Orochimaru's Unusual Movements! Signs of One of the Hidden Leaf's Three Ninja Preparing to Defect

The affairs of the Hidden Rain Village had gotten on track, and Kamizuki Yu appeared in the Hidden Leaf once more.

Inside the Hokage Office, the atmosphere was somewhat stifling.

Kamizuki Yu sat in the seat reserved for the chief advisor, his fingertips lightly tapping the desk. Orochimaru, that genius among the Three Ninja, had likely already gone farther and farther down a forbidden path. His defection was only a matter of time.

"Have there been any unusual material transfers within the village recently, or reports of missing persons?" He looked at the ANBU ninja responsible for compiling intelligence.

The ANBU member stiffened, then quickly pulled out a scroll. "Reporting to Advisor-sama, all material transfers have been approved by the Hokage-sama or the Council of Elders. Everything is normal. As for personnel, there have been a few ordinary villagers who left and failed to return. People have already been sent to investigate, but no ninja have gone missing so far."

"Normal?" Kamizuki Yu gave a soft snort. How could a true anomaly possibly be laid bare in plain sight?

He closed his eyes, and his vast sensory ability spread outward like spilled mercury, sweeping with meticulous precision over every corner of the Hidden Leaf. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan combined with his newly awakened Rinnegan granted him the ability to perceive the slightest detail.

Orochimaru's chakra had been far too active lately, and it carried an unpleasantly cold, viscous feeling.

"Send me all of Orochimaru's mission records from the past three months, as well as the lists of materials requested for his laboratory." Kamizuki Yu opened his eyes, his tone calm.

"Advisor-sama, this..." The ANBU ninja looked troubled. This was beyond his authority.

"I'll speak to the Hokage-sama personally." Kamizuki Yu's tapping fingers came to a stop.

The ANBU ninja hesitated no longer, bowed to accept the order, and withdrew.

Not long after, a mountain of scrolls was delivered before Kamizuki Yu. He flipped through them at incredible speed. What would take an ordinary person several days to read was little more than a passing glance to him. Yet every crucial piece of information was captured with perfect accuracy.

Mission locations, durations, special materials consumed... seemingly unrelated data rapidly formed a hidden web in his mind.

"Heh, just as I thought. There's something fishy here." Kamizuki Yu set down the last scroll.

Orochimaru had frequently entered several abandoned training grounds and uninhabited areas at the village's edge, while the energy fluctuations there were seriously inconsistent with the rank of missions he had reported. Some of the supplies he had requested were even completely unrelated to his publicly declared research direction.

"He hid it quite well."

He rose to his feet, and his figure faded from where he stood.

Deep underground beneath the long-abandoned Third Training Ground, Kamizuki Yu appeared out of thin air. This place had been converted into a small temporary laboratory. The air was thick with the pungent stench of formaldehyde mixed with blood.

Several cultivation tanks contained distorted biological tissue, while bloodstained medical instruments lay scattered nearby.

In an inconspicuous corner, Kamizuki Yu found several fragments of partially destroyed experimental data. The writing on them had been encrypted in a complex ancient snake script.

"This level of encryption thinks it can deceive everyone?" He sneered.

To someone with the Rinnegan who had witnessed the Otsutsuki Clan's legacy, such encryption methods were practically a child's password game. With the slightest concentration of mental energy, the information on the fragments became clear in his mind.

[First Hokage cell activity induction... rejection response... individual collapse...]

[Sharingan transplantation... low soul compatibility... observe subsequent mutations...]

So it was indeed these things. Kamizuki Yu's eyes remained utterly calm. Evidence at this level still would not be enough to fully wake Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He copied the data, then placed several miniature [Flying Thunder God Marks] and even more concealed sensory formulas throughout the laboratory. Afterward, he quietly departed without alerting anyone.

Back in the advisor's office, Kamizuki Yu fell into thought.

Teacher Hiruzen had always held the mistaken belief that Orochimaru was "not bad by nature." To make him see reality clearly, indisputable ironclad evidence was needed to nail Orochimaru to the pillar of shame as a traitor.

"Looks like I'll need to add some fuel to the fire."

The day of his defection should not be far off. Before then, every one of his secret bases had to be uncovered so he could be caught red-handed.

The next day, the Hidden Leaf's senior leadership held its regular meeting.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table, looking somewhat weary. Danzo wore a gloomy expression and said nothing. The two advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, sat upright and solemn.

"Regarding the recent reconstruction aid for the Hidden Rain Village, as well as several proposed material exchanges from the Sand Village, what are everyone's thoughts?" Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke first.

The meeting proceeded in an orderly fashion.

When it was Kamizuki Yu's turn to speak, he abruptly changed the subject. "Hokage-sama, esteemed elders, I have recently been considering a matter concerning the village's internal stability and loyalty."

The atmosphere in the conference room turned subtle the moment he said that.

Koharu Utatane frowned slightly. "Advisor Yu, what do you mean? The Hidden Leaf's ninja's loyalty to the village is beyond question."

"Of course, I believe in the loyalty of the vast majority of Hidden Leaf ninja." Kamizuki Yu's tone was gentle. "But a large forest has all kinds of birds. Should we not establish a more thorough review system, especially for those who come into contact with core secrets or conduct high-risk forbidden technique research?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused with his pipe. "Yu, are you referring to someone?"

"I'm not referring to anyone in particular." Kamizuki Yu smiled faintly. "This is simply preparing for the unexpected. Forbidden techniques are forbidden precisely because they possess the power to overturn common sense, while also easily tempting people onto the wrong path. We grant certain geniuses the freedom to conduct research, but freedom also needs boundaries."

"If someone uses research as a pretext while actually engaging in activities that harm the village, or even crimes against humanity, can we discover it in time and stop it in time?"

A glint flashed through Danzo's single eye as he looked at Kamizuki Yu. This young man seemed to be hinting at something.

Homura Mitokado pondered for a moment. "The advisor's concerns are not without reason. Power does indeed require restraint."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped out his pipe. "ANBU and the relevant departments have always had strict regulations regarding the management of forbidden technique research. I believe Orochimaru and the others know where to draw the line."

Orochimaru again.

Kamizuki Yu thought to himself, That filter really is absurdly thick.

"Rules are dead, but people are alive." Kamizuki Yu continued, "Besides, some geniuses always have wildly imaginative ideas. What if, and I mean what if, someone crossed that red line in pursuit of some so-called 'truth'?"

"We cannot always wait until something happens before regretting it beyond repair."

He swept his gaze around the room, taking in everyone's reactions. "I propose a comprehensive internal review of all forbidden technique research projects ranked A and above within the village, with no upper limit and no blind spots. At the same time, loyalty assessments for personnel in important positions should also be raised by one level."

"This..." Koharu Utatane hesitated. "Wouldn't that cause too much of a stir?"

"For the village's long-term peace and stability, some necessary 'big disturbances' are worthwhile." Kamizuki Yu stood. "That is all I have to say. Hokage-sama, esteemed elders, the decision is yours."

With that, he walked straight out of the conference room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched his departing back and fell into a long silence.