Chapter 41
The Land of Rice Fields was the ideal place for him to establish himself, surrounded by numerous shinobi clans on the brink of destruction. With no choice but to turn to crime for survival, other countries showed little concern for them, as each clan was small, poorly organized, and lacked secret techniques for stealing.
Having been helplessly exploited in the previous war, those clans were doomed. Or at least they would have been, had Orochimaru not chosen them. What he sought were the two most established clans in this country: the Fuma clan and the Shiin clan. The former had been regrettably forced to seek refuge in this land, only to be drafted into war.
Everything he required was in this nation, neighboring the Land of Fire and situated between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth- a perfect vantage point to watch over them, and not too far from the Land of Water. He had every opportunity for his plans; he simply needed to seize it. To do that, he had to familiarize himself with the rulers of this country.
Orochimaru could not comprehend why shinobi allowed themselves to be governed by weak men driven by their basic desires. He had no intention of submitting to such a system. His village would not abide by rules that were thousands of years old —rules that should have long since vanished.
"Please, spare me," the Daimyo of the Land of Rice begged for his life like everyone else. "I will do everything you ask. Just spare my life."
Orochimaru believed he should follow his sensei's teachings and cherish all life. However, he simply could not recognize any value in this one. A power-hungry fool who had forsaken his people's lives for a form of hollow prestige. Sending his people to their deaths just to sit at the big boys' table. And what did it bring to his country? Nothing but its demise.
"Kill him, and I will give you everything you ask for."
How could a man reviled by his people and despised by his family be a ruler of a country? All he knew was how to abuse his power. Whether it was through forcing his people to die or beating his wife, it mattered not to him. All his actions were meant to prove to others that he was superior. There was no justification for such filth to exist in his world.
"You have a deal, new Daimyo," Orochimaru smiled at the woman who pleaded for her husband's death.
He didn't give the man an easy death; he let his snakes feast on him. Orochimaru wanted the man to realize his insignificance before he died. It was entertaining to watch him cry out for help, only for his loyal subordinates to turn their heads away from the scene. These civilians were amusing, so weak and pathetic, clinging to meaningless power over rules and laws that they always disregard when it suits them.
"Thank you," the woman said, stone cold as she watched her husband take his last breath of pain. "What do you want? Money? Power? Women?"
"Why would I desire such worthless things?" Orochimaru replied. "All I want is a place to create."
"Create what?"
"A new life for those unfortunate souls whom your dear husband so easily discarded. I want to establish a hidden village in your country."
"Allowing a criminal like you to do so would jeopardize our relationships with the Land of Fire and other nations."
"And?"
"The valley near the gold mine," the new Daimyo responded. "It is filled with criminals, hundreds if not thousands of them. Armed and fortified, they regard it as their home. It matters little to me which criminal rules over that region. But with you, at least I am willing to trade for the gold within."
"Thousands, you say?" Orochimaru smiled. "Very well. It should serve as a good start. And you know what will happen if you interfere with my plans."
"Don't worry, I don't have as much pride as my husband."
So, it was pride. Orochimaru was beginning to learn a few things about this society. Perhaps it was time to integrate into it and understand why his sensei hadn't simply destroyed such a useless system yet. For now, he had a town to conquer and a message to send to every shinobi in this country: that they now have a place to stay and call home.
…
Pakura was more than happy to take on this mission. Not only did it provide her with greater insight into her new partners, but it also enabled her to eliminate the snake that had threatened her savior. Still, she could not let her guard down. Konan was a mysterious woman. From what Pakura managed to observe, she always stayed close to the leader, Pain.
The only reason she was traveling with Pakura was to observe her. That's why Pakura didn't risk sending a message to the Third Hokage. It was too risky. Pakura had long realized that the members of Akatsuki weren't ordinary shinobi. And she had too little information to form any other opinion of them. Especially Konan and Pain.
They traveled in silence. Neither of them was very talkative. Pakura didn't mind it, but it meant she could not extract any information from her traveling companion. And Konan was closest to Pain, so she probably knew more than anyone else. Pakura had many questions about them, but she played it carefully, acting indifferent and aloof for the time being. There was no need to rush.
Pakura tugged on her cloak as they walked. They certainly liked to look distinctive. However, it had its qualities, despite Pakura's dislike for it. One of those qualities was that it concealed their appearance. She knew that Sasori didn't present himself as he looked. She didn't comment on it, but she was undeniably curious.
She had long suspected that he was the one who killed the Third Kazekage, as he was the prodigy puppeteer. Not only did he possess a generational level of control over his puppets, but he also had vast knowledge of poison. Lady Chiyo had taught him well. So, Pakura knew that only he could have killed the Third Kazekage. But they would rather not but blame one of them.
At least that's how she thought it was, but when it came to her, it was quite easy to place all the blame for not signing the peace treaty with Kiri on her. She didn't possess secret techniques passed down through generations. So, she guessed her unique Kekkei Genkai was no longer of use, and it might be safer to get rid of her.
"Where do we start?" Pakura asked once they arrived at the capital of the Land of Rice Fields.
"We will wait," Konan replied, and that was the extent of their conversation.
Not long ago, they had received news about an incident in the capital, and knowing that Orochimaru was in the country, it seemed more than likely that it was related to him. Pakura still tried to understand their organization's goals. What could Orochimaru contribute to it? It just made no sense so far.
"Hello, ladies." Pakura could not get used to this creature. "I come to inform you that Orochimaru has already left the city."
"Where is he headed?" Konan asked, seemingly accustomed to this hideous creature's presence.
"Well, I have to leave that to you to find out, but I do have a list of people who might know."
Zetsu was his name. He was the most mysterious member aside from the leader. Pakura had never heard of him before, and his features were quite uncommon, making him stand out. She knew that certain genetic abnormalities could cause drastic changes in humans; one only needed to look at the Hoshigaki clan.
But this was beyond everything she knew. For now, she had too little information about him to compile a full report, but she would keep a close watch on him. The Third needed to know about him and the extent of the danger he posed. His ability to move unnoticed was dangerous, and that was the only skill she was aware of.
Konan tucked the list into her cloak without saying a word. Zetsu disappeared the moment Pakura took her eyes off him. However, Pakura considered that Konan wasn't particularly fond of Zetsu. That was something to keep an eye on. If she could uncover more about the relationships between the members, the Third could utilize that knowledge.
…
Pakura didn't know what to make of what she heard in the capital. It didn't take long to learn what had happened. Orochimaru came in and murdered dozens of officials and the Daimyo before leaving. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for his actions, but it was likely kept a secret by the new regime of the country.
The one on the list appeared to be a petty officer under the Daimyo. He lived in a simple house, which made him appear quite frugal and honest, given his lifestyle. With no family, he was left with only a cat to keep him company. When they arrived, he was working in his office and only noticed them because they allowed him to.
"I always knew we'd pay the price for using shinobi for our betterment," he said as he looked at them. "I warned him many times not to play this game. We are too small and too weak to handle the consequences. But power has its appeal."
"People died here," Konan began. "A leader was replaced, yet the city continued as if nothing happened. Why did Orochimaru come here? What did he want?"
"Are you on orders from the Third Hokage?" the man asked, unafraid, as he took out a bottle of strong alcohol and poured himself a cup. "On the hunt for the criminal, eh? Under normal circumstances, I would be happy to help you. But these are trying times for my country, and your interference isn't welcome."
Paper flew out of Konan's sleeves and bound the man; he couldn't even have his drink before he was wrapped up. Konan scanned the office, but it was clear they wouldn't find anything useful there. They had to coax him into talking to get information. He acted tough, but like everyone else, he would soon give in.
"I have no patience for your games," Konan said. "I can start with your fingers, or your eyes. And even if you won't talk, there will be others who will."
"You shinobi types are so quick to violence," the man replied, attempting to sneer at them, but Konan applied more pressure with her paper, making his expression falter. "Fine, I was here when he entered the palace. Surprisingly, he didn't kill the guards, only incapacitated them. But he wasn't so gentle with the Daimyo and his closest advisors. He displayed his power and let us shudder in fear."
"Get to the point. What did Orochimaru want?"
"Control," he replied through gritted teeth as Konan intensified the pressure, crushing the man. "He only asked for a place to live, to settle. What his further plans are isn't hard to guess. He will gather shinobi and rogues under his control before pressuring us to comply with his wishes."
"Then why keep it a secret from us?" Pakura asked. "Isn't it better for us to eliminate him?"
"Like I said, you lot are quick to violence. So what if he takes control of us? What his existence offers is far more valuable. One of the Sannin is protecting our country, and having all the criminals under his control will bring order we could never achieve on our own. And what will he ask of us? Money? For his services, we would be glad to pay him."
"Where is he now?"
"There's a town near the sea, in the valley by a gold mine," he answered. "Any merchant would sell a map to that place. He left to take it over. That's all I know."
"I will return if he isn't there," Konan said, releasing the man before they left.
"Always playing god, you damn shinobi," Pakura heard him mutter as they departed.
For all his bravado, he wasn't that resistant to their questioning. After all, he was just a man. However, Pakura did notice something interesting: Konan's ability was truly unique. She had heard of her, surprisingly, more than she had heard of Pain. Suna had some information about them, but witnessing it firsthand was far more valuable.
A.N. Thanks for reading. If you want more, up to seven advanced chapters, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852.