"Lord Naruto, you must give us an explanation!"
Led by Yagura Kankitsu, four angry envoys from the Hidden Mist Village stood with scowls on their faces.
Sarutobi Zanyō looked on helplessly. Night Wind had fled in a hurry, leaving behind chaos and destruction.
The Hokage Tower had collapsed. There were casualties?
Who was the one crushed into a bloody pulp?
And what about the shattered limbs? This was a brutal clash beneath the surface.
"Takayama Haru, what business do you have here?" Sarutobi coughed lightly and said, "What kind of explanation do you want? You all destroyed the Hokage Tower, and I haven't even said anything yet!"
Yagura Kankitsu shouted angrily, "Lord Naruto, we didn't do this!"
"So the Hokage Tower collapsed on its own?"
"It was that shadow minister of yours who did it!"
Yagura Kankitsu froze, and so did the other three envoys. They hadn't expected Sarutobi to pin the blame for the Third Hokage's death so shamelessly.
"I didn't see anything, only that you all were talking." Sarutobi snorted. "Now's the time for us to hold you accountable—not for you to demand explanations!"
Just then, Night Wind arrived.
Kankitsu immediately pointed at him. "He's the one who did it!"
Sarutobi glanced at Takayama Haru without comment. Haru smiled and said, "I'll handle this, Third Hokage."
He stepped forward to face Yagura Kankitsu.
"First off, that was my clone. I bear no responsibility."
Sarutobi's eyes narrowed. This guy was even more shameless than him.
Kankitsu was wide-eyed, stunned by Haru's audacity.
Unbothered, Takayama Haru continued, "Besides, you attacked my clone first. It retaliated in self-defense. Therefore, you must pay for the damage to the Hokage Tower."
"Lord Naruto! Is this how Konoha treats its guests?!"
Sarutobi glanced at Haru, smiling. "This matter falls under Haru's jurisdiction. In Konoha, everyone does their part. I won't interfere."
With that, Sarutobi turned and flew away.
The four Hidden Mist envoys looked at each other in disbelief.
Is this really how a Hokage acts?
Then, Takayama Haru pulled out a ledger and read off the numbers.
"Repairing the Hokage Tower will cost around 5 million ryo..."
Kankitsu's eyes nearly bulged out. "Five million ryo?! Are you robbing us?!"
In their Mist Village, a large building only cost 500,000 ryo.
The other three envoys joined in protest.
Haru smiled. "You think your village's buildings compare to Konoha's? You're on an island, a poor, remote area—barely a minor ninja village."
"Konoha is the center of the continent, the First Ninja Village. How can you compare?"
The Hidden Mist envoys were left speechless.
Fighting might be their strength, but verbal battles clearly were not.
Haru went on, "You destroyed the Hokage Tower. You don't want to pay, is that it?"
One of the Mist ninja snapped, "You destroyed it! What's it got to do with us?!"
"Hmm?" Haru smirked.
"Yagura Kankitsu, one of Mist's strongest. Your bounty in the black market is thirty million. If you won't pay, I'll just turn you in."
Kankitsu said nothing. The other three cursed in fury.
"Are you threatening us?!"
"If this is Konoha's hospitality, then we have no need to talk! We'll fight to the death!"
Haru calmly looked at the speaker. The air grew heavy, suffocating.
"You want a fight to the death? Then come."
Before the words had fully landed, the speaker was instantly wrapped up like a dumpling, unable to resist.
Kankitsu: "..."
"Lord Kankitsu!"
The other two turned to Kankitsu in panic, seeking help.
Haru ignored them. "Pay the damages and you can leave. Otherwise, you're not going anywhere."
"You—!"
"What? Still want to fight?"
At that, the two took frightened steps back, while the captured one continued to whimper.
Kankitsu took a deep breath. "Sir, we came to Konoha in good faith."
Haru nodded. "Then show that good faith."
Under the pressure of Haru's strength, Kankitsu, as the delegation leader, signed several peace and equality agreements on behalf of the Hidden Mist Village.
Among them, starting this year, all eligible children from Mist would attend Konoha's ninja academy.
The bloodline discrimination policy in the Mist was abolished.
A joint ninja exam was introduced, with Mist paying 10 million ryo annually for their students.
Thus, Konoha and the Hidden Mist entered a new era of peaceful cooperation.
Of course, there was also the 500 ryo maintenance fee for the Hokage Tower, which Kankitsu agreed to pay in interest-free installments, along with 1 million ryo annually for upkeep.
In exchange, they were allowed to take back the body of the Third Mizukage.
But according to Mei, Night Wind didn't actually let them take it.
When Kankitsu left Konoha, the other three envoys couldn't help but protest.
"Kankitsu, why would you sign such a humiliating agreement?!"
"You've shamed our Mist ninja!"
"Are you afraid of Konoha?!"
All three turned their wrath on Yagura Kankitsu.
He smiled. "If I didn't agree, you think Konoha would let us leave?"
"Hmph, he wouldn't dare kill us."
"We Mist shinobi don't fear death!"
"Kankitsu, you've embarrassed us today!"
Kankitsu smiled. "Oh? Water Style—Water Break!"
Before they could react, he cast the Water Prison Technique.
The three were instantly trapped in a massive water orb, gasping for breath and screaming in terror.
"Kankitsu-sama, we were wrong!"
"Please!"
But Kankitsu only sneered. "Water Style—Water Surge Blade."
A high-pressure jet of water shot from his mouth, transforming into razor-sharp blades that decapitated the three on the spot.
Their heads hit the ground, eyes wide open, breathless.
Kankitsu shook his head and walked off.
He had already decided—when he returned to the Mist Village, he'd say Konoha killed the others and forced him into an unequal treaty.
But at least he could claim he retrieved the Third Mizukage's body with dignity.
...
In the lab, Orochimaru sighed as the Mizukage's body was taken.
Takayama Haru asked curiously, "Find anything out?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "Not enough time. Luckily, I kept some blood and tissue."
Haru wiped his brow.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. He licked his lips and said, "Takayama Haru, how about giving me a bit of your blood?"
"Out."
"Hehe."
Of course, Orochimaru wasn't about to fight Haru now, so he backed off.
"Wait."
Haru suddenly stopped him.
"I'll take it with me."
Orochimaru frowned. "But I haven't drawn any blood yet."
"Best not to."
"Just one vial, come on."
Haru looked at Mei, who quickly shook her head.
"See? She's against it."
Orochimaru sighed. "Fine."
He didn't dare push his luck.
The Wood Release Sage wasn't to be trifled with. Even the Third admitted that Takayama Haru was likely the strongest in Konoha now.
Under such circumstances, Orochimaru wouldn't do anything foolish.
[Ding! Three choices available!]
[Option 1: Completely reject Orochimaru. Reward: Secret Ninjutsu - Heavenly Curse Seal!]
[Option 2: Force Orochimaru to serve you. Reward: Secret Ninjutsu - Earthly Curse Seal!]
[Option 3: Help Orochimaru rebuild his lab. Gain friendship and access to Orochimaru's Scientific Knowledge Database (with live updates!).]
Each choice represented a different path—immediate gain or future investment.
Currently, Orochimaru likely hadn't even researched the Heavenly or Earthly Seals yet.
Choosing options 1 or 2 could give Haru an early lead in learning them.
But the knowledge database... that intrigued him more.
Orochimaru's tech archive!
Live updates!
So long as Orochimaru kept advancing, Haru's knowledge base would grow with it.
Maybe one day, his research would even touch on godlike powers and open new realms of discovery.
He'd become Haru's tool—working on his behalf.
With that in mind, Haru grinned. "Orochimaru, I'll help you build a new lab."
As soon as he made his choice, countless data structures appeared in his mind—genetic engineering, cloning, cell transplanting, mecha development, and more!
Only now did Haru realize how much Orochimaru had achieved recently.
Truly the No.1 scientist in the ninja world!
Orochimaru asked curiously, "Why are you helping me?"
"Because we can cooperate."
"How? Explain."
"Track Danzo in secret. Gather evidence of his crimes."
Haru remembered Orochimaru's skill as a spy—once even crossdressing to infiltrate and defeat the Eight-Tails jinchūriki.
With Haru's leads, finding Danzo would be easy.
"You just want to kill him, don't you?"
Haru shrugged. "Why? He's betrayed the Will of Fire. This isn't assassination—it's justice. I'm not a killer."
"Oh, really?"
Orochimaru remembered—the original Root had ten elites. All dead.
And the killer was right in front of him.
Mizukage, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen... all fell to Takayama Haru.
Not a killer? Right...
Orochimaru asked, "And what do I get?"
"Your lab. And materials."
"Deal."
Thus began their cooperation.
The lab, of course, was outside Konoha.
That wasn't a problem for Haru—he'd just taken 1 million ryo from Yagura Kankitsu. Barely enough for Phase One.
Lab-building was a money pit. Costs easily ran into the millions.
Later, Sarutobi asked Haru about the money.
"What about the Hokage Tower repair fund?"
"Kankitsu promised five million but had no cash. He said he'd bring it next time, when their students come for the Chūnin Exams."
Sarutobi stared in disbelief. "He didn't pay, and you let him go? What about the Tower?!"
Haru looked at the ruins. "Easy."
He formed a hand seal.
"Wood Style: Linked Pillar House!"
Massive tree roots erupted from the earth, forming a towering new wooden Hokage Tower in seconds.
Originally three stories tall, the new tower stood six stories high.
"Six floors now. That's more like it."
...
Under the moonlight, just outside Konoha's dam, Danzo Shimura lurked in a black cloak, waiting.
Suddenly, a figure appeared.
Danzo tossed a scroll. The moonlight reflected off a familiar pair of Sharingan.
"That's all I have on Night Wind and Kyūshinai. As for the Chūnin Exam site—it's undecided."
Suddenly, the Uchiha turned sharply.
"Who's there?!"
A small white snake was nailed to a tree.
Danzo glanced back and walked away without a word.
The Uchiha vanished into the forest.
Moments later, Orochimaru emerged from behind a tree, eyes gleaming.
"Sharingan. An Uchiha?"
Late that night, in Orochimaru's newly built lab, he recounted everything to Haru.
Curious, he asked, "Who was that guy? Why meet Danzo here?"
Haru smiled. "Want to know who he is?"
"Who?"
"You probably won't believe me."
"Try me."
"He's an Uchiha."
Orochimaru's eyes widened in disbelief.