint of unabashed disdain.
This made Baki frown, but he didn't immediately retort. As a veteran Jonin who had survived the Third Great Ninja War, Baki knew exactly how deep Konoha's reserves ran and just how strong Jiraiya was.
Just as Menma said, if any link in their chain broke, the entire plan could collapse.
That was why they had taken the risk to meet and negotiate multiple times during this period—to control the variables and keep the risk to an absolute minimum.
"On that point, Menma-kun, you need not worry. We are in a partnership. No one is forcing anyone here; we are all in this for our own benefits and agendas, aren't we? Konoha's movements are entirely within our calculations," Kabuto said meaningfully.
However, Menma felt nothing at Kabuto's mention of "benefit."
Benefit?
Sorry, but Menma saw no tangible benefit for himself in attacking Konoha. In the end, his only reason for acting was emotional catharsis. Therefore, that alone wasn't enough to compel him to fight to the death.
It came back to the same point: he was happy to act if the flow was in his favor and the risk was manageable. But if the risk became too great, there was a one hundred percent chance Menma would bail.
"Baki-san, you also have no need to worry about the Sound's side. As soon as Gaara-kun successfully initiates the first wave of chaos, I will make my move. Following that, Lord Kazekage and Lord Orochimaru will eliminate the Third Hokage in the shortest time possible. Outside the village, the elite forces of the Sound and Sand are already in position. As for Lord Jiraiya, we have arrangements to stall him. Menma-kun, you only need to act at the appropriate moment to cover Gaara-kun. I trust that won't be too big of a problem for you?"
Kabuto pushed up his black-rimmed glasses and spoke softly.
This was the finalized plan of action.
It was a plan that had to be locked in before the point of no return. This was their last meeting before the operation began. They had to account for every possible countermeasure Konoha might employ.
"Fine. As long as everything unfolds according to plan, I will act," Menma replied, his demeanor as icy as ever.
Honestly, the most advantageous move for Menma was still to slip away quietly while Konoha was under attack. That carried the least risk. Participating in the "Konoha Crush" offered him little real gain. Unfortunately, after making contact with Orochimaru, total neutrality was no longer within his control.
Luckily, he still had some room to maneuver. He would make his final decision based on the situation on the ground.
"Baki-san, are there any other issues?"
"The Sand will not have any issues," Baki replied, his expression stern.
"Since neither side has further questions, let's end it here for today. We wait for three days from now, and then everything proceeds according to plan," Kabuto said with a smile.
"Although I don't know which one of you two was suspected, before we leave, shouldn't we tie up the loose end?"
Menma looked coldly toward the back of the house to his left, locking onto a chakra signature he had pinpointed moments ago.
"Not good!"
In the shadows.
The figure hiding there went pale upon hearing Menma's words.
Whoosh!
A burst of chakra erupted as the spy gave up on concealment, fleeing instantly.
"Heh, just a little tail. Don't worry, Menma-kun, I'll..." Kabuto began with a smile.
But before he could finish...
"No, leave this rat to me."
Baki grinned ferociously.
Boom!
He launched himself forward, intercepting the chase before Kabuto could move, speeding in the direction the eavesdropper had fled.
Two figures flashed through the night, one chasing the other.
Even though the spy had pushed his speed to the limit, Baki was clearly faster. In just a few strides, Baki overtook him.
He slammed to a halt, blocking the infiltrator's path completely.