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If possible, Nara Shikaku wished that every ninja could master the Body Flicker Technique to perfection, enabling them to attack entirely through instant movent-or better yet, if everyone could grasp the Flying Thunder God Technique and teleport on the spot.
"But..."
Minato Namikaze instinctively prepared to nod in agreent.
Nara Shikaku's answer was entirely from an objective standpoint, one that no one could find fault with.
But did Nara Shikaku truly have no personal agenda?
Not exactly.
Nara Shikaku raised his head, his gaze falling upon the portraits of the Second and Third Hokage hanging in the Hokage's office.
He was an unwavering supporter of the Hokage faction and deeply understood the importance of balancing the village's various powers.
Due to the Uchiha clan's Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan, they were inherently stronger than ordinary ninjas on an individual level.
Collectively, with the Senju clan's decline, the Uchiha had already overshadowed the Hyūga clan. Since the Fourth Hokage and Advisor Gojo took office, the Uchiha had beco the largest and most powerful ninja clan in Konoha.
Especially in recent tis, for so reason, the number of young Uchiha awakening the Sharingan had noticeably increased. There were even rumors that the Uchiha would beco great again, producing a second Uchiha Madara.
Even setting aside prejudices against the Uchiha, having a single dominant ninja clan in the village was not a good thing.
Currently, the Uchiha leader's policies were moderate, actively integrating with Konoha. But who could guarantee that future Uchiha leaders would be the sa?
The Uchiha clan was already strong as ninjas; if they gained enough prestige through war, would the likelihood of a future coup in the village greatly increase as one generation passed and another rose?
For Nara Shikaku, the Hidden Mist Village next door was the best example. When ninja clans or individuals override the village or the Kage, such possibilities must be nipped in the bud.
Previously, the Second and Third Hokage, along with Danzo, had successively suppressed the Uchiha, and Nara Shikaku was content to remain neutral.
Now that their predecessors had fallen, the baton of maintaining balance had passed into Nara Shikaku's hands.
He nominated Orochimaru as the commander of the strike force, and there was nothing wrong with that.
Perhaps Uchiha Fugaku's capabilities were sufficient, but his prestige and seniority were not yet on par with the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru. Moreover, as the head of the Police Force, responsible for Konoha's security and public order, it was not appropriate to send him out.
Before Minato could speak, he suddenly rembered the four secret scrolls that Gojo Kaigetsu had left him when he retreated to the safe house Minato had arranged.
Gojo had said that to avoid being followed by those with ill intentions to his safe house, he had to use this delayed thod of communication.
He claid that the scrolls should only be opened when making major decisions and unsure of what to do.
Thinking of this, Minato shook his head with a wry smile.
"Is he truly that resourceful, being able to predict the difficult choices I would face even while hiding?"
"As for the choice of commander, let's set it aside for now. Nara, please step out for about ten minutes; I'll give you a definite answer then."
"Ah... Yes, Lord Hokage."
Nara Shikaku retreated, leaving the Hokage's office to Minato.
Now he had ti to secretly look at the scrolls.
Minato felt a bit guilty; as Hokage, he still had a long way to go and much to learn.
Having to rely on secret scrolls when making major decisions felt as shaful as cheating during a Genin exam.
He silently decided that once his child was born, he would raise him well, so that he wouldn't end up like his father, needing to cheat on exams.
Quickly, Minato opened the first scroll.
On the slip of paper inside, five hastily written words read:
*"Orochimaru will definitely defect."*
Minato's pupils contracted sharply.
Was this sothing that could be said?
Now, even though Minato had absolute trust in Gojo Kaigetsu, he began to waver.
Could Orochimaru-sensei really betray Konoha? What would that an?
Under the current Konoha military system, in terms of ninja achievents, excluding the forr Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru's achievents surpassed even his own.
He had completed as many as 108 S-rank missions.
These were proofs of his dedication and service to Konoha!
Minato was Konoha's leader, and Orochimaru was his de facto general.
If Konoha had a land-based ninja force, Orochimaru was the commander of land ninjas. If Konoha had a naval ninja force, Orochimaru was the commander of naval ninjas. If Konoha had an aerial ninja force... then Orochimaru was the supre commander of all forces.
At least in terms of seniority, apart from Jiraiya, who was traveling the ninja world, no one in today's Konoha could match Orochimaru.
But now, the secret scroll left by Kaigetsu claid unequivocally that Orochimaru would definitely defect, without any qualifiers.
Minato couldn't help but feel that this ninja world was too crazy.
Almost instinctively, Minato opened the second scroll-
...
Minato almost instinctively tore open the second scroll, seeking an explanation for Orochimaru's potential defection.
Gojo Kaigetsu wasn't soone who envied the capable or sought to eliminate dissidents through political struggles.
On this point, Minato trusted his close friend.
The second scroll read:
*"Kidnapping Konoha ninjas, human experintation, stealing the Scroll of Seals."*
*"If he actively shows a desire to serve as the commander attacking the Hot Water and Grass Villages, do not let him leave the village. Be sure to contact the Third Hokage to personally deal with him; do not act yourself."*
*"Otherwise, he can be retained for observation."*
"Hiss-"
Minato gasped, his expression becoming grave.
If what Kaigetsu revealed was true... that was truly scary.
The "Wood Release Human Experintation" was once personally led by Konoha's high-level officials but continuously failed, causing many Konoha ninjas to die in aningless experints. Therefore, the project was imdiately terminated and listed as one of Konoha's taboos.
The original intention of this experint was to better utilize the power of the Tailed Beasts, but after many innocent Konoha ninjas sacrificed their lives, the Third Hokage realized his mistake, chose to halt the project, and rejected Danzo's proposal to continue experinting on children.
But even so, at most, Orochimaru would be punished; there was no need to fight to the death.
Why? Because the Third Hokage and Danzo had done the sa!
The sa thing, when officially sanctioned, was legal; when done privately, it was an illegal taboo!
Stealing the Scroll of Seals could be excused; rules are dead, but people are alive. Given Orochimaru's rits, he deserved access to the Scroll of Seals.
Even if he used theft, considering Orochimaru's achievents and his relationship with the Third Hokage, leniency could be shown.
But Orochimaru should never have kidnapped Konoha ninjas for experintation.
This behavior completely deviated from the "Will of Fire," extending a dark hand toward his fellow villagers. How was that different from enemies from other villages?
Minato considered himself a tolerant Hokage, but he couldn't think of any justification for Orochimaru's actions.
Ninjas who had trained diligently for ten or twenty years, who hadn't died at the hands of enemies but were killed by their own hero-how ironic.
The most intolerable thing in a village is a ninja who has lost all bonds with it.
Being able to harm his own comrades, regardless of how strong he was, how high his prestige, or how outstanding his research talents, the village couldn't tolerate such actions.
Who knows when he might suddenly decide to showcase his experintal results to the high-level officials opposing his experints, using the Hokage Building under his feet or even the entire village as a stage.
Wood Release... is simply too dangerous.
With it, the First Hokage beca the God of Shinobi; no one knows what changes successful Wood Release human experintation might bring to the ninja world.
For the village's safety, Minato couldn't trust a dangerous individual who kidnapped his comrades for experints to remain loyal to Konoha.
Loyalty that's not absolute is absolutely disloyal.
As long as there's a risk, it will inevitably happen!
Cold sweat gradually soaked Minato's Hokage robe.
At the critical mont when Konoha was launching a special military operation and forming a strike force, such a revelation...
Orochimaru had been confined to the village all this ti; if he were appointed as the commander of the strike force and took this opportunity to leave the village, who knows what he might do to defect-he might even kill his fellow comrades in the strike force.
If Konoha's supre commander openly rebelled during a special military operation, it would deal a devastating blow to Konoha's prestige in the ninja world.
How likely was this to happen?
Before confirming that Orochimaru had kidnapped his comrades, the possibility was minimal. But after confirmation, the possibility would infinitely increase.
Because... Orochimaru must consider whether this would be his only chance to defect from Konoha!
That's why the scroll ntioned: *"Otherwise, he can be retained for observation."* As long as Orochimaru wasn't thinking of fleeing imdiately, the village's regulations would continue to restrain him. Later, they could contact the Third Hokage, gradually reduce Orochimaru's prestige, and step by step lower his influence to the freezing point before apprehending him.
Minato stared blankly at the note in his hand, recalling what Gojo Kaigetsu had said to him at the morial Stone that day:
*"Those enemies lurking in the shadows, waiting for opportunities, are jumping out one after another. These are impurities we couldn't usually find or didn't have suitable reasons to eliminate."*
Now, the hidden enemy had revealed himself.
With seeds of suspicion planted and the direction of the investigation confird, these things couldn't be hidden.
Konoha was neither too big nor too small.
Even if you included the area of the three-tiered security zones and the entire Konoha Forest, it was just so much space. By combining this with Orochimaru's usual activity areas for investigation...
If they wanted to investigate thoroughly, it couldn't be concealed.
The only question was whether to weigh this matter.
"Should we weigh it?"
"Here and now!"
A decisive look flashed in Minato's eyes. To handle external threats, internal stability must first be ensured! Even if it's Orochimaru-sensei, if he dares to destroy Konoha's prosperity, as Hokage, Minato would not hesitate!
Minato imdiately used his personal guard summoning technique:
"Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidō, Tatami Iwashi, co see at once!"
In less than ten seconds.
Nara Shikaku, who was about to take out a soft "Konoha" cigarette at the office door, watched as the serious-faced Hokage guards went in and out of the office, his hand holding the lighter suspended in mid-air.
As a smart person, he keenly sensed that sothing might have changed.
The ten-minute deadline hadn't arrived; he had to suppress his curiosity and wait silently.
Sitting in the Hokage's chair.
Minato rubbed his temples, feeling quite a headache.
At critical monts, he regretted not having enough trustworthy ninjas.
Due to Orochimaru's prestige in Konoha, many in the Anbu were his followers.
If he rashly ordered the Anbu to investigate, even his own direct Anbu, he couldn't guarantee that the matter wouldn't leak out.
Minato had to let his Hokage guards handle it.
"Should I establish a unit separate from the Anbu, one that belongs exclusively to the current Hokage?"
After all, the Anbu is Konoha's Anbu.
Its composition is sowhat complex. While most are loyal to Konoha, their priority in following orders varies.
So belong to the Third Hokage, so listen to Danzo, and others are placed by various ninja clans as their own informants... too complicated.
"If only the Anbu were composed of civilian ninjas like , or pure-hearted individuals like Kaigetsu-kun."
Minato sighed; the idea of forming an exclusive unit had to be set aside for now. He could only use his relatively limited personal forces to handle urgent matters.
"Hopefully, Genma and the others can quickly uncover the truth. The Third Hokage also needs an explanation."
After handling the most pressing issue, Minato leisurely opened the third scroll.
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