Chapter 542: Konoha Crush Plan
A few days after Ishiro openly sent a message across the shinobi world requesting a meeting with Danzō, Danzō's people took the initiative to find him.
Subsequently, Ishiro and Danzō met at an izakaya in the Land of Moon.
The two sat at opposite ends of the tavern, separated by several meters.
Ishiro glanced at the "Closed for Business" sign on the main door, then at the tavern owner nearby.
Just as he was about to speak, Danzō spoke first. "He is already under my Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal. Tsuchikage-dono, you can speak freely."
Ishiro nodded. He first waved his hand, forming a thin mud barrier between them. Only then did he speak: "Hokage-dono, I have a matter I wish to cooperate with you on."
Not only did Ishiro set up the mud barrier, but he also closed his eyes.
Danzō said nothing, putting on an imposing air, waiting for Ishiro to continue. Inwardly, he was a little regretful. He had, in fact, considered using Kotoamatsukami to control Ishiro.
If Danzō could choose anyone in the world to control, the person he wanted most was undoubtedly Ishiro.
On Danzō's Kotoamatsukami wish list, Ishiro was definitely ranked higher than the current Hokage, Kakashi. As the Kage of the number one village, if Ishiro were controlled, Danzō might truly be able to relive his dream of being Hokage.
Ishiro ignored Danzō's posturing. Danzō had fallen this far; if he wanted to save some face, Ishiro was happy to play along.
Ishiro continued, "Hokage-dono, Shikaku Nara and the others have installed their own people in all of Konoha's key positions. And the ninja you worked so hard to force out on missions have all been recalled. Right now, Konoha is clearly split into two opposing factions: the civilian ninja and the clan ninja. And yet, for some reason, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kakashi have both chosen to remain silent."
Danzō's breathing quickened slightly. Because of his impulsive action—killing all his subordinates—he was currently in the dark about Konoha's situation. He had spent the last few days hiding, recovering and adapting to the changes the Hashirama cells brought to his body.
He had fled Konoha in such a hurry that he left his spare Sharingan back in Root; they had probably all fallen into Kakashi's hands. Otherwise, he would have already found replacements for the eyes he consumed using Izanagi. Because his right arm was now missing those Sharingan, his body, which had not fully recovered, was experiencing new problems.
Ishiro, pretending not to notice Danzō's condition, continued, "Konoha's clan ninja have monopolized all positions. The civilian ninja lack a channel to make their voices heard. They lack a great figure to rally behind."
Ishiro deliberately paused here.
As expected, the sound of a chair scraping the floor came from the other side. Danzō couldn't hold back. He asked in a low voice, "What does the Tsuchikage propose?"
Ishiro smiled. "Hokage-dono, my stance hasn't changed. I will always support your ascendance. Iwagakure is a peace-loving village. During your time as Hokage, our two sides cooperated pleasantly and had no conflicts. I look forward to the day you reclaim your throne, and Iwa and Konoha can coexist peacefully once more."
Danzō cut him off, speaking urgently, "Tsuchikage-dono, I don't want to hear this. Just tell me the plan."
Ishiro laughed. "Hokage-dono is indeed straightforward. I have two plans. First, you can slowly contact those civilian ninja in the shadows. When you were in power, you helped them. They will surely be willing to follow you. You can gradually build your influence and unite them. Rest assured, Iwagakure will provide a very considerable sum of funds for this process. Of course, this will be slow. It might take several years, or even a decade, in the shadows. As the former 'Darkness of the Shinobi,' I trust you have that much patience."
Before Ishiro had even finished, Danzō said flatly, "Tell me the second plan."
The Danzō of the past could endure decades under Hiruzen's suppression. But the Danzō of today no longer had that stable mindset. Having tasted true power, he wouldn't tolerate another minute of powerlessness. Waiting several more years, or decades? He would rather die.
Ishiro grinned silently. "The name of the second plan is: The Konoha Crush Plan."
Danzō's head snapped up, his eyes staring intently forward, as if he had a Byakugan that could see Ishiro through the mud barrier.
After a long moment, Danzō asked, "I need some three-tomoe Sharingan to restore my strength. Can you get them?"
Ishiro's eyebrows shot up. Danzō must have taken a huge loss in the Land of Wind. How many times did he use Izanagi?
Ishiro thought, I have plenty of Sharingan... but you're a broke nobody. Why should I give them to you? He said aloud, "Although I took some Uchiha children from Konoha, none of them have awakened their eyes, so I have none for now. But rest assured, Hokage-dono, I will keep an eye out for you."
Hearing Ishiro mention the Uchiha children, Danzō couldn't help but think of the three fakes he had raised as treasures. He snorted, paused, and asked, "How many men can the Tsuchikage lend me for this Konoha Crush Plan?"
Ishiro smiled. "Hokage-dono jests. Iwagakure is a peace-loving village. This is Konoha's internal affair. We will not interfere."
Danzō felt Ishiro was mocking him and was about to get angry, but Ishiro continued, "However, does Hokage-dono remember the Soragakure?"
Danzō frowned. "That minor village we destroyed?"
Ishiro nodded, then realized Danzō couldn't see him. "Correct. They weren't completely wiped out. The leader of the Sky Ninja, now going by the name Shinnō, is currently practicing medicine in the Land of Hot Water, which we occupy. The Sky Ninja have always dreamed of revenge against Konoha and have been secretly building their strength. They would be more than happy to serve you, Hokage-dono."
Danzō thought about it. Although his Root had played a major part in destroying Soragakure, their goals were now aligned. If they truly wanted revenge, they wouldn't refuse to cooperate with him.
Ishiro added, "You have another potential ally: Orochimaru. He is very interested in the Hyūga clan's Byakugan."
Danzō snorted. "Orochimaru can already break the Caged Bird seal. What attraction does the Hyūga main family hold for him?"
Ishiro smiled. "Even if he broke the seal, can a branch family's Byakugan compare in purity to a main family's? Can an ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan compare to Fugaku Uchiha's? Even before Fugaku awakened his Mangekyō, his three-tomoe was superior to that of an average Uchiha, was it not?"
Danzō considered this and felt Ishiro had a point.
After a moment, Danzō asked again, "Tsuchikage-dono, how much funding can you provide?"
Ishiro took two storage scrolls from his pack and tossed them over. "One contains money. The other, explosive tags."
Danzō checked them. The number of explosive tags was substantial, a huge sum if converted to cash. But the actual money was far too little. Is he treating me like a beggar?
Ishiro knew what Danzō was thinking. "If Hokage-dono is short on cash, I have an idea. The Land of Fire, Land of Water, and Land of Lightning have formed an alliance. All three are coastal nations with busy maritime trade. You could 'pay them a visit.' Since they aren't paying taxes to you, Hokage-dono, you are naturally free to take what is yours."
Danzō knew exactly what Ishiro was implying, but he truly was in desperate need of money. Recovering his body, winning over civilian ninja—it all cost money.
Ishiro added, "Hokage-dono, if you 'collect' too many goods, just let me know. I'll buy them, no matter the quantity. We can negotiate a good price. And if you're short-handed while 'moving' the goods, I can lend you some people."
Danzō snorted but did not refuse.
After reaching an agreement with Danzō, Ishiro didn't linger in the Land of Moon and returned to the village. He then went to a new laboratory in Iwagakure.
The lab was newly established; some parts were still under construction. It was dedicated to researching the technology Iwa had acquired from Kumo.
The Land of Lightning's advantage was technology. Ishiro believed tech products were their main export to the new alliance. He wanted to check the prices so he could bargain with Danzō later.
Ishiro entered the lab and found it bustling. Although most of the researchers were from Iwa, Ishiro knew the core members were almost all puppet masters from Suna.
With just a glance, he saw Suna puppet masters giving directions while Iwa ninja carried out the tasks.
This made Ishiro wonder if it was possible to just... annex Sunagakure.
The thought didn't last long. He knew Suna's current state was almost entirely his fault. At least 80% of Suna's ninja probably wished him dead.
As Ishiro was thinking, a figure approached him. He looked up and saw a teenager he vaguely recognized. Seeing the trademark face paint, he remembered: this was Rasa's son, Gaara's older brother, Kankurō.
Kankurō said, "Kankurō of Sunagakure greets Lord Tsuchikage. I have a request for you, Lord Tsuchikage."
Ishiro glanced at him but said nothing.
Kankurō continued, "Lord Tsuchikage, Sunagakure wishes to trade for the Third Kazekage puppet. We are willing to pay. We don't have much money, so we can't pay all at once, but we are willing to pay in installments."
Ishiro remained unmoved. He knew Suna's situation better than Kankurō did. What money did Suna have?
But Kankurō's next words piqued Ishiro's interest. "Lord Tsuchikage, Suna is poor, but the Third Kazekage puppet is just a decoration in Iwagakure's storage. It brings you no benefit. If you are willing to trade the puppet, you will not only receive funds, but also the loyalty of Sunagakure."
Ishiro looked at him, considered it, but still said nothing.
Kankurō looked disappointed. Seeing that Ishiro had no intention of speaking, the Iwa ninja in the lab quickly led Kankurō away.
Ishiro finished his tour of the lab and returned to the Tsuchikage Tower. He summoned an ANBU squad. "Take a trip to the Land of Wind. Go to Rōran, find Sasori of the Red Sand, and negotiate with him. Tell him I want to trade the Third Kazekage puppet for the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa's, puppet."
"Yes, sir." The ANBU captain acknowledged and left.
Kankurō's words had moved him. The Third Kazekage puppet had been in Iwa's warehouse for so long Ishiro had almost forgotten about it. It was useless to Iwa.
But Ishiro wasn't moved by Suna's "loyalty." He was moved by the Fourth Kazekage puppet.
Both Kazekage had Magnet Release, but one controlled Iron Sand, the other Gold Sand. For a normal ninja, Iron Sand was more dangerous. But for Ishiro, it was useless, and Iwa had no puppet masters.
But Gold Sand... Gold Sand could be sold. Iwagakure had so many research projects; they were always short on money.
After the ANBU left, Ishiro cursed himself for being an idiot. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Look at all the money I've lost! He told Bella about it, instructing her to take charge of the puppet after the exchange.
Bella was thrilled. The Fourth Kazekage puppet? That wasn't a puppet, it was a gold mine.
She asked, "Will Sasori agree to the trade?"
Ishiro said, "If he agrees, fine. If he refuses, we should be wary. It would mean he thinks he has the strength to oppose us. In that case, I'll take Han, Rōshi, and Lord Third, and we'll pay him a visit. The Ryūmyaku in Rōran isn't going anywhere. We'll just stand back and bombard him with Dust Release, Light Release, and Tailed Beast Balls. Let's see him handle that."
Bella smiled. "Alright, I'll wait for the ANBU's good news."
Sasori's reply was quick. He agreed. He didn't dare offend Iwagakure, and for him, the Third Kazekage puppet was indeed more useful.
The exchange went smoothly. Ishiro gave the Fourth Kazekage puppet directly to Bella.
Bella was ready. She immediately arranged for ninja to operate the puppet and start mining. She didn't waste a single minute. Iwa didn't need puppet masters; they weren't using it for combat, just mining with its Magnet Release.
They just needed to pick ninja with good chakra control to operate the puppet 24/7 in the Land of Wind's desert.
In short, Bella's order was: people can rest, the Fourth Kazekage puppet cannot.
Iwagakure. Training grounds.
Ishiro and his Squad 8 (three members) and Riori Uzumaki with her three disciples were training together. Eight people in total.
This was their first joint training session.
Riori gathered her three students. "Try it again! This time, it'll definitely work!"
Neji, Kurotsuchi, and Karin met her gaze for a moment, then wilted in defeat.
The three formed seals and used clone jutsu. Neji and Kurotsuchi only managed a few clones (Neji used Shadow Clones, Kurotsuchi used Earth Clones). Karin, while not known for her chakra reserves among the Uzumaki, was still an Uzumaki. Multi-Shadow Clones wasn't hard. She made twenty clones, which quickly formed two rows as Riori demanded.
Riori was very displeased with Neji and Kurotsuchi. She walked over and rapped Neji on the head. "Neji-kun, aren't you a genius? How can you not even learn the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu? You've disappointed me!"
Neji said listlessly, "I'm sorry, Riori-sensei. I've let you down."
Neji couldn't even be bothered to explain anymore. Chakra reserves, constitution, the Uzumaki clan, affinities... they had been over this countless times in the past few days. It was useless. If Riori could understand such basic concepts, she would have been a competent squad leader long ago.
Riori then walked to Kurotsuchi. Seeing she had the fewest clones, Riori said, "Kurotsuchi, you're so dense! Why can't you be like your mother? Captain Shiden is amazing! She taught me several of my fire jutsu! Why can't you learn?"
Kurotsuchi said wearily, "Yes, yes, Riori-sensei, you're right. I'm just too stupid."
As Riori walked toward Karin, Kurotsuchi shot Ishiro—who was enjoying the show—a death glare.
Riori approached Karin. "Karin, you're much better than them! Have you learned the Great Fireball Jutsu yet?"
Karin said helplessly, "Riori-neechan, it's not that I don't want to learn..."
Riori interrupted her seriously. "Karin, you have to call me Riori-sensei now."
As fellow Uzumaki, Karin had called her "neechan" since she was little. But Riori was currently high on her new "sensei" status and insisted on the change.
Karin nodded. "Fine, fine, Riori-sensei, Riori-sensei. But I really can't learn Fire Release!"
Riori said, "How can that be? You must not be practicing. I'll teach you again!"
Karin's face fell into an expression of utter despair. Learning ninjutsu from Riori was far more exhausting than learning medical ninjutsu.
Ishiro watched with great interest. He ignored Kurotsuchi's glare and continued to "eat melon" with his three high-IQ disciples.
Ishiro used Earth Release to make four small stools, and he, Shizuka Minamoto, Rion, and Aono Shinichi sat down to watch.
Aono Shinichi even took some snacks from his pack and shared them with Ishiro and the others.
Riori was a very earnest teacher. Although she couldn't articulate how she learned her jutsu, she would demonstrate them seriously for Neji's group.
When Squad 8 watched Riori create a hundred shadow clones, all of which launched a Great Fireball at the sky, the snacks fell from their hands.
Aono Shinichi said dumbly, "H-how many fireballs did Riori-senpai just cast?"
Shizuka Minamoto swallowed. "I counted. Exactly one hundred."
Rion said, "As expected of the Uzumaki clan... so terrifying. That attack... never mind a Chunin, even a Jonin couldn't block that, right? And from the looks of it, that was just a normal attack for her."
Shinichi and Shizuka nodded in agreement.
Shizuka said, "I know Karin Uzumaki is also an Uzumaki, that's why she can make twenty clones. But... Riori-senpai is demanding that Neji-kun and Kurotsuchi, who aren't Uzumaki, do the same. Isn't that asking the impossible?"
She paused. "I heard Karin is a medical-nin prodigy and often interns at the hospital with that girl Sakura. But Riori-senpai is forcing her to learn Fire Release. It's too unreasonable."
Aono Shinichi coughed. "Think about the rumors in the village about Riori-senpai... I don't think she knows these basic concepts."
Rion instinctively asked, "Shinichi-kun, you mean... the rumors about her and Chūkō-senpai... I mean, Uchiha Sōkai-senpai?"
Shinichi nodded. Shizuka and Rion both had a look of sudden understanding.
The Iwa Academy was full of legends about Ishiro's disciples. Everyone knew who the researchers were, who the elites were, and who had special status. They also knew their quirks. For example, Shinya Matsutani's laziness, Kanako's wealth, or the gossip surrounding Katsumata and Ishiro's sister, Natsuki.
But the most talked-about rumor concerned the intelligence of Riori Uzumaki and Uchiha Sōkai. Riori, in particular, was famous for the ridiculous blunders she had made at the Academy, during the Chunin Exams, and on the battlefield.
Ishiro finished his snacks, clapped his hands, and looked at his three gossiping disciples. "Your turn. Go persuade your Riori-senpai. Tell her how she should be teaching her students."
The three of them froze. What was this? A test? An IQ quiz? Special training? Can't a person even enjoy the drama in peace?
They were right. Ishiro's training for these three was different. This kind of troublesome intellectual challenge was perfect.
The three didn't disappoint him. After a brief, huddled discussion, they went over and, with a chorus of "Riori-sensei, you're amazing!" and "You're such a serious teacher, Riori-sensei!", they managed to completely bamboozle her.
(End of Chapter)
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 35 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you