Orochimaru truly lived up to being the Third Hokage's prized disciple. By elaborating on his ideals, he steadily worked to brainwash the young Kabuto.
"No matter what kind of dream you have," Orochimaru said softly,
"by following me, you'll have the chance to realize it."
Akihito had warned that Orochimaru was sent by Root to eliminate loose ends. Kabuto had remained wary at first.
But Orochimaru showed no intention of carrying out Danzo's orders.
"Orochimaru-sama, what exactly are you trying to say?" Kabuto asked in confusion.
Orochimaru gazed at him, eyes full of appreciation.
"I've been observing you for quite some time. You're talented. Killing you would be a waste."
He gestured toward the medical equipment around them.
"I prepared all this for you."
Kabuto blinked. "What… are you planning?"
Orochimaru replied with absolute seriousness—though half of it was manipulation.
"I intend to create a village entirely different from one that erases the self. There, you'll find the true meaning of your existence."
"I'll protect you from Danzo."
"Be reborn at my side."
He tossed Kabuto a new identity card.
Kabuto hesitated—
But Orochimaru gave him no room to refuse.
"Come to me."
And so, in a haze of uncertainty, Kabuto stepped onto Orochimaru's path.
His first assignment?
Investigate an organization known as Akatsuki.
Akihito Returns to Konoha
Meanwhile, Akihito escorted Nono back to the Leaf.
Orochimaru had set his sights on Akatsuki.
Akihito had set his sights on Root.
The moment he returned, he began making moves.
He instructed Fugaku to form an investigation team within the Police Force to secretly gather evidence against Danzo.
If Akihito acted personally, it might alert the enemy.
With Orochimaru's intelligence in hand, finding weak points would be easy.
Fugaku frequently left the village on official business anyway. His movements would not arouse suspicion.
At the same time—
Akihito deliberately acted high-profile.
Using his authority as Hokage Advisor, he openly announced the expansion of a new direct ANBU unit.
It was both recruitment—
And misdirection.
Hokage Office – The F4 Meeting
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, pipe in hand.
The ANBU report lay before him.
"Any thoughts on Uchiha Akihito's recent activities?" he asked calmly.
Homura Mitokado spoke first.
"He's recruiting elite shinobi under the pretense of expanding ANBU. He's building his own faction."
"The Uchiha clan alone is already troublesome. If a new power base forms, things will become harder to control."
"His ambitions are obvious. You must be cautious, Hiruzen."
Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement.
"You already handed over part of Danzo's subordinates to him. But that clearly wasn't enough."
"We cannot simply watch him grow unchecked."
Then Danzo finally spoke, tapping his cane.
"The Uchiha's wolfish ambitions are plain to see."
"We should strike first and eliminate the instability entirely."
Silence fell.
Hiruzen felt a headache coming on.
Eliminate the entire clan?
Was it really that simple?
Hiruzen was dissatisfied with the Uchiha—but primarily with Akihito, not the clan as a whole.
Fugaku.
Shisui.
Itachi.
Those were still negotiable in his eyes.
Danzo's assassination attempt had not escaped Hiruzen's notice.
He had hoped Danzo would succeed.
Instead—even with Hanzo's help—Root was crushed.
Hiruzen was disappointed.
Very disappointed.
He had already decided:
Genocide was off the table.
If Danzo could eliminate Akihito, perhaps he'd reinstate him.
If not—
Sharing power with Akihito wasn't impossible.
After all, power shared was still power.
And Danzo wasn't any easier to manage.
Danzo's attempt on his own life?
Hiruzen hadn't forgotten.
He simply hadn't acted on it.
On the surface, he sighed.
"This matter has wide implications."
"We will discuss it later."
Delay.
Deflect.
Observe.
Danzo misunderstood, believing Hiruzen was showing mercy.
In truth—
Hiruzen simply didn't want trouble.
Akihito's popularity might be high—
But his own position, built over decades, was not easily shaken.
And the Hokage faction still had strong cards:
Jiraiya.
Tsunade.
Either one could rival Akihito politically.
Akihito was the strongest of his generation—
But the Sannin were living legends.
In prestige, he had yet to overwhelm them.
Hiruzen calculated carefully.
He would not intervene.
Let Danzo and Akihito clash.
He would remain the observer.
A Gathering in Konoha
Elsewhere—
Akihito invited Kakashi and Might Guy to a high-end restaurant.
Kakashi showed zero restraint, flipping through the menu like a man on a mission.
Akihito glanced at his thinning wallet and felt a headache.
He had just donated most of his savings to Nono's orphanage.
And now this.
"This counts as official business," he muttered internally.
"I'm definitely billing the Finance Department."
After several rounds of drinks—
Akihito stated his purpose.
"I'm forming a new ANBU unit. I want you both to join."
Guy froze.
He had once requested to join ANBU and been rejected outright by Hiruzen.
Kakashi replied lazily,
"I'm not interested."
He had already served in ANBU under both Minato and Hiruzen.
His current position?
ANBU squad captain under the Third.
Recruiting Kakashi meant directly poaching Hiruzen's personnel.
Akihito didn't care.
"Don't refuse so quickly," Akihito said.
"This organization will be fundamentally different."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"Not another 'Root,' I hope?"
Akihito smiled faintly.
"Konoha has accumulated too much darkness over the years."
"I simply want to sweep some of it away."
"How much can be swept?"
"That depends."
Something shifted in Kakashi's eyes.
His father's suicide.
Minato's death.
Obito.
Rin.
Too many tragedies.
All tied, directly or indirectly, to the higher-ups' decisions.
He respected the Third—
But he also longed for change.
If Akihito truly intended to reform Konoha—
Kakashi was willing to consider it.
Obito once dreamed of becoming Hokage to change the village.
Perhaps this—
Was a way to honor that dream.
Akihito caught the hesitation and smiled inwardly.
He didn't intend to rely on words alone.
Danzo would be his proof.
Once Root fell—
Half of Konoha's shadow would vanish overnight.
Hiruzen was pragmatic.
Danzo was ruthless.
Eliminating Root would reshape the balance.
Akihito's blueprint was already forming:
KakashiMight GuyNonoKurenai
Four squad leaders.
From there, recruit elite shinobi from various clans.
Beyond that—
A hidden fifth division.
Led by Uchiha Shisui.
Shisui had begun drifting away from the Hokage's faction.
With the right tempering—
He would sever ties completely.
Akihito's path was clear.
Danzo and Root—
Must be uprooted entirely.
Only then—
Could the Uchiha's fate truly change.
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