"Heh… Yoru-kun, you've resolved a pressing problem for me."
Inside the wooden command cabin, Orochimaru regarded Uchiha Yoru with open interest. This disciple had originally been accepted as little more than a political bridge to the Uchiha clan. Even Orochimaru hadn't expected the return on that investment to be this immediate or this substantial.
Yoru wasn't assisting him in research. Not yet.His medical ninjutsu, while impressive for his age, still fell short of Orochimaru's standards.
What made him valuable was something far rarer.
Since taking Yoru as a student, Orochimaru had barely needed to worry about funding. Resources arrived steadily. Gold. Materials. Even political goodwill. And now, Yoru had begun acting as a conduit, pulling other clans into Orochimaru's orbit under the Uchiha banner.
"Orochimaru-sensei," Yoru said earnestly, "they offered it willingly."
His expression was firm, as if he truly believed that everyone involved expected Orochimaru to become the Fifth Hokage. Orochimaru didn't doubt that belief was genuine. Nor did he doubt that the Uchiha had their own calculations.
But that was irrelevant.
"Heh… having you around has made things much easier," Orochimaru said. "The Uchiha truly are… convenient."
It was the first time he had mentioned the clan so openly.
Yoru's posture straightened. "The Uchiha will stand firmly behind you, Sensei."
He then delivered the report calmly.
"The Inuzuka and Aburame clans have expressed goodwill. Together, they're prepared to provide fifty million in funding. The Hyūga are offering two hundred million. Their only request is that ANBU appointments be considered once you take office."
Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"ANBU…" he murmured, amused. "That's not an unreasonable request."
In truth, he felt little resistance.
Konoha was sustained by its clans. ANBU were the Hokage's blade, but the blade still needed hands to wield it. Clan support now was nothing more than an investment in the future.
After failing to secure the Fourth Hokage position, Orochimaru had lost much of his obsession with the title. Yet now, circumstances seemed to be pushing him toward it regardless.
The Third was aging.The village needed stability.And people were placing their bets.
"Tell them this," Orochimaru said lightly. "What the Hyūga receive, the Uchiha will as well."
A promise. Vague, but powerful.
Yoru nodded deeply. "The Uchiha will commit fully."
Whether or not he truly spoke for the clan was another matter. For now, others believed he did.
Orochimaru studied him for a moment, then smiled.
"You're not only talented in medical ninjutsu," he said. "Your swordsmanship is progressing nicely as well."
He tilted his head back.
The movement that followed was unsettling. His throat shifted unnaturally, as if something large were forcing its way upward. A dark-colored serpent slid from his mouth, jaws parting as it expelled an object wrapped in viscous fluid.
A long, black blade struck the table.
Orochimaru wiped it clean with a flick of his wrist.
"The Kusanagi," he said softly. "Forged from a material said to rival chakra metal itself. I had planned to give it to you once you reached jōnin… but there's no need to wait."
Yoru's breath caught.
For a shinobi, this was no ordinary weapon. It was a treasure.
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei," he said, bowing deeply as he accepted the blade.
Orochimaru's smile deepened. This wasn't generosity. It was calculation.
As a mentor, the gift made sense. Yoru had awakened the Sharingan and showed real potential. As an investment, it made even more sense. This disciple had already repaid him many times over.
"Things are stable on the border for now," Orochimaru added casually. "Stick to your training plan."
"Yes, Sensei."
Yoru secured the Kusanagi at his waist, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes.