Chapter 219: Temporary Return...

"...?"

Hermit Purple had rarely provided a photo with the subject facing the camera, and yet the person in the picture wasn't Orochimaru at all—it was Yakushi Kabuto wearing a mask.

Link studied the photo and noticed something strange. He would never mistake that person; it was definitely Kabuto. However, the shadow in the picture was quite intriguing. Whether it was a trick of the light or something else, the shadow had long hair, bearing a certain resemblance to Orochimaru.

If this were an ordinary photograph, such an oddity might appear by chance. But a photo taken by Hermit Purple always carries a strong significance.

Moreover, there's no reason to be searching for Orochimaru only to end up with a photo of Kabuto instead.

In other words: [Did Orochimaru use Living Corpse Reincarnation to take over Kabuto's body?]

Link had a suspicion after seeing the photograph. He realized the story was diverging greatly from the manga's timeline, which must mean there is a significant variable at play.

Also, Kabuto had clearly been hit with the Five Elements Seal, which at least meant that this body should not have been able to use ninjutsu requiring hand signs. Why would Orochimaru still insist on seizing such a body?

Was it out of necessity, or could it be that Orochimaru actually wants the Five Elements Seal?

Could the original body Orochimaru occupied have also been afflicted with the Five Elements Seal?

Link took another photo. In it, he saw barren rock, an unending stretch of stone mountains, and a characteristic "Stone Rain" made up of fine gravel in midair. Basically, he was able to confirm that Orochimaru (?) was currently lurking somewhere in the Land of Earth.

That posed a bit of a problem.

Unlike small countries, the ninja of the Five Great Nations move around frequently, running missions all across their territories; getting caught off guard could lead to a sudden encounter.

He could ride his Earth Dragon all around the Land of Fire because he was a Special Jōnin of Konoha. Even if others noticed his presence, they wouldn't track him or try to surround him. If they reported it to the Anbu or the Hokage, nobody would come looking for him anyway.

But going to the Land of Wind might be one thing—going to the Land of Earth was much trickier.

The Earth Dragon can turn invisible, but the group of ninjas accompanying Link can't simply vanish with it. If they fly too high, they lose the ability to search for Orochimaru's base; if they fly too low, they risk being discovered.

The ninjas of the Land of Earth are extremely united. If a fight breaks out, they might have to think about how to handle Iwagakure as a whole.

We'll have to sneak in on foot, then look for a chance to send the Earth Dragon to scout.

Link tucked the photo away. He knew next to nothing about the Land of Earth. Even among allied nations, crossing each other's borders is not allowed—let alone Konoha's already strained relationship with the Land of Earth. So most Konoha ninjas have only a vague idea of where exactly the Land of Earth is located.

He was no exception.

Should he return to the village first to retrieve intelligence on the Land of Earth?

He was pondering this idea when sudden exhaustion cut his thoughts short. Taking in a deep breath, he revealed a relaxed smile.

With an experience boost from using the Shadow Clone technique, his Wind Release nature transformation was improving rapidly. It shouldn't be long now before he mastered it, and the many Wind Release jutsu he'd been preparing would finally come in handy.

I'll return to the village first and ask the Third Hokage for some information on the Land of Earth, then go find Orochimaru.

Link calmed his mental fatigue a bit and stood up to look for Sasuke.

That kid had abandoned his mission mid-way to chase after Itachi's crow, running onto a battlefield and losing contact for several days. Once they got back to the village, he'd likely be scolded endlessly by the two advisors.

…

Afternoon, Konoha, Hokage's Office.

"Itachi... died?"

The Third Hokage lost his composure a bit in front of these two younger men, and his expression grew dazed.

He remembered that child—Itachi—who had borne so much because of him.

"Since he tried to kill you," Koharu Utatane said with a kind expression, "it proves he has already defected, no longer remaining a spy for the village. So his death was well deserved."

Uchiha Sasuke clenched his fists. Even now, his feelings were extremely complicated.

He hated how his brother wiped out their entire clan over nothing, and he couldn't accept that his brother would attack his friend. Yet Itachi had indeed done some things on his behalf, and Sasuke still had a childhood filter of admiration for him. Although he could scold Itachi or even kill him, hearing this old lady dismiss him so casually made Sasuke feel furious.

Homura Mitokado noticed Sasuke's Sharingan emerging under the stress of his emotions. He turned to his old teammate and said, "Koharu..."

"What?" Koharu Utatane looked at Sasuke with a cold smile on her face. "Uchiha Sasuke, are you thinking of attacking a Konoha advisor?"

She had disliked the Uchiha for a long time. In her view, that clan, set on rebelling, should have been wiped out entirely. The brat left alive by Uchiha Itachi was always shouting about revenge and reviving the Uchiha, which she found even more off-putting.

There are plenty of ways to control a Tailed Beast. They don't have to rely on the Sharingan.

She had no intention of backing down and continued to provoke him: "Next, we'll immediately announce to the outside world that the rogue ninja Uchiha Itachi has been killed. In view of your merit in slaying the wanted criminal—"

"Koharu." The Third Hokage interrupted his old friend, his expression turning severe. "Sasuke, about Itachi..." He paused and sighed.

At this moment, what could he say?

After Sasuke learned the truth, the Third Hokage had been considering canceling Itachi's mission and having him return to the village under an alias. However, he had never gotten a response to those messages. Now, hearing the news of Itachi's death, it dawned on him that perhaps the boy had decided long ago to die at the hands of his younger brother, allowing Sasuke to become a "hero" of Konoha.

"This was my mistake." The Third Hokage removed his Hokage's hat. Already elderly, he suddenly appeared even older—like a man with one foot in the grave.

He spoke in a frail voice, "Is there anything you want?"

He could not publicly honor Itachi, nor officially announce the truth about his mission. Granting Sasuke some form of compensation was the best he could do.

Homura Mitokado stayed silent, already knowing how the old "Monkey" (the Third Hokage) would handle it. Koharu Utatane, having been cut off, also refrained from speaking again, leaving the final decision to the Hokage. Even though the advisors are busybodies, the Hokage ultimately has the final say.

Uchiha Sasuke stood there silently. He wanted nothing. If it were possible, he'd have liked to open his eyes this instant and wipe out that foul-mouthed old lady. Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder.

"I propose promoting Uchiha Sasuke, who is currently a Chūnin, to Jōnin." Link spoke up with a smile, unwilling to watch his own ally get shortchanged. Better to claim some benefits now.

"I imagine Kakashi wouldn't oppose recommending his own student, right?" Link roped in "Hokage Candidate" Kakashi to add more weight.

Homura Mitokado frowned. He didn't think much of promoting Sasuke—who was currently filled with hatred and had just abandoned a mission—to Jōnin. But looking at the bigger picture:

Link represented the Ino–Shika–Chō families; Kakashi's connections ran deep among the elite Jōnin and the Anbu; and as for Itachi, he'd sacrificed so much for the village as a spy. Giving nothing at all to his family in return would be impossible to justify.

But if Sasuke became a Jōnin, he would no longer be a minor figure subject to easy control. Then about Danzo...

"I disagree. Absolutely not." Koharu Utatane was more direct.

She saw Sasuke as a potentially evil Uchiha brat who might not be covered by the Will of Fire and clearly harbored resentment toward the village. Political concerns aside, she simply refused to let the last Uchiha climb higher in Konoha.

This is going to make Sasuke's revenge very troublesome... Link observed the Hokage and the two advisors, his thoughts running quickly.

At the moment, Danzo was thoroughly stripped of power, placed under constant surveillance to prevent further trouble, and Root was disbanded. Still, Danzo remained one of the village elders. The Shimura clan had contributed greatly to the village, and even though the militant faction might have abandoned its leader, that doesn't mean they would allow the village to simply dispose of him.

If Sasuke wanted to kill Danzo, it would most likely mean turning against the village, and there's no way he would give up his thirst for vengeance. It's a deadlock.

Link's expression remained unchanged, his smile unbroken. The situation looked complicated. Would he have to stand against the village for Sasuke's sake?

But that would mean giving up everything he'd built so far—the path he'd been paving toward becoming Hokage. Instinctively, he wanted to avoid taking sides. He just wanted to stay in the shadows, quietly grab some benefits, trick Tobi, fool Black Zetsu, and harvest the Tailed Beasts' chakra. Then he'd completely sabotage the Eye of the Moon Plan.

Putting it bluntly, besides Naruto, Gaara, and Utakata, he didn't particularly care about the fates of the other Jinchūriki. When the time came, he could simply pick off a Tailed Beast here and there to stall for a few years. Eventually, he'd do it enough times to satisfy himself.

By then, when he was truly invincible, would he even need to act in person? He could just remain in Konoha, bide his time, build up his credentials, and eventually become Hokage. After reaching his prime, he could do whatever he liked.

But would Sasuke be willing to wait? If it were him, Sasuke probably would wait. Yet Link lowered his gaze to the ground. He really detested the idea of choosing sides.

"I agree to it." Unexpectedly, the Third Hokage took Link's side, paying no attention to the looks from his two old friends. "What else do you want?"

Not only was he offering this to Sasuke, but it was also a way to buy some form of peace on Danzo's behalf.

"Ninjutsu!" Link continued. "We want permission to learn any jutsu the village possesses."

The Third Hokage responded with a resigned look: "Kid, don't use this as an opportunity to ask for what you've been wanting."

Link only smiled mischievously back.

"I want to study all of them," Uchiha Sasuke added decisively, "including forbidden techniques."

He knew Link had long wanted to learn a wide variety of jutsu. Why not take the chance to help his friend, too?

Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane did not object this time. They both knew that Hiruzen had already been secretly letting Link access forbidden jutsu. Clearly, that was part of the deal, so they couldn't be bothered to refuse.

"Regarding Sasuke's promotion, it will likely take a few days." The Third Hokage acquiesced to their earlier requests. "Now, tell me why you came back this time."

Seeing that he was being addressed, Link put away his smile and threw a photograph onto the desk. "I've discovered Orochimaru's whereabouts. He's now hiding in the Land of Earth, and I hope to get support from the village."

After the Konoha Crush plan, Orochimaru had been on the run from Anbu. Several of his hideouts inside the Land of Fire had already been destroyed.

This Konoha is nothing like the one in the manga, which had been weakened severely. There's no way they would just forgive Orochimaru now.

~~~

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