The ANBU ninja didn't know what to do.
They were facing Kage-level shinobi, one of whom was Konoha's renowned former Hokage, and the other his infamous student.
Swish. A figure appeared, his striking silver hair impossible to miss.
"Kakashi. It's a shame we didn't get a chance to talk properly last time," Minato said, a gentle smile gracing his lips upon seeing the newcomer.
"Sen... sei!" Kakashi's world shook.
In the aftermath of Naruto's defection, Konoha was in a highly sensitive state. The villagers' hatred for Naruto was palpable, and some of that animosity had even been directed at Kakashi. He had been living in agony. The defection of his teacher and Naruto, combined with the deaths of his father, Obito, and Rin, tormented him endlessly. Old wounds had been torn open once more.
His dear friend, Might Guy, had been trying to console him, but to little effect. This was a burden Kakashi had to overcome on his own.
Though Kakashi's face was hidden behind a mask, Minato could see the profound exhaustion in his one visible eye.
"Kakashi, we come this time with sincerity," Minato said with a calm smile.
Orochimaru, meanwhile, used a scroll to summon the container holding the Mangekyo Sharingan. "Rest assured, we have no ill intentions toward Konoha."
"A Sharingan?!" A stir went through the ANBU. Kakashi's eye narrowed, his gaze filled with shock. His attention quickly shifted to the prisoner held by Orochimaru. The man's head was turned away, as if trying to hide his face, but a sense of familiarity still pricked at Kakashi's mind.
"This is a prisoner we're gifting to Konoha. He's also someone you've been thinking about day and night, Kakashi," Orochimaru said with a sly grin, noticing where Kakashi's gaze had landed.
Could it be?
Kakashi's eye widened as an unbelievable theory formed in his mind. With a sense of dread, he looked at the prisoner again, and finally, his voice cracked. "Obito? Are you Obito?"
He was babbling. Isn't Obito dead? Are the eyes Orochimaru gouged out his? How could they be Mangekyo Sharingan??
"Obito? Why don't you say hello to your old friend?" Orochimaru grabbed Obito's head and forced him to face Kakashi. The deep, hollow sockets and the dark, dried bloodstains were a horrifying sight.
"Kakashi," Obito's voice was filled with exhaustion and a deathly emptiness. He had always believed he was the one pulling the strings, yet here he was, not only without his eyes but also forced to face his old friend, revealing his pathetic state. It was the epitome of a mortifying public spectacle.
"You're not mistaken. Obito didn't die. In fact, he was the one who orchestrated the Nine-Tails attack," Orochimaru continued with a cheerful smile. "Now, hurry and inform the Fifth Hokage. We mean no harm."
"If we did, you'd all be dead by now," Minato added casually.
As he spoke, the ANBU ninja were horrified to see Flying Thunder God formulas materialize all around them. Combined with the Fourth Hokage's smiling face, a chill ran down their spines.
Upon receiving the message, Tsunade immediately granted them an audience and sent a communication frog to notify Jiraiya at Mount Myoboku as quickly as possible.
They soon convened in the Hokage's Office. It was the same as always, only now the Third Hokage was gone. A flicker of nostalgia passed through Minato's eyes.
"Tsunade, it's been over a decade, and you haven't changed a bit," Orochimaru said, breaking the silence.
"I haven't, but you've changed a lot," Tsunade retorted without courtesy, her eyes fixed warily on Orochimaru and Minato.
"What brings you here? To return so openly with the status of S-rank missing-nin... are you trying to provoke Konoha?"
Tsunade's gaze fell on Obito, her brow furrowed. Uchiha Obito. Kakashi's former teammate, and the original owner of Kakashi's Sharingan. How could he have turned traitor? And how did he end up captured by Orochimaru?
"Our purpose is simple. Kakashi, you don't have to leave. It's been a long time, let's talk," Minato said, stopping Kakashi just as he was about to excuse himself. "Fifth Hokage, you don't mind if Kakashi joins our discussion, do you? He is a key figure in all this, after all," he said, turning to Tsunade.
After a moment's hesitation, Tsunade nodded.
"We've brought Konoha the rogue ninja Obito. He has Wood Release cells in his body, as well as the Mangekyo Sharingan," Minato announced with a smile.
"Wood Release cells!!!" Tsunade's face was a mask of shock, which quickly twisted into murderous rage as she glared at Obito.
Kakashi stared at Obito in utter disbelief. It was impossible to imagine that the foolish boy who had once inherited the Will of Fire could have done something so monstrous. The First Hokage was the pride of the Leaf. How dare he desecrate the First's body!
Why has everyone changed?
A wave of despair washed over Kakashi, and he suddenly felt the urge to cry. He looked at Minato, the man he had once revered, who now stood there with a chillingly calm expression.
"We can provide Konoha with a certain degree of assistance, even help you deter the other ninja villages."
"That's right. I can even teach Sasuke and help him become stronger. I think you know that while Jiraiya's skills are decent, I am far more suited to be Sasuke's teacher," Orochimaru said, licking his lips.
"Oh, and the Mangekyo Sharingan can be transplanted into Kakashi, giving him a matching pair. Furthermore, with research into the Wood Release, Kakashi could possess both Wood Style and the Sharingan, which would compensate for his weakness of low chakra reserves. Reaching the Kage level would be no problem at all," Orochimaru added.
This series of proposals left both Tsunade and Kakashi stunned.
Aren't you missing-nin? Why do you sound so eager to serve Konoha?
Perhaps sensing Tsunade's probing gaze, Orochimaru explained with a smile, "You're all too weak. That's why we thought we'd help you. After all, you are a cradle for geniuses."
As he spoke, Orochimaru laughed inwardly. For now, it seems Konoha is gaining a lot. But soon, they will discover what true despair is.
Hearing the slightly mocking tone, Tsunade felt a knot tighten in her stomach. But then she thought, What could Minato and Orochimaru possibly want from Konoha now? Minato's words about Naruto not wanting his opponents to be too weak seemed more plausible.
And Konoha was indeed too weak.
But Orochimaru had a history of trying to destroy the village. And Minato was the father of Naruto, the man who had defected and now stood against the entire ninja world. No matter how she looked at it, their intentions were malicious.
"How can I trust you?" Tsunade asked, her brow furrowed.
"You don't have to trust me. You can interpret our proposal as a threat," Orochimaru replied with a smile, licking his lips again. "Minato and I are both Kage-level. Minato has even mastered a more advanced form of the Flying Thunder God. If a fight were to break out, we could escape unscathed, while you would suffer countless casualties. I don't think you want to see Konoha devastated again, do you?"
Tsunade's eyes blazed with fury, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She looked ready to strike.
"I'd advise you not to. You're the Hokage now. You should be more rational. Making an enemy of us right now is not a good choice, is it?" Minato said gently, taking a slow sip of tea.
In that moment, Minato bore a striking resemblance to Naruto. It seemed that with the same genes, a fallen Minato was quite similar to his son.
Although the offer was beneficial to Konoha, Tsunade felt violated, a profound sense of humiliation washing over her. This was the consequence of not being strong enough. The weak get bullied, and the strong will find any number of excuses to do it.
Could Konoha resist? Yes. But it would come at a devastating cost. For now, they could only endure the humiliation and swallow their pride.
Tsunade could only console herself with the thought that at least Konoha would gain another Mangekyo Sharingan and potentially a Wood Style user. If Naruto was so arrogant, then she would accept his "gift."
If my grandfather, the First Hokage, knew of Konoha's current predicament, he would surely sigh in sorrow.
She looked at the pale, artificial half of Obito's body, knowing it was the result of Wood Release cell injections, and her killing intent boiled.
"We'll take Obito. We will also consider transplanting the Mangekyo Sharingan into a suitable candidate. But as for teaching Sasuke, that won't be necessary," Tsunade said stiffly.
What a joke. The Uchiha's reputation for being traitors was deeply ingrained. Teaching Sasuke was already a risk. If he were to be mentored by Orochimaru, he would defect in a heartbeat.
"It seems you don't have much faith in Sasuke," Orochimaru said, glancing playfully at Kakashi. "But you don't have a choice in the matter. If I say I will teach Sasuke, he must learn. If I don't, he can't!" Orochimaru patted Tsunade's shoulder with a flippant air.
Tsunade's face began to turn red, a clear sign she was about to explode.
"You're the Hokage now. You must remember to endure," Minato sighed.
"Yes, just like our teacher. Endure," Orochimaru added, the mockery in his voice unmistakable.
He then changed the subject. "However, whether or not he accepts my guidance should be Sasuke's decision. Rest assured, according to our plan, Sasuke will be Konoha's greatest asset."
"In any case, we'll leave Obito with you for now. Don't worry, the tendons in his limbs have been severed, and his eyes have been gouged out," Orochimaru's voice was magnetic. "After a long day's journey, we're quite tired. Might we enjoy some of Konoha's hospitality?"
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