He had no idea what awaited him once he returned. With the clan head dead, the Akimichi Clan would certainly have to choose a new leader. As the young and promising former heir, he would likely find himself in an awkward position.
"Gen, rest assured. Leave Choza in my care. He'll be fine."
Torifu Akimichi stood nearby and waved to Uchiha Gen.
The two had held a private discussion the previous night.
From now on, the Akimichi Clan would cooperate with the Uchiha Clan in several areas. To deepen their ties with Uchiha Gen, they even intended to send some members of their branch families to serve under him.
Yes, under Uchiha Gen, not within Orochimaru's faction. Although the former was currently part of the latter, they were still different things.
After all, the person who had reached an agreement with the Akimichi Clan was neither Orochimaru nor the Uchiha Clan, but Uchiha Gen. Their cooperation with the Uchiha Clan in business and other fields was solely because Uchiha Gen currently called the shots there. As such, the Akimichi Clan members who joined Uchiha Gen would not be vassals of the Uchiha Clan, either.
This was probably as far as the Akimichi Clan could go. In practical terms, they were almost becoming allies of Uchiha Gen himself.
Although it was not quite like the relationship their three clans had with the Sarutobi Clan, entrusting their future heirs to them for training, cooperation of this depth was already exceedingly rare among ninja clans.
It was a complete reversal of Torifu Akimichi's initially cautious, conservative stance.
After all, this was a man so conservative that he had refused even a position as a Konoha elder.
Having grown up under Tobirama Senju's tutelage, he knew perfectly well that he was not cut out