News of Danzo's actions spread fast. By the time Shanks and Shisui were making their way back to the Land of Waves at a leisurely pace, the information had already reached half of the ninja world.
That's how terrifying the underground black market's intelligence network had become.
Normal information wouldn't travel this quickly, but Danzo's actions involved Shanks and, more importantly, the Uzumaki clan.
On top of that, with tensions rising in the Land of Wind, some people even exaggerated parts of Danzo's message to stir things up.
They didn't want Shanks getting involved in the Land of Wind's affairs.
Neither the pirates nor the ninja of the Five Great Nations wanted him stepping onto that battlefield.
If one of the Four Emperors got involved, everything would spiral out of control.
Danzo making his move at this moment was actually helping a lot of people solve a big problem.
Once again, this showed just how ridiculously sharp Konoha's four elder politicians were. Even Shanks couldn't fully understand Danzo's strategy.
"Danzo already controls the Land of Waves, and he's planning to execute Gato. So why is he suddenly making a move now?"
Shanks sat on his ship, reading over the intel he had gotten from a tavern, his face full of confusion.
Along with the report came Gato's background information.
"Gato's records don't seem suspicious at all. But seriously, is he really one of your people, Captain?"
Since Shisui couldn't read the report himself, Shanks read it out loud for him.
And…
Shisui honestly couldn't see anything strange about it.
Geographically speaking, it was completely reasonable to suggest that Gato had a connection to the Uzumaki clan.
And based on Gato's past actions, his ties to Shanks seemed real as well.
Before Shanks even arrived in the ninja world, Gato was already leaking his whereabouts firsthand.
Not only that, but Gato's way of handling things in the underground black market was sharp and strategic—almost like a smaller version of the Four Emperors.
Expanding the underground intelligence network across the entire ninja world in such a short time was no small feat, proving that Gato had guts few could match.
Basically, the once sleazy and irritating Gato now seemed to carry a bit of Shanks' presence in the eyes of many.
"I have absolutely nothing to do with Gato."
Yet, Shanks had no idea how people even managed to connect all these dots.
Even if they could, couldn't they at least take one good look at Gato? Did he resemble the Uzumaki clan in any way?
That guy had the face of a disposable villain who wouldn't last three episodes!
"Captain, no matter how you look at it, this doesn't seem like a coincidence."
"This whole thing is too complicated to explain. Bottom line, whether Gato lives or dies has nothing to do with me."
"Zabuza, on the other hand, will probably have something to say about it."
Shanks hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Zabuza, is Gato part of the Blade-less Pirates?"
"No, but he paid them protection money. If Gato dies, the Blade-less Pirates will definitely send someone to take over the Land of Waves."
Shanks scratched his head and continued explaining to Shisui.
It was a bit complicated to explain. Normally, Zabuza would have sent someone to rescue Gato—after all, he had some sense of honor as a pirate.
Zabuza wasn't the kind of person who would betray someone like that.
But considering all the things Gato had done, the fact that Zabuza hadn't killed him himself was already generous. Now that Gato was about to be executed, Zabuza would surely send someone to take over his assets.
"Seems like Gato has made a lot of enemies."
"Including me."
Shanks pointed at himself. The fact that Gato was still alive was honestly ridiculous.
This guy had managed to offend everyone he should have—and even those he shouldn't have.
Yet, he was still alive. His survival instincts must have been insane.
If you look at the original timeline, he was the last person to die at Zabuza's hands. If you flip the perspective, it was almost like they took each other down.
Gato's death was pure plot convenience.
"Then there's really no reason for us to care about what happens to him."
"But since Danzo has shown up, we still need to go. At the very least, we have to get your eyes back."
What surprised both Shanks and Shisui wasn't that Gato had been kidnapped or that the Land of Waves had fallen into Danzo's hands.
It was the fact that Danzo dared to make a move at this moment. It just didn't make sense.
Meanwhile, in Otogakure, Orochimaru had also received intel on Danzo.
"Konohagakure's rogue ninja, Shimura Danzo, has taken control of the Land of Waves. In three days, he plans to execute Shanks' ally, Gato, and has even reserved a spot on the execution stage for Shanks. He's openly challenging Shanks, claiming that if he dares to come, he'll witness the true power of Konohagakure.
'Konohagakure once destroyed the Land of Whirlpools and wiped out the Uzumaki clan. Now, it will be the one to bury the last remnants of the Uzumaki bloodline.'"
Reading the intel, Orochimaru looked a bit embarrassed.
Danzo was stupid, but he wasn't arrogant enough to say something like that.
Still, whether others believed it or not was another matter.
"Orochimaru-sama, do you need us to step in?"
Kidomaru stepped forward. Ever since they returned from Konohagakure, they hadn't taken on any missions and had been focusing on training in the Six Powers.
The one making the fastest progress was Jirobo, who was already skilled in Taijutsu.
"No need. You and Kimimaro should head to the Land of Wind. I'll deal with Danzo myself."
Orochimaru shook his head. He had already made a deal with Shanks, and now that Danzo had decided to show up at this moment, he had no one to blame but himself.
"Understood, Orochimaru-sama."
Kidomaru nodded respectfully.
Hiruko, standing nearby, had a curious look in his eyes.
"Looks like you're really willing to risk your life on this. I'm quite interested in seeing if the so-called strongest creature, the dragon, actually exists."
Hiruko was genuinely intrigued, but the mocking glint in his eyes was just as real.
If Orochimaru weren't as cunning as always—if he hadn't done things like taking Kakashi's Sharingan—Hiruko might have started to wonder if this was even the same Orochimaru.
After all, Orochimaru was someone who valued his own life above all else.
"The times have changed, Hiruko. Only when you truly experience the power Shanks possesses will you understand—breaking free from the chains of fate isn't that simple."
"If I can't overcome my own instincts, I'll never take that next step, let alone chase after the legendary creatures."
Orochimaru's pale, shadowy face showed an unshakable determination. His strongest instinct was the desire to live.
It was this deep-rooted instinct that drove his lifelong research—everything he pursued was centered around survival.
But Shanks made him realize the limits of that path. If he continued to follow his instincts, he would never reach the peak. Even if he found a way to become a dragon, it wouldn't be enough.
No one knew what a true dragon was really like. It was said to be the strongest creature in legend, yet history had no records of it. Even Ryuchi Cave only had scattered myths.
Orochimaru was certain that if he truly wanted to become such a powerful being, his path wouldn't be any easier than Shanks'.
But he had one advantage—Shanks as a guide. Orochimaru could learn from his example, and when necessary, he could even abandon his own desire for life completely.
The birth of Conqueror's Haki itself was an act of defying natural instincts—a rebellion against the world.
If he wanted to become a legendary dragon, he would have to go through the same process. To break the chains of fate, this was a step he had to take.
"That sounds nice and all, but I don't think you can actually do it. Your obsession with living is too deep. Do you really believe you can go that far?"
Hiruko didn't hold back. To him, Orochimaru wasn't someone with that kind of resolve.
"Precisely because I don't know, I have to take the gamble—with my own life on the line, I will seek a higher form of existence."
Orochimaru was obsessed, yes. But his obsession was with becoming something greater, which was why he had no interest in Ryuchi Cave's imperfect Sage Mode.
As for Hiruko, he wasn't about to stop Orochimaru. Their partnership wasn't just about working together—Hiruko was letting Orochimaru pave the way for him.
The arrival of a new era had also changed Hiruko's views on Kekkei Genkai. This new age had elevated Kekkei Genkai to the level of Devil Fruits.
If Orochimaru managed to carve out his own path, that would be good news for Hiruko as well.
"Take these crystals used for cultivating the Divine Tree. If possible, we might be able to learn more about them from Shanks."
"I'll continue my research on the Devil Fruits."
Hiruko's cold voice echoed as he spoke. Orochimaru's dealings with Shanks were his own business—Hiruko had his own matters to attend to.
With that, he disappeared back into his lab.
Meanwhile, in Konohagakure, Nara Shikaku had just received news about Danzo.
"Tsunade-sama, Danzo has officially declared war on Shanks. While the Uzumaki clan issue doesn't directly involve Konohagakure, Danzo is still a rogue ninja from our village. Letting him run around spreading whatever he wants could be a problem."
Inside the Hokage's office, Shikaku raised the concern. More importantly, the Land of Waves was right next to the Land of Fire—ignoring the situation wasn't an option.
"It wouldn't look good if Konohagakure got directly involved in another nation's affairs."
Tsunade shrugged. She had no interest in dealing with this mess.
"Besides, we don't have the manpower to send anyone right now."
"The two newly promoted Chunin from the last exams could go. They're originally from the Land of Waves, so—"
Before Shikaku could finish, a ripple distorted the air in the center of the room.
Seeing the space warp, both Tsunade and Shikaku fell silent.
As the distortion faded, Kakashi stepped out of the swirling space.
"Tsunade-sama."
He gave a slight nod in greeting.
Tsunade, seated at her desk, waved her hand casually.
"No need to be so formal. Something happened in the Land of Snow?"
"There's been an incident involving the Land of Snow's ruler. We brought them back, but they're in critical condition."
Kakashi didn't go into details. Everything was going fine at first, but then it turned out their client was actually the princess of the Land of Snow. Before they knew it, they got dragged into a political coup.
In the end, there was no real danger. The lord of the Land of Snow was defeated by Naruto, and the conflict was resolved.
And it was truly resolved.
Naruto didn't go too hard on him—he just injured Doto Kazahana enough to make him lose his ability to fight.
But then, right in front of Koyuki Kazahana, Doto took his own life.
"As long as he's not dead yet, I'll go check on him."
Tsunade frowned. If someone actually died in Konohagakure, that would be a problem.
"What exactly happened?"
Shikaku was a little confused.
"The lord of the Land of Snow lost his mind."
As Kakashi walked, he explained the situation. Even Naruto and Sasuke were shocked by what they saw in the Land of Snow.
Doto Kazahana had finally unlocked the secret weapon his "brother" had spent all his wealth creating, only to discover that it was nothing more than a geothermal system designed to turn the frozen valleys into a warm spring landscape.
Seeing the devastation in the Land of Snow and the massive machines in the valley, Doto completely snapped.
That's why, even after Naruto spared him, he still chose to die—going so far as to end his life right in front of Koyuki Kazahana.
After hearing how absurd things were in the Land of Snow, Shikaku suddenly felt that maybe Danzo wasn't that crazy after all.
It seemed that in a world where someone like Shanks could exist at the absolute peak, there were bound to be people who would sink to the lowest depths.
"But since you're back, Kakashi, could you lead a team to the Land of Waves?"
Kakashi's return was well-timed—Konohagakure was severely short on manpower at the moment.
Guy was certainly strong enough, but the situation in the Land of Waves was deeply political.
"The Land of Waves, huh?"
Kakashi glanced at Naruto and Sasuke, who were asleep in the hospital, then nodded.
"Alright, I'll lead the team. Just leave the mission to me."
There was no time to waste. Gone was his usual laid-back attitude—now, Kakashi was racing against the clock, making the most of every moment.
Meanwhile, in Amegakure…
Nagato looked at the Gedo Statue he had summoned. Even with his usual calm demeanor, he couldn't completely keep his cool.
A massive pillar behind the Gedo Statue had been *sliced clean through.*
"..."
After a brief silence, Nagato slowly walked forward.
He had sensed that something was off before, but now, he had finally found the reason.
"Konan, we're going to the Land of Waves."
For the first time in a long while, Nagato stepped outside. His body was weaker than ever, but he still forced himself to move.
"The Land of Waves?"
"I want to see this so-called Four Emperors for myself."
Nagato's voice was calm, but Konan could hear the barely contained rage behind his words.
It was the same kind of anger he had when Yahiko got into trouble all those years ago.
"Alright, let's go take a look."
For the first time, a faint smile appeared on Konan's cold face. Without any hesitation, the two of them left the Land of Rain, heading straight for the Land of Waves.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Waves, Tazuna had worked overtime for two days and finally finished building Gato's execution platform.
Inside Gato's mansion, Danzo rolled up his sleeve, revealing his arm. Embedded in it were six Sharingan—one of them even belonged to Shisui.
These six Sharingan were his trump card against Shanks.
"As long as I have the power of the Sharingan, what does it matter if he's one of the Four Emperors?"
Danzo's expression was dark. Everything he had suffered up to this point was because of Shanks. But this was only the beginning of his plan.
"Sarutobi, you were too soft. A ninja's kindness is their greatest weakness."
"But don't worry, it won't be long before Shanks joins you down there."
Danzo also blamed the death of the Third Hokage on Shanks.
If it weren't for Shanks, how could the Third Hokage have died?
Sarutobi Hiruzen's death had nothing to do with him—at least, that was what Danzo told himself. He had only wanted to weaken the Third Hokage's influence through the destruction of Konohagakure, nothing more.
"I will make the Uzumaki clan pay for this."
"Just like the Uchiha."
Danzo stared at the crimson Sharingan in his arm, mesmerized by the power hidden within the tomoe.
Titles like Hokage meant nothing. True power and control were the only things that mattered.
And someone like Shanks, who had power but didn't know how to use it, was bound to die by his hands.
"Tomorrow, I will show the world the weakness of this so-called lion."
"A king without a pack is nothing but a failure. It's time for Shanks to die."
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