Chapter 122 - The Elders Defect
Mitokado Homura's words left Utatane Koharu frowning deeply, unable to make a decision.
"Sarutobi didn't say anything else to you?"
Koharu felt torn. Was he joking?
Just the two of them going up against Orochimaru—what could they possibly do to restrain him?
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, with all the power in his hands, had failed. Why would they believe the two of them could succeed?
"…Why don't we negotiate with Orochimaru?"
Just as Koharu was racking her brain on how to counter Orochimaru, Homura suddenly uttered something that left her stunned.
"What? What did you just say?"
Koharu stared at him in shock. She never expected Homura to suggest something like that.
Their sides had already turned hostile. And he still wanted to talk peace with Orochimaru? Was he dreaming?
"I said, let's negotiate with Orochimaru and his people."
Thinking she hadn't heard clearly, Homura repeated himself.
"Danzo schemed against them so thoroughly—how could there possibly be any room for negotiation? And Sarutobi would never accept this suggestion."
Koharu had heard him loud and clear, but she thought Homura must have lost his mind in old age.
Even if she agreed, Hiruzen and Danzo certainly wouldn't.
"No, what I mean is we go negotiate with them. Just the two of us. After all, everything that's happened was Sarutobi and Danzo's doing. What does that have to do with us?"
Realizing Koharu had misunderstood, Homura quickly clarified.
Koharu was stunned by his explanation.
After being comrades for over forty years, she couldn't believe Homura would choose to betray Hiruzen Sarutobi at a time like this—and drag her along with him.
She suddenly felt as if she didn't recognize this longtime partner anymore.
"…Do you really think Orochimaru would accept us?"
After hesitating, Koharu asked the question weighing most on her mind.
No one wanted to die, after all. She had heard the rumors too—and as a Konoha elder, she knew they weren't rumors at all. They were the truth.
Hatake Kazane might not be as powerful as Uchiha Madara, but there was no First Hokage around now to keep him in check.
Since it was clear they couldn't win against Kazane and his faction, there was no point in sending themselves to their deaths.
If possible, she'd rather just stay home and take care of her grandchildren. She had no desire to continue meddling in Konoha's upper politics.
"Now is the perfect time for us to surrender. Orochimaru will definitely accept us. I have evidence of Danzo targeting Hatake Sakumo."
Homura sounded quite confident.
Fortunately, he had always admired Danzo's methods. He saw the destruction of the White Fang as a particularly successful example, so he'd recorded it in detail.
He had saved a backup file of every step Danzo took. Danzo had never hidden his plans from Homura, and this file documented them all thoroughly.
He used to study it idly—but never expected it to become his saving grace.
"What?! Don't tell me you've been planning for this day all along!"
Koharu was truly shocked. Among the four of them, she now realized she had been the only naive clown.
Seeing her reaction, Homura could tell she misunderstood—but he didn't bother correcting her. After all, she'd fill in the blanks herself.
And really, she wasn't wrong.
'Yes,' he thought, 'I am that clever.'
---
That same night—
Uchiha Clan Compound
Clan Council Room
At that moment, the Three Sannin—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade—were all gathered alongside Kazane.
Ever since the incident in the Land of Iron, both Jiraiya and Tsunade had come to a clear realization:
For Konoha to truly stabilize, the greatest cancer wasn't the external enemy—it was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current Hokage, and his advisor, Shimura Danzo.
Thus, they had officially joined Orochimaru's camp and pledged their support for him to become the next Hokage—ready to stand against Hiruzen together.
They believed that with Orochimaru as Hokage, Konoha would be in far better hands than under Sarutobi's rule.
Right now, they were discussing their next steps.
"Orochimaru-sensei, it looks like the trap we set within the Hyuga clan can finally be activated."
Leaning back in his chair, Kazane took a sip of jasmine tea that Orochimaru had brewed and spoke casually.
He was referring to Hyuga Hizashi. Back during the war, Kazane had made contact with him, offering to help the Branch House break free from the Curse Mark. In return, the Hyuga clan would support Orochimaru in the Hokage election.
"Mm. Go ahead and move forward with it. When Sensei returns, I'm sure he'll be quite surprised by what he finds."
Orochimaru's serpent-like vertical pupils gleamed with a sinister light beneath his purple eyeshadow.
He, too, looked forward to Hiruzen's reaction when he returned and saw the entire village had been reshaped.
"Orochimaru, there's still one more problem. If you want to become the Fourth Hokage, it's not just about winning the village's support—you also need the Daimyo's approval."
"That old man's probably already given the Daimyo a heads-up. Without an official decree, your rise to power will face serious complications."
At that moment, Jiraiya, who had been quietly listening all along, finally spoke up.
"Heh. You know, I've always wondered… Why is it that in a world where shinobi hold the real power, we still take orders from the Daimyo?"
Kazane suddenly put down his teacup and spoke.
Such a bold, defiant statement visibly unsettled everyone in the room.
Since the founding of the shinobi villages, everyone had accepted the norm: Daimyo ruled the country, and shinobi, as its military force, followed their commands.
The Daimyo provided funding and resources, and in return, the villages maintained stability. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
But Kazane's words openly challenged the authority of the Daimyo.
"Then figure out a way for shinobi to control the country instead."
Orochimaru was never one for rules and tradition. Kazane's words made it clear he already had a plan.
And Orochimaru didn't like being under anyone's thumb either. Licking his dry lips, he gave Kazane a slight nod.
"You guys are talking nonsense. Without the Daimyo, the Land of Fire would plunge into chaos."
Jiraiya clearly didn't understand what Kazane and Orochimaru were up to. He was a lawful and principled man—he couldn't easily accept their way of thinking.
"We're not talking about killing the Daimyo," Kazane replied, trying to ease his uncle's concerns.
He knew Jiraiya well. His uncle was rigid in his beliefs. Explaining the intricate dynamics between shinobi and the Daimyo would not be easy.
Jiraiya only chose to support Orochimaru because he truly believed Orochimaru becoming Hokage would benefit the village.
But if Orochimaru did anything that might endanger Konoha, Jiraiya would be the first to step in and stop him.
"So what do you plan to do?"
Jiraiya fixed his gaze on Kazane. If Kazane planned to assassinate the Daimyo, he would oppose him without hesitation.
The Daimyo had governed the Land of Fire for generations, and the country had thrived under that leadership. If the Daimyo were to die, chaos would surely follow—not just among shinobi, but among commoners scrambling for power.
"That's something we'll need Clan Head Fugaku's help with."
Kazane didn't answer Jiraiya directly but turned instead to the silent Uchiha leader, Fugaku.
"Hmm? If there's anything you need, Kazane-sama, just say the word."
Uchiha Fugaku was a bit puzzled. What did the Daimyo's life or death have to do with him?
As head of the Uchiha Clan, he didn't care who held the title of Daimyo—nothing would change for his clan.
"You've probably awakened your Mangekyō Sharingan by now, haven't you? We'll need you to pay the Daimyo a little visit."
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