Habits Are Such Things

It is not hard to understand that there are spies within the Uchiha clan.

Given the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha clan, it would be strange if there weren't a couple of spies planted.

Did you really think the Uchiha clan was an impenetrable monolith?

Did you really think that before and after the clan's annihilation, there were only those two double agents running around?

How could that be?

Within the Uchiha clan, there are quite a few turncoats like Shisui. Otherwise, how did Shisui end up broken, and why was Madara Uchiha expelled from the clan back then?

The forest is large, and it contains all sorts of birds and all sorts of ideas. The Uchiha clan is prone to extremes and stubbornness; once they fixate on something, they will never change their minds for the rest of their lives. That is why Obito is a lost cause.

"Suifeng, the village and the clan have not reached that point yet!"

Fugaku could hear the annoyance and anger in Suifeng's tone; anyone would feel such dissatisfaction if they encountered this kind of thing.

Clearly, he had done nothing, yet the other party kept coming to cause trouble time and time again, each time more excessive than the last. Did Danzo really think the Uchiha clan was made of mud?

"I don't care about clan affairs, but the news of me awakening the Three-Tomoe cannot be sent back through ordinary channels!"

"Fine, I will handle it with care. Suifeng, about the transfer order...!"

Before the words could finish, Suifeng transformed into a gust of wind and vanished without a trace, leaving behind a stunned Fugaku.

Border of the Land of Rain.

Danzo sat on a large rock, watching Orochimaru emerge from the ground. "You didn't kill Uchiha Suifeng? Instead, you transferred him to the Sunagakure front?!"

"Hehehehe...!" With his long tongue circling his mouth, Orochimaru's laughter carried an indescribable flavor. "Lord Danzo, your intelligence is very well-informed indeed!!"

"Why is this? Why didn't you kill him? Orochimaru, I remember our deal...!"

"Our deal was that you provide me with accurate intelligence, and I kill Suifeng. But the intelligence you gave me was inaccurate, so I couldn't kill him!"

"That's impossible. How could you not kill him? He is only a Chunin!" Danzo stood up abruptly, his face full of anger, as if asking Orochimaru if he was playing him for a fool.

Orochimaru is one of the Sannin, proficient in all kinds of ninjutsu and forbidden arts, with countless methods and a bona fide Kage-level powerhouse. Wanting to kill someone shouldn't be any harder than pinching a chicken to death, right?

Yet he dared to say he couldn't kill Suifeng right to his face.

How old is Suifeng? Nine? No, he is only eight. An eight-year-old Kage-level? Did you think Madara Uchiha crawled out of his coffin?

"His speed is much faster than the intelligence you provided, and his sensory ninjutsu is also very strong!" Orochimaru said. "Your intelligence was completely inaccurate. I couldn't keep up with his speed and couldn't catch him, so how could I kill him?!"

"Sensory ninjutsu? Impossible. His sensory ninjutsu is average. Last time, he was completely clueless when facing the Silent Killing Technique of Kirigakure...!"

"He developed a new type of sensory ninjutsu specifically to counter the Silent Killing Technique of Kirigakure. The range of this sensory ninjutsu is limited, but once someone enters his range, any concealment is useless. Lord Danzo, you didn't know this intelligence?!"

"He developed a new type of sensory ninjutsu to counter the Silent Killing Technique!"

"Indeed, Lord Danzo. It seems your intelligence isn't fast enough. Didn't your spies within the Uchiha clan tell you this news?!"

"So that's how it is. That explains it!" Thinking of Suifeng's bizarre and abnormal speed, now combined with sensory ninjutsu, it would not be easy for even Orochimaru to catch him.

"So you transferred him to the Sunagakure front to look for another opportunity?!"

"No, no, no, Danzo. My attempt against him has already failed, so I won't be making another move. I transferred him here because I value his strength. Putting him on the Sunagakure battlefield is much better than letting him rot away on the Kirigakure side!"

"This doesn't seem to be what we discussed before!" Danzo's single eye narrowed.

"Because your intelligence was inaccurate, the operation failed. The fault is not mine. Therefore, this deal is complete. As for the future, now that Suifeng has come to the Sunagakure front, whether you have a chance or not depends on your own methods!"

"Orochimaru...!"

"Lord Danzo!" Orochimaru interrupted Danzo again. "You are the leader of Root, not the Hokage. I am the commander-in-chief of the Sunagakure front. You are here to assist me, not the other way around. Tomorrow, I want to see the items from our deal in the laboratory, otherwise... Hehehehehe...!"

Amidst the strange laughter, Orochimaru vanished.

"Bastard!!"

A flash of anger crossed Danzo's single eye. Something was definitely wrong; something was definitely amiss. He keenly sensed a change in Orochimaru's attitude toward him. This change was subtle, seemingly different from before, which gave him a very bad premonition.

Among the Sannin, the one with the best relationship with Danzo was Orochimaru. Of course, this did not refer to their personal affection, but rather their cooperative relationship. Orochimaru had been secretly researching various forbidden arts and conducting all sorts of inhumane experiments. This could not be hidden from Danzo, and in many cases, he needed the cooperation of Danzo's Root. It could be said that their cooperation had always been quite good.

In terms of attitude, Danzo was a friend of the Third Hokage and had always appeared as an elder to Orochimaru. Orochimaru naturally held a basic respect for him as a junior for a senior. Therefore, whenever Danzo had a request, whether out of etiquette or habit, as long as it wasn't too excessive, letting Danzo take some advantage or helping him handle some matters was a natural occurrence. Neither Danzo nor Orochimaru had realized that they had treated this relationship as a standard operating procedure.

Habit becomes nature, so they say, habit is actually a very terrifying thing.

But the conversation between Suifeng and Orochimaru had awakened Orochimaru.

Damn it, why am I helping Danzo so much? He isn't the Hokage, he isn't anyone to me, and I'm not the child I used to be. I am now one of the famous Sannin of Konoha, a Kage-level powerhouse, and a future candidate for Hokage. Why am I acting like Danzo's lapdog? Why do I always have to suffer losses when dealing with him? Why do I have to accept those unreasonable demands he makes every time?

On what basis!!!

Orochimaru was also a very arrogant person. Realizing that he had unknowingly fallen under Danzo's spell and been manipulated by him, he naturally felt very uncomfortable. Especially when thinking about how Danzo often used his experiments as leverage to threaten him, he hadn't felt much at the time, but now, feelings of dissatisfaction were sprouting like weeds.

Damn it, I am indeed conducting human experiments, but haven't you? Although I don't know the details, judging from our cooperation, your subordinates' experience is far from ordinary. You old dog are also secretly conducting these inhumane experiments. We both have the same filth on our backs, so on what basis do you threaten me? Is your filth somehow more fragrant than mine?

This was the fundamental reason for the sudden change in Orochimaru's attitude today.

In fact, Danzo had grown accustomed to their previous mode of interaction. With Orochimaru changing like this, he found it very uncomfortable—not only uncomfortable, but also infuriating.