Chapter 198: Chapter 198: No Chakra Metal, No Deal

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: No Chakra Metal, No Deal



"Alright, as long as you're confident. I won't say more. I'll start preparing; I'm leaving tomorrow," Kushina said confidently, and Takuya felt like he should trust her.

With the spy network dismantled, even if the Hidden Cloud Village tried to send people over, there was no guarantee they could even sneak into the village, let alone make a move on Kushina.

Now that they knew about the Hidden Cloud's plan to abduct a jinchuriki, the Third Hokage definitely wouldn't stand by and do nothing.

If Kushina were captured, it wouldn't be the worst thing-they could always get her back. But if the Nine-Tails were released by accident, the entire village could be destroyed.

The Third Hokage knew he couldn't stop the Nine-Tails. After all, he wasn't the First Hokage, who could take on the beast like it was just a pet. If the Nine-Tails were to rampage through the village, it would leave nothing but ruins in its wake.

That's why, despite his usual reluctance, the Third Hokage agreed to Danzo's revenge plan. The Hidden Cloud dared to make a move on Konoha's secret weapon? They had to retaliate.

Meanwhile, in a private lab, Orochimaru, clad in a white lab coat and focused on his experiment, suddenly sensed something. His eyes flashed with annoyance.

"I don't remember inviting you here," he muttered.

Thud.

Thud.

The steady sound of a cane striking the iron floor echoed through the lab as Danzo slowly entered.

"Is this how you treat an ally?" Danzo asked, his voice as cold as his entrance.

"We're not allies yet. Our deal hasn't been finalized because I haven't received what you promised," Orochimaru said, eyes narrowing.

Seeing that his experiment wouldn't be continuing, Orochimaru quickly jotted down some notes, set his tools aside, and removed his gloves, tossing them into a nearby trash bin.

At this point in time, Orochimaru hadn't fully descended into darkness, though he had his sights set on immortality. He wasn't yet as extreme as he would later become, especially after the events involving Nawaki. This lab, for instance, was entirely legal, funded by his own earnings, and sanctioned by Konoha.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The higher-ups knew Orochimaru had a passion for experimentation, so they allowed him to build his own lab. Some of the equipment was even procured with the Third Hokage's approval.

As of now, his research didn't involve anything forbidden. Although he wasn't thrilled about Nawaki being forcibly assigned to him, Orochimaru had grown fond of the kid. So when Danzo approached him for some less-than-legal experiments, Orochimaru made his demands clear.

In addition to a hidden laboratory, he required chakra metal. That's why Danzo had recently moved most of Konoha's reserves into a storage scroll-it was a necessary part of their arrangement.

The next day, Danzo approached the Third Hokage, who had been grappling with the situation and volunteered to negotiate with Hanzo.

The Third Hokage was stunned.

Danzo had been so adamant about not getting involved. What changed?

But in the end, the Third Hokage accepted Danzo's offer. Konoha did need someone to approach Hanzo, after all. Even if the negotiation didn't succeed, they had to show they were

serious about peace.

As for whether Hanzo would withdraw his troops-that would depend on the negotiation.

With everything in Konoha settled, Takuya was ready for the journey ahead.

Late at night, Orochimaru arrived at Takuya's home.

Seeing Takuya casually climb out of the window, Orochimaru smiled. "Takuya-kun is as

reliable as always."

"..."

Takuya-kun? Why did that always sound so wrong coming from Orochimaru?

They'd talked about this before-just call him by his name. But after wandering around for a while and fighting on the frontlines in the Land of Rivers, Orochimaru had gone back to his old habit. Every time Orochimaru called him Takuya-kun, Takuya couldn't shake the feeling that the snake-like man was up to something.

The two of them left the village through a hidden ANBU exit, slipping into the night as they headed toward the Land of Lightning.

"What intel does the village have on the Hidden Cloud's jinchuriki?" Takuya asked, wanting

to be well-prepared for the mission ahead.

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