Madara did not need geniuses. He needed completely controllable pawns with vast emptiness inside them, easily manipulated through despair and ideals.
Relatively mature geniuses like Makoto and Shisui, who carried high expectations within the clan, were harder to control instead.
The fact that Madara had never approached Shisui in the original story was clear proof.
So, as long as I don't seem easier to fool or more desperate than Obito, Madara should keep his attention on him, Uchiha Makoto concluded, feeling a little more at ease.
After a period of rest, Uchiha Makoto and Pakura were reassigned to a new squad.
After all, casualties on the front lines were high, and breaking up and reorganizing squads was commonplace.
This time, Orochimaru paired them with two other Konoha squads.
One was led by an experienced, stern veteran Jonin, while the other was an ordinary Chunin squad.
Neither squad had anyone with a kekkei genkai.
Tch, is my teacher... giving me a warning? Telling me to behave for a while and stop setting my sights on my teammates? Uchiha Makoto scoffed inwardly as he looked over his new teammates.
Orochimaru had surely guessed that he was involved in Hyuga Keisuke and Kano Yuya's disappearance, but simply had not brought it up.
Assigning him teammates this clean sent a very clear message.
As if you haven't captured plenty of test subjects on the battlefield yourself... Uchiha Makoto grumbled silently.
Still, he did not particularly care. He had never planned to keep targeting teammates from his own village anyway.
If he ruined his reputation, how would he get by in Konoha afterward?
There were plenty of Kumogakure Kekkei Genkai Shinobi out there waiting for him to "pick up." Why prey on those close to home?
Over the next several months, the front in the