It was unlikely that Hiruzen truly understood the full extent of Danzo's schemes.
Their relationship had always been delicate. As long as Danzo didn't cross certain lines, Hiruzen preferred to turn a blind eye, even if he had his suspicions.
He understood all too well that a fallout between him and Danzo would benefit no one.
While their ideologies clashed, Danzo's ultimate goal still aligned with Konoha's protection. He hadn't yet done anything that outright harmed the village. That was the primary reason Hiruzen chose to tolerate his actions.
That being said, this time, it wasn't Hiruzen who had stumbled upon Danzo's activities.
---
On the streets of Konoha, a Pale Blue-haired ninja with an aloof expression strolled forward, his thoughts swirling.
It was evening, and he had just returned from a mission with his teammates.
"Strange," the man muttered to himself. "At this hour, why would Danzo-sama's subordinates be active outside the village?"
He furrowed his brow. It was an odd sight, especially so late in the day when most would be resting.
Still, he quickly shook his head. As a respected figure in Konoha, Danzo often acted in ways that others couldn't understand. And despite being an elite Jonin himself, he wasn't about to question someone of Danzo's status.
Whatever Danzo was up to wasn't something he could—or should—try to figure out.
---
"Hmm? Uncle!"
A sweet, childlike voice interrupted his thoughts.
He turned his head to see a young girl with short black hair, no older than four years, clutching a skewer of meatballs in her hands. She gazed at him in surprise.
"Ah, Shizune," he said warmly. "Did you come out here alone to buy meatballs?"
"Yes," Shizune replied with a hint of shyness. "There wasn't anything to eat at home, and I got hungry, so…"
Her soft voice trailed off as she looked at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"I see," he replied with a chuckle. "How about I buy you a couple more skewers?"
"Really? That'd be great!" Shizune's face lit up with delight.
After paying for two more skewers and handing them to her, he noticed that Shizune was staring off into the distance, distracted by something.
He followed her gaze and froze when he saw the figure she was looking at, a blonde woman walking hand in hand with a pale-skinned man.
It was Tsunade.
And beside her, Orochimaru.
Dan's smile faltered, but he quickly composed himself. His armor-clad figure stiffened ever so slightly, though he forced a polite nod in their direction.
Tsunade, who had also noticed him, felt momentarily awkward.
She shot a quick glance at Orochimaru, only to find his expression completely neutral. The only thing unusual was where his golden eyes were focused—on Shizune.
Tsunade's brow twitched.
After an exchange of polite nods, the two groups passed each other without further interaction.
As they walked away, Tsunade couldn't help but ask, "Hey, Orochimaru, why were you staring at that little girl just now?"
"No reason," Orochimaru replied with a faint smile. "I just found her… interesting."
"Interesting?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "You've never met her before. What's so interesting?"
"It's hard to explain," he said dismissively. Then, with a playful glint in his eye, he added, "Why don't you focus on more important things, like what you're going to wear tonight?"
Tsunade's face turned red in an instant.
---
Tsunade and Orochimaru's marriage had added a layer of playfulness to their relationship. While the two had been together for years, marriage brought new dynamics.
One of these included certain… experiments in their private life.
"Maybe something simple," Tsunade murmured, her face flushed. "But I don't think a Nurse Uniform fits me. The buttons won't close…"
"Who told you to grow so much?" Orochimaru teased, his lips curling into a sly grin while playing with the buds.
"What? Are you saying you don't like it? You said you did back then!"
Orochimaru opened his mouth but quickly shut it. He had no idea how to respond. After all, he'd heard of people complaining about being too small, but too big? That was a first.
---
At the Hokage's office, a Konoha ninja knelt before Hiruzen, delivering a report.
"Lord Hokage, reports indicate that children from surrounding villages have been disappearing without a trace," the ninja said solemnly.
Hiruzen frowned as he scanned the mission report in his hands.
"All children?" he asked after a moment. "And the total number of missing cases?"
"Over twenty so far," the ninja confirmed grimly.
Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke from his pipe, deep in thought. "I see. I'll send someone to investigate immediately. You're dismissed."
The ninja bowed and left, leaving the Third Hokage to ponder the situation.
Something about this didn't sit right with him. He could feel it in his gut.
Wasting no time, he summoned a team of ANBU to look into the matter.
---
Midnight.
"He was fully equipped, with dirt on his boots… fresh from outside the village," Orochimaru mused to himself, sitting in the dim light of his home. "Could it really have been you Dan?"
Given the current circumstances, Orochimaru had been cautious. After returning to Konoha via Flying Thunder God earlier in the day, he'd immediately taken Tsunade out, only to run into Kato Dan near the village entrance.
It was enough to make him suspicious.
But even if Dan had stumbled upon something, Orochimaru wasn't particularly worried. Without direct orders from the Hokage, Dan wouldn't dare to investigate further.
"Still…" Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed in the dark. "It's best to secure everything I need sooner rather than later."
---
In their bedroom, Tsunade raised her head from Orochimaru's chest, looking slightly apologetic.
"Did I bite you too hard?" she asked.
"It's fine," Orochimaru said with a faint smirk, running a hand through her hair. "You can continue."
A playful glint appeared in his eyes as he guided her closer.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Aren't you tired of me yet?"
"How could I ever get tired of you, Tsunade-hime?" Orochimaru replied, his tone low and smooth.
In that moment, his gaze softened ever so slightly. If there was one thing he didn't tire of, it was her presence.
***
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