Plans for the Future

After dinner, everyone returned to the inn to rest. The events of the day had left them physically and mentally exhausted, and before long after lying down, they all fell into a deep sleep.

Uchiha Toko, meanwhile, sat beside the window at a small table in his room, slowly sipping a pot of freshly brewed tea.

Late into the night, a white snake slowly slithered into Uchiha Toko's room along a shaft of moonlight.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Lord Douhuan." After entering Uchiha Toko's room, the white snake transformed into human form amid a puff of smoke with a bang. It was Orochimaru.

"Sit." Uchiha Toko gestured toward the seat opposite him, then poured Orochimaru a cup of tea.

"You did well. Producing so much convincing evidence in such a short time must have been difficult." Uchiha Toko spoke.

"It is my honor to serve you." Orochimaru lowered his eyes.

Looking at the obedient Orochimaru before him, Uchiha Toko could not help but marvel at the terror of the Mangekyō Sharingan Shisui had awakened. Kotoamatsukami's most frightening aspect was not directly controlling someone's mind, but branding an idea directly into the target's subconscious. To the victim, everything would seem perfectly natural and logical. That was also why the Kotoamatsukami in that left eye had a cooldown of ten full years. Compared to it, the right eye's brief period of forced control was rather lackluster.

Of course, Uchiha Toko would not let down his guard completely. In the original timeline, even the far more terrifying Omnipotence had been exposed through minor inconsistencies by highly intelligent people like Shikamaru. It was probably only a matter of time before Orochimaru realized he had been affected.

After all, one could question Orochimaru's morals, even his strength, but never his intelligence.

Still, Uchiha Toko had never intended to enslave Orochimaru permanently with a Dojutsu. He had only used Kotoamatsukami to obtain a research-minded talent who would be one hundred percent loyal to him for a certain period of time, without requiring him to worry about it. Much of Uchiha Toko's future growth in strength would depend on Orochimaru's technology and connections.

Uchiha Toko had assessed his current level of strength. Excluding the Mangekyō's Dojutsu, with Susanoo combined with his own Lightning Style and Sword Technique, he ranked somewhat above average among Kage-level fighters. The Dojutsu in his right eye had an extremely strong countering effect against ninjas who relied on Genjutsu, while the Eighty Calamity Gods in his left eye gave him a chance to fight above his level when facing an opponent stronger than himself or the coordinated assault of several ninjas at his level. But after using it, he would most likely go blind immediately.

And if Uchiha Toko wanted to achieve his goal, Jiraiya was an obstacle he could not avoid. Jiraiya's strength in Sage Mode, with the cooperation of the two Toad Sages, should still surpass his current self.

More importantly, all of Uchiha Toko's blood relatives were dead. He could not find another pair of eyes that could evolve his Mangekyō Sharingan into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. In other words, he had already reached the end of the normal path through which the Uchiha Clan could grow stronger. The Ninja World was, after all, a world of the supernatural. His current strength was not enough to support him in carrying out a coup, nor was it enough to withstand the turmoil that might follow it.

For Uchiha Toko to grow stronger now, only two paths lay before him: attempting to transplant Hashirama Cells, or cultivating Sage Mode. Orochimaru was the best choice for both paths. That was why Uchiha Toko had taken this mission voluntarily and why, during his fight with Orochimaru, he had spared no expense of Chakra in unleashing wide-area ninjutsu to clear the field.

What if Kotoamatsukami had already been used? In Uchiha Toko's coup plan, Kotoamatsukami was only meant as a deterrent anyway. As long as no one saw him use it, it was the same as never having used it.

Uchiha Toko glanced at Orochimaru and asked, "Did you bring the summoning contract for Ryūchi Cave?"

Orochimaru nodded. After forming a hand seal, a small snake suddenly appeared on the table. The snake opened its mouth and spat out a scroll.

Orochimaru picked up the scroll covered in mucus, carefully wiped it clean, and only then presented it with both hands.

After opening it and signing his name, Uchiha Toko instructed, "Let Ryūchi Cave know that I will pay them a visit in a few days."

"Understood, Lord Douhuan. Do you have any other instructions?" Orochimaru asked with a nod.

"Cultivate a batch of Hashirama Cells for me. Also, keep an eye on the Akatsuki. If they make any unusual moves, report to me immediately."

"Yes." Orochimaru nodded, then turned into a cloud of white mist and vanished before Uchiha Toko.

The next day, eager to return to the village and report, the group no longer traveled as leisurely as they had on the way there. They used Chakra to hurry at full speed, covering what had originally been nearly two days' journey in a single day and returning to the village at dusk.

The group went together to the Hokage Building and turned in their mission.

"Orochimaru got away?" Sarutobi Hiruzen looked over the mission report Kakashi had submitted, a complicated expression on his face that was impossible to tell as relief or regret.

"Forget it. No matter what, you've all worked hard." Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head and looked at the group.

"Lord Hokage, Captain Kakashi and I discovered some confidential clues during the mission. Please allow us to report them to you privately." At that moment, Uchiha Toko spoke up.

"Is that so?" Sarutobi Hiruzen did not think much of it. Assuming the two had found clues concerning Orochimaru's whereabouts or something similar, he looked at the others behind them. The rest tactfully left the Hokage Office.

Once only the three of them remained in the Hokage Office, Uchiha Toko exchanged a glance with Kakashi. Then the two handed over the documents they had each gathered to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"This..." Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression changed after only one glance at the documents. He quickly read through them page by page.

After finishing the Evidence of Crimes, Sarutobi Hiruzen said nothing. He took out his Pipe, packed it with tobacco, and lit it. Silence fell over the Hokage Office, with only blue smoke curling through the air.

Only after finishing a pipeful did Sarutobi Hiruzen raise his head and look at the two of them. "How should this matter be handled? I would like to hear your opinions."

At this, Kakashi lowered his head, while Uchiha Toko stepped forward.

"My opinion is simple." Uchiha Toko's expression was resolute. "Give the order, Lord Hokage. Let the Military Police Force and the Anbu carry out a joint operation. Arrest all ninety-three members of the Three Clans involved as quickly as possible. Under the Will of Fire, the Hidden Leaf Village should not allow such wanton slaughter of comrades! We must strike hard and root out this cancer with the utmost force!"

After hearing Uchiha Toko's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen packed another bowl of tobacco into his Pipe.

But just then, a sudden commotion erupted outside the Hokage Office.