Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

Orochimaru thought of the black rod inserted into his body, and a fanatical look appeared in his eyes. He was almost certain that it was a product of Yin-Yang Release.

Despite the enormous price he paid, Orochimaru was able to confirm some information, and he still felt that the operation was a great success.

"Teacher, what about your health?"

"I plan to undergo the modification of Hashirama's cells. This will not only repair the hidden dangers, but also give me greater power."

After answering the question, Orochimaru stared intently at Furukawa Osamu. At this point, he had no choice but to take the risk and try.

"Does the teacher have a better solution for the rejection reaction?"

As always, Osamu Furukawa maintained a sincere demeanor, frowning as he asked the question and then adding in a low voice:

"For safety reasons, you can choose to assimilate Hashirama's cells into your body. Although you will lose some power, the risk is much lower."

"No one is better at this than you, Xiu. The subsequent modification surgery will be your responsibility."

Orochimaru gave a kind smile and offered simple instructions. Furukawa Osamu nodded solemnly and reassured him, replying:

"Surgery will at least restore the body to its original strength!"

-

Beneath the Shadow Rock, in the roots, the one-armed Danzo gasped for breath each time he flipped through the documents in his hands; he still couldn't find a suitable "Wood Release" technique.

"Who is it? Is someone in the village secretly training Wood Release ninjas?"

Danzo stopped looking through the documents and, recalling that unequal battle, took a deep breath.

Wood Release and black rods alone were enough to take down so many elite ninjas present. Anyone hit by a black rod would have their chakra thrown into chaos.

Ten Root ninjas sacrificed themselves to save him, which pained Danzo, who found his power dwindling.

"Lord Danzo!"

After a Root ninja whispered a reminder, Danzo squinted and stood up. He didn't offer much explanation for his empty right arm when he returned to the village.

When an old friend summoned him, he naturally wanted to get to the bottom of things, and Danzo was prepared for this.

Inside the Hokage Building, Danzo saw that Tsunade wasn't in the room, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was thinking about their past relationship.

"Danzo, what are you planning to do by secretly mobilizing Root ninjas to operate in the Land of Rain?"

"Without reporting or task settlement instructions, I believe you and Orochimaru are harming the village's interests."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, having removed his Hokage hat, had receded even further from his hairline. Although he looked aged, the aura he exuded was as astonishing as ever.

"I am eliminating threats to the village."

"Although we have suffered heavy losses, Amegakure is destined to become our vassal. If Kirigakure takes action, Amegakure will take over the mission."

"By taking this opportunity to bring the surrounding small countries into the alliance, our commission market will expand again, which will allow us to train more ninjas."

Danzo watched his old friend puffing on his pipe, knowing the other had taken it to heart, and immediately added, narrowing his eyes:

"This is the meaning of the Root ninjas' existence. Tsunade and the others will need some time to bear this darkness."

Judging from the outcome of this incident alone, Hanzo was seriously injured, and the threat posed by Amegakure has indeed been reduced by more than half.

As for the Wood Release and Rinnegan they encountered, Danzo wanted to control that power himself, so he naturally wouldn't mention the previous deal.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, not wanting to immediately lose their power, once again strongly supported Danzo:

"Eliminating the threat from the village is indeed necessary!"

"Hiruzen, the fact that no small country has wavered in the recent battles proves that our policies are correct, and the support of Root is indispensable."

Hearing their words, Hiruzen Sarutobi's anger did not diminish. He had just promised his disciples not long ago that Root would not act without authorization, but a few days later he encountered this terrible situation.

This is the last time!

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a solemn warning, then looked at the three people in the room and earnestly instructed them:

"Don't interfere with Tsunade's work. We can assist with negotiations, but let her decide on the personnel arrangements herself."

The two advisors nodded slightly, but Danzo stood up, not indicating his agreement, and gave his answer in a low voice:

"I hope that Kakashi Hatake will inherit Root in the future."

"Until then, I will continue the will of Tobirama-sensei. The war has concealed the darkness hidden within the Uchiha clan, and I can feel that power."

Hiruzen Sarutobi once again appeared thoughtful, offering no clear response. As a teacher, he indeed had to take care of the remaining matters.

-

In the evening, at the memorial monument, after offering flowers as usual, Furukawa Osamu followed Uchiha Shisui to Obito's grave.

“Senior, the clan has indeed been somewhat indifferent in this matter.”

"Perhaps I'm overthinking it. Some of our people are losing their compassion after pursuing power too much."

"The Uchiha clan should have been a clan full of love..."

Furukawa Osamu didn't comment. At Obito's grave, you can see many "gifts" from his classmates, with Might Guy's bodysuit being the most eye-catching.

Among these gifts, very few came from the Uchiha clan; only Shisui and a few others regularly came to tend to Obito's and other clan members' gravestones.

"If you have any questions, you can report them to Tsunade-sensei."

"Shisui, you can find like-minded clansmen within the clan. The most important thing for a ninja is teamwork, which is a basic lesson taught in school."

Shisui smiled slightly upon hearing Furukawa Osamu's words; he had indeed united some of his peers.

"Thank you, senior. With you here, I never feel lost."

"Work hard, and if the opportunity arises, you can become the captain of the Dark Division at the age of 12."

"Prepare your group members in advance. This is a special permission given to you by the teacher. There are other places available with Chief Fugaku."

Furukawa Osamu patted Shisui on the shoulder and gave him a serious warning. Upon hearing "squad leader," Shisui immediately felt a sense of pressure, but thinking of his ideals, he solemnly replied:

"Senior, I will be prepared."

...

Obito Uchiha was unaware that most people had forgotten him. After nearly two months of struggle, he finally regained full consciousness.

In the dim underground cave, Obito opened his eyes and, by the faint light, made out the monster in front of him:

"what!"

Obito screamed in terror. Madara Uchiha, whose right cheek and entire body were covered by Black Zetsu, stared at his chosen proxy and said calmly:

"Welcome back to the present world, Uchiha clansmen."

Madara Uchiha, now wielding his spare Sharingan, scrutinized Obito with his left eye, but was not entirely satisfied. Thinking of Nagato, who had recently awakened his Sharingan, he ultimately suppressed his impatience.

"Sharingan? Are you also from the Uchiha clan?"

"Grandpa, your body... I mean those black things."

Madara Uchiha, his hair now completely white, recalled his experiences on the Iron Country peninsula and nearly lost control of his emotions. After catching his breath, he whispered in response:

"Just a few scratches, all inflicted by your destined rival."

"I have no interest in knowing who my opponents are; all I want now is to go back to the village."

Upon hearing Obito Uchiha mention the village, Madara Uchiha's eyes twitched. As long as Osamu Furukawa was around, he didn't even dare to gather intelligence anymore; White Zetsu were just food for the enemy.

If he hadn't absorbed a wave of life force using the Gedo Mazo in the Land of Rain, he wouldn't be able to wake up now.

"Grandpa, thank you for saving me, but I really have to go now."

Obito tried to get off the bed, but a sharp pain shot through the right side of his body, forcing him to lie back down.

"I will make you repay this kindness."

"How much do you know about the Sharingan? And how much do you know about the power of the double-tomoe Sharingan?"

"Just consider it keeping this old man company while he chats..."

As soon as Madara Uchiha finished speaking, Obito sat up again. Seeing the old man's withered body, dark skin, and the right half of his face, a look of sympathy appeared on his face.

"Alright, I probably can't move around yet, so I'll just chat with the old man."

"Do you know about the Sage of Six Paths? Sages are real people, and the Uchiha clan are their descendants..."

Madara Uchiha knew that Obito's academic performance was not very good, so in order to pique his interest, he started by telling him "mythological stories".

Unfortunately, Obito was completely baffled by the mention of Kaguya, the goddess, and the combined power of the Uchiha and Senju clans, his face showing utter confusion.

"What are you saying in your gibberish?"

Obito had originally intended to persevere, but Madara Uchiha's monotone voice became a "lullaby," and as he listened, he fell asleep on the bed.

"Lord Madara, I told you, this guy is a complete idiot."

"It seems the same approach won't work. Have Kirigakure prepare to act and execute the previously formulated plan when the time is right."

Madara Uchiha gave a brief instruction and then fell silent, knowing that capturing Rin Nohara was no easy task.

Realizing that his previous actions had been observed by Furukawa Osamu, Madara Uchiha repeatedly recalled the previous battle. His Black Zetsu, sensing the emotional fluctuation, offered him comfort:

"The power of the Rinnegan can suppress Sage Mode, Lord Madara. I will keep an eye on Nagato."

"As for the Sharingan, it can also be used by White Zetsu."

"The combined power of these two pairs of eyes is something no one in the ninja world can resist."

Chapter 110 "Let the World Feel Pain..."

In early November of Konoha Year 49, the turmoil in Amegakure suddenly ended without outsiders knowing.

In the dead of night, a thick stench of blood permeated the building with its metallic facade, and the bodies of Rain Village ninjas wearing breathing apparatus were scattered contortedly on each floor.

In the top-floor room, the emaciated Hanzo had black rods piercing his limbs and chest, making it impossible for him to refine chakra. At this moment, he even had difficulty speaking.

Nagato, with his red hair, was now enveloped in white Zetsu. As the "mask" on his head dissipated, Hanzo once again saw those Sage Eyes.

"boom!"

Nagato casually waved his hand, and the huge screen behind him flew onto the wall with a loud crash. Just as he was about to end his enemy's life, Hanzo, who was looking at the ceiling, suddenly spoke:

"Dying at the hands of the owner of the Eye of the Immortal is also a good choice."

"You are Nagato of Akatsuki, aren't you? After killing me, have you thought about how you will shoulder the responsibility of Amegakure?"

"The tragedy of the Land of Rain is that we are located between powerful nations, and the Rain Ninja can only seek survival in the cracks."

"Sowing allegiance to Konoha is my choice; Amegakure has no choice but to submit to their overwhelming power."

What decision will you make?

"Even the eyes of a sage cannot change this fact: small countries will forever live in the shadow of large countries..."

As Hanzo concluded, he couldn't help but recall the time when he overpowered the Sannin. Perhaps it was an opportunity, but in the end, he still couldn't change the country.

Nagato had never given much thought to the village's problems before. Akatsuki was originally a group of idealists fighting for peace in the Land of Rain.

But that negotiation changed everything. Ninjas from powerful nations could now freely dominate ninjas from smaller nations, and no one cared about their lives.

Upon hearing the question, Nagato involuntarily recalled the Konoha ninja who had killed his parents. He raised his right arm, looked at Hanzo, and responded to him in a cold tone:

"A great power?"

"I will make the world feel my pain, and then I will rewrite the rules!"

"Hanzo, you are the leader we respect even after you die."

"You will continue to 'live', but this time as a puppet of Amegakure."

After saying this, Nagato walked to Hanzo's side, created another black rod with his right hand, and plunged it into Hanzo's heart.

"A leader...?"

Hanzo murmured a final word, a look of relief appearing on his wrinkled face. A sharp pain shot through his chest, and his consciousness gradually sank into darkness.

Nagato straightened up, his expression unusually calm. When his companions were killed by the Konoha ninja and the Amegakure ninja, his naive self from the past also died.

True enemies don't talk about ideals or reason like Yahiko; they only kill their targets without hesitation for a certain purpose.

"Lord Nagato, the next step is to take control of Hanzo's corpse."

“We will work together to help you perfect this puppet, so that there will be no chaos in Amegakure and the power can be transferred smoothly in the future.”

"The Konoha ninjas won't even realize Hanzo is dead. As long as Hanzo is still alive, we can avoid another war."