"Are you sure Orochimaru wants to visit ?" Uchiha Fugaku looked at Shisui in front of him, his expression sowhat uncertain.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru told himself." Shisui nodded affirmatively. He felt a hint of joy in his heart, thinking that he had beco a person who could ease the relationship between the village's higher-ups and his clan. He was genuinely happy.
"Did he ntion the reason?" Fugaku suppressed the excitent in his heart and asked further.
As the head of the Uchiha clan, he didn't mind the higher-ups visiting him once in a while. What he cared about was the significance behind this personal visit from Orochimaru, who was currently the most promising candidate to beco the Fourth Hokage.
"Lord Orochimaru didn't say, but I guess it might have sothing to do with that Technology Developnt Departnt." Shisui shook his head, but still offered his speculation.
"The Technology Developnt Departnt?" Fugaku pondered. This departnt, established by Orochimaru himself, had drawn quite a bit of attention lately, including from the heads of major ninja clans and elite Jonin.
Compared to independent Jonin, the heads of ninja clans were more inclined to consider the implications of such actions.
In Fugaku's eyes, believing that Orochimaru had a high chance of becoming the next Hokage ant that the Third Hokage was paving the way for his disciple's future.
Up until now, only a handful of departnts within the Leaf Village had the authority to recruit, train, and deploy specific ninja personnel.
One was the Leaf's ANBU, along with the Root, which was a sub-branch of ANBU; another was the dical Departnt established by Tsunade; and the Intelligence and Interrogation Departnt, which handled information gathering and interrogation.
And now, there was Orochimaru's Technology Developnt Departnt.
"Please tell Orochimaru that I will be waiting for him at ho." Fugaku nodded. Though he wasn't skilled at making decisive decisions, that didn't an he was oblivious to the current situation or unwilling to ease the tension.
Ever since he beca the head of the Uchiha clan, his greatest wish had been for his clan mbers to be able to integrate into the village, and for the next generation to produce an Uchiha Hokage!
All the clan mbers dread of this wish.
However, Fugaku hoped to achieve this dream through peaceful ans. The radicals within the clan, on the other hand, were considering using force to take over if the village didn't agree.
The chance for the Fourth Hokage seed slim. Even if the Third Hokage was willing to take in an Uchiha disciple now, it wouldn't amount to much. But for the Fifth or Sixth Hokage, there was still hope.
As long as Orochimaru could beco the Fourth Hokage!
Kagami passed away too early!
Looking at Shisui in front of him, Fugaku sighed inwardly once more.
---
The next day.
Orochimaru's team finished training in the forest.
After receiving accurate information from Shisui, Orochimaru imdiately led his team and followed Shisui to the Uchiha clan's territory.
"It's Lord Orochimaru!"
"What is he here for?"
"I heard he's here to visit the clan leader."
"Is it because he values Shisui's talent and wants to officially take him as a disciple? Even though he's not an Uchiha, it's still a good opportunity."
Many mbers of the Uchiha clan were surprised to see Orochimaru and his team inside their territory. It was rare for soone to visit the Uchiha clan grounds, especially one of the higher-ups from the Leaf Village.
This area was mostly frequented by mbers of the Anbu, delivering missions and intelligence.
"Orochimaru-sama," Uchiha Fugaku bowed respectfully at the entrance, inviting Orochimaru inside.
"Is this your child, Itachi?" Orochimaru noticed the boy being held by a woman. He stepped forward and gently patted the child's head. "Shisui ntioned to that he's a very talented Uchiha."
Fugaku's face imdiately brightened. For him, having his child's talent and strength acknowledged by a shinobi of Orochimaru's level was an honor!
Such things were common in the ninja world.
For example, the title of the "Sannin" originated from the recognition of the Rain Shinobi demigod, Hanzo. Regardless of why Hanzo gave them that title or whether Orochimaru and the others saw it as humiliating, gaining the acknowledgnt of the strong was one of the quickest ways for weaker ninjas to rise to fa.
The group sat down at a table in the courtyard. Orochimaru's golden eyes glanced at the family of three seated across from him. He took the initiative to speak, "Fugaku-kun, you should be aware of my Technology Developnt Departnt, right?"
"Yes," Fugaku nodded. The establishnt of this departnt was well-known among the Jonin; it would be impossible for him to claim ignorance.
"Are you interested in investing in it?" Orochimaru asked abruptly.
"Invest? Are you referring to manpower, or sothing else?" Fugaku's heart tensed up for a mont. He wasn't afraid of providing so personnel, but he feared that Orochimaru was trying to make the Uchiha Clan pick a side without offering any real commitnt.
The Uchiha Clan wasn't at a dead end yet; they were still one of the prestigious clans in the village. As clan head, even if he leaned towards Orochimaru's side, he couldn't imdiately agree to anything that would force them into an alliance.
"Manpower, resources, money," Orochimaru laid out his terms openly. "The establishnt of the Technology Developnt Departnt is bound to produce so results.
There has already been so progress with the First Hokage's Wood Release, but I think it's not enough. If the Uchiha are willing, I'm willing to provide so technological support to your clan."
"I don't quite understand what you an. Are you referring to support in the form of ninjutsu?" Fugaku frowned.
As a powerful clan, the Uchiha clan didn't lack ninjutsu, and they were especially adept at using their Sharingan in combat. The copying ability of the Sharingan had allowed them to amass an impressive collection of jutsus over the centuries.
"The Mangekyo!" Orochimaru softly uttered the word that caused Fugaku's expression to change dramatically.
"The Mangekyo?" Fugaku's voice rose, almost breaking. He stared at Orochimaru in shock. If it weren't Orochimaru sitting across from him, he would have thrown him out the mont he heard this.
"I can help research how to unlock the Uchiha's Sharingan more effectively, as well as thods to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan. All I need is your clan's cooperation in providing the necessary information and resources," Orochimaru confird his offer.
"A Mangekyo Sharingan?" Fugaku's voice rose to a pitch almost breaking as he stared in shock at Orochimaru. If it were anyone other than Orochimaru sitting in front of him, Fugaku would have imdiately dismissed them for such words.
"I can help you study how to make the Uchiha clan awaken the Sharingan smoothly, and even discover the thod to unlock the Mangekyo Sharingan. As long as you provide the necessary information and resources," Orochimaru affird confidently.
"This is unbelievable." Fugaku's hands were trembling. Itachi looked at his father in confusion, not understanding why the usually composed and stern man would suddenly beco so agitated.
But his sharp mind made sure to rember the word *Mangekyo*, which had shaken his father so deeply.
"Nothing is impossible. Think about it. If the Uchiha clan could possess a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan, even if it's not on par with Madara Uchiha's, it would still solidify the clan's status and prestige, wouldn't it?"
Orochimaru's voice was calm and steady, but to Fugaku's ears, it sounded like the whisper of a demon, one that knew how to tempt and manipulate.
"I need to call a clan eting." Fugaku frowned, thinking it over for a mont before sighing deeply. He then bowed slightly to the man across from him.
"I'll be waiting for your response. Oh, and let share a secret with you—the Senju clan's Wood Release experint has already succeeded. There is now a test subject who possesses the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai."
As Orochimaru stood up to leave, he suddenly paused and turned his face slightly, dropping yet another bombshell that left Fugaku's mind reeling.
Wood Release?
The Senju clan, who had almost completely rged into the village through intermarriage with other clans, had regained the power of Wood Release?
Fugaku found himself struggling to maintain his composure as he thought about it.
****
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