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"So, from the way you're speaking, it sounds like you know something we don't?" Baki said with a cold sneer.
"What I'm trying to say is that even if someone is truly capable of using Susanoo, that doesn't automatically mean the person who killed the Kazekage was a shinobi from the Uchiha clan. It could just as easily have been a rogue ninja," Midorima replied with a calm smile.
"A rogue ninja? So you're actually an accomplice of the Uchiha clan after all," Baki scoffed.
"Your imagination is quite vivid, but unfortunately, you're wrong. Do you want to know why I think this way? Because I have personally encountered members of the Akatsuki organization, and among them were two shinobi from the Uchiha clan. I assume all of you are familiar with the tragic history of the 'Bloody Mist Village,' aren't you? It all started when the Mizukage was placed under a powerful genjutsu and controlled by someone else. The mastermind behind that chaos was a man who called himself 'Uchiha Madara.' I believe the Hokage and the other shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village are particularly familiar with that name."
"Uchiha Madara died a long time ago," Baki shot back.
"Of course I know that. That's why this 'Uchiha Madara' is clearly an imposter. I have my own suspicions about his true identity, and I've already shared those thoughts with Lady Tsunade. She should have been verifying them, and by now she has probably narrowed down the possible candidates for who this fake 'Uchiha Madara' really is."
In an instant, almost everyone's eyes turned toward Hiruzen.
"Ahem… she had some matters to attend to and couldn't make it today," the Hokage replied, looking slightly embarrassed.
Midorima paused in surprise. He hadn't expected that Tsunade had chosen not to inform the Hokage about this particular piece of information.
However, Obito's identity was indeed a delicate and awkward subject.
Perhaps Tsunade was still waiting for more concrete evidence before revealing anything.
"Besides this fake 'Uchiha Madara,' both Killer Bee and I were ambushed by members of Akatsuki. One of the attackers also used Susanoo. The leader of the Uchiha clan should be quite familiar with this person's name—Uchiha Itachi." Midorima turned his gaze toward Fugaku and noticed that the man's face had grown even more strained and uncomfortable.
"In my personal opinion, this entire situation is far more complicated than any of us can fully imagine. As I mentioned earlier, the Kazekage was killed using Susanoo. But there is another possibility worth considering: how reliable is the person who told you about the identity of the killer?" Midorima asked with a light smile.
"Are you suggesting that he was lying?" Baki demanded angrily. "You're insulting the Hidden Sand Village!"
"No, I'm simply stating the truth. Even if they had no intention of deceiving anyone, it doesn't rule out the possibility that they themselves were being manipulated. After all, even a Mizukage can be controlled by genjutsu—what makes ordinary shinobi any different? In fact, Akatsuki controlled the Hidden Mist Village for such a long time. Who can say for certain whether they left behind any hidden agents or sleeper operatives? The same risk exists in every other ninja village. Therefore, my personal suggestion is this: if conditions allow, I hope the Hyuga clan can assist us in thoroughly investigating whether any shinobi in the major villages have been placed under Akatsuki's control." Midorima spoke quickly and earnestly.
The expressions on the faces of everyone present grew complicated.
They didn't fully believe Midorima's words, yet they couldn't completely dismiss them either.
"Is that really possible?" Terumi Mei asked urgently.
Midorima looked slightly embarrassed.
The only thing he could be certain of was that the Hidden Sand Village had an Akatsuki spy. As for the Hidden Mist Village, he wasn't entirely sure, since the original stories hadn't provided many details about hidden agents there.
"I hope there aren't any," Midorima answered honestly.
Ebizo suddenly spoke up. "So what you're saying is… the person who killed the Kazekage was actually from Akatsuki, and they deliberately framed the Hidden Leaf Village for the crime?"
The corners of Midorima's mouth curved upward slightly.
Ebizo and Baki were playing their roles perfectly—one acting as the calm, reasonable voice while the other took the aggressive, confrontational stance. Their coordination was flawless.
Even if Baki ended up completely offending the Hidden Leaf Village, it wouldn't reflect badly on Ebizo or the Sand Village as a whole. On the contrary, Ebizo could later "reprimand" Baki in front of everyone to demonstrate the Sand Village's willingness to cooperate and maintain good relations. After living for so many years, the old man was undoubtedly a cunning and experienced strategist.
"Regarding this matter, I do have a few more things I'd like to say. Just as you mentioned earlier, anyone who commits such an act must stand to gain something from it. The high-ranking officials of the Hidden Leaf Village have a strained relationship with the Uchiha clan, so they would have no reason to cover for them. Therefore, the Uchiha clan gains nothing from the Kazekage's death. That means the real mastermind behind the scenes is someone else entirely. They simply shifted the blame onto both the Hidden Leaf Village and the Uchiha clan. And the true culprit pulling the strings is none other than the Akatsuki organization."
"Is this merely speculation, or do you have actual evidence?" Ebizo asked.
"Well, not long ago I fought against the man pretending to be Uchiha Madara, and he personally admitted that the entire operation was orchestrated by Akatsuki. Of course, even if he hadn't said it, you should all be able to figure it out on your own. The situation in the Hidden Mist Village had only just calmed down, yet the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Stone Village suddenly found themselves locked in conflict. As for the Hidden Leaf Village, things have been even worse. Through two consecutive operations, Akatsuki managed to drive a deep wedge between the Hidden Leaf Village and the Uchiha clan while conveniently dragging the Hidden Sand Village into the conflict as well. Oh, and by the way, the Uchiha clan leader should know this—Itachi himself told me that the reason he killed Kimimaro was because Sasuke had been placed under the control of the fake 'Uchiha Madara.' If what he said is true, then the ones who killed the Leaf shinobi in the Hidden Sound Village were also members of Akatsuki."
Midorima paused for a moment, then continued with a smile, "While all of you are still busy suspecting and accusing one another, Akatsuki has already finished everything they set out to do. Compared to these so-called villains, you so-called righteous leaders have been surprisingly passive and slow to react."
The expressions of all five Kage, including Terumi Mei, changed dramatically.
They could clearly hear the sharp criticism in Midorima's words, yet none of them could offer a convincing rebuttal.
If what Midorima was saying turned out to be true, then they had indeed been led around by the nose by Akatsuki, without even realizing it or putting up any real resistance.
"Wait a minute—are you saying that Itachi defected from the Hidden Leaf Village for the sake of protecting Sasuke?" Fugaku asked in astonishment.
Midorima nodded.
For a brief moment, Fugaku's expression flickered, but he quickly regained his composure and his face returned to its usual calm mask.
He finally understood the real reason why Itachi had killed Kimimaro.
"But what is their ultimate goal in doing all this?" Ebizo pressed, still unwilling to let the matter rest. "Is it for the tailed beasts?"
"Exactly. The reason they dragged all of you into these conflicts was to keep you distracted and preoccupied, preventing you from noticing what was happening inside your own villages. If they hadn't stirred up trouble between the villages, they would have had to hunt down the tailed beasts one by one. By the time they captured the third or fourth one, you would have surely caught on. But now, while you are all still arguing and pointing fingers at each other, Akatsuki has already secured every tailed beast except the Six-Tails, the Eight-Tails, and the Nine-Tails. Killer Bee managed to trick them using the Eight-Tails' tentacles, so in Akatsuki's eyes, only the Six-Tails and the Nine-Tails remain. The Six-Tails is inside me, and the Nine-Tails is here in the Hidden Leaf Village. Doesn't that progress far exceed what any of you imagined?"
The faces of everyone present shifted dramatically once again.
If Midorima's words were accurate, then Akatsuki had used the wars and conflicts between the major ninja villages to quietly and almost completely collect the tailed beasts without anyone realizing it.
"What about the Nine-Tails jinchuriki?" Midorima asked, suddenly remembering that the Hokage had mentioned bringing Naruto to the venue.
"He's in the next room. Tsunade and Iruka are keeping an eye on him," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied with a gentle smile. "After all, he's still just a child. This kind of atmosphere isn't suitable for him."
Midorima nodded in understanding.
"Regarding Akatsuki, what else do you know?"
"I have a general idea of who their members are, and I also know why they want the Nine-Tails so badly," Midorima shrugged. "After becoming a rogue ninja, my main goal has been to deal with Akatsuki, so I've gathered quite a lot of intelligence about them. Of course, whether you want to hear the details is entirely up to you."