Chapter 163: Konoha Prepares to Use Its Trump Card

Testing Konoha!

That thought appeared in everyone’s mind at once.

It was also the only explanation for why the First Mizukage’s style of doing things seemed to have changed.

All for a single objective.

With one move, he leveraged the power of the other three great ninja villages—not only probing Konoha’s true depth, but after it ended, he even turned on them and launched a surprise betrayal attack, nearly wiping out the forces of the other three villages!

Someone like that was far too dangerous!

At that moment, everyone in the Hokage office had a sheen of cold sweat on their foreheads.

The First Mizukage Yuto’s “test” was clearly related to the hidden contingency left behind by Hashirama-sama back then.

In the current ninja world, if there was anything that could still make First Mizukage Yuto feel wary…

Then the only thing left was Hashirama-sama’s remaining means.

Thinking back now—if it hadn’t been for the appearance of “Shinsū Senju (True Several Thousand Hands)” at the final moment, Konoha would probably have been completely annihilated.

That sensation of having wandered along the edge of death once made fear flash through the eyes of people like Danzo.

For a time, the Hokage office once again sank into an eerie silence.

At the beginning of this sudden war, there had been so many things that left everyone confused—yet the moment the news of “Yuto’s resurrection” appeared, everything became clear.

Kabuto swept his gaze over the expressions on Danzo and the others’ faces, and wasn’t surprised at all.

After all, when Orochimaru had told him this information back then, Kabuto’s shock had been far more exaggerated than what Danzo and the others were showing now.

Koharu took a deep breath, eyes locked on Kabuto.

“Are you sure this information is true?”

“There’s no need for me to deceive you. It wouldn’t benefit me at all. We can even postpone the deal for now—once you confirm the information, we can discuss the transaction then.”

Kabuto wore a faint smile, calm and composed.

Right now, Kabuto’s confidence didn’t come from himself, but from the already-dead Orochimaru.

As for this “deal” he kept emphasizing, Kabuto didn’t actually care all that much.

Whether the deal succeeded or not, he would still tell them this intelligence. What he was doing now was simply trying to change Konoha’s view of him.

As someone who had once suppressed powerhouses like Hashirama and Madara, based on Kabuto’s understanding of Orochimaru… Orochimaru shouldn’t have turned hostile. If anything, he should’ve clung to him and sought protection.

But reality was the opposite—Orochimaru-sama had openly attacked the Mist’s forces, and the result was simple: he was cut down by the former First Mizukage Yuto.

Orochimaru-sama didn’t have to do that.

Yet he still made that choice—something that was strange in itself.

And so, in Kabuto’s eyes, compared to the Mist Village, Orochimaru-sama had valued Konoha more.

Deep down, Kabuto also believed in the decision Orochimaru made right before his death.

Danzo, standing to the side, looked at Kabuto with a flickering gaze, as if about to speak.

But on the other side, Jiraiya seemed to notice Danzo’s movement first—and clapped his hands.

The next moment, the Hokage office doors opened again.

The two ANBU who had just left re-entered.

“Kabuto—sorry to trouble you two for now.”

Jiraiya smiled lightly at the two ANBU members. Then he turned back to Kabuto.

“If what you said is true, I’ll consider the terms of your deal.”

Kabuto pushed up his glasses. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes, and the corner of his mouth held a faint, ambiguous smile as he allowed the two ANBU to escort him out of the Hokage office.

Seeing this, Danzo’s brows lifted slightly, and his face returned to its usual expressionless calm.

“I never thought a figure from legend would truly be resurrected. Someone even more dangerous than Madara… should we pass this news to the other villages?”

Homura looked tense as he spoke urgently.

“Konoha is being watched by every village right now. If there’s even the slightest disturbance, the Mist’s people will notice immediately.”

Koharu shook her head gently, worry on her face.

“Still… we’re lucky. Thanks to the contingency the First Hokage-sama left behind, otherwise Konoha wouldn’t have only lost half.”

Homura sighed softly.

“Hmph. That’s not necessarily true. If this was only a test, then he’s already gotten the answer he wanted. What Konoha will face next… is probably annihilation.”

“It won’t be long before the next attack on Konoha.”

Danzo’s eyes flickered faintly. His face remained calm, but his heart had tightened in an instant.

First Mizukage Yuto—no one dared ignore someone like that.

Especially not when that person also had a grudge against Konoha.

Everyone’s expressions grew ugly.

With Konoha’s current combat power, facing any of the former “Three Greats” would leave them with no chance at all.

The more they understood Hashirama’s strength, the more terrified they became of what Madara and Yuto must have been like back then.

And it wasn’t even just one person.

The other side also had the Mist Village—one of the Five Great Villages—as a powerful backing.

Jiraiya’s brows were already knitted tightly. The intelligence Kabuto had delivered had pushed modern Konoha’s situation straight to the edge of extreme danger.

One wrong step, and Konoha could be wiped out in an instant.

Suddenly, Jiraiya sensed something and couldn’t help lifting his head.

Only then did he realize that everyone’s eyes were fixed on him.

“At a time like this… we should be able to use those two contingencies the First Hokage-sama left behind.”

Danzo looked at the grim Jiraiya and spoke in a low voice.

Hearing Danzo’s words, Jiraiya’s first reaction was to refuse—yet when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down.

Those measures left behind back then… really were meant to deal with First Mizukage Yuto.

But…

Seeing the conflicted look on Jiraiya’s face, Tsunade, standing off to the side, frowned slightly.

It seemed that before the old man died, he hadn’t just handed the “key” to Jiraiya—he’d also told him something else, something that had given Jiraiya a certain hesitation.

Otherwise, at a moment like this, Jiraiya shouldn’t be refusing.

“Jiraiya, I hope you won’t be as soft-hearted as Hiruzen.”

Danzo watched Jiraiya carefully, a thoughtful look flashing through his eyes before he continued in a heavy voice.

“In this war—whether it’s intelligence or strength—Konoha has already fallen behind. If you still have doubts now, then Konoha really will be destroyed.”

Danzo might not understand Jiraiya that well, but when it came to Hiruzen—his old opponent—Danzo understood him better than anyone in the room.

And only now did Danzo suddenly remember the sentence Hiruzen had said back then, in that other-dimensional space where the scrolls were stored—spoken right in front of everyone.

“Unless First Mizukage Yuto is resurrected, then even if Konoha is destroyed, those two scrolls must never be used.”

At the time, Danzo had thought Hiruzen was just being stubborn and old-fashioned.

But now, recalling the look Hiruzen had worn back then…

There had been complexity in his eyes.

And fear.