Naruto: Manipulation

The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows along the corridors of the Root base.

Due to the lack of stationed personnel, the base felt hollow and empty.

A figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat walked through the corridors, his elongated shadow stretching under the dim candlelight, making the atmosphere even more ominous.

His body...

Was rapidly changing.

Even his shadow was growing longer.

Swoosh.

A door silently slid open.

Danzo sat in his usual spot, calmly pouring himself a cup of tea. When he looked up and saw the visitor wearing a hat, he showed no surprise at all.

"Orochimaru sent you, didn't he?"

Meeting a stranger alone might have been risky.

Yet, Danzo was unconcerned about his safety. He knew that few in the ninja world could pose a true threat to him—especially within the walls of Konoha.

"Yes."

The visitor stood still and answered simply.

"He must need something from me, then?"

Danzo knew Orochimaru well. A smirk of disdain curled on his lips. "Ever since he left Konoha, he's been thriving like a fish in water. If that bastard weren't in trouble, he wouldn't come looking for me..."

"Yes."

The visitor's voice remained calm.

"Where is Orochimaru now?"

Danzo took a leisurely sip of tea, still not bothering to look at his guest. "My men have been searching for him for a long time, yet there hasn't been a single trace..."

"Right now?"

"He's joined a rather troublesome organization."

The visitor frowned slightly and spoke in a low voice. "Although he has already established a new base in the Land of Rice Fields, he still can't escape the organization's influence..."

"Which organization?"

Danzo barely paid attention, even sneering, "Hmph, so he needs help dealing with a mere organization? Seems he's not as capable as he thinks without Konoha's protection."

That arrogant fool...

And yet he can't even handle a few small-time players in the ninja world?

"This organization..."

The visitor slowly reached for his hat. "You should be quite familiar with it. In fact, you've even had dealings with them before..."

"I have?"

Danzo furrowed his brows in thought, but something suddenly felt off.

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His instincts flared—something wasn't right.

He snapped his head up and locked eyes on the visitor.

That voice...

It was growing more and more familiar.

And that tone—arrogant, mocking—no one who truly knew him would dare to speak this way!

The wide-brimmed hat lifted slightly...

Revealing a pair of slit-like, serpent-like eyes.

Beneath those eyes was a sharp, pale face. A sinister smile curled at the edges of his lips.

It was none other than Danzo's former ally—Orochimaru.

Orochimaru's long, slender fingers rested on his hat. He made no effort to hide his true identity, as if he didn't care that Danzo could see his face here.

"You!"

Danzo's expression shifted.

He had never expected Orochimaru to come and meet him in person!

His guards had reported that the visitor was merely Orochimaru's messenger. They must have checked the person's identity—yet they hadn't seen through Orochimaru's disguise?

That was... quite embarrassing.

Especially since Danzo had just been speaking ill of him.

Fortunately, Danzo didn't care much for such trivial matters. He knew Orochimaru wouldn't take offense over something so minor. So, he casually picked up his tea and continued drinking.

"It's been a while, Danzo."

Orochimaru studied the bandaged elder before him, his expression faintly nostalgic, as if he were truly greeting an old acquaintance after many years.

Indeed...

It had been a long time.

Time had carved deep lines into Danzo's face.

The man who once brimmed with ambition and ruthlessness had aged into a frail elder, clinging desperately to his remaining power.

"Hmph..."

"You've got some nerve..."

Danzo, oblivious to Orochimaru's thoughts, was instead annoyed by his recklessness. He used this as an excuse to dispel the awkwardness, his tone sharp. "If Hiruzen finds out you've infiltrated the village..."

Orochimaru's safety wasn't Danzo's concern.

What mattered was that if their meeting was discovered, he would be implicated as well.

"Right now... He's probably too preoccupied to notice."

Orochimaru tilted his head slightly, as if reminiscing about his former teacher. "I recently prepared quite a gift for him. And after today, he'll be even less able to focus on minor details like this..."

"What have you done?"

Danzo narrowed his eyes.

"Before you ask me that..."

Orochimaru stretched out his arms, his voice carrying an underlying accusation. "Shouldn't I be asking you what you've done?"

"..."

Danzo's expression froze.

He had done many things.

Which one was Orochimaru referring to?

Had he somehow interfered with Orochimaru's interests?

"Akatsuki."

Orochimaru seemed to notice Danzo's momentary confusion and decided to remind him. "You should remember that name..."

"Akatsuki..."

Danzo's brows furrowed deeply.

That name instantly resurfaced in his mind—a reminder of a past crisis, one that had nearly cost him his life.

That red-haired brat with the Rinnegan...

With a single hand sign, he had summoned an eerie creature.

A grotesque beast that had spewed out a chakra dragon, instantly wiping out dozens of ninja, forcing Danzo to flee for his life...

But that organization should have been eradicated!

He had personally orchestrated its downfall!

Danzo's face darkened. His voice dropped to a low murmur. "The leader of that group... a boy named Yahiko... was eliminated by me and Hanzo. After that, I found no further traces of Akatsuki..."

"Unless..."

"That red-haired boy..."

Danzo suddenly recalled Nagato—the boy with the Rinnegan. His voice turned hoarse. "Did he rebuild Akatsuki?"

"That's right."

Orochimaru nodded slowly. His snake-like pupils gleamed dangerously. "The Rinnegan possesses power surpassing even the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama."

"Hmph..."

"Naïve."

Danzo scoffed at Orochimaru's assessment. He had seen a Rinnegan wielder in action, but he didn't believe that power could surpass Hashirama's. "You've never witnessed the true might of the First Hokage, so perhaps you're mistaken. Even if those are the Sage of Six Paths' eyes, they cannot rival Wood Release."

"Perhaps..."

"Or maybe not..."

Orochimaru remained expressionless as he delivered a shocking revelation. "According to intelligence from a certain revived medical ninja, the full power of the Rinnegan far surpasses both Wood Release and the Sharingan..."

"Intelligence...?"

"A medical ninja...?"

Danzo abruptly stood up. His hands slammed onto the table. "You used Edo Tensei to resurrect Shigen?!"

There was no need to guess!

Danzo immediately deduced what had happened. Orochimaru must have brought Shigen back to life—that was the only way he could have obtained such classified information!

That bastard!

He actually went behind Danzo's back and revived Shigen!

And he was only now coming to Konoha to tell him about it?!

That snake!

He intended to use that ancient-era medical ninja for his own gain!

Of course...

Danzo had always known Orochimaru's ambitions. For a man obsessed with immortality, the knowledge Shigen possessed must have been irresistible.

"No one could resist that crystal coffin."

Orochimaru stared at the furious Danzo, his expression eerily calm. "Even if I hadn't done it, someone else eventually would have."

"Hand Shigen over to me!"

Danzo's face turned deadly serious. His voice was sharp as a blade. "Orochimaru, Shigen is not someone you can use. That power belongs to Konoha!"

Shigen's strategic value was immeasurable.

Whether it was his medical knowledge, his ability to suppress the Nine-Tails, or even just his Curse Marks—he was a resource that Danzo needed to control.

And he would not allow Orochimaru to take that from him.

"Only by handing Shigen over to me..."

Danzo gripped his cane-sword tightly with one hand, while the other instinctively reached for the bandages covering his eye. He added in a firm tone, "Can we maximize our benefits. A man of his caliber will never willingly submit to you. I've studied Edo Tensei myself—the caster cannot always fully control the resurrected."

"Do you think he will submit to your will?"

Orochimaru's gaze shifted to Danzo's hand, which was pressed against his bandaged eye. His serpentine smile deepened. "Do you really believe you can accomplish that... with the Kotoamatsukami Mangekyō Sharingan you stole from Uchiha Shisui?"

"How do you know about that?!"

Danzo's lone visible eye narrowed sharply, his grip tightening on his blade. His instincts flared, his body tensing, as if ready to strike at any moment.

This was his greatest secret.

A secret he had taken every precaution to conceal.

Not even Hiruzen Sarutobi knew of it!

Click.

Before Danzo could draw his sword, a cold hand pressed down on his wrist.

His blade, barely unsheathed, was forcibly halted.

"Because..."

Orochimaru's fingers curled around Danzo's wrist, his tone laced with amusement. "I happen to know the whereabouts of the other eye. I also know the full details of Kotoamatsukami's ability—this so-called 'strongest genjutsu' that can completely rewrite a person's will. However, it requires more than a decade of cooldown between uses..."

"If it weren't for this limitation..."

Orochimaru watched Danzo's expression darken further and continued in a leisurely tone, "I wouldn't have bothered coming all the way to Konoha to see you."

"..."

Danzo silently stared at Orochimaru.

No wonder...

This snake had come all the way to Konoha—it was for Kotoamatsukami.

No wonder...

Even knowing the power of Kotoamatsukami, Orochimaru had dared to meet him in person.

They were both masters of deception...

There was no need to test each other's motives further.

Danzo knew Orochimaru wasn't afraid of Kotoamatsukami because of its lengthy cooldown. He was aware that Danzo, in his entire lifetime, would likely have only one chance to use the genjutsu, and he wouldn't waste it on Orochimaru.

Likewise, Danzo knew that Orochimaru didn't want to use Kotoamatsukami for himself. He had another target in mind—someone more useful for his schemes.

"You want to use my Kotoamatsukami Mangekyō Sharingan?"

Danzo slowly relaxed his grip, a strange calm settling over him. He shook his head. "I won't hand this eye over to you. And I won't use my one chance on something as trivial as your plans."

"After the deed is done."

"I will return you a Rinnegan."

Orochimaru made his offer with surprising sincerity. He even sweetened the deal with additional information. "Your body, even with Hashirama's cells, can only sustain one Rinnegan at most..."

"For you..."

"Even a single Rinnegan is far more valuable than a genjutsu that can only be used once every decade. You won't be at a loss in this deal."

"I've gathered intelligence suggesting that the Rinnegan is a Kekkei Mōra—a power surpassing all bloodline limits. With it, you will gain mastery over all five chakra natures, plus Yin-Yang Release... not to mention its formidable eye techniques and an exceptionally powerful summoned creature..."

"..."

Danzo didn't trust Orochimaru's promises in the slightest.

Still...

He couldn't deny that the offer was tempting.

He had witnessed the monstrous abilities of the Rinnegan firsthand.

He had seen the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path obliterate elite ninja in an instant. Even Hanzo of the Salamander—one of the most fearsome men Danzo had ever known—had fled in terror from that beast.

"I don't want this to be a wasted trip."

Orochimaru released Danzo's wrist, his expression shifting subtly, as if losing patience. "If you refuse, then the Hokage's office will soon learn that you possess Uchiha Shisui's Kotoamatsukami Sharingan. I doubt my former teacher would be comfortable knowing you hold the power to alter his will at any time..."

"You dare threaten me?!"

Danzo's face darkened instantly, his voice dropping into a menacing growl. "Hiruzen is an incompetent fool, but he is beneath me. I would never waste Kotoamatsukami on him!"

This bastard!

He actually dared to threaten him with this!

Danzo had an overwhelming urge to kill Orochimaru on the spot.

"..."

Orochimaru gave Danzo a knowing look and continued, unfazed. "A man holding a blade will always be suspected of wrongdoing."

"..."

Danzo knew Orochimaru was right.

The moment his secret was exposed, Hiruzen's suspicions would be endless.

No matter what he did, no matter how many excuses he made—he would never be able to fully clear himself.

Just as...

He had never been able to tolerate Uchiha Shisui holding that power.

"Enough."

"This is not a threat."

"I will continue to need you as an ally."

Orochimaru observed the storm brewing in Danzo's eyes, then spoke with careful emphasis. "Because to deceive Shigen, I told him that I am a Konoha ninja who pretended to defect and joined Akatsuki under your orders. That means I will need your continued backing to keep Shigen under my control."

"..."

Danzo's heart eased slightly.

He knew that a man like Orochimaru—an outright missing-nin—would never gain Shigen's trust.

No matter how cunning he was, the moment his true nature was exposed, Shigen would turn against him.

Only Danzo himself could serve as the guarantee that Orochimaru was a true Konoha agent.

In a way...

It was a deception that had now become reality.

And more importantly...

As long as Orochimaru continued using Konoha's name to deceive Shigen, Danzo would also be able to keep deceiving and exploiting Shigen in turn.

"What a pity..."

Danzo sighed softly, almost lamenting the situation. "Kotoamatsukami is too valuable. I had originally intended to use it to control Shigen myself..."

"If your goal is to manipulate him..."

Orochimaru casually revealed a mixture of truth and lies. "Then Kotoamatsukami won't work on him. His spiritual energy vastly exceeds ours."

"How do you know—? Wait, did you already use it?"

Danzo's expression changed slightly.

His brows furrowed as a disturbing thought surfaced. "You already obtained the other Kotoamatsukami Mangekyō Sharingan? And you wasted it trying to alter Shigen's will?"

"It failed."

"But it wasn't my doing."

"It was Uchiha Itachi. He realized my connection to you and suspected I was manipulating Shigen. So, he used Kotoamatsukami to try and overwrite Shigen's mind... but failed. Fortunately, that great man forgave Itachi, which only made him trust us more."

Orochimaru wove his deception with ease. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to you, seeking your Kotoamatsukami for use against the Rinnegan wielder."

"!!!"

Danzo's pupils shrank in shock.

Uchiha Itachi...

So it was him!

That bastard had stolen the other Kotoamatsukami Sharingan!

And not only that—he had dared to use it on Shigen!

Danzo was both furious and relieved.

Furious that Itachi had acted without his knowledge.

Relieved that Itachi's reckless attempt had forced that Kotoamatsukami into cooldown, neutralizing a potential threat.

But something didn't feel right...

If Kotoamatsukami couldn't control Shigen, then deception was the only way to use him.

That meant Danzo's role—his credibility—was now more vital than ever.

"So..."

Orochimaru's lips curled in amusement, sensing Danzo's realization. "Our alliance has never been more important. And while I'm here, I also need funding for my experiments..."

"..."

Danzo was both pleased and irritated.

This bastard!

He had threatened and coerced him into a corner!

And yet...

Danzo knew he had no choice but to cooperate.

"...The Rinnegan."

Even as unease gnawed at him, Danzo had no choice but to accept Orochimaru's coercion. He could only cling to the hope that he would eventually obtain the Rinnegan himself.

"Do you have absolute confidence?"

"Enough."

Orochimaru nodded slowly, his voice unhurried. "I am already a member of Akatsuki. As long as I find the right opportunity, that will be all I need."

"I can agree to give you Kotoamatsukami."

Danzo reached for a series of glass containers on his desk, each holding a Sharingan. He spoke softly, "But until I receive the Rinnegan, I will still need a Sharingan in its place..."

As long as he possessed a Sharingan...

He could still use Izanagi.

Danzo had unwavering faith in this forbidden technique. It was an ability that could reverse life and death itself, on par with Kotoamatsukami in importance.

"One..."

"Perhaps that won't be enough?"

A dangerous gleam flickered in Orochimaru's snake-like eyes as he placed a hand on one of the glass containers. "I recently mastered some new biological techniques. Coupled with Shigen's Curse Mark energy, I have ways to ensure that you will willingly trade me Kotoamatsukami..."

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