Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

There was a minor incident on Ōnoki's end, but overall, he was still under Zixu's control. The only thing left was to prepare everything before the conference began.

Although Neji had already been tasked with the preparations, given the gravity of the situation, Zixu felt it was better to remain cautious.

After all, with the Akatsuki actively targeting the Tailed Beast Jinchūriki, the situation was volatile. Moreover, the Hyuga Main Family in Konoha would hardly harbor good intentions toward the branch family. However, Zixu knew Konoha wouldn't openly turn hostile—it simply wasn't worth it over a group of Hyuga branch members.

Meanwhile, the war profiteers of Kumogakure were highly interested in the firearms technology being developed, hoping to mass-produce it. As for Kirigakure, Haku and Zabuza were still considered rogue ninjas. In fact, a significant portion of Kirigakure's population consisted of missing-nin, many of whom had been swayed by Zixu.

And then there was Sunagakure. Zixu had outright abducted all their Jinchūriki, ensuring that he had thoroughly offended every major village.

Yet, beyond the external threats, the village also harbored internal dangers. The most unpredictable factor was Orochimaru. Zixu couldn't dismiss the possibility that the snake Sannin might surprise him at the conference.

"Sigh..." Zixu let out a weary sigh. Had he not poured so much of his effort into building the Land of Whirlpools, he wouldn't have to work this hard.

"What's wrong?" Hyuga Chinano, walking behind him, noticed the slight shift in Zixu's gait and thought he had sensed something unusual.

"Nothing. Let's go." Zixu shook his head and continued walking. Their original plan was to meet up with Haku and the others, as it would be safer. Negotiating with the daimyō was no easy task, after all.

To Zixu's surprise, however, Aburame Hatsuizumi contacted him first, reporting that they had successfully completed their mission and instructing Zixu to return to the village.

Trusting Hatsuizumi, Zixu decided to head back directly, unaware of whether Hatsuizumi and Haku would stir up further trouble.

Upon his return, the village was as peaceful and harmonious as always. Every time Zixu came back, he was struck by the stark contrast between this place and the outside world—as if they existed in entirely different eras.

Despite the technological advancements, mechanization had not replaced the human touch. Civilians found their place here, and the shinobi didn't look down on them for their lack of combat skills. On the contrary, they actively integrated with the villagers.

There were now several Hyuga bone-setting massage shops, the "Gaara Sand Sculpture Museum," the "Ninjutsu Exchange Shop," the "High-tech Ninja Tool Shop," and the "Portable Ninjutsu Scroll Store." These high-tech establishments were exclusive to the Land of Whirlpools, a testament to its uniqueness.

The first thing Zixu did upon his return was to find Neji. He wanted to check on the martial arts tournament preparations, the accommodations for the other major villages, and whether the countermeasures against espionage were complete.

"The tournament venue is ready. Gaara has been overseeing the final construction of the duel arena. The preliminary auditions will be held in the surrounding forest," Neji reported, putting down the pen in his hand.

"The forest? Isn't that too easy?" Zixu questioned.

"It may seem easy at first, but Aburame Hatsuizumi has already released a swarm of venomous insects and summoned several monster snakes. The difficulty won't be low. The preliminary round will be structured similarly to the Chūnin Exams," Neji explained patiently.

"As for the rules, of course, weapons are allowed—kunai, shuriken, and even firearms. They are all tools of war. We'll simply eliminate the weaker participants in layers as the rounds progress."

"That works. What about village security?" Zixu shifted his focus to the village's defense. The times had changed. While they needed to display their strength to the major villages, they couldn't afford to let their guard down.

"We initially planned for the villagers to patrol with firearms, but ordinary civilians only have effective combat power when they gather in large numbers. Our current situation requires elite combat forces for patrol duty. After all, those attending the conference are no ordinary shinobi," Neji explained with a serious expression. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Zixu understood the dilemma. The problem was that their most powerful fighters were either handling their own affairs or participating in the tournament itself. Finding available high-level combatants was difficult.

"Leave it to me. I'll handle it," Zixu assured him. Then he asked, "Any unusual movements from Orochimaru?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Neji shook his head. Orochimaru had been keeping to himself, completely immersed in his research. He rarely left his laboratory, giving no cause for suspicion.

"That in itself is the biggest anomaly," Zixu muttered.

He knew Orochimaru was a scientist, but a true scientist had an insatiable curiosity. The Orochimaru he knew had once been obsessed with forbidden techniques, which had driven him down his dark path.

Yet despite the many secrets Zixu had revealed, Orochimaru showed only passing interest in the larger mysteries, instead fixating on trivial details. This abnormality made Zixu even more wary.

Perhaps Orochimaru was simply biding his time. He was like a venomous snake lying in wait, ready to strike the moment Zixu showed the slightest weakness.

"Never trust Orochimaru," Zixu warned with a grave expression. He cast a glance at Neji, who remained calm and expressionless, then left the room.

Not long after, Zixu received a call from Haku's Den Den Mushi. Assuming there was trouble, he quickly answered.

"Moshi moshi?" Haku's innocent-sounding voice came through the receiver. "We've successfully taken control of the daimyō of the Land of Water. So far, everything is going smoothly. His subordinates haven't noticed a thing."

His voice was calm, but the faint howling and panting sounds in the background made the situation feel strangely unsettling.

"Huh? Aburame Hatsuizumi, what did you do?" Zixu asked, already prepared for trouble. He knew Hatsuizumi had a tendency to go overboard, but he still underestimated her audacity.

On the other end of the call, Aburame Hatsuizumi sat on the daimyō's throne, casually plucking a large gemstone embedded in the armrest. She toyed with it for a moment before tossing it aside, treating it like a worthless trinket.

The daimyō of the Land of Water lay curled at Hatsuizumi's feet, trembling pitifully. The old man, with a bizarre mixture of terror and warped delight, wore an expression that blurred the line between fear and madness.

"Well, the results might be a little... unconventional. But don't worry, there won't be any betrayal," Hatsuizumi chuckled, removing another gem and tossing it to the floor as if she were feeding a pet.

Like a starved dog, the daimyō scrambled on all fours, snatching the gemstone in his mouth. With a pathetic wag of his head, he returned to Hatsuizumi's feet, eyes wide with desperate anticipation, as though begging for praise.

"Pathetic," Hatsuizumi sneered and stepped on the daimyō's head, grinding her heel into the man's scalp.

"Don't smear my clothes, or I'll kill you..."She sighed in mock exasperation before realizing she was still on the call. "Ah? No, no, it's nothing. Of course, I wouldn't kill the daimyō," he chuckled. "Don't worry. He's alive and well... for now. Anyway, we're all good here. See you back at the village."

With that, Hatsuizumi hung up, leaving Zixu shaking his head.

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