Under the cover of night, the Fourth Kazekage departed Sunagakure and arrived at the appointed sand dune. There, he saw the figure of someone who seemed to be Orochimaru. Upon closer inspection, his brows furrowed.
The chakra and aura undoubtedly belonged to Orochimaru, yet the appearance and even the gender were wrong. The Orochimaru he knew was an androgynous man, but now the figure before him was clearly female.
Noticing the Kazekage's expression, Orochimaru chuckled softly and said, "Long time no see, Kazekage-sama. You look even more composed than the last time we met. I almost didn't recognize you."
The Kazekage's expression darkened as he frowned. "Orochimaru, your changes are... quite different. Turning from a man into a woman—did you feel your male identity was holding you back? By the way, I am still straight."
Orochimaru shook their head with a sly grin. "I wouldn't say that, but changing things up every now and then is refreshing. If Kazekage-sama ever wishes to explore such a transformation, I'd be more than happy to assist, free of charge."
The Kazekage briefly imagined himself undergoing such a change and felt a shiver of disgust. As a proud man, the mere thought was repulsive, and he understood this as Orochimaru's subtle way of mocking him for being overly cautious and hesitant in his actions.
With a cold snort, the Kazekage dismissed the remark. "Let's stick to business. In your letter, you mentioned purchasing a large quantity of Sunagakure's ore. What exactly do you plan to do with it?"
"Forge weapons, create experimental instruments, and sell to other organizations. I have my hands in many endeavors..." Orochimaru paused, then fixed the Kazekage with an amused glance. "But how I use the ore doesn't concern you. We're merely buyer and seller—nothing more."
The Kazekage's gaze sharpened. "I doubt it's that simple. With your resources, buying refined metals would be more efficient. Why go out of your way to acquire raw ore from us?"
Rasa then smirked, "Let me guess. You've hit a snag, haven't you? That's why you came to me. But let me tell you again. My offer from before still stands—join Sunagakure, and I'll grant you a deputy's position and the village's protection."
Orochimaru chuckled and shook their head. "I have no intention of joining Sunagakure. However, I will admit that recent troubles have made life inconvenient. Danzo's men constantly pursue me, destroying several of my bases in the Land of Fire. But this time, I've come to propose a collaboration. Let's meddle in the ongoing war between Iwagakure and Konoha."
The Kazekage wasn't surprised by Orochimaru's rejection. Someone like Orochimaru, who had the nerve to defect from Konoha, would never willingly live under another's rule. His repeated offers to recruit Orochimaru were more about humiliating a former adversary.
In truth, if Orochimaru ever did agree to join Sunagakure, the Kazekage would have to assign significant manpower just to monitor him. Any leaks of such an alliance would also provoke Konoha's ire, creating more problems than benefits.
The mention of collaboration piqued the Kazekage's interest, but it also made him cautious. "Are you planning to help Iwagakure against Konoha or seize the opportunity to strike at Konoha yourself?"
Orochimaru's ambiguous plans left him pondering. If this partnership couldn't aid Sunagakure in breaking free from its shackles, any actions taken would be trivial in the grand scheme of things.
"What's in it for Sunagakure?" the Kazekage finally asked.
Orochimaru smiled knowingly. "Freedom from your alliance with Konoha and the power to control the Daimyō of the Land of Wind. These past years since the Third Shinobi War, the Daimyō has been giving Sunagakure nothing but trouble, hasn't he?"
The words hit a nerve, causing the Kazekage couldn't help but press further. "How do you plan to help us sever our ties with Konoha and gain control over the Daimyō?"
Orochimaru's grin widened. "It's simple. If the Daimyō faces a life-threatening crisis, Sunagakure will have every reason to intervene. Once you've 'rescued' him, you can either detain or monitor him at your leisure."
The Kazekage's eyes glinted with understanding, and he let out a low chuckle. "You're not worried I'll take this method and have my people stage an attack on the Daimyō without involving you?"
Orochimaru shook their head, unfazed. "Other than me, no one else has the capability to assist you in subjugating the Daimyō. And if our talks fall apart, I'll personally ensure the Daimyō doesn't live to see another sunrise."
The Kazekage's gaze turned sharp and dangerous at Orochimaru's threat, a tense silence hanging in the air. The Fourth Kazekage understood that Orochimaru wasn't merely bluffing. Orochimaru indeed had both the means and motive to assassinate the Daimyō. Should chaos erupt on the Daimyō's end, the entire Land of Wind would descend into disorder.
In such a scenario, Konoha would undoubtedly interfere with the Land of Wind's affairs. However, if Orochimaru were the perpetrator, the outcome would be entirely different. To avoid suspicion, Konoha would willingly abstain from meddling in the Land of Wind's internal issues. Furthermore, Sunagakure could leverage the moral high ground to pressure Konoha diplomatically.
After a moment's contemplation, the Kazekage spoke. "I must admit, your proposal is tempting. But more than the benefits to Sunagakure, I'm curious—what's in it for you? If you stand to gain nothing, I'd find it hard to trust even the infamous Orochimaru."
Orochimaru paused for a second, his expression darkening as bloodlust flickered in his eyes. His voice grew low and menacing. "I want to eliminate Danzo for betraying me and prove to Hiruzen Sarutobi that I am the rightful candidate for the position of Hokage. Losing to Minato Namikaze was one thing, but even after Minato's death, he clings stubbornly to the title."
Seeing the fierce determination in Orochimaru's eyes, the Kazekage began to believe him. He realized this partnership was no mere lip service; Orochimaru was genuinely committed to their collaboration.
As someone who had himself aspired to power, the Kazekage understood Orochimaru's resentment well. Before becoming the Fourth Kazekage, he had set his sights on the position. After the Third Kazekage's untimely death, he had invested considerable effort and paid a steep price to defeat his rival, Pakura, ultimately sending her to the Pure Land.
Sympathizing with Orochimaru's ambition, the Kazekage saw an opportunity to use him to achieve his own goals.
After composing himself, Orochimaru looked at the Kazekage and said, "Kazekage-sama, partnering with me will prove to be the wisest decision you've made. For now, though, let's start with the first step—mineral trade. I've heard much about the Land of Wind's abundant ore reserves." If the quality is as good as claimed, we can proceed with our first collaboration."
The Kazekage gestured for Orochimaru to follow and smiled. "The quality of Sunagakure's ore is impeccable. Come with me to the mines, and you'll see for yourself."
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Sorry guys, but it seems I made a mistake when scheduling the chapters to next year. Oh man, if I hadn't checked recently, you might have to wait till next year. Well, aside from the bad joke, I haven't dropped the fic yet and update will be consistent this month.