Traveling through Nagato, from conquering Konan to dominating the ninja world

Nagato and Orochimaru returned to the underground and walked through the long corridor towards the experimental base.

Orochimaru asked, "Are you still planning to start your actions against Sarutobi-sensei in Konoha?"

Nagato shook his head, "No. The previous actions have caused all the major clans to increase their defenses. Jiraiya-sensei must be in the village as well. Count Danzo among them. There are at least six Hokage-level fighters in the village. Our hopes of success are slim."

"So, the correct idea is to take action when Sarutobi Hiruzen leaves Konoha."

Orochimaru thought: "Teacher has retired from the position of Hokage, and something happened in Konoha not long ago. I don't think that at this critical juncture, as one of the pillars of the village's fighting power, he will easily leave the village..."

"So, there must be a reason for him to leave the village." Nagato paused and said, "If his son Asuma Sarutobi was in danger, would he go to rescue him?"

Without even thinking about it, Orochimaru shook his head and said, "No, Sensei is a person who can clearly distinguish between public and private matters. In his heart, the safety and long-term development of Konoha always comes first."

Nagato looked at him intriguingly: "Maybe not... When you defected from Konoha, weren't you also stopped by the Third Hokage? At that time, he had the ability to kill you, but in the end he couldn't bear it and let you go."

Orochimaru flicked his long hair and said meaningfully: "I never thought that Nagato-kun even knew such a private matter. Is this also the power of Ayahashi?"

"No, Kabuto let it slip and told me before." Nagato acted as if nothing had happened and let Kabuto take the blame.

"A-choo!!!" In the base's bathroom, Dou, who was taking a shower after getting up, sneezed.

"Hmm... Has my immunity been weakened by the excessive rain recently?"

Nagato and Orochimaru entered the experimental base and sat on the sofa in the lounge.

Nagato brewed tea skillfully.

Orochimaru said seriously: "The teacher will be soft on me, but that doesn't mean he will be soft on everyone. It is precisely because Asuma is the teacher's son that the teacher will choose to avoid suspicion. That's just the kind of person he is."

"On the other hand, putting aside Asuma's identity as the teacher's son, his current strength as a ninja can barely be considered a passing jonin."

"Teacher knows very well that even if Asuma is lost, it is not a major loss to Konoha. At least he will not choose to rescue him personally. At most, he will negotiate with the Fourth Hokage and send the elite of the Anbu to rescue him."

"In short, Asuma is not a safe choice, and his purpose of forcing the teacher to submit is too obvious."

Nagato slowly made the tea and took out three cups.

"Nagato-kun, if you want to choose Asuma to lure out the teacher, you might as well choose me~" Orochimaru's eyes showed a hint of amusement: "Just tell the teacher that I'm conducting dangerous experiments that could threaten the Fire Country Daimyo, and even let the teacher know where I am. I think he will come over with a stick in hand without saying a word~."

Nagato placed the cup of hot tea in front of Orochimaru and said with a smile, "Forget it. I have spent so much effort to make you disappear from the public eye. To lure out a mere Hiruzen, I am using you as bait. Isn't that picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons?"

"Oh, thank you again for your recognition of my value." Orochimaru clapped his hands and smiled.

Nagato made tea for his own cup, and then made a separate cup of tea and placed it in the empty space in Kabuto's cup.

Putting down the teapot, he said seriously: "Actually, I agree with your point of view. Asuma is not suitable as a bargaining chip to lure out Hiruzen."

"But think about it the other way around. Only if Hiruzen is convinced that Konoha will suffer a great loss, will he be willing to take the risk, right?"

"That's the case, but there aren't many people like this."

Orochimaru raised his hand and picked up the teacup.

Nagato smiled and said, "Isn't there one?"

He put the cup to his lips, paused, and his eyes flickered: "What Nagato-kun said, could it be..."

Nagato said, "Yes, if Princess Tsunade, who is one of the three legendary ninjas like you and Jiraiya, and a disciple of Sarutobi Hiruzen, Konoha's strongest medical ninja in service, and the granddaughter of the first Hokage, is suspected of having her life threatened, Sarutobi Hiruzen would have to consider whether Konoha can bear this loss, right?"

"..." Orochimaru took a sip of tea. The refreshing aroma made his eyebrows twitch.

"Not bad~, Nagato-kun, your tea art has improved~."

"Thank you for the compliment." Nagato smiled a rare, genuine smile.

Putting down the teacup, Orochimaru said in a slightly complicated tone: "Tsunade, I need to let Nagato know about her. Maybe Kabuto has told you again..."

Nagato said, "No, tell me."

Orochimaru said: "During the Second Shinobi World War, her brother Nawaki and her lover Kato Dan died one after another."

"It's sad that Rope Tree died right in front of my eyes,"

"When Dan was killed, Tsunade was there and used medical ninjutsu to treat him, but she still couldn't stop her lover from losing his life. Since then, she has developed a deep fear of 'blood', a psychological disease called 'hemophobia'. Now she can no longer act as a ninja."

Nagato gently swung his teacup: "However, psychological disorders such as hemophobia can be overcome in theory. No matter how miserable Tsunade is, she still has extraordinary strategic significance for Konoha."

Orochimaru smiled and said, "That is undeniable, but even so, I cannot guarantee that the teacher will take action..."

Nagato said: "It's useless to just talk about it on paper. Some things need to be done before we know whether they will work or not."

Orochimaru took another sip of tea, "Let me make it clear in advance, Nagato-kun, Tsunade is not a woman who can be forced into submission by force. If she realizes that she is no match for you and there is no possibility of escape, she will definitely choose to end her life in order to prevent you from achieving your goal!"

"In other words, she is not the kind of person who could fall into someone else's hands and become a captive."

"Although you are very powerful now, I don't think you are strong enough to make Tsunade unable to end her life."

"so……"

Nagato said the 'reason' on behalf of Orochimaru: "We must use means other than force to make Tsunade 'submit'."

You really tried your best to persuade me not to use force against Tsunami, Orochimaru...

Nagato thought: It seems that Orochimaru in this period is far more humane than in the original work, more than ten years later, when he destroyed Konoha... Human hearts are indeed sinking step by step.

Orochimaru finished drinking the tea in the cup and said hoarsely, "That's right, Tsunade's biggest weakness is her love of gambling, and she always loses when she gambles."