Chapter 535: Orochimaru Controlled, Danzo Finds a New Ally

If that's the case…

Then things are about to get very interesting.

Orochimaru probably never imagined that after finally finding the place and burrowing in, he would stumble upon Uchiha Madara sitting in an underground chamber. That scene would definitely be quite entertaining.

"Don't bother with him. That venomous snake is too ambitious. It's very likely that he's currently being squeezed by someone and turned into a dead snake."

Orochimaru is highly skilled at escaping, but he has one fatal weakness: resistance to genjutsu.

With such a glaring weakness, if he were to crash headfirst into Uchiha Madara, well…

Takuya couldn't help but observe a moment of silence for Orochimaru, hoping that Madara wouldn't go so far as to skin the snake alive.

If they really crossed paths, would Madara take control of Orochimaru directly, or use the Infinite Tsukuyomi to manipulate him?

It was a curious thought.

In the mountainous graveyard, within the underground chamber…

The atmosphere was chaotic. Uchiha Madara, who was growing increasingly frail, sat on a stone chair, panting lightly:

"So, it was that brat Yagami Takuya who told you there was something here you wanted, and you found it, correct?"

Madara never dreamed that during his slumber, a venomous snake would slither into his lair.

The snake even intended to take away part of the White Zetsu and Uchiha Obito.

Fortunately, he managed to capture the snake. Despite its cunning nature, the snake's resistance to genjutsu was rather poor.

After expending some effort, Madara successfully took control of him.

At this moment, Orochimaru's eyes had transformed into the shape of a three-tomoe Sharingan. His entire demeanor was like that of a puppet under someone's control.

"Cough, so I've been exposed?"

Madara couldn't determine how much Takuya actually knew.

Was it a coincidence that Takuya discovered this place, or did he truly know a lot of secrets?

Had Takuya deliberately sent Orochimaru here to investigate White Zetsu, or was it purely accidental?

Even though Madara had taken control of Orochimaru, the snake wasn't easy prey. He kept resisting, and Madara was in an extremely weakened state.

Would he need to activate his plans ahead of schedule?

Madara fell into deep thought.

In Amegakure, Hanzo had just returned to the village when he received an unexpected visitor: Shimura Danzo.

He hadn't expected Danzo, after defecting from Konoha, to show up in the Land of Rain.

Considering Danzo's bounty, Hanzo couldn't help but feel tempted.

A bounty of fifty million ryō. Capturing or killing Danzo would bring in a sum that could greatly benefit Amegakure.

Danzo's high bounty was largely due to his status as a senior figure in Konoha, possessing many of its secrets.

Konoha feared Danzo leaking secrets, while other villages wanted to obtain those secrets. This back-and-forth had caused his bounty to skyrocket.

Moreover, it seemed likely that the amount would continue to grow over time.

This wasn't something trivial like the bounty on Asuma Sarutobi.

"Danzo, you actually dared to come to me."

Hanzo admitted that he was tempted—tempted by the substantial bounty and confident in his ability to claim it.

Faced with Hanzo's undisguised greed, Danzo spoke calmly:

"I came to Amegakure to propose a collaboration. Work with me, and Amegakure will receive a massive influx of funds, transforming the disadvantages of this village. This is something that no mere bounty could ever achieve."

Danzo was well aware of the value of his head, but he was confident he could convince Hanzo. After all, Hanzo was a cautious man who valued his life. He wouldn't take unnecessary risks without sufficient confidence.

"Heh."

Hanzo sneered:

"You think I'd believe you?

The entire ninja world knows Shimura Danzo is ruthless, someone who would betray and sabotage even his allies. Working with someone like you is extremely risky. Your bounty interests me more."

Danzo's reputation needed no explanation; it was already infamous throughout the ninja world.

He was aware of this as well, which is why he didn't intend to persuade Hanzo with words alone. Words would mean nothing to someone who didn't trust him. Only actions could demonstrate his sincerity.

Quietly, Danzo pulled out a scroll and tossed it to Hanzo before waiting silently.

He believed that once Hanzo read the scroll's contents, he would choose to cooperate.

"??"

What was Danzo up to?

Though tempted to cut Danzo's head off immediately, Hanzo knew the man was highly self-preserving.

During the Second Shinobi World War, Danzo had survived a prolonged pursuit, proving that he wasn't so easy to kill.

After hesitating for a moment, Hanzo finally opened the scroll and began reading.

What madness is this?!

Before long, Hanzo's initially skeptical eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the calm expression on Danzo's face.

"You actually dare to research something like this? Aren't you afraid of being hunted down by the entire ninja world?"

"Utter nonsense."

Danzo replied coldly:

"Officially, every village prohibits human experimentation. But can you guarantee that no one touches this kind of research?

It's just an excuse. As long as it enhances power and brings benefits, any sacrifice is worth it."

"The research has already made significant progress. If you're willing to join me, it could bring endless wealth to Amegakure."

"And endless danger as well, right?"

Hanzo wasn't a fool; he wasn't so easily deceived.

He also feared that if news of this leaked, Amegakure would be doomed.

Should he agree?

Profit often comes hand in hand with risk. If he involved himself in this, it would be like boarding Danzo's pirate ship—easy to get on, but nearly impossible to get off.

Hanzo's expression darkened as he wrestled with his thoughts. Danzo, meanwhile, waited calmly. He was confident Hanzo would take the bait.

Amegakure was too poor.

It lacked manpower, resources, and stability. The internal chaos of the Land of Rain remained unresolved.

Hanzo desperately wanted to revive Amegakure and stabilize the Land of Rain but had no viable solutions.

Now that Danzo was presenting him with a potential solution, Danzo didn't believe Hanzo would remain unmoved.

"Fine. A deal it is."

After a long silence, Hanzo finally unclenched his tightly gripped fists, exhaling heavily. He had been tempted—and he had chosen to board the pirate ship.

"Then we have a deal. I'll arrange for the resources to be transferred, and you'll provide the necessary test subjects. I trust that won't be an issue for you. I'll handle the rest. All you need to do is collect the money and focus on developing the Land of Rain."

Securing a strong enough ally to aid in his plans was a challenge Danzo had to tackle.

That's why he had sought out Hanzo.

Having left Konoha, he now had to evade its relentless pursuit while finding a stable source of funding. Any move he made carried significant risk, and he didn't want to take unnecessary chances. This was why he needed an ally.

After much deliberation, the very man who had pursued him across miles during the Second Shinobi World War—Hanzo—had become his ideal candidate.

Hanzo was powerful and had a glaring weakness:

He desperately wanted to transform Amegakure and the Land of Rain.

As long as Hanzo had a weakness, he could be ensnared, becoming not only an ally but also a shield for Danzo.

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DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING