Half a month later, Shuichi Takemoto died.
He committed suicide right in front of Gisei and Anna Takemoto using the Cocoon Binding Technique.
In truth, Shuichi didn't need to turn into a ninja butterfly at all. He only used the Cocoon Binding Technique so that Anna could cultivate the Butterfly User secret technique.
Gisei had already let Anna sign her name on the summoning scroll, but when she tried to summon a ninja butterfly, she received no response.
Without a personal ninja butterfly, learning the secret technique was inconvenient. Moreover, raising summoning butterflies in Butterfly Habitat Valley required the care and supervision of a ninja butterfly. Without her own, everything became unnecessarily difficult.
For these reasons, Shuichi Takemoto chose to use the Cocoon Binding Technique.
Many people came to the funeral. Gisei watched Anna, who was weeping like a person made entirely of tears, and remained silent.
His feelings for Shuichi were complicated—he both disliked the man and relied on him. They weren't close, yet he felt terrible at the moment of his death.
The emotions between people are truly unfathomable. Thinking this, Gisei's grudge against Shuichi finally vanished into thin air.
The man was dead; what was left to be petty about?
Aonobu Kawai leaned in close to Gisei and signaled him with his eyes.
The two found a secluded corner in the backyard and began to talk.
"The Third has kicked all the Anbu members of our faction out."
Aonobu delivered this bad news the moment he opened his mouth.
Gisei sighed, fished out a pack of cigarettes from his chest pocket, and handed one to Aonobu. The two began to smoke in silence.
"Why do you think the Third did this?"
Gisei exhaled a puff of smoke and said expressionlessly, "Why else? Although I agreed to his conditions, he has definitely raised his guard against me—and all of you."
Aonobu smiled bitterly. "Why did you refuse to take a position in the formal troops back then? There was no need for us to make our relationship with the Third so stiff."
Gisei sneered. "I already said, there is absolutely no need to join the formal troops. Anyway, the Third's approach won't change; sooner or later, he will start a war with the outside."
"When that time comes, if I am serving in the formal troops, the person leading you onto the battlefield will definitely not be me."
"You should understand the difference without me having to spell it out."
After saying these words, Gisei fell silent.
He knew in his heart that this was just an excuse. His true intention was actually to make the relationship between these ninja clans and the village completely antagonistic.
Now, just as he expected, the Third had begun to exclude these clans. Once they were suppressed, they would have no choice but to follow Gisei closely.
Aonobu sighed. "The policy you are implementing within the clan is too radical. Your clan has already become disjointed from the village. If this goes on..."
Gisei started laughing. Making the Butterfly Users disjointed from Konoha was just the first step. The next step was to make these ninja clans follow the Butterfly Users and become disjointed from the village as well.
His goal was to forge an interest group of ninja clans entirely independent of Konoha.
As long as he succeeded, once the Third started the war, Gisei could use various means to suppress the ninja clans behind the Third until they became alienated and disloyal.
At that time, the clans behind the Third would turn their eyes to him. Whether they defected to him or learned his methods to seek independence, in short, this village could never be as peaceful as before.
The "Will of Fire" would become a complete and utter joke.
A fragmented Konoha would turn into a powder keg; a slight spark would blow the entire village to smithereens with a bang.
At that time, maybe it would even save him the effort of taking action himself.
Of course, he couldn't tell anyone these words.
After laughing, he said to Aonobu, "Being disjointed isn't bad. The Butterfly Users aren't the Uchiha. I still have you guys. As long as you follow me, we can think of a way to win over the clans behind the Third."
"When that time comes, it won't be us who are disjointed from Konoha, but the Hokage who is disjointed from Konoha. Even if he doesn't want to abdicate, it won't be up to him."
After listening, Aonobu just smiled bitterly. "If only things could go so smoothly. I'm just afraid the Third will turn hostile too quickly. The current us are absolutely no match for him."
Gisei threw his cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it out, pointed at himself, and said, "Don't underestimate me. Even if the Third turns hostile, I can pin him down firmly. In the end, ninjas have to rely on strength to speak."
Aonobu asked in surprise, "Are you really confident you can defeat the Third? He is the man hailed as the strongest Hokage."
"Anyone can brag. The key is that people have to believe the brag you make."
"Exactly how strong are you now? I feel like my strength has actually become weaker after raising the butterfly seed."
"The butterfly seed needs time to grow. You'll know in two or three years. As for my strength... well, in short, it won't be worse than the Third."
Gisei continued, "Has your clan thought it over? Do you want me to go to your clan to propagate the 'people-oriented' ideology?"
Aonobu was silent for a moment before saying, "My father is also fading fast..."
Gisei paused, patted him on the shoulder, and turned to leave without speaking.
People of the old era were gradually dying out.
The new era, the era that belonged to him, would soon arrive.
Returning to his own clan grounds, Orochimaru had already been waiting at his home for a long time.
For the past half-month, Orochimaru had visited very diligently. Those who didn't know better would think they had truly become good friends.
Only the two of them knew this was merely an illusion. Behind the pleasantries was true cruelty.
"Tomorrow, the Administration Department will hold a routine meeting. The Hokage will also be present. The conditions I promised you will be fulfilled."
Hearing Orochimaru's words, Gisei just nodded. "I'll have someone dismantle the Monument of Longevity tomorrow."
The Third did not allow ninja clans to erect Monuments of Longevity. Since Gisei had agreed to this condition, naturally, he had to do it.
However, he didn't intend to give up. If he couldn't erect a Monument of Longevity openly, he planned to erect one secretly. In short, he would not allow the relationship between the Butterfly User clansmen and Konoha to have even a shred of harmony.
He knew doing this was very selfish, even a bit heartless. But as long as he thought about destroying Konoha in the future, his heart would become as hard as iron.
Better a short pain than a long one. If it hurts all the time, you eventually become numb to the pain.
Rather than being blamed by the clansmen in the future, it was better to cut off their hope early on. Letting them be indifferent to Konoha was a good thing for both them and himself.
Orochimaru's raspy voice interrupted his thoughts.
"I didn't come for that kind of thing. When do you intend to fulfill your promise?"
Gisei frowned. "My agreement with the Third was just that. What do you mean by 'the promise'?"
Orochimaru's eyes were sharp as he said, "Of course, the matter of me meeting the clan leaders behind you. You aren't thinking of going back on your word, are you?"
Gisei sneered. "Orochimaru, I said back then that only after you achieved those things would we have a basis for cooperation. Now that the basis exists, we can talk about cooperation. Do you take me for a fool, asking me to show all my bargaining chips as soon as you arrive?"
"I told you long ago... don't be too greedy."