A secluded training ground in the Hidden Leaf Village.
Swish, swish, swish.
A figure darted back and forth across the training ground under the cover of night, moving so swiftly that an ordinary villager might mistake them for a ghost.
Undoubtedly, this was Kimimaro, training.
Moments later, Kimimaro, accompanied by a whistling gust, abruptly halted, leaning against a tree by the training ground. He began coughing violently.
When he glanced at the hand he'd used to cover his mouth, he saw a vivid scarlet stain of blood on his palm.
Cough, cough, cough.
His expression darkened as another wave of coughing seized him.
From a distance, Uchiha Shinji, observing the scene, furrowed his brow slightly. He thought to himself, "Is Kimimaro's body already breaking down this early?"
He was well aware that Kimimaro would succumb to a Bloodline illness that even Orochimaru couldn't cure. But he hadn't expected it to manifest so soon.
The thought of Kimimaro's deteriorating condition, with only a few years left at most, sparked a sense of urgency in Shinji. "The Tenseigan Plan can't be delayed any longer. It needs to move forward quickly. If Kimimaro dies, finding another suitable Kaguya clansman will be nearly impossible!"
With a flicker of intent, he stopped concealing himself and flashed directly in front of the still-coughing Kimimaro.
Despite gasping for breath, Kimimaro remained highly alert. Sensing someone approaching, he immediately assumed a defensive stance.
Upon recognizing Shinji, clad in Akatsuki garb, Kimimaro's expression hardened. "You?"
By now, Shinji had used the Byakugan controlled by his Susanoo Tomoshibi to thoroughly examine Kimimaro's body. He said flatly, "You're gravely ill."
Kimimaro wiped the blood from his lips. "You don't know me. This minor ailment is nothing to me!"
"Perhaps," Shinji replied, not bothering to argue.
Kimimaro asked, "Did I pass the last test?"
Shinji's lips curled into a teasing smirk. "Are you asking, or is Orochimaru asking?"
Kimimaro's eyes widened, a surge of hostility flashing within them.
Shinji remained unfazed. "You didn't think your connection to Orochimaru could stay hidden from us, did you?"
Kimimaro snapped, "What do you want? If you think you can use me to threaten Lord Orochimaru, you're wasting your time."
Shinji shook his head. "I want to meet him."
Kimimaro didn't hesitate. "Lord Orochimaru won't meet you!"
"Don't be so quick to refuse," Shinji said, pausing. "Just tell him that 'A' from the Akatsuki wants to meet to discuss your illness."
Kimimaro frowned. "My illness?"
Shinji turned to leave, speaking as he walked. "Your condition is far worse than you realize. Pass my message to Orochimaru. If he agrees, leave a mark here, and I'll contact you again."
With that, Shinji's figure melted into the night.
Alone in the empty training ground, Kimimaro hesitated for a long time before deciding to relay Shinji's words to Orochimaru.
It wasn't that he feared his illness was truly severe, but rather that Orochimaru had previously instructed him to report any contact from the Akatsuki immediately.
Soon, Kimimaro passed the message to Orochimaru through covert channels.
That same night.
A secret laboratory in the Root base.
Upon learning that the Akatsuki's 'A' had met with Kimimaro and requested a meeting, Orochimaru fell into deep thought.
In truth, Shinji hadn't expected his request to reach Orochimaru so quickly.
He had assumed Kimimaro would hesitate, only relaying the meeting request after confirming the severity of his illness.
But he hadn't accounted for Orochimaru's collaboration with Danzo, which placed Orochimaru right under his nose—in the village itself!
Kabuto, his expression grave, cautioned, "Lord Orochimaru, 'A' is too mysterious, and he's a Mangekyo Uchiha. Meeting him is too dangerous!"
Orochimaru wasn't overly concerned about his safety. A meeting didn't necessarily require his real body—a shadow clone could suffice.
What truly intrigued him was 'A's mention of Kimimaro's illness and why a figure like 'A' would take such an interest in Kimimaro.
After a moment's consideration, Orochimaru said, "Let's meet. I want to see what this 'A' is up to. Also, have Kimimaro's body examined."
Kabuto could only nod.
Soon, the message was relayed back to Kimimaro.
Kimimaro, not daring to delay Orochimaru's affairs, promptly left an inconspicuous mark at the training ground.
Elsewhere.
Having left the training ground, Shinji didn't idle. Instead, he made his way to the outskirts of the Hyuga clan's territory.
With his focus on the Rinnegan Plan recently, and with Neji constantly training under Hiashi's supervision, Shinji hadn't contacted Neji much.
Now, with the Tenseigan Plan reignited, he naturally came to check in.
As expected, he spotted Neji in the training ground where he often practiced.
Using his Byakugan to confirm no Hyuga were spying nearby, Shinji flashed into the training ground.
"L-Leader?"
Seeing Shinji, Neji was startled, but his face quickly lit up with joy.
"Does seeing me really warrant that much excitement?" Shinji muttered to himself, then approached.
Just when Shinji thought Neji would ask about the results of the last test, Neji shared something unexpected.
After listening, Shinji confirmed, "The Ōtsutsuki branch family approached your clan leader? And they gave a ten-day ultimatum to hand you over?"
Neji had assumed Shinji's visit at this critical moment meant he'd heard something. Realizing Shinji was unaware, he hurriedly asked, "Lord, what should I do now?"
Shinji remained calm and countered, "What does your clan leader plan to do?"
Neji answered honestly, "The clan leader is still deliberating."
Shinji wasn't surprised.
While Hiashi wasn't a top-tier figure, in the original timeline, he proved reliable on matters of great importance.
Especially after Neji revealed the Ōtsutsuki branch family's world-ending plot on the moon, Shinji knew Hiashi would never side with them.
After a moment's thought, Shinji asked, "Why hasn't your clan leader reported this to the Hidden Leaf?"
Neji, ever honest, immediately spilled that Hiashi had been involved in the Akatsuki's test last time and feared exposure, which kept him from reporting to the village.
Shinji's face lit up with a smile, realizing this was a golden opportunity to pull the Hyuga clan into his fold.