After shifting his bad mood onto Hiruzen, Orochimaru felt less resistance to Nawaki learning from Duy.
This was Tatsuma's intention; after all, resolving conflicts is incredibly difficult, but if it's just a matter of shifting them, the feasibility and success rate are quite promising.
Tatsuma had seen too many such operations and naturally became adept at them. With Orochimaru's intelligence, he might be able to see through this, but...
Sometimes, actions that make oneself appear foolish are acceptable as long as they align with one's own interests or desires.
Orochimaru's intention is naturally for Nawaki to become a better disciple, but he finds it difficult to accept internally. Being guided by Tatsuma to redirect his emotions might make him appear somewhat foolish.
However, it also helps him stop obsessing over the troubling matter of his disciple learning from someone else, which isn't a bad thing.
Of course, Orochimaru also couldn't face Duy with a smile. The entire banquet was extremely serious, and if it weren't for the necessary greetings and some explanations to Duy, he would prefer not to talk to him at all.
Duy himself felt somewhat flattered.
Duy is not a person who values ceremonial matters, or rather, given his current social status, he doesn't have the luxury to pursue them. Thus, even when teaching a Secret Jutsu like the Eight Inner Gates, Duy didn't consider any formal rituals of passing down the techniques. As long as the person he values is willing to learn, he is willing to teach.
However, Nawaki's side showed an unexpected level of importance. Nawaki himself came, and as a family member, or rather, as a guardian, Tsunade came too. Nawaki's own sensei also arrived.
As for Sento, Duy was aware of his situation. The fact that the Hyuga clan did not obstruct him was already showing a lot of respect, so naturally, it was impossible for them to attend, especially since Sento had no family left.
Of course, Sento had Tatsuma as a witness, so he wasn't entirely alone. Given the scale of the event, aside from the grand banquet, it was essentially no different from a formal apprenticeship ceremony.
Considering Nawaki's and Sento's family backgrounds and comparing them to his own, an unprecedented sense of importance filled Duy's heart.
At the end of the banquet, even without drinking, Duy completely shed his forced solemnity, tears streaming down his face as he held the hand of a visibly displeased Orochimaru and said:
"Orochimaru-sama, thank you for your trust. I will certainly teach Nawaki and Sento well."
Orochimaru, who remained calm even when dissecting various animals, human bodies, or even diseased organs, felt a shiver run down his spine the moment he was held by this green-skinned figure. His hand, which was held, seemed to become weak and boneless in an instant. Orochimaru gently pulled his hand away from Duy's grasp, tucked it behind his back, and then said:
"You should thank Nawaki himself and also Tatsuma-kun. If it weren't for their recommendation, I wouldn't have allowed you to teach Nawaki.
However, you must teach Nawaki properly. If one day I decide to evaluate him and his progress does not meet my expectations, I will immediately terminate his studies."
"I will definitely study hard! I will put all my passion and youthful energy into it. Sensei, you can be assured!"
Nawaki, standing nearby, clenched his fist and then gave a thumbs-up, toothy teeth. He made the promise to his sensei before Duy could.
Duy nodded continuously, indicating that he would also teach well. Sento, listening to their conversation, suddenly felt a strong urge to make a pledge himself. However, the Hyuga etiquette prevented him from expressing himself in front of so many people.
Without the presence of strangers like Orochimaru and Tsunade, he might have shown the same enthusiasm as Nawaki, but with unfamiliar faces around, he had to maintain his composure.
Tsunade, having finished her meal, ignored their conversation and instead used the other end of her chopsticks to poke Tatsuma. She then pointed to the page on the menu with the alcoholic beverages. Her eyes were not just hinting but clearly indicating.
Tatsuma pursed his lips. The money Hiruzen had given him was intended to be spent in three installments. It should be more than enough for just eating barbecue, but it wouldn't be enough if alcohol was included.
Moreover, there should be no taint of money between teacher and disciple! Therefore, Tatsuma held his ground and resolutely ignored Tsunade's clear indication.
Duy briefly explained his planned teaching schedule to Orochimaru, and after receiving Orochimaru's approval, the banquet finally came to an end.
Aside from Tsunade, who was a bit unhappy about not having any alcohol, the other attendees, including Orochimaru, were quite satisfied.
Although there wasn't much conversation, Orochimaru was already able to discern that Duy was undoubtedly a ninja with extremely high Taijutsu skills.
Watching Duy leave, Orochimaru's expression turned to one of mockery. He turned his gaze toward the Hokage Building and said, "It's a grand scene when ninjas with sufficient strength and awareness are crawling at the bottom, while those who are unworthy sit high above."
Orochimaru's disdain for the Konoha Elders had become routine, especially after the Second Shinobi World War. Orochimaru had gradually shed his pretense, even disregarding the other diners who were finishing their meals in front of the barbecue restaurant.
When those people heard that someone was slandering the Konoha Elders and were about to get angry, they turned around to see it was Orochimaru, with Tsunade standing beside him looking equally displeased. Their immediate reaction was to stop their retort.
In recent years, the village had been actively promoting Tsunade's reputation. Seeing her also show displeasure seemed to align with Orochimaru, making them wonder if something had indeed happened in the village that they were unaware of, leading to dissatisfaction from two of the Sannin.
Tsunade was well-known, but very few were familiar with her. They certainly did not know that Tsunade had a "displeased" trait, nor could they have guessed that her current dissatisfaction was due to not having any alcohol.
After settling the bill and seeing these two causing trouble again, Tatsuma quickly took them away, leaving plenty of room for speculation among the onlookers.
The next day, Tatsuma did not go to request Uchiha Fugaku but instead invited his own team members, as well as Tenko and Sakumo Hatake.
Shimura Akomo in the team was at the final stage of retirement review. Upon hearing that Tatsuma had found a replacement, he immediately agreed to stop his fieldwork and cede his position to Tenko.
Sakumo Hatake initially had some reservations seeing it was an Uchiha, but upon hearing it was Obito's cousin, he immediately agreed to the recommendation and said he would arrange for the review and assessment as soon as possible.
Minato, who had long been aware of Tatsuma's arrangements, naturally had no objections. He only instructed Shimura Akomo to teach Tenko more about trace handling and had no further comments.
"Shicho, why don't you retire too? Your presence has significantly raised the average age of the team. You're the culprit behind the aging of ANBU!"
At the end of the banquet, Akomo, who had been assigned to the same team as Shicho shortly after they both joined ANBU, suddenly felt a bit reluctant to part with him after ten years of working together.
Shicho adjusted his sunglasses and said, "It's worth considering, but I wonder if you, Leader, have already chosen my successor."
Shicho's response surprised Tatsuma, as he had never expressed any thoughts of retirement before. Tatsuma paused for a moment and asked, "Are you really planning to retire?"
Tatsuma felt a bit reluctant, as Shicho had a high level of skill in handling corpses and was very reliable. He was like an experienced player who could always contribute to the team as soon as he was on the field.
Moreover, Shicho's functionality was so strong that it was indeed hard to replace him. Although Sento had expressed a desire to join ANBU, doing so would necessitate changes in the team's composition. It would no longer be an all-rounder team but might become more like a reconnaissance team or a counter-reconnaissance execution team.
Sakumo Hatake also cast a questioning look at Shicho, who nodded and said, "The clan has a new project to study new parasitic insects, and they've consulted me for my opinion. I haven't agreed yet, but I'm quite interested."
Upon hearing this, Tatsuma and Sakumo Hatake both showed thoughtful expressions. No ninja clan can remain static; even regular Ninjutsu, let alone Secret Jutsu, evolves from generation to generation.
Just like in Senju Tobirama's collection, which contains a vast number of Ninjutsu, Tatsuma has not learned many of them. Some of the techniques have already been replaced by better ones, making them unnecessary to learn.
As a family specializing in Secret Jutsu, their mysterious and unknown techniques are fundamental to their survival, but the veil of mystery will eventually be lifted.
To maintain their advantage, they must continually add layers of mystery to themselves, so that others can never see their true nature.
Sakumo looked at Tatsuma, waiting for his opinion. Theoretically, as ANBU Chief, these matters should be decided by Sakumo Hatake, but Tatsuma is not like any other subordinate.
Sakumo even considered that if he could hold out for another two or three years, Tatsuma might have grown to the point where he could directly take over ANBU. Therefore, Sakumo valued Tatsuma's opinion greatly, especially in the context of the team's role transformation, where Tatsuma's input was even more crucial.
Looking at Shicho, who seemed to lack strong opinions, Tatsuma said, "Let's go through the review process first. I currently don't have a suitable candidate in mind. Can you hold on a bit longer?"
Although Sento would definitely be willing to step in at any time, Tatsuma still needed to assess whether he was suitable for ANBU and the team.
Especially since he has started new training, Tatsuma isn't sure how long it will take for Sento to complete his current phase of training, and the Hyuga clan is even more difficult to deal with than the Uchiha.
If Sento were merely from a branch family, it wouldn't be a big deal. But Sento is from the main family, and a main family member without descendants at that. The Hyuga clan might not be willing to let him go.
Shicho nodded and said, "Alright, I'll inform the clan. Since I'm not the one in charge, there's no rush to join the project."
"Then it's settled. I will also help Tatsuma find a new candidate as soon as possible. I fully support your decision, as the progress of the ninja clan also contributes to the growth of the village."
Sakumo wrapped up the topic, looked around to ensure there were no other matters, then took out his wallet and said, "I'll go pay the bill."
"I'll do it,"
Tatsuma quickly stood up, but Sakumo pulled him back and said, "It's not right for a subordinate to pay."
"Don't worry, this money is coming from your superior."
"Hmm?"
Sakumo was momentarily taken aback but quickly realized, letting go of Tatsuma and smiling as he said, "Then you can pay. By the way, can I take some leftovers? Kakashi hasn't had dinner yet."
"Sure!"
Tatsuma said generously, enjoying the feeling of being so magnanimous.
Of course, he only agreed because Sakumo mentioned taking food for Kakashi. If it had been Tsunade making the request, that would have been a different story.
After paying and bidding farewell to Sakumo, Akomo, and Shicho.
Tatsuma, Minato, and Tenko did not immediately disband but instead strolled down the street for a while.
After entering a deserted alley, Tatsuma finally spoke, "You can talk to your Squad Captain about being recommended by me to join ANBU and have him relay the message. I'd like to invite him and the Uchiha clan head for a gathering."
"Okay."
Tenko nodded, and Tatsuma remembered something else, saying, "By the way, you've awakened your eyes now. When you go back, make sure your attitude and demeanor are adjusted accordingly."
"What do you mean?"
"You need to be a bit more arrogant, learn from me."
Tatsuma took two steps in front of Tenko and said while concealing his actions, "You need to walk with your feet pointed outwards, imagining the feeling of your inner thighs rubbing against your underwear so much that you have to spread your legs. Your shoulders should move too; imagine you're shaking off Sento's hands from your shoulders. Finally, you must tilt your head back and occasionally sniff as if you have a runny nose in winter, but without actually letting the mucus out."
Watching Tatsuma's movements, Tenko's mouth twitched, then he sighed and said, "Tatsuma, you're even more Uchiha than I am."
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