The Conspiracy of the Hidden Grass Village
Many had expressed their discontent with the leadership of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and while Tsunade understood their grievances, she remained skeptical.
Over the years, for various reasons, Hiruzen had lost his earlier resolve. Once a decisive leader, he had become overly cautious and hesitant in making difficult choices. No matter how much he changed, however, Jiraiya remained steadfast in his loyalty to him and to the village.
Facing Tsunade's doubts, Jiraiya let out a heavy sigh before saying, "Tsunade, a lot has happened in Konoha since you left."
He then recounted, in detail, the major events of the past few years.
Tsunade's expression shifted from serious contemplation to sheer disbelief as she processed the information. She looked at Jiraiya, a mixture of shock and helplessness in her gaze.
It was one thing for the Third Hokage to negotiate with the Hidden Cloud Village—after all, peace often required compromise. The Uchiha Clan's downfall, orchestrated by Danzo and the elders, was justified under the pretense of preventing a coup.
But why had Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, defected alongside an Uchiha? Why had he established a ninja village in Uzushiogakure, the former home of the Uzumaki clan? And now, reports stated that his forces had occupied the Land of Waves and clashed with mercenaries backed by Akatsuki.
These revelations were difficult to believe. Tsunade struggled to assess Hiruzen's decisions.
When Jiraiya and Kakashi secretly conspired to dismantle Danzo's influence, Tsunade pondered for a long moment before remarking, "You two are playing a dangerous game. Hiruzen will never approve of removing Danzo. He relies on him—Danzo is his hidden blade. If Danzo falls, the Hokage's authority weakens."
Jiraiya sighed, "I know. That's why I wanted to give the old man a chance to handle it himself. But he lacks the resolve to sever his own arm."
"Age makes one hesitant," Tsunade mused. "Too concerned about the legacy they leave behind."
She then regarded Jiraiya with narrowed eyes. "But for you to go this far… This has something to do with Naruto, doesn't it? You believe he's the 'Child of Prophecy,' don't you?"
Jiraiya gave a helpless nod. "Yes. But it's too late. He left the village, and he no longer needs my guidance—neither in power nor in will."
"I visited Uzushio," he continued. "Naruto has done something remarkable. He's gained Uchiha loyalty without being manipulated by them. His village functions without infighting. And he's repurposing ninjutsu to improve civilians' lives. It reminds me of the ideals of the First Hokage."
Tsunade frowned. "You're saying my grandfather's legacy lives on in that brat?"
She found it hard to believe. Hashirama Senju had ended an era of bloodshed and created the system of one village per nation. Could a single boy truly embody such revolutionary ideals?
But if Jiraiya's account was true, then change was inevitable. If Konoha failed to adapt, it might lose its status as the strongest village.
That thought alone made Tsunade consider returning to Konoha.
Before they could continue their discussion, a group of Grass Village shinobi suddenly appeared in the distance, surrounding them with kunai drawn.
Mid-level Chūnin attempting to capture two of the Legendary Sannin was laughable. Jiraiya easily dispatched them and quickly interrogated the survivors.
The Grass shinobi admitted they were chasing a missing-nin named Karin Uzumaki. At the mention of her surname, Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged glances before pressing for more details.
Tsunade's eyes darkened with anger upon hearing that the Hidden Grass had been exploiting Karin's Uzumaki heritage, using her as nothing more than a medical tool.
Even if Uzushio had fallen, its people were once allies of Konoha.
Jiraiya saw an opportunity. If they could rescue Karin, perhaps Naruto would be more willing to negotiate peace rather than escalate tensions. The last thing Jiraiya wanted was to fight the son of Minato Namikaze.
Having silently reached the same conclusion, he and Tsunade, along with Shizune, set off toward the Hidden Grass.
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In the Hidden Grass Village
After a tense meeting of the village's Jōnin, one of the elders—aligned with the faction advocating for war—approached Wuwei, the Jōnin responsible for managing Hōzuki Castle.
In a hushed tone, he asked, "Wuwei, the Akatsuki mercenaries will arrive soon. Is the Box of Ultimate Bliss prepared?"
Wuwei, skeptical, furrowed his brow. "The box has been ready for years, but… are you really suggesting we use it to stage a coup?"
The elder, wearing an animal mask, scoffed. "Without a Tailed Beast, we must compensate for our lack of power through numbers."
As a confidant of the war faction, Wuwei understood that the so-called threat of the Iwagakure army was a smokescreen. The elder had secretly made deals with Iwa to stage an external crisis and consolidate power.
More importantly, the elder sought to open the Box of Ultimate Bliss to unleash the legendary entity within—an entity once believed to have helped the Land of Grass exert dominion over the ninja world.
The elder sneered, "Hōzuki Castle is filled with criminals. Rather than keeping them locked away, why not let them serve the revival of our village?"
Wuwei hesitated. "If we do this, all the Great Nations will see us as enemies…"
"They already do!" The elder's voice was filled with conviction. "The time has come for the Hidden Grass to reclaim its place in history."
With no other choice, Wuwei nodded hesitantly.
But as he turned away, a small, almost imperceptible smile curled at the corner of his lips.
Unlike the elder, Wuwei's goal was not political power. Years ago, he had lost his son due to a failed experiment. Since then, he had dedicated his life to one purpose—bringing his child back.
The Box of Ultimate Bliss granted a wish to its user.
He cared nothing for the consequences. No matter the cost, he would see his son return to life.
What neither Wuwei nor the elder realized was that beneath their feet, a lone White Zetsu listened intently from underground.
With a quiet sniff of the air, it melted back into the earth, slipping away unseen.
To the intelligence network of the Akatsuki, the secrecy of the Hidden Grass was meaningless.
The conspiracy was no longer hidden.
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