The conflict between the Uchiha clan and the village was an open secret among the adult members of the Uchiha clan.
However, even within the clan itself, opinions were far from unified.
After all, people's perspectives differ.
Some members valued peace, believing that coexisting harmoniously with the village was ideal. They saw no reason to engage in a life-and-death struggle with Konoha over the Hokage seat.
Others, however, refused to accept being subordinate. They believed that as an integral part of the village, the Uchiha clan deserved to have one of their own as Hokage.
This internal conflict mirrored the broader tension between the Uchiha clan and Konoha's leadership.
That said, the current situation was relatively stable, and the peace-oriented faction held the majority.
But because the Sharingan was deeply influenced by emotions, it often caused clan members' thoughts to veer toward extremes.
To ensure peaceful coexistence between the Uchiha and the village, the peace faction hoped to help the war faction better control their Sharingan to prevent any reckless actions.
In the past, they could only rely on time and nature to temper such impulses. But Orochimaru's emergence had changed everything, presenting a new possibility.
This was why Mikoto sought out Orochimaru.
Her relationship with him was the starting point for the Uchiha clan's approach.
No one else in the clan had such an opportunity to interact with Orochimaru, let alone uncover such secrets.
Faced with Orochimaru's pointed question, Mikoto felt slightly flustered.
"Um… well… my father said that you're not the type of person to leave yourself completely unprepared, so…"
"Oh?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, amused. "Your father is quite perceptive. While his words aren't exactly flattering, he's not wrong."
Mikoto looked at him expectantly. "Then, Lord Orochimaru…"
"Actually, Mikoto," Orochimaru cut her off, his voice calm, "the conflict between your clan and the village isn't something a few vials of strengthening fluid can resolve. But since you've asked, I'll provide some for now."
"Really? Thank you, my lord!"
"Of course," Orochimaru said with a sly smile. "But you'll need to do something for me in return."
"Anything, my lord. Just say the word."
---
"Fugaku Uchiha… and Obito Uchiha?"
Later that afternoon, within the Uchiha compound, Uchiha Akihara was dumbfounded.
"Yes, father," Mikoto confirmed.
"He didn't ask for anything else?" Akihara couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Orochimaru has such… low demands?"
"No," Mikoto replied. "I told you before, Lord Orochimaru is approachable. You were the one who insisted I use this method to get close to him. Now, I feel like…"
"What do you know?" Akihara interrupted, frowning. "I had you approach him not just for this reason."
"What do you mean, father?"
"What else could it mean?" Akihara sighed heavily and sat down. "In our clan, you're the only one who has the opportunity to get close to him. …But there's no point discussing this further now. I'll inform the clan leader first."
"Oh, right," he added as an afterthought, "who is this Uchiha Obito? Is there even someone with that name in our clan?"
"Um…" Mikoto hesitated, a little uncertain herself. "I haven't heard much about him either. But Lord Orochimaru said he saw him once—a young child, only a few years old. He mentioned that the boy seemed to have good potential."
"Is that so…" Akihara muttered, skeptical.
Why did it feel like Orochimaru knew more about the Uchiha clan than he, a core member, did?
Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it further and quickly sought out Uchiha Soyama, the clan leader.
When Soyama summoned both Fugaku and Obito, he and Akihara couldn't help but question Orochimaru's judgment.
Uchiha Fugaku, now nearly 22 years old, was a man of considerable talent and status, widely regarded as the next clan leader.
His abilities were impressive, making him a natural candidate for Orochimaru's interest in genetic research.
But the child standing beside him? The boy, no more than four or five years old, looked confused and… rather ordinary. His unassuming and clumsy demeanor hardly screamed "talented."
"Is your name really Uchiha Obito?" Akihara asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Y-yes, Uncle Akihara," Obito stammered nervously, swallowing hard.
As a young and unremarkable member of the Uchiha clan, Obito was completely bewildered by the sudden attention from the clan leader. He couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong.
But Uchiha Soyama didn't waste time. After double-checking Obito's background and confirming his identity, he nodded.
Obito, still feeling nervous, barely had time to react before Akihara drew a sample of his blood.
---
The next morning, at Orochimaru's residence.
Orochimaru held up two vials of blood, his tone calm and analytical.
"Inheritance is often unpredictable. It's not uncommon for traits to skip generations, and the Uchiha clan's genes are no exception."
Hearing this, Tsunade, seated nearby, appeared thoughtful.
"So, even if the parents don't awaken the Sharingan, it's still possible for their child to do so?" she asked.
"Exactly," Orochimaru confirmed.
He continued, "According to the Uchiha clan's records, this boy, Obito, doesn't come from a particularly distinguished lineage. His ancestors haven't displayed notable talent for generations."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Obito must be the result of a genetic mutation. Occasionally, two ordinary genes combine to form an advanced one. The probability is low, but it does happen."
"I see," Tsunade murmured, nodding in understanding.
Being one of the few aware of Orochimaru's experiments, she often discussed such matters with him in private.
After a moment, she suddenly asked, "By the way, Orochimaru, with your current strength surpassing even your teacher's, have you ever thought about becoming Hokage?"
"No," Orochimaru replied bluntly, placing the vials into a sealed compartment. "Some people are meant to lead from the front as generals, while others are better suited to advising in the background. Forcing the wrong person into the wrong role will only lead to disaster. You understand what I mean, don't you?"
"You're just saying you're not interested in being Hokage," Tsunade said with a wry smile. "Fine, I get it. But if there were an election for the next Hokage, who do you think would be the best candidate, besides you?"
"Obviously, it's you."
"Me?" Tsunade blinked, pointing to herself in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"I am," Orochimaru said with a faint grin. "Don't you think it would be… entertaining for you to be Hokage?"
***
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