Whoever could conceal themselves from Orochimaru's perception was the culprit...
Shiro Uchiha might not have been a good person, but his abilities were sound and his judgment precise. He had reminded Kawadera Uchiha of something important.
The investigation should focus on who had the ability to conceal themselves from Orochimaru's perception.
How did Orochimaru sense his enemies? What kind of sensory technique did he use?
He was trying hard to recall the details from the manga when a voice startled him.
"Stop!"
Kawadera Uchiha turned and saw Ken Aburame standing beside the tent.
His heart tightened. Then he remembered that Shiro Uchiha had vanished using a secret technique. No one had seen him go to the bathroom with Shiro, so he shouldn't be exposed.
"Why are you yelling in the middle of the night?"
"Where did you go? Why were you gone so long?"
"What if I told you I've got strong kidneys and a high flow rate? Would you be jealous, you Aburame ninja whose pipes are clogged with bugs?"
"You!"
Ken Aburame had never heard anyone say something so filthy. Furious, he sent dozens of Kikaichū flying out from beneath his sunglasses.
"I hear some bugs like urine and stains because they replenish their sodium and potassium. Don't tell me you raise those bugs too, and that's why you were watching me use the bathroom?"
Ken Aburame knew he wasn't quick-witted enough to win an argument with Kawadera Uchiha. He angrily swept the tent flap aside and went inside.
That was disgusting. How could there be such a filthy ninja?
Ken Aburame clearly had it in for him, but Kawadera Uchiha wasn't about to fawn over him. He'd give as good as he got and keep his thyroid in good health.
He continued to ponder what kind of method could conceal someone from Orochimaru's perception.
The next day, Xingyue Senju's team left the tent and began their mission to protect Nawaki Senju.
During the day, Nawaki Senju trained at the practice field on the outskirts of the camp.
Kawadera Uchiha watched from the shadows with great interest. Nawaki Senju's training focused mainly on Taijutsu, with all the most basic techniques.
His original self had relied too much on genjutsu and had seriously neglected Taijutsu.
At dusk, Orochimaru finished handling his duties as deputy commander and came to the training field.
His tall, slender figure cast a long shadow.
The setting sun fell on Orochimaru as he stood on the opposite side of the training field. Yet his shadow stretched dozens of meters, reaching the camp wall.
Kawadera Uchiha, behind the wall, furrowed his brow slightly. The shadow alone had made it all the way to him, leaving him a little tense.
Orochimaru was looking at him!
It wasn't just him behind the wall. Orochimaru's gaze locked onto Ken Aburame in the watchtower, Kureya Inuzuka in the treetops, and Xingyue Senju, who had blended into a boulder.
Kawadera Uchiha cautiously watched Orochimaru through a gap between the tree trunks in the wall.
What technique was Orochimaru using to sense them? How had he pinpointed all four of them in an instant?
As a reconnaissance squad, they each had their own special skills.
The chakra flowing through Ken Aburame's body was unusual, unlike that of ordinary people. All his chakra was inside his Kikaichū.
Kureya Inuzuka had no scent at all, so he couldn't have been exposed by smell.
Xingyue Senju was highly skilled in Earth Release concealment.
So how had Orochimaru done it?
A hoarse voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Through the gap in the tree trunk, he was staring at Orochimaru, but another Orochimaru had appeared behind him like a ghost.
Kawadera Uchiha's Sharingan spun wildly, but he couldn't tell which one was the real Orochimaru and which was the Shadow Clone.
"Are you the squad Tsunade mentioned, the one protecting Nawaki? What a pointless waste of manpower. How foolish...
"Don't reveal yourselves. Don't let Nawaki know there are people like you around him. If danger strikes, my Nawaki would have to protect you useless fools."
Xingyue Senju had no choice but to use the Body Flicker Technique and appear behind the wall.
Xingyue Senju said, "I understand, Lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru sank into the earth, which rippled like water. It displayed his extraordinary control over Earth Release chakra.
Through the gap in the tree stump, Kawadera Uchiha saw Orochimaru over there testing Nawaki's progress, but he still couldn't tell which one was the clone and which was the original.
They split the surveillance into two shifts. Kawadera Uchiha and Kureya Inuzuka worked together, while Xingyue Senju and Ken Aburame formed the other team.
For five days straight, Nawaki did only one thing: train.
Without Orochimaru accompanying him, Nawaki wouldn't leave the camp on a mission. Orochimaru took meticulous care of him.
What reassured Kawadera Uchiha was that Xingyue Senju was very patient. She didn't question whether his information was reliable and kept a close watch on Nawaki Senju.
Ken Aburame, on the other hand, grew more and more irritated.
He felt that watching a child did nothing to demonstrate his abilities.
His bugs grew noisier and noisier, their buzzing like mosquitoes by his ear.
After finishing his watch for the day, Kawadera Uchiha spoke to Xingyue Senju as they changed shifts:
"Captain Xingyue, Princess Tsunade and Lord Orochimaru are doing an excellent job protecting Nawaki. I don't think there's any chance the young clan leader will be attacked inside the camp.
"But the young clan leader didn't come here just to make a good impression. He'll definitely go to the front lines to fight.
"If he leaves the camp, Lord Orochimaru will be his only protector.
"Anyone plotting against the young clan leader must have a way to deal with Lord Orochimaru.
"So whoever has information about Lord Orochimaru could be the enemy lurking in the shadows."
Xingyue Senju nodded repeatedly. After several days of surveillance, Nawaki had remained safe, and there truly hadn't been a chance to strike.
Kawadera's reasoning made a lot of sense. Anyone who wanted to target Nawaki would have to get past Orochimaru.
Xingyue Senju said, "How about this? The three of you can take shifts protecting Nawaki. I'll go see Princess Tsunade.
"I'll assist Princess Tsunade, who's also a deputy commander, so I'll have a chance to observe Lord Orochimaru."
That night, as Xingyue Senju left the command tent with Tsunade, she saw Orochimaru in the distance accepting a test tube from an Anbu.
Xingyue Senju asked quietly, "Princess Tsunade, does Lord Orochimaru have dealings with the Anbu, too?"
Tsunade glanced over and said, "Those aren't Anbu. They're Root."
"Root?"
Xingyue Senju had only ever seen Anbu, and couldn't tell Root apart from them.
They wore no Forehead Protectors and rarely used techniques or secret arts that might reveal their identities. They relied mainly on Taijutsu and Explosive Tags in battle.
When Xingyue Senju told Kawadera Uchiha that Orochimaru was in contact with Root, everything clicked for him.
The burden was too great. Only Danzo could bear it.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Kawadera Uchiha said to Tobirama Senju, "Second, barring any surprises, your elder brother's grandson is about to be killed by your student, Shimura Danzō."
"Impossible! That's baseless speculation. You have no evidence. Just because Orochimaru has had dealings with Root, does that prove Danzo wants to kill Nawaki?"
"Don't you believe in these eyes of mine, which can see through the future?"
Kawadera Uchiha was about to try to bluff Tobirama Senju when he suddenly spotted a coded signal. It was one of Shiro Uchiha's.
Following the signal, he found Shiro Uchiha, who said:
"Kawadera! After you said Nawaki Senju might have mastered a Forbidden Technique, I mobilized every Uchiha Clan spy hidden on the front lines. I finally got some information.
"In two days, Orochimaru will take Nawaki's squad on a mission!
"We must kill Nawaki Senju at any cost and nip the danger to our clan in the bud!"
Kawadera Uchiha froze. Had he guessed wrong?
In the Sea of Consciousness, Tobirama Senju said:
"Evil Uchiha! Of course it was the Uchiha!"
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