Orochimaru's Intentions

"Of course it's a good method. That's Madara Uchiha. He's lived to be so old, he's naturally more cunning with age. What's a little manipulation of a couple of people? Besides, the Sharingan is a great tool for deception. Fooling a few emotionally sensitive kids is a piece of cake."

Jiraiya spoke in a harsh tone, his face turning as black as the bottom of a pot, probably thinking of Nagato.

"Those two brats are no big deal. Even if they're gifted and Madara Uchiha personally trains them, they won't amount to much in a few years. And even if they do... they won't be able to overpower Madara Uchiha. The biggest problem is still that old Madara Uchiha."

Birds do not approach in the courtyard.

A heavy atmosphere hung over the courtyard like dark clouds. Despite the group's cheerful conversation, the pressure in their hearts was real, like a mountain pressing down on their minds, making it hard to breathe.

Madara Uchiha.

The name itself possesses an indescribable power.

Given Madara Uchiha's past, everyone naturally assumed that Madara had a conspiracy against Konoha, and the two sides were absolutely opposed. Fear naturally arose when facing such a legendary figure as an enemy.

Even a dissolute like Jiraiya sounded somewhat dejected in his words.

"Madara Uchiha, Madara Uchiha, why is he still alive? Is it really true that good people don't live long, while evil people live for a thousand years?" The Third Hokage was filled with sorrow. He put down his cup and put down his teacup. He had no appetite for tea anymore. His mind was filled with thoughts of Madara.

"Good person, teacher, there are no good people in the ninja profession."

Tsunade interjected, her expression unreadable, her pretty face revealing neither joy nor anger, only utter indifference.

There are no good ninjas.

That's true. Ninjas are made to kill, and there's no distinction between good and evil. As long as they're paid, they'll kill and set fires without hesitation.

After being retorted by his apprentice, the Third Hokage gave a helpless, bitter smile.

"Sis, stop talking and think of something. Madara Uchiha... I have absolutely no idea what to do." Nawaki moved closer and tugged at Tsunade's sleeve.

Facing her beloved younger brother, Tsunade's icy expression melted away. She gently patted Nawaki's head and said nothing more.

"Katsuki, to be honest, how much do you really know about that Madara Uchiha?"

Minato silently walked to Katsuki's side and asked quietly.

Seeing the faint smile on Minato's face, Katsuki grinned.

"Didn't I already tell you everything I knew before?"

"Don't try to fool me, kid. You're definitely hiding something." Minato was unusually aggressive, but his voice was extremely low, like a mosquito's buzz. He knew that Katsuki's senses were far more acute than those of an ordinary person.

Therefore, Katsuki could hear what he said.

"How so?"

While Katsuki of Minato, his insightful and discerning mind was truly remarkable.

"What else can I say? The way you talk makes it sound like you've done a lot of research. Don't think I'm the only one who knows you're hiding something. The Lord Hokage definitely knows too, he just hasn't asked you yet. You'd better not hide anything too important, or the Lord Hokage won't be easily fooled..."

"It's alright! Minato, don't worry so much. I'm standing here not because of anyone's favor, but because of my own fists. That's my only support. As long as my fists are strong enough, the Lord Hokage won't be truly angry."

Katsuki flexed his biceps, while the blocked Minato smiled wryly and remained silent.

He was used to being kind to others and didn't like to have conflicts with his fellow villagers, which is why he was worried that Katsuki's actions would upset others.

However, after listening to Katsuki's words, he realized that he had misunderstood. The two of them had different styles of doing things, and their ways of handling matters were naturally very different.

"But Minato, thank you for your concern. Oh, I almost forgot, I can start calling you brother-in-law soon."

Finally, Katsuki added a sentence, which immediately made Minato blush deeply, followed by a surge of joy. He had been worried about Katsuki's opinion on his relationship with Kushina.

He knew very well how much Kushina cherished this precious younger brother. Now that Katsuki had no objections, things between him and Kushina could soon be put on the agenda.

His thoughts began to drift away without him realizing it. Madara Uchiha was no more important than a single hair on Kushina's head. She was someone who should have died long ago. As long as she dared to show her face, he could simply send her to her death. A sense of pride welled up in his chest. As a genius, Minato also possessed his own restrained pride.

He kept it to himself, only revealing it to others.

In the courtyard, the group split into several small circles, whispering and murmuring amongst themselves.

Otoha sat quietly on the veranda, watching the important figures whisper among themselves, while her mind raced as she pondered how to cope with the shock of knowing that Madara Uchiha was still alive.

Looking at the slightly eerie atmosphere in the courtyard.

Orochimaru raised his eyebrows.

"Madara Uchiha is indeed terrifying, but he has been silent for so many years, which shows that he is not truly invincible. If he still had the power to rival the First Hokage, he would have swept across the Shinobi World single-handedly long ago. Hiding behind the scenes and scheming against these petty villains only shows that he is not entirely confident in overthrowing the village head-on."

His insightful words jolted everyone awake.

Especially the Third Hokage and others, having witnessed Madara's power firsthand, felt immense pressure, and their minds became sluggish.

Fortunately, there was Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru is right. Madara must have been seriously injured by his teacher. That's for sure. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense why he would hide in the shadows. After all, he is Madara Uchiha. It's not Madara's nature to use underhanded tactics to harm others. What he likes most is to crush all enemies head-on with absolute violence."

The Third Hokage slapped their thigh and suddenly realized what was happening.

Are you injured?

"I see, that makes sense now."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu echoed in unison.

"Injuried······"

Standing beneath a pillar in the corridor, Katsuki pondered silently. He couldn't understand why Madara Uchiha would scheme and plot in secret. With Madara's strength, First Hokage was gone, there was no one in the world who could rival him.

Why not sweep across the Shinobi World and establish the world of your dreams? Instead, you wait until you're old and frail to drag your decaying body around and desperately scheme.

His memories from his past life couldn't explain the key to the situation; he could only speculate that he might have been injured. After all, his opponent was the First Hokage, so it was plausible.

"That's enough. We can deal with Madara Uchiha later. He hasn't shown his face for so many years, it's unlikely he'll suddenly reappear and cause trouble. We can handle it slowly. The problem now is the Land of Rain. With Hanzō dead, the situation in the Land of Rain has changed drastically..."

Orochimaru started rambling on and on, then changed the subject, refusing to mention Madara Uchiha again.

The Third Hokage hesitated several times, unable to speak without resolving the issue of Madara Uchiha. However, Hokage was currently the Orochimaru, and it would be against the rules for him to interfere after stepping down.