"What does my alter ego have to do with me?"
Finally, I heard that Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki has also been sent to the battlefield. It's a kid named Kawaki Aoba, known for capturing two Iwagakure Jinchūriki alive. All of them are formidable opponents.
Before Yekura could finish speaking, Rasa interrupted, saying, "Yes, they are formidable. To ensure victory, we must all be present. And to handle the rest of Konoha's forces, we'll need to bring many elite shinobi."
"But if we do that, aren't we essentially going all-in? Isn't that the same as waging a full-scale war against Konoha?"
For a moment, Yekura was at a loss. Her mind raced, desperately trying to find a strategy to shift the situation.
Suddenly, inspiration struck. She proposed, "Even if it turns into a decisive battle, wouldn't it be better if we seized the initiative with a night raid?"
Cough cough... Yekura received no response from Rasa. Instead, Chiyo beside him started coughing uncontrollably. Once again, Yekura had managed to surprise her with how low her strategic insight could sink.
Rasa simply closed his eyes in resignation. After more than two years of working with her, he knew Yekura all too well. She was a powerful kunoichi, no doubt, but her intellect was inversely proportional to her strength.
Before the war broke out, he had once feared that she might challenge his authority as Kazekage. In hindsight, that concern had been unwarranted.
In the end, it was Ebizō who couldn't take it anymore and spoke up:
"Yekura, do you really think Konoha wouldn't have thought of what we're thinking? The name Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash, first struck fear into the hearts of Kumogakure."
"The tactics we can think of, Kumogakure has tried. Konoha has already prepared for them."
"To put it simply, if we launch a night raid, we'll likely walk right into a web of traps laid by Konoha."
"We're already at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation. If we're ambushed too, we'll lose before the battle even begins."
"The initiative is no longer ours. If we want to avoid being whittled down by Minato Namikaze's guerilla warfare, a decisive battle is our only chance."
Ebizō's eyes sharpened with killing intent. "Konoha thinks they have Sunagakure under their thumb. To them, we're just tools for earning military accolades. Their arrogance is deeply ingrained."
"But that same arrogance—Konoha's belief that we pose no threat—gives us a chance."
"We still have one final trump card: Bunpuku."
Bunpuku, the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail, had long since made peace with Shukaku. But the old monk was frail. If he unleashed Shukaku's full power once more, it would likely cost him his life.
So if Sunagakure hoped to turn the tide using the power of the tailed beast, they would only get one shot.
"In addition to our Ichibi, the Nine-Tails kid from Konoha may also be our key," Ebizō added coldly.
"The Nine-Tails' power is immense, but how much of it can a boy truly control? Even if he captured two Iwa Jinchūriki, he had the full support of Konoha's Sealing and Barrier Squads."
He turned toward Chiyo again. She nodded in agreement.
Regardless of whether Kawaki Aoba had help or not, he remained a target. To Sunagakure's high command, he was the only exploitable weakness in Konoha's formidable front.
"The Kyūbi is the strongest of the tailed beasts—but also the hardest to control. If we can release it amidst the chaos of battle, Konoha will descend into disorder."
"Konoha cannot afford to lose the Nine-Tails. At that point, whether it's Minato Namikaze or Orochimaru, they'll be forced to divert their attention. That's when we strike."
---
Meanwhile, in the Konoha camp, Kawaki Aoba was unaware that his identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki had once again made him a target—this time, by the top brass of Sunagakure.
But even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared much. At this moment, he had just discovered a small surprise.
"Little guy, did you say your name is Kabuto?"
Kawaki Aoba crouched down, smiling warmly at a young boy, no older than seven or eight, and gently ruffled his hair.
The child with short silver-gray hair nodded timidly. "Yes, my name is Kabuto. I was found by the ninja adults. They said I have a high talent for being a ninja."
Despite his age, Kabuto stated his value in a single sentence: high ninja talent. For the shinobi world, that already placed him ahead of 90% of his peers.
A nearby jōnin stepped forward and explained respectfully:
"Lord Aoba, this boy was found by Yuuta during a battlefield mission. He's from a civilian background. When he was discovered, he had already lost his memory."
"Yuuta noticed his exceptional chakra sensitivity and planned to bring him back to Konoha for adoption after the war."
"Unfortunately, Yuuta was killed on the battlefield a few days ago. When we return to Konoha, the boy will be placed in an orphanage."
After listening, Kawaki Aoba nodded slowly.
An orphan of war. Taken in by a Konoha shinobi. Memory lost. Awaiting transfer to an orphanage after the war—everything lined up.
"Little guy, when we return to Konoha, you won't be going to any orphanage. You'll come with me," Aoba said with a warm smile, ruffling Kabuto's hair again.
Kabuto looked stunned. After a moment, he turned to the jōnin beside him, as if seeking confirmation.
Meeting Kabuto's gaze, the older man gave him a push forward and said impatiently, "What are you standing there for, brat? The one in front of you is Lord Aoba. Being acknowledged by Lord Aoba is far better than being thrown back into an orphanage."
Kabuto didn't know who this "Kawaki Aoba" was, let alone how powerful he might be. But judging by how the ninja who had been taking care of him these past few days behaved, this Aoba must be someone important—someone even they didn't dare offend.
Kabuto quickly bowed and said with forced respect, "Father."
The word caught Kawaki Aoba off guard. After a moment's daze, he waved it off with an awkward smile. Kabuto had misunderstood—he thought Aoba was planning to adopt him, as some shinobi occasionally did with orphans to carry on their names.
But that wasn't possible. Kawaki Aoba was only fourteen this year. He wasn't some aging civilian ninja desperate to preserve his bloodline. No matter how talented Kabuto was, there was no way Aoba would take him in as a son.
"Young man, look closely—I'm barely older than you. Just call me 'big brother' from now on," he said, reaching out to gently pinch Kabuto's dirt-smudged cheek.
Realizing his mistake, Kabuto's eyes widened in embarrassment. He hesitated, then softly muttered, "Onii-chan…"
And just like that, Kabuto became Kawaki Aoba's little brother in name. His treatment improved dramatically—from barely scraping by to three meals a day and even his own tent.
After getting Kabuto settled, Aoba returned to his own tent. It was already evening, and rest was necessary. As for Kabuto's training, there was no need to rush. Assigning him to just any teacher would waste his potential.
In the original timeline, Yakushi Kabuto had been a triple agent—serving Orochimaru, Shimura Danzo, and even Akasuna no Sasori of the Akatsuki. All three believed Kabuto was their loyal subordinate. Danzo and Sasori, in particular, were convinced that Kabuto was merely spying on Orochimaru.
In truth, however, Kabuto reported everything to Orochimaru. The others were played for fools.
Thanks to Orochimaru's trust, Kabuto became his closest aide. And when Orochimaru "died" temporarily, Kabuto inherited nearly all of his legacy—including forbidden techniques like Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation) and countless secret laboratories across the shinobi world.
Though Kabuto struggled with his identity and lived in the shadow of Orochimaru, one fact was undeniable—he was a brilliant assistant. Possibly the best one the ninja world had ever seen. And now that Aoba had him from a young age, he could nurture him properly. Kabuto could become a powerful ally, one who would ease many burdens in the future.
Aoba silently thanked fate—or rather, Orochimaru—for unwittingly casting this "SR-tier card" Kabuto into his hands. In short: what a lucky pull.
And Aoba's policy toward good people was simple—never let them suffer.
That night, under the cover of darkness, Kawaki Aoba transformed into Smoker—a persona inspired by the Marine from another world—and silently infiltrated Orochimaru's camp.
Orochimaru was asleep, or so it seemed. He hadn't rested properly for days and now appeared to be deep in slumber, completely defenseless.
But Aoba wasn't fooled. A snake like Orochimaru never dropped his guard entirely.
He waved his hand, and a thin wisp of white smoke drifted toward Orochimaru.
Sure enough, the "sleeping" Sannin reacted instantly. Several serpents burst from his sleeves, striking toward the smoke, while Orochimaru himself disappeared in a blur and reappeared a few meters away.
Now fully alert, Orochimaru scanned the tent. A thin white mist had quietly filled the space.
His expression darkened. For someone to sneak into his personal quarters inside the Konoha camp without detection—even bypassing Orochimaru himself—was deeply unsettling.
Just then, Kawaki Aoba appeared, blocking the exit. "Lord Orochimaru, forgive my method of entry," he said calmly. "I come in peace—to propose a deal."
Orochimaru let out a chilling chuckle. "A deal? I didn't expect someone like you, Lord Baiyun, to take interest in me. I'm flattered."
His serpentine pupils studied Aoba carefully. If he hadn't recognized the Smoker persona, Orochimaru might've already attacked. But something held him back.
Meanwhile, Aoba blinked. Baiyun? Oh right—he'd blurted that name when capturing Kurotsuchi in Iwagakure. It had been a throwaway alias, but apparently, it had spread across the continent.
Even Orochimaru had heard of it. That meant the name was now infamous across the entire ninja world.
In hindsight, it was oddly fitting—Baiyun, meaning "white cloud," matched his Smoker persona perfectly. If only he had taken Kurotsuchi with him too… when she grew up, the two could've debuted as a duo in the Akatsuki.
His thoughts wandered for a moment, but Orochimaru didn't miss the brief flicker of confusion in Aoba's expression.
So the name Baiyun is fake, he thought, his eyes narrowing. Not that it mattered—what he truly cared about was the deal.
Orochimaru licked his lips unconsciously, uncertain if Aoba's proposal would be a straightforward transaction… or one of Orochimaru's kind of deals.
The snakes writhed restlessly, tasting the air for hidden threats.
"Relax, Orochimaru-sama," Aoba said. "This is a fair exchange. To show my sincerity, I'll let you see my bargaining chip. I'm sure you'll be interested."
Aoba revealed a test tube from inside his coat.
Inside floated a freshly extracted Byakugan—the kekkei genkai of the Hyuga clan.
"A pure Byakugan. Taken just days ago from a main branch Hyuga. Still fresh. How about it, Lord Orochimaru? Does this interest you?"
Orochimaru's eyes locked onto the test tube, his tongue darting out again. His voice dropped a note in tone.
"You're offering me a Konoha kekkei genkai… to a fellow Konoha shinobi. Isn't that a bit presumptuous?"
Aoba tilted his head. "So… you're not interested?"
He turned to leave.
Behind him, Orochimaru's golden eyes flickered, the serpents at his side growing still. After a beat of silence, he spoke again:
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