Chapter 73: Skull team
"that woman is dead, so there's no need to dwell on it. Let's talk about the recent news in Konoha. I find it surprising that the Uchiha clan was allowed to participate in the Kyuubi inheritance operation. There must be a special reason for this," Uchiha Madara said with a hint of displeasure as Black zetsu mentioned Mito's grand funeral.
He couldn't help but feel annoyed by how revered Mito became after her death, making her life seem more significant than it truly was. He regretted not eliminating her before.
Good thing that the truth about her death remained hidden.
Mito's sealing techniques were formidable, especially after she acquired the Nine-Tails. Even during his prime, defeating her would have been a bit challenging. Losing the Nine-Tails had weakened him to some extent, making her an even more formidable opponent.
"It's possible that Konoha's recent improvements are related to the imprisonment of Danzo, the leader of Root. He's a dangerous individual who will go to great lengths to achieve his goals, even if it means harming his own people. He's selfish and uses Konoha's name to further his own agenda. Recently, he was exposed for ordering the destruction of the senju Clan's seal barrier and has been stripped of his positions and imprisoned," Black zetsu explained Danzo's situation to Uchiha Madara.
"That makes sense. Danzo seems like a valuable piece on the board," Uchiha Madara commented thoughtfully.
He knew of Danzo's manipulative nature and the chaos he could incite within Konoha.
With a large following of loyal Root ninjas and spies in other villages, Danzo posed a significant threat to Konoha's stability. However, Madara also acknowledged that Danzo's recent setback would hinder his immediate actions.
"It's unfortunate that Danzo is currently subdued. He's a tough adversary, but with his resources, he could cause substantial trouble for Konoha. We'll need to keep an eye on him," Uchiha Madara remarked.
black zetsu, really impressed by Danzo's capabilities to be a pig teammate, expressed optimism about Danzo's potential to disrupt Konoha. However, he also noted the difficulty in provoking Danzo into action again, given his current circumstances.
"Is there a way to manipulate Danzo into resuming his disruptive activities?" Uchiha Madara inquired, eager to see Danzo become active again.
"It's regretable that Danzo has made too many mistakes in the past. If he wants to redeem himself, he must make a significant contribution. For instance, he would need to orchestrate Konoha's victory against the Sand Hidden Village. Without such a monumental achievement, it's nearly impossible for him to regain favor, Even after Mito's demise," Black zetsu remarked regretfully.
He considered Danzo's current status as almost useless in terms of being a strategic asset.
For Danzo to turn the tide in his favor, orchestrating a victory against a major village like the Sand Hidden Village would be crucial. However, this task was akin to moving mountains. Even for Konoha, defeating a village like Sand Hidden would come at a great cost.
Moreover, with Danzo being incarcerated, he lacked the freedom to engage in battles or make significant contributions on the battlefield. This further diminished any hope of him making a comeback in the eyes of Konoha's leadership.
"Defeat Sunagakure? How many of the white zetsu have you placed on Hidden sand side?" Uchiha Madara asked black zetsu immediately upon hearing the proposed solution.
To Madara, the idea of assisting Danzo in defeating Sand Hidden wasn't too far-fetched. With his power backing Danzo's efforts, it could become a feasible task.
In his view, the conflict between Konoha and Sand Hidden was like a game that could easily be tipped in favor of one side with the right intervention.
He understood the value of intelligence in warfare. Sometimes, having crucial information could be more decisive than raw power.
"Master Madara, are you planning to help Danzo through the difficulties?"
Black zetsu instantly understood Uchiha Madara's intentions, and said in surprise.
Uchiha Madara's willingness to assist Danzo despite their differences in character showcased his pragmatic approach and strength, which overshadowed any weaknesses he might have in his old age.
"Hmph, it's just a casual chess move. Since Danzo is still valuable, it doesn't hurt to use him. Arrange some white Zetsu to gather important information about Sunagakure quickly and discreetly, then hand it over to Danzo in a strategic manner.
But be cautious, don't reveal too much useful information at once. Danzo, also known as the Darkness of the Leaf, is skilled in gathering intelligence. We must make sure he doesn't see any flaws in our actions."
Uchiha Madara spoke with a cold snort, emphasizing the need for careful planning and execution.
"Master Madara, I understand. I've handled such tasks skillfully in the past and will ensure everything is done cleanly. Danzo won't suspect a thing," replied black zetsu eagerly, fully committed to helping Danzo while avoiding any suspicion from Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara nodded in approval, ready to rest.
"Good, is there anything else of importance? If not, I'll continue my rest," Madara said, indicating the end of the conversation.
Black zetsu confirmed there were no more pressing matters, noting Uchiha Madara's tiredness and the need for rest.
Uchiha Madara then closed his eyes and drifted back into a deep sleep, his body's internal balance still disrupted from the recent changes in his powers.
Meanwhile, Black zetsu retreated and disappeared, knowing it was time to carry out the plans and cause disturbances across the ninja world.
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A day later, in a remote town in the Rain Country, a figure cloaked in black moved silently through the streets.
The individual known as Taotie, dressed in a black raincoat, navigated the quiet streets of a small town within the Land of Rain. His presence was subtle, his eyes behind small sunglasses scanning the surroundings with a detached air. He moved through Komachi with little interest in his surroundings, blending in effortlessly with the environment.
Taotie was a member of the root skull squad, having long abandoned his name and personal history to become a mere tool, code-named for his role in safeguarding Konoha. His directives were clear: eliminate any threats to the village, as ordered by Danzo.
His current mission was to neutralize Hattori Masanari, a newly assigned target. Taotie's focus remained unwavering as he moved through the town, ready to fulfill his duty with precision and efficiency.
Taotie's mission to locate Hattori Masanari was proving to be quite challenging. Despite the Skull Squad's thorough search efforts throughout the Land of Rain over the past three days, Masanari seemed to have vanished without a trace. The continuous rainfall overhead only added to the difficulty, possibly washing away any scent trails that could have led them to Masanari.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Taotie pondered whether Masanari had left the Land of Rain altogether, leading to his disappearance from their radar. He couldn't help but feel impressed by Masanari's ability to evade detection, especially considering Taotie's own heightened sense of smell thanks to the special parasites within his body.
After meticulously combing through the small town multiple times without success, Taotie sought refuge from the rain and took out a scroll and pen from his belongings. With a sense of determination, he wrote down Masanari's name on the scroll and marked it as a checkpoint before deciding to move on to the next location in his search.
Just then, a familiar name caught Taotie's attention, and he looked up to see a strange bird appearing in the sky. Without hesitation, he retrieved a blank scroll from his belongings and opened it, ready to receive any crucial information.
The strange bird descended from the sky and submerged into the blank scroll, transferring a large amount of handwriting onto it. Taotie quickly scanned the contents and learned that Masanari's trading meeting with Tsuchikage's son, Kitsuchi of iwagakure, was scheduled to take place at the border in the northwest soon.
Realizing that following Kitsuchi could lead him to Masanari, Taotie made a swift decision. Parasites suddenly appeared on the scroll, devouring its contents completely. Taotie's entire body then transformed into a pile of parasites before disappearing from the spot.
Meanwhile, a curious mouse emerged from a corner, observing the spot where Taotie had been before quickly retreating back into hiding, as if sensing something unusual.
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In an inn in Komachi, Yamanaka Yun was reflecting on his encounter with a powerful root ninja, Taotie, whom he suspected to be a member of the Skull Squad. Yun had been tirelessly searching the Land of Rain for Masashige Hattori but hadn't found any leads on him yet. Instead, he had encountered several root members along the way, including Taotie, who stood out as the most formidable opponent he had faced so far.
As Yun contemplated his next move, there was a sudden knock on the door of his room.
"come in " He invited the person in, and a maid entered with some dishes.
However, Yun couldn't help but have a strange look in his eyes seeing her
the the maid's eyes didn't look up to him as she kept her head down and avoided making eye contact.
After the maid left, Yun used a mechanism on a chopstick to retrieve a small note hidden within it. The note contained only 3 words: "Kitsuchi appears again."
Upon reading the note, Yun realized that the intelligence network in the area was well established and that Ichiro Fuma was likely in charge, acknowledging Fuma's skills in gathering information.
Despite having a lead on Masanari Hattori's whereabouts, Yun felt conflicted about how to proceed. He had initially promised Gojo Shin that he would find Masanari within two days, but that deadline had long passed. Now, Yun was unsure how to approach Gojo for assistance without appearing incompetent.
Nevertheless, Yun remained determined to locate Masanari Hattori.
"I can't afford to miss this opportunity. The individual who harbors such deep hatred towards the roots will surely understand my desire to communicate. I'm sure mr gojo is willing to wait a few more days. Once I locate Hattori Masashige, everything will fall into place. If necessary, I'll apologize later for any delays."
With these thoughts in mind, Yamanaka Yun swiftly exited the room, ready to pursue his mission with renewed determination.
He decided to wait a few more days and see if he could gather more concrete information. In the meantime, he made plans to inform the night Organization of his findings and pass on the information to Gojo Shin, who was in the Land of Waves.
With a mix of determination and uncertainty, Yun left his room to carry out his next steps in the ongoing search for Masanari Hattori.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone