Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office

Onoki reviewed the intelligence reports delivered by his ninja, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

Seeing trouble brew in Konohagakure gave Onoki an odd sense of satisfaction, as though he'd finally exhaled a long-held breath.

"Serves you right, Hiruzen. Heh, looks like your successors are in short supply now!" Onoki chuckled deeply, his mood soaring.

For years, Onoki had quietly considered himself outshined by Hiruzen. The Third Hokage had trained the famed Sannin, each of whom was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, while Onoki's own efforts seemed lackluster in comparison. Even his son, Kitsuchi, hadn't lived up to expectations.

But Hiruzen's disciple, Jiraiya, had outdone them all by mentoring the Yellow Flash—an individual so fearsome that even the other hidden villages tread carefully.

That jealousy had gnawed at Onoki for years.

Now, however, the tables had turned. First, the Yellow Flash perished. Then Hiruzen sacrificed two fingers, and one of the Sannin—Orochimaru—defected. Meanwhile, friction between Tsunade and Konoha's higher-ups fractured the village further. All that remained of Hiruzen's once-proud legacy was Jiraiya, standing alone to shoulder the burden.

"Heh, how delightful! Hiruzen must be seething. The monkey is caught between Kumogakure bleeding him dry from the outside and the Uchiha clan tearing him apart from within. Let's see how you wriggle out of this one!" Onoki laughed heartily.

...

Kumogakure, Raikage's Office

The moment news from Konoha arrived, Kumogakure's spies relayed it to the Fourth Raikage, A.

"Hmph, pathetic!" Ay scoffed as he skimmed the report. "The so-called 'Darkness of the Shinobi World,' Orochimaru, turned out to be nothing more than scum who experiments on his own villagers. What incompetence!"

While Ay had no qualms about human experimentation or forbidden jutsu—Kumogakure itself had conducted voluntary experiments to replicate the chakra of tailed beasts like the Gold and Silver Brothers—he couldn't stomach the idea of targeting one's own people.

"Forbidden jutsu? Hiruzen is a coward. Strengthening your village should always come first, not casting powerful techniques aside as 'taboo.' What a waste! If Kumogakure had access to such knowledge, we'd put it to good use," Ay growled.

His blonde, wavy-haired secretary nodded with a tinge of relief.

"It's fortunate that Danzo and Orochimaru's schemes were exposed early. Had their experiments succeeded, they could have developed powers rivaling those of the First Hokage, whose Wood Release could bind even tailed beasts effortlessly."

"True," Ay agreed with a nod. "Inadvertently, the Uchiha clan has done us a favor."

The secretary's lips curved into a sly smile. "Perhaps this is an opportunity—a chance to strike a decisive blow against Konoha, Raikage-sama."

Ay shot her a sidelong glance, immediately understanding her intent. She envisioned taking advantage of Konoha's weakened state to deliver a crushing defeat.

Shaking his head, Ay replied, "Losing Danzo and Orochimaru isn't enough to cripple Konoha. While winning battles is possible, destroying them entirely and claiming the title of the strongest village won't be easy."

He reminded her, "Don't forget Onoki, that old vulture. He's always waiting for a moment of weakness."

Despite his outwardly brash demeanor, Ay was no fool. Reaching the position of Raikage required more than brute strength—it demanded caution and foresight.

The secretary nodded but sighed wistfully. "If only we could coordinate with Iwagakure to attack simultaneously, we might push Konoha out of the Five Great Shinobi Nations altogether."

Ay grimaced, recalling the death of his father, the Third Raikage, who had been surrounded and slain by ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi. "A nice thought, but Onoki's stubbornness is like a rock in a latrine—foul and immovable. Who knows what that old fossil is planning?"

The secretary pressed on. "Even so, it's worth attempting to form an alliance. Konoha's jinchūriki are still immature. If our two villages unite, we could overwhelm their forces."

After a moment's contemplation, Ay relented. "Fine. It's a slim chance, but worth pursuing. I'll leave this matter to you."

Although war was taxing, Kumogakure hadn't yet achieved its objectives or gained sufficient spoils to justify peace. A fallback plan to ambush Konoha's border forces remained viable, but for now, he would explore the possibility of an alliance with Iwagakure.

Victory, respect for Kumogakure, and favorable terms for peace—that was Ay's ultimate goal.

...

Amegakure, Hidden Rain Village

The news from Konoha reached Black Zetsu via his network of White Zetsu.

Mulling over the information about Orochimaru, Black Zetsu murmured, "Orochimaru, huh? A talented individual. He might prove useful in aiding Nagato's mission to capture the tailed beasts."

As a being deeply familiar with Konoha's secrets, Black Zetsu always maintained close scrutiny of the village. The presence of reincarnated Asura and Indra ensured Konoha's role as a focal point in his plans.

"The Uchiha clan's recent actions are intriguing," Black Zetsu mused. "It's not Fugaku behind this. Is it Uchiha Akira? Fascinating."

Black Zetsu considered the key players within the Uchiha clan. Fugaku, though competent, lacked the ambition to elevate the clan. Shisui, deeply entrenched in the Will of Fire, wouldn't act openly even after discovering Orochimaru and Danzo's crimes.

"Uchiha Akira… This could be the closest the Uchiha have come to seizing the Hokage position. Let's see if he has the destiny to achieve it."

For Black Zetsu, only Indra's reincarnation mattered in the grand scheme. Those who lacked the potential to awaken the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan or Rinnegan were mere tools.

"Time to inform Nagato and see his thoughts." Black Zetsu vanished into the ground.

Moments later, he emerged beside Nagato. After relaying his observations, Nagato mulled over the proposal before nodding.

"Orochimaru is indeed a rare talent. If possible, save him and recruit him into Akatsuki."

Currently, Akatsuki's core membership consisted of Nagato, Konan, Sasori, Kakuzu, Uchiha Hikaru, and Zetsu—far from the ten-member team Nagato envisioned. Even with Orochimaru, they still had room to grow.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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