Hiashi touched the corner of his eye lightly.
"The replacement still stings occasionally," he admitted. "It belonged to one of the preserved ancestors of the main branch. I did not wish to trouble you for a minor implant when you have been busy dealing with Suna."
Tsunade nodded slowly. Then Hiashi's gaze shifted behind her. "Who is the boy?"
Tsunade explained the situation quickly about the hostage and its importance.
Hiashi listened silently the entire time. When she finished, he gave a small nod.
"The Hyuga clan will support your judgment in this matter, Lady Tsunade. We will not forget your assistance." he said firmly.
Tsunade inclined her head slightly. That was one powerful clan secured... though her actions back in the war has helped a lot.
Behind her, Kaien watched the conversation carefully. "So this is Hyuga Hiashi." He studied the man's posture.
From the earlier conversation, the Hyuga had lost a Byakugan to Sunagakure. Hiashi had replaced it with another eye from one of their main family ancestor.
Interesting.
Kaien's mind drifted briefly. Where is Hinata? She should be around this compound somewhere.
He blinked and shook his head slightly.
Focus. I am the hostage here. His survival depended entirely on politics now. Tsunade and Minato were deliberately informing every clan leader before Danzo made his decision.
That meant something important. Different clans would have different opinions. Some might favor execution. Others might favor negotiation. Some might want to interrogate him personally.
But the disagreement alone would buy him time.
Time meant survival. Unless…
Unless Danzo decides otherwise. Kaien exhaled quietly. That bandaged old man was the real danger. With him, there were no predictable rules.
And Kaien knew one thing with absolute certainty. If Danzo gained full control of the situation. Nothing would stop him from tearing Kaien's mind apart.
"Uncle Bee, Hurry up and curse Minato." He thought.
~~
Danzo Shimura stood alone inside a dimly lit chamber that used to served as the Root's operational headquarters but it didn't change anything. Unlike the Hokage's office, this place had no windows and no decorations. The walls were bare stone, illuminated only by a well placed cutout which let the sunlight in casting a long flickering shadows across the room.
In Danzo's hand was a small piece of paper.
His eyes moved slowly across the message written upon it.
"I have found out the identity of the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. She is a woman of approximately twenty years of age. Very strong. She is currently under the tutelage of Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Approaching her has become increasingly risky. However, she will be sent on her first mission soon. No major clans have joined Kumo yet. Those that have joined are insignificant. I could not locate the missing Uchiha members."
Danzo read the message twice. Then a faint smile crept across his face.
Hmm… so Pakura is doing her job well. He folded the paper slightly between his fingers.
For over two years now, the kunoichi from Sunagakure had unknowingly been one of his most valuable spies. After infiltrating Kumo's recruitment system under the guise of a wandering shinobi with a minor kekkei genkai, she had slowly begun feeding information back to him through hidden channels.
She had discovered something extraordinary. The identity of the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
Danzo's mind moved quickly. If we capture the Two-Tails Jinchuriki… he thought slowly and jolted in excitement that thought alone gave him orgasm, then Kumo will lose one of their greatest weapons before they even realize it.
His fingers tightened around the paper. Perhaps I should personally go and eliminate her.
Just then, a masked Root operative landed silently inside the chamber and knelt before him.
"Danz... Hokage-sama."
Danzo did not turn. His wind chakra quietly shredded the paper into hundreds of tiny fragments that scattered across the floor.
"Speak."
The root ninja lowered his head. "Lady Tsunade has returned to Konoha. She arrived with a young boy of dark complexion and visited the Hyuga compound."
Danzo's eye narrowed slightly. "Tsunade…?"
The root ninja continued. "Minato Namikaze has also been sighted near the Uchiha district. He appears to be moving toward the Nara compound."
Danzo finally turned toward the messenger.
Minato…?
His mind immediately began connecting possibilities. From the fragments he had seen earlier through Kagami's eyes at the Sunagakure, Minato should have been rescuing Kakashi from the Kumo battlefield.
So why was he suddenly back in the village? And more importantly… What was he informing the clans?
Danzo's thoughts darkened. Minato would only do that if something major had happened.
Before he could reach a conclusion, another Root ninja suddenly appeared beside the first one and knelt deeply.
"Hokage-sama. New information."
Danzo's gaze sharpened. "Speak."
"The boy traveling with Lady Tsunade is the hostage Minato captured during the mission."
A brief pause followed.
Then the second root ninja finished the report. "He is the grandson of the Raikage."
For the first time in several minutes, Danzo's eye widened. A slow smile spread across his face.
Fortune… truly favors those who seize it.
First the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. Now the grandson of the Raikage.
If both pieces fell into his hands, Kumo would lose two of their greatest strategic assets simultaneously.
Danzo's mind began racing with possibilities. The boy could be interrogated. His memories could be extracted. Kumo's military structure, their defenses and their clan alliances.
Everything.
And if necessary…
He could also be used as bait to get back the nine-tails Jinchuriki and I will have full control over two tailed beasts. Even the Third Raikage would hesitate if his own grandson's life were threatened because they are emotional fools.
Danzo spoke slowly. "Is this information credible?"
The second Root ninja nodded immediately. "Yes. I overheard the conversation inside the Uchiha compound."
Danzo stood silent for several seconds. Then he gave two short orders.
"Call Ibiki Morino." "And Inoichi Yamanaka."
Both operatives bowed. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
They vanished instantly.
Danzo slowly turned toward the exit corridor. It was time to move the pieces himself. Without another word, he left the chamber and headed toward the Hokage Tower.
~~
A/N: Just started Kimimaro fanfic, if you are interested
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