Chapter 556: The Villages Ignore Uchiha Madara, Focus Solely on the Rinnegan

No matter how much Onoki desired the Rinnegan, he wasn't going to lose his head over it.

Logically, such power should be kept under strict control, yet Konoha had taken the opposite approach by openly revealing its existence and inviting the other Kage to discuss it at the Five Kage Summit.

That move didn't sit right with Onoki.

He refused to believe Konoha had no hidden agenda regarding the Rinnegan.

The Third Raikage, Yagura, and Rasa turned to look at Tsunade, their expressions filled with curiosity and suspicion.

"The Rinnegan isn't the reason I invited you to this summit," Tsunade said calmly. "Orochimaru, tell them everything you know."

Tsunade cut straight to the point, unwilling to waste time. There would be plenty of opportunity to discuss how to deal with the Rinnegan later.

Is there an unknown secret behind the Rinnegan?

The Kage glanced at Orochimaru, noting his pale complexion and weakened state.

Orochimaru's condition had clearly not improved much despite several days of rest.

Under their watchful gaze, Orochimaru took a step forward.

"Not long ago, I left Konoha to track down the entity that was controlling the Third Mizukage," he began, his voice steady. "More precisely, I was hunting the creature responsible for his control."

"You found it?" Yagura's eyes widened, and he shot to his feet.

"Of course," Orochimaru replied with a faint smile. "The creature's name is White Zetsu. It can implant a special spore into someone's body, draining their chakra and eventually taking control of their movements."

The room fell silent.

Control someone's body completely?

Onoki, the Third Raikage, and the others were visibly shaken.

No wonder the Third Mizukage had behaved so strangely. It all made sense now.

Some of the Kage couldn't help but glance at Yagura with sympathy.

His village had truly endured a tragic fate.

"Who's responsible for this?" Yagura demanded, his face dark with anger. His voice was filled with suppressed rage.

The fact that the Third Mizukage had been manipulated was the Mist Village's greatest shame. Under his reign, the village had descended into the infamous Blood Mist era, bringing countless tragedies.

"Uchiha Madara!"

Orochimaru drew a deep breath, recalling the torment he had endured while under Madara's control.

"Impossible!" Onoki's composure broke almost immediately. The name Uchiha Madara triggered haunting memories of being humiliated alongside his teacher.

Onoki had always held a grudge against Konoha, with Madara being the primary reason.

Back then, they had sought an alliance, but before they even met their intended contact, Madara had beaten them mercilessly.

Such a memory was hard to forget.

"Madara has been dead for years!" Onoki declared, his voice trembling with emotion.

"We thought the same," Orochimaru explained, "but we were wrong. After his supposed death at the Valley of the End, Madara used a forbidden Uchiha technique to fake his death and has remained hidden in the shadows ever since."

"Even if Madara is alive, that has nothing to do with us," the Third Raikage said dismissively.

This seemed more like a personal issue between Konoha and the Mist Village. Why should the other villages get involved?

"Besides, calling a summit just to discuss an old man who's clinging to life? Isn't that a bit much?"

Onoki slowly sat back down, his expression contemplative. He still remembered what had happened vividly, but he wasn't a child anymore. There was no point in pursuing vengeance against Madara now.

"But what if I told you that the Rinnegan you're all so interested in belongs to Madara?" Orochimaru's voice grew sharper. "And what if I told you that Madara has been planning something called the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"

Infinite Tsukuyomi?

The room went still.

"And yes, the Rinnegan is Madara's. He faked his death to acquire the Rinnegan by merging the powers of the Uchiha and Senju clans." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Once he had the Rinnegan, Madara set his sights on the Infinite Tsukuyomi—a plan to trap the entire shinobi world in a never-ending illusion."

"To achieve that, he needs to summon the Ten-Tails," Orochimaru continued, his voice growing more intense. "And to summon the Ten-Tails, he must capture all the tailed beasts!"

The room fell into stunned silence.

The Third Raikage slammed his hand on the table, interrupting Orochimaru's increasingly frenzied explanation.

Tsunade had been closely watching Orochimaru. As soon as he began speaking about the Infinite Tsukuyomi, his emotions seemed to spiral out of control.

Her brows furrowed deeper. Was this behavior a lingering effect of Madara's control? Or had Orochimaru developed dangerous ambitions of his own?

"Hold on," Rasa interjected. "If the Rinnegan is Madara's, why is it in Nagato's possession?"

Is Konoha making all this up?

Rasa's tone was laced with suspicion.

Tsunade sneered. "Because Madara is old. He needed a vessel for the Rinnegan, and Nagato, with his Uzumaki lineage, was the perfect host. He planned to use the Rinnegan to revive himself."

"If you don't believe us, fine. Let's just move on and discuss what to do with the Rinnegan," she said coolly. "Nagato has already entrusted it to Konoha, and we've sent him to a secure location. If you want the Rinnegan, what are you willing to offer in exchange?"

Among the four Kage, Onoki seemed genuinely concerned about Madara's return.

The Third Raikage, however, cared only about acquiring the Rinnegan.

Rasa was primarily interested in the Rinnegan as well, though he wouldn't miss a chance to throw shade at Konoha.

Yagura, having simmered down after his initial outburst, remained silent.

It wasn't hard to guess his thoughts—tracking down Madara or avenging the Mist Village wasn't a priority.

At best, they'd send a team to investigate.

Rely on the Mist Village for revenge? Forget it.

Fine. If no one's going to do anything, we'll just get rid of the Rinnegan.

Since the other villages were so eager to claim it, Konoha might as well hand it over—on their terms, of course.

After all, it was in Konoha's possession. Taking it without offering something in return was simply impossible.

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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read the rest of the Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01. 

DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING