Investigating Orochimaru

The night was as dark as ink.

Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, listened intently to the Anbu's report, his gaze returning once more to the scroll on his desk.

Orochimaru.

His most valued disciple was truly, and heavily, suspected of conducting such experiments.

After Danzo had used his name to issue missions to the Uchiha, Hiruzen had grown suspicious as well.

Connecting this to the reports of missing persons around Konoha over the past few years, Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered the Anbu to investigate.

The results were exactly as he had feared.

Orochimaru had indeed begun researching forbidden ninjutsu; no... it should be said that the casualties resulting from his experiments had grown so large that even he could no longer ignore them.

Click.

The office door was pushed open, and Danzo walked in once again without any greeting.

"Hiruzen."

Danzo approached Sarutobi Hiruzen, the sound of his cane striking the floor echoing sharply through the office.

The Anbu standing to the side remained unmoved, his eyes behind the mask not even shifting.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up at Danzo, and it was a long moment before he spoke. "Kakashi, you may leave."

Kakashi, who had been kneeling on one knee, rose at the command and turned to walk out of the Hokage's office.

Danzo glanced at Kakashi's retreating back—the Sharingan...

He then turned his head back to look at Sarutobi Hiruzen behind the desk. "How do you intend to handle the matter of Orochimaru?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen paused at the question, then said slowly, "Orochimaru must be found."

"Naturally." Danzo's lips curled, his sinister face obscured in the dim light. "But have you decided on the personnel for the pursuit?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Danzo without responding.

"You know better than anyone the extent of Orochimaru's strength. Ordinary Anbu..." Danzo paused, "are not enough."

"And so?"

"The Uchiha."

Danzo uttered the name of the Uchiha clan, his tone entirely devoid of the sentiment he usually held regarding them as a threat. "The Sharingan is best suited for tracking, and they are the most capable of dealing with Orochimaru's forbidden techniques."

"Have them dispatch an elite squad to follow the leads and locate the underground laboratory."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze remained fixed on Danzo's face. "What are you planning?"

As an old classmate and a lifelong rival, Sarutobi Hiruzen did not believe for a second that Danzo had suddenly changed his mind.

"I am not planning anything." Danzo's voice was measured and unhurried. "What, do you find it inappropriate?"

"Or is it that... you don't have the confidence in the Uchiha that you always claim to have?"

As he spoke, Danzo tapped his cane against the floor once more.

The office fell into silence.

"Given what you have done, do you think it is still appropriate for me to mobilize the Uchiha Police Force now?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled slowly.

"Heh—"

Danzo's lips curled into an ambiguous sneer as he met Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze. "I recall you saying that the Uchiha and Konoha are one, and that they would never betray us."

"If that is the case, this is their chance to prove it. Let them find the location of Orochimaru's underground lair. It is both an acknowledgment of the Uchiha's capabilities and..."

"A chance for them to prove their loyalty."

It had to be said that Danzo's words had stirred something in Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Especially given Fugaku's attitude the other day, Sarutobi Hiruzen was desperate to know what exactly Fugaku was thinking.

"Very well, I have said my piece, Hiruzen."

With that, Danzo turned and walked out of the office, for once not slamming the door behind him.

As the sound of the cane faded outside, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat alone in the office for a long time before speaking in a low, self-muttering voice: "A test, then?"

Hayato, who was just returning from the Police Force, was stopped at his doorstep by a clansman.

"Hayato, the Clan Head summons you."

The messenger was a young man, devoid of any arrogance; he left the spot immediately after delivering the message.

Hayato was filled with confusion. The intensive training had only ended yesterday; why was Fugaku summoning him again today?

Was something the matter?

Wait—

Hayato seemed to recall something, walking quickly into the house and heading toward the calendar to take a look.

One of the dates he had deliberately marked with a felt-tip pen stood out with particular prominence at this moment.

Orochimaru's defection is in one week.

No, Hayato realized he was wrong.

Orochimaru's actual defection occurred when Sarutobi Hiruzen led a team to confront him; prior to that, Orochimaru had been hiding in an underground base on the outskirts of Konoha.

With a rough plan in mind, Hayato packed his things and turned to walk out the door once more.

"Tracking down Orochimaru?"

Uchiha Fugaku sat at the head of the table, his eyes half-closed, his expression unreadable.

The three clan elders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with coldness.

"Fugaku, this is clearly a trap."

Uchiha Inabi spoke up. Just moments ago, the Third Hokage's Anbu had arrived, bringing a scroll bearing the Hokage's official seal.

The issued mission requested that the Uchiha clan dispatch its most elite unit to track down Orochimaru's trail with all their might; according to intelligence, Orochimaru's base was located in an underground laboratory.

"The most elite squad."

Fugaku repeated the words the Anbu had just spoken, his tone very flat.

"Hmph, and they say we Uchiha are the most suited for such tracking missions. Isn't the Hyuga's Byakugan far more suitable?"

Yashiro was the first to lose his temper, his words already brimming with dissatisfaction.

"Elder, watch your tongue."

Fugaku raised his head, his eyes fixed on Yashiro. "Hunting down a rogue ninja is only right and proper."

A subtle, imperceptible ripple flashed through his eyes; his meaning was clear. No one knew if Sarutobi Hiruzen had eyes and ears in this place.

Receiving the warning, Yashiro could only take a deep breath. "But..."

"Furthermore," Fugaku interrupted him directly, "Lord Third trusts us, which is why he entrusted such a mission to the Uchiha. Isn't this an opportunity for us to prove our loyalty?"

Fugaku understood that the Third's order at this moment stemmed from the slight suspicion aroused by his own words that day.

And since that day, given the response from Root, the Uchiha clan had appeared far too calm.

He had been negligent after all.

Fugaku sighed inwardly, then looked at the three elders. "I have already sent someone to call Shisui and Hayato here."

Hearing this, the three elders were stunned.

Shisui? Hayato?

"The two of them..."

"I know, but only in this way can we have the greatest assurance."

Fugaku naturally knew how rare and valuable the talents of Shisui and Hayato were, but—right now, what the Uchiha had to do was stabilize the Third and the rest of the high-ranking officials.

And choosing Shisui and Hayato was because their chances of survival would be greater.

"The Uchiha's loyalty to the village—it is the perfect chance to let everyone see this clearly."

Inside the Council Chamber, the three elders fell silent upon hearing this.

The words Fugaku had spoken in this very place that day were still fresh in their minds, and they naturally understood the hidden meaning behind his words now.

The Uchiha had to keep Konoha stable.