"Still no sign of Riku?"
On the moon, several members of the Ōtsutsuki clan sat in meditation, gathered in a circle.
"Clan Head—no news."
"We tried to forcibly summon him with a summoning jutsu, but there was still no response."
"His soul-mound shows no disturbance. There's been no guidance or return."
After reporting, the Ōtsutsuki clansman withdrew. Only the clan head and the elders remained.
"Riku likely failed in the shinobi world," the clan head said gravely. "Where was his chakra last detected?"
"Clan Head—it was in a place in the shinobi world called the Land of Rain," an elder replied. "We investigated carefully with our techniques. There is no trace of Riku's chakra anywhere in the shinobi world now. He was likely sealed."
"Clan Head, Ōtsutsuki intelligence must not be leaked. We must deliver judgment upon the shinobi world."
Seated at the head, the clan leader's thoughts churned. This was the first time their people had suffered an incident in the shinobi world.
"Our ancestral law forbids us from interfering…"
"But this is clearly beyond the normal scope."
"You all know Riku's strength. We still don't know what happened—what he encountered, that could make him vanish."
Another elder of the main branch shook his head. "Clan Head, this is not the time to hesitate."
"Our clan must never be exposed."
"But we still can't confirm Riku's exact location," the clan head said, wary. "If we act—"
"Clan Head," the elder cut in, "Ōtsutsuki Riku's actions already constitute a violation of clan law. If one reveals their identity, they are to be exiled. If one leaks information about the Ōtsutsuki clan itself, the punishment is death."
"This situation is moving toward the most dangerous outcome. If something truly goes wrong, we will have betrayed our ancestors' final command—and become the sinners of the Ōtsutsuki!"
Even the cautious clan head wavered.
"Then what do you propose?"
The elders exchanged looks. At last, an elder of the branch family rose.
"We know the last place Ōtsutsuki Riku disappeared."
"Then we destroy that entire region."
"Only that guarantees certainty."
"Won't that alert the shinobi world?" the clan head asked. "If we annihilate that area, won't the commotion be too great?"
He wasn't truly opposed.
With Ōtsutsuki blood, he had lived for a century—watching the shinobi world for a century, like a god observing from above. War and destruction had long since become commonplace to him.
What restrained him was not compassion.
It was ancestral law.
"We needn't appear personally," the branch elder said. "We can trigger a natural disaster…"
"Gather the clan's power and push a meteor from space—one large enough to erase that country."
"But preparations will take time."
---
Land of Wind.
Tsunade and Orochimaru completed their mission smoothly.
"Reconnaissance" meant rebuilding Konoha's intelligence web inside Sunagakure—using existing channels, baiting conflict, and planting Konoha agents deeper inside.
That was their assignment.
They succeeded.
But withdrawing was another matter.
The Wind Daimyō had a sharp eye. To appease Hanzo, he handed Amegakure a vast swath of territory. It was all desert, but Hanzo accepted it without hesitation.
And the chosen territory was perfectly placed—bordering the Land of Rivers, directly on Konoha's best route for retreat.
To avoid it, they'd have to detour south at least half a day.
The problem was, Sunagakure's pursuers wouldn't wait. They were chasing them relentlessly.
Ahead in the desert, an Ame patrol squad watched them. One of them had already gone to report.
Borrow passage?
Everyone remembered what happened to the Third Kazekage.
Tsunade's face tightened. "Orochimaru, what do we do?"
Amegakure really was their bane—whenever they ran into them, nothing good followed.
They all understood it was Amegakure using Hanzo's name to throw its weight around… but no one dared call the bluff.
"There's not enough time," Orochimaru said coolly. "If we detour, we'll be caught."
"We'll be fine, but our unit will take heavy losses."
"And don't forget what Sensei warned us."
"This was merely an intelligence misunderstanding that caused a minor clash—not a war."
"Then what do we do?" Tsunade snapped, urgency bleeding into her voice.
Orochimaru's eyes turned, once… twice… and then he seemed to land on an idea.
"Tsunade. That Ame squad has eight people. Can you control them with genjutsu—without leaving traces?"
Tsunade's expression sharpened. "Orochimaru—what are you planning?! That's basically declaring war on Amegakure! Don't forget—they're officially neutral!"
"No," Orochimaru said. "I'm not asking you to kill them. Only to control them briefly."
"It's the only way I can think of."
Tsunade stared at him. "Tell me what you're doing first."
Orochimaru nodded. A burst of Wind Release kicked up sand, blotting out everyone's vision.
"My plan is simple."
As he spoke, white smoke rose around him. With a Transformation Jutsu, he became someone else entirely.
"Hanzo of the Salamander!" Tsunade blurted, shocked. "You're going to trick the Suna with that?!"
Orochimaru nodded. "It's the only way. Otherwise we fight Sunagakure head-on."
"Amegakure just took over this land, so there won't be many stationed here—probably only that squad. If they're controlled, nothing happens."
"It's risky… but worth trying."
Tsunade's gaze turned dangerous. She thought for a long time—then realized there truly wasn't a better option.
The sand beneath her feet flowed outward. She sank into the desert, leaving a Shadow Clone behind.
The Senju had strong water and earth affinities by nature. Tsunade rarely used Earth Release, but that didn't mean she couldn't—and in a desert, burrowing was even easier.
When the windblown sand cleared, "Hanzo" and the Konoha unit reappeared.
The Ame patrol's attention was fixed on the Konoha force. They noticed nothing else.
Watching the Ame shinobi in the distance grow increasingly glassy-eyed, Orochimaru loosened his breath and issued an order behind him.
"Everyone—transform. Disguise yourselves as Amegakure shinobi."
...
About two hours later, a large Suna force caught up.
Waiting for them was a "vast Ame army"—and Hanzo of the Salamander.
"What's going on—why is Hanzo here?!" the Suna leader blanched.
Beside him, another shinobi ground his teeth. "That bastard. Perfect timing—I'll avenge the Third—"
Before he could finish, the leader smashed him across the head.
"Are you insane or just stupid? The Third and thousands of our shinobi couldn't beat him. You want to run in and die?!"
"Stop!" He raised a hand and the entire unit froze.
"I'll go talk. You stay here and do not move."
"Listen carefully—do not act on your own. Even if I die out there, you do not advance. Understood?"
After laying down the order, he went alone toward "Hanzo."
Three kunai flew in, stabbing into the sand at his feet.
"Suna shinobi. This territory has already been assigned to the Land of Rain by your daimyō," 'Hanzo' said.
"One more step forward is crossing the border."
"Are you looking to fight me again?"
The Suna shinobi swallowed and forced his voice steady. "My lord, you misunderstand. I have no intention of crossing."
"It's only… unexpected to meet you here. May I ask why you've come?"
"Brat," Orochimaru said, perfectly mimicking the tone Hanzo used when he fought them, "are you questioning me?"
"Mind your place."
As he spoke, a Water Dragon formed at his side—coiling, baring its fangs as it loomed over the Suna shinobi.
"I will interpret your behavior as Sunagakure's approval."
Water Release—at this level, in the middle of a desert?!
The Suna shinobi's eyes widened.
"N-no, my lord—please forgive me. We were pursuing Konoha, but they vanished when we reached this area, so I came to ask."
"My apologies."
"Hmph. What do you think I'm here for?!" Orochimaru let irritation color his voice.
"I received intelligence that both Konoha and Sunagakure forces were moving toward the Land of Rain."
"I thought you'd joined hands to take revenge on us!"
"If I hadn't arrived first, Konoha would have marched straight across Rain territory."
"Wait, you mean you stopped Konoha?!" The Suna shinobi looked genuinely relieved.
Orochimaru scoffed. "What do you take me for? Two defeated subordinates think they can challenge me again?"
"Suna shinobi. You have three minutes. If you're not gone by then, I'll consider it a provocation."
"I understand," the Suna shinobi said quickly. "But… which direction did Konoha flee?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "Suna really has grown more and more pathetic. Can't you see for yourself?"
Following 'Hanzo's' gaze, the Suna shinobi immediately noticed subtle signs.
Even with the desert winds, the tracks of a large marching force couldn't be erased that quickly.
There were still traces.
"Thank you, my lord. I'll take my leave."
He returned at once, leading the Suna force north in pursuit.
The Water Dragon beside Orochimaru dissipated. Sweat soaked his back.
"Good thing we prepared," he muttered. "Otherwise I really couldn't have fooled him."
The desert wind rose again, the sand thickening—perfect conditions to withdraw.
"God's helping us."
Orochimaru looked to Tsunade. "How long will those tracks hold?"
"An hour at most," Tsunade answered. "If they don't catch us, they'll realize quickly."
"And those Ame shinobi—my genjutsu can last another half hour. I've already forged their memories."
"Good."
Orochimaru nodded and immediately led the unit south.
Not long after, the Suna leader felt something prickle at him.
"The tracks aren't wrong… so what's the problem?"
Then it hit him.
"Byakugan. Hanzo's left eye was replaced with a Byakugan."
That was intelligence the Third Kazekage paid for with his life!
"These tracks… that's it! I wondered why the trail looked so continuous—like it was inviting us to chase."
"And the number of Ame shinobi… it's exactly the same as the Konoha unit that fled!"
Rage exploded in his chest.
"Konoha scum—how dare you impersonate Hanzo of the Salamander! Have you lost your minds?!"
After the massive blast near the Land of Fire border, countless Suna shinobi had been terrified firsthand. Then the Third Kazekage died—thousands marched out, only a few hundred returned. The accounts they brought back sounded like hell itself.
Sunagakure's fear of Hanzo had reached its peak.
And Konoha had exploited that perfectly.
Orochimaru himself likely hadn't expected Hanzo's 'mask' to be this effective.
"I was scared into backing down like that… what a disgrace!"
"Damn Konoha! Turn around—pursue!"
His reaction was fast. Konoha hadn't gotten far.
They soon returned to the original location.
There, eight Ame shinobi were just waking up—Tsunade's genjutsu having planted a clean, fabricated memory of Konoha leaving.
"First Konoha, now Suna? Busy day," one Ame shinobi muttered, pulling out kunai and throwing them at the Suna's feet.
"Suna shinobi. This territory has already been assigned to the Land of Rain by your daimyō."
"One more step is crossing the border."
"Leave immediately!"
"You think I'm an idiot?!" The Suna leader snarled, fury peaking.
"A few sacrificial fools left behind to die—do you really think you can fool me again?!"
"Hanzo of the Salamander—Ame shinobi, today, I'm not afraid of you!"
A kunai wrapped in Wind Release chakra shot toward the Ame shinobi in the center.
"Watch out!"
The Ame squad instantly realized something was wrong. One of them grabbed the target and flung him aside.
"Retreat—go report to Lord Hanzo!"
They tried to fall back, but the Suna shinobi didn't intend to let them escape.
"Kill them!"
Suna surged forward. Kunai fell like rain.
"Run! You have to get the message back!"
In the end, under desperate cover, two Ame shinobi—badly wounded, managed to escape.
"Stop," the Suna leader ordered, coldly. "Ahead is the Land of Rain. Let those rats go."
"Better if real Ame shinobi discover them."
"And as for Konoha impersonating Hanzo—let's see how they explain that."
He glanced at the trail. The Konoha force had headed south.
"This time, no mistakes."
"Chase!"
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