Chapter 41: Chap 41 - New Orochimaru and Konoha's Problems. (1)
" Ryuuji-sama, what are your orders? "
Ryuuji looked at the new Orochimaru in front of him and couldn't help but smile.
If he was honest with himself, he really didn't know if his process of turning a living being into a "Zetsu" would work, but now that it did, he's sure to put it to good use.
" Orochimaru, your job from now on will be to dedicate most of your time to using your talent as a scientist. However, you no longer need to worry about your immortality, so I want you to focus on other types of matters. "
Orochimaru, still kneeling, looked at Ryuuji with excitement:
" And what matters are these, Ryuuji-sama? "
" I think the technological level in our world is very underdeveloped. What we need to get out of this situation are brilliant minds like you, Orochimaru. I want you to spend most of your time evolving the civil, mechanical and electronic engineering industry.
In short, anything that can raise the technological level of this world. "
Orochimaru looked at Ryuuji with stars in his eyes.
" Ryuuji-sama, your thoughts are so noble! I promise I will show this world a new level of technological advancement! "
Ryuuji smiled slightly and motioned with his hand for Orochimaru to rise from his kneeling position.
" Very well, Orochimaru. The second thing I want is for you to go back to Konoha and do your best to support Tsunade as Fourth Hokage. I promised my cousin I would help her and having you to support her would be an invaluable help to her. "
Orochimaru was a little disappointed not to be able to work alongside his master, but Ryuuji soon assuaged his thoughts:
" I can reach you at any time of the day, so don't worry about having to work alone.
I intend to find another man with as much talent in the technological field as you. When that moment arrives, we'll work together to raise the level of quality of life through technology, starting, of course, with the Land of Whirlpools. "
" Ryuuji-sama is really a philanthropist. I can only hope to one day have such great compassion for the world. "
Ryuuji let a light laugh escape his lips. Orochimaru couldn't be more wrong about his intentions, but he doesn't need to correct his newest servant.
After the euphoria wore off, Orochimaru changed the subject:
" Ryuuji-sama, do you want me to go back to Konoha right now? "
" Not yet. You may have lost that war, but you're still an indispensable asset for Konoha, which still has three other villages to contend with. The price Konoha will pay for your ransom, as well as that of the nearly 1,000 surviving shinobi, will be put to good use by us. "
" I follow your orders, Ryuuji-sama. "
With a nod, Ryuuji started to leave the room.
" I will send one of the surviving shinobi to Konoha so he can relay my information. Because of the current state of Konoha and the Daimyo's fear that this war will continue for many years to come, I am sure that very soon you will return to your home.
Until then, you can find something to occupy your mind, as long as it doesn't harm any citizen of my country. "
Orochimaru lightly nodded his head and in the next instant, his body began to merge with the ground. The ex-Snakeman is sure not to miss the opportunity to take a look at the age-old knowledge of the Uzumaki Clan.
Ryuuji didn't need to worry about Orochimaru's loyalty, because the man was totally obsessed with following his orders, to the point where he could die with a smile on his face as long as he was ordered to by him.
…
Hiruzen was in the Hokage's office meeting room again.
" Hokage-sama, the constant attacks on the Land of Frost border are intensifying again. At this rate, we'll lose our outposts in the Land of Hot Water and have to fight Kumogakure on our lands. "
Hearing the report from the Nara Clan patriarch, who was also the Jounin Commander of Konoha, Hiruzen blew out a puff of smoke.
(AN: Shikaku Nara's father.)
" According to his estimates, how long can we keep them in the Land of Frost? "
" No reinforcements? A maximum of three more days. "
Hiruzen looked at the map, more specifically at the Land of Rain, where a good part of Konoha's Shinobi were battling Salamander Hanzo of the Salamander and Amegakure, Iwagakure and Sunagakure.
In his mind, Orochimaru or Jiraiya should be responsible for making Konoha remain strong on this front line, but it was Tsunade who shone the most, bringing all the glory to her and the nearly extinct Senju Clan.
Erasing his thoughts, Hiruzen replied to the Jounin Commander:
" We'll only be able to send reinforcements after Orochimaru defeats Uzushiogakure. If necessary, I'll return to the battlefield myself. "
Before the Nara Clan patriarch could respond to their leader, an ANBU Shinobi appeared alongside Hiruzen.
The Hokage listened intently to every word that came out of the ANBU's mouth and the more he did it, the more his body seemed to age.
Hiruzen got up from his chair and walked slowly towards the exit of the room, leaving a few words for the Clan Patriarchs and their two Councilors:
" I'm suspending this meeting for an hour. I want you all here when this time period is over! "
Leaving the office, Hiruzen ran straight to the Konoha Hospital.
…
Entering the room, Hiruzen saw a man with the familiar pineapple hair belonging to the Nara Clan.
The Hokage ignored the exhausted state of the man who ran thousands of kilometers in less than 24 hours to deliver Ryuuji's message and spoke in his best tone:
" Jounin Nara, report. "
" H-Hokage-sama…w-we failed. Miserably. R-Ryuuji Uzumaki is a monster! "
Hiruzen looked at the man's dejected state and could only let out a sigh.
" Call for me the patriarch of the Yamanaka Clan. Making this man talk will only make things take longer. "
A black figure came out of the hospital window and Hiruzen just waited, knowing that it wouldn't be long before his request was granted.
…
Back in the meeting room, Hiruzen looked around at everyone present.
The patriarch of the Hyuuga Clan(Hiashi's Father), who was one of the most supportive of Hiruzen and Orochimaru's plans, noticed the tense atmosphere and was the first to speak:
" H-Hokage-sama…Orochimaru has already sent us updates about the attack on Uzushiogakure? "
Hiruzen didn't respond right away. He just kept tapping his fingers against the wooden table as he stared into an empty space.
" Hiruzen! "
Hearing the cry of his counselor and friend, Hiruzen came to.
After coughing lightly to ward off his unstable mental state, Hiruzen spoke again:
" The mission in Uzushiogakure was a failure. A big failure. "
Silence reigned in the place as everyone processed the information that was 'thrown on the table'.
The patriarch of Clan Aburame(Shibi's Father) was the first to speak:
" Hokage-sama, could you be more specific? "
" Our army was able to successfully set foot on dry land thanks to Orochimaru and his contract with Ryuichi Cave, but it looks like Ryuuji Uzumaki was already expecting this. "
The Hyuuga Clan patriarch looked at Hiruzen and couldn't control the anger in his heart. Hitting hard on the table in front of him, the man got up from his chair:
" Hokage-sama! D-Didn't you say that Ryuuji Uzumaki would be neutralized in that attack? How can our Konoha shinobi lose to the shinobi used to the peace of Uzushiogakure! "
Everyone present at the place looked at the man, making him apologize and sit back in his chair.
Hiruzen ignored the clear disrespect towards his figure and spoke again:
" Ryuuji Uzumaki demonstrated from the beginning to have an unusually strong and impenetrable body, our decision to create the spirit-oriented strategy was by no means thoughtless.
I even left a second secret letter in the hands of Orochimaru and Dan Kato, but the truth is that I - no - the entire ninja world underestimated the strength of the Daimyo of the Land of Whirlwinds. "
The patriarch of the Uchiha Clan, who always remains silent, decided to speak this time:
" And what secret trump would that be, Hokage-sama? "
Hiruzen wasn't in the right mind to play his political games against the Uchiha Clan, so he quickly replied:
" Reaper Death Seal. Ryuuji managed to destroy the ultimate Sealing Jutsu with extreme ease… and it wasn't just that. "
The Inuzuka Clan patriarch(Tsume's Father) couldn't stand the anxiety and also knocked on the table:
" Still have more? Why the hell did we decide to provoke a monster of that level? "
Hiruzen, still ignoring the blatant disrespect, just continued his speech:
" Ryuuji Uzumaki destroyed the Shinigami himself. The representation of life and death that could only be brought into the world through the secret arts of the Uzumaki Clan. "
Silence settled in again.
The Nara Clan Patriarch(Shikaku's Father) looked at Hiruzen and couldn't stop the sigh from escaping his lips:
" I knew this was a problematic idea. We didn't have enough information to provoke a war against Uzushiogakure. "
Hiruzen, finally getting tired of how everyone was condemning him for his decision, decided to try to blast his Hokage aura:
" I'm not here for you to regret MY decisions as Hokage. I'm here to find a solution to our current problem: Uzushio is holding nearly a thousand of our shinobi as hostages, among them one of the greatest geniuses in the ninja world, my student Orochimaru. "
" And what are the demands made by them, Hokage-sama? "
Hiruzen coughed and pulled a scroll out of his robes:
" After the blatant disrespect to the Supreme Ruler of the Land of Whirlwinds, Ryuuji Uzumaki - current Daimyo of the country - requests monetary compensation in the amount of 1 Billion Ryo, full payment and with interest referring to all arts belonging to Uzushiogakure in Konoha, in particular the Uzumaki Clan, which brings the amount of monetary compensation to five billion Ryos.
In addition, Ryuuji Uzumaki also requests the delivery of a specific document signed by myself, the Third Hokage, the Patriarchs of all the resident Clans of Konoha, the two Elders, the Jounin Commander, and last but not least, the court of the Daimyo.
The said document is an official declaration that Mito Uzumaki, wife of the First Hokage, has the right to vote in the choice of the next Hokage, a vote that has the same weight as the vote of the country's royalty. "
Letting out a sigh, the patriarch of Clan Nara put his hand to his forehead.
" Of course… Ryuuji Uzumaki is basically saying that he wants to be part of Konoha's top leadership and at the same time, he's showing us that he doesn't even need military strength to do that. "
Hiruzen frowned and looked at the man:
" What are you talking about? These abusive terms will never be accepted by us! We are Konoha, the strongest village in the world, and we'll not tolerate injustice! "
The patriarchs looked at Hiruzen as if he were an animal. Hiruzen was about to explode again, but to his surprise, her friend and adviser, Koharu Utatane, stopped him.
" H-Hiruzen…enough. We l-lost. "
Hiruzen looked at his counselor with wide eyes.
" W-Will you betray me? "
Mitokado looked at his old friend and sighed:
" Hiruzen, we have agreed to sacrifice thousands of Konoha shinobi out of your desire to regain the Kyuubi and our 'honor'. We cannot pay that price again. Think of our shinobi. This fight is over and we have been defeated. "
Hiruzen looked around and saw that everyone agreed with the words spoken by his adviser.
The Nara Clan patriarch let out a sigh, preparing for the troublesome task of calming down and explaining certain concepts to his Hokage.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
FeartoFallingApart
FeartoFallingApart Hey guys.
Another extremely fast-paced day for me, but that's ok, I'm still steadfast in the present and aiming for the future.
Thank you to everyone who is following this fanfic, especially to those who leave their Power Stones for this author. I love you, guys.
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