P2W 34 - Progress

Uchiha Clan, Main Shrine

In a dimly lit stone chamber, Uchiha Fugaku, the clan head, and Uchiha Setsuna, the elder, sat together. Uchiha Yoru observed their surroundings and wondered if this was a customary practice of the clan, conducting discussions in secretive rooms with subdued lighting.

"Yoru, your contributions to the clan have brought great honor. The clan acknowledges and remembers them," Fugaku spoke, delivering words of inspiration. Yoru feigned excitement, displaying a thrilled expression as he nodded solemnly. "Clan head, elder, I am dedicated to upholding the pride of the Uchiha."

"If we're serving inspirational soup, count me in too. An old saying from my ancestors in a past life goes, 'When you lack the power to change everything, you must learn to adapt.'"

"Yoru, what is the purpose of summoning Orochimaru back to the village this time?" Setsuna inquired.

The Uchiha clan, not known for their eloquence inherited from the Hokage lineage, swiftly transitioned from inspirational words to the main topic. Yoru appreciated this directness, but he disagreed. Once he gained influence within the clan, he would undoubtedly need to master the art of speechcraft like the Third Hokage.

Fugaku and Setsuna looked at Yoru with questioning eyes. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, Yoru set aside his idle thoughts and respectfully replied, "Clan head, elder, the situation is not optimistic."

"What's the matter?" Fugaku and Setsuna wore grave expressions. They were well aware that the Uchiha clan was currently being marginalized by the entire village. After finally establishing a connection with Orochimaru, they didn't want to jeopardize this source of support.

Yoru let out a sigh and began to explain.

"Clan head, elder, Orochimaru-sensei has always aspired to become the Fifth Hokage. However, recent developments indicate that others are unjustly taking credit for his accomplishments. Orochimaru-sensei even hinted at certain individuals in the village who oppose his candidacy for Hokage."

"I specifically asked Orochimaru-sensei about this. If he were to become Hokage without a solid foundation, it might be acceptable. But with Orochimaru-sensei's team, once he assumes the position, the village's interests will need to be reassessed."

As Yoru uttered the last sentence, he furrowed his brow, pretending to be oblivious. However, when Fugaku and Setsuna heard these words, their faces turned pale. They understood the implications.

Setsuna couldn't help but curse, "Indeed, the Sarutobi clan is becoming restless. Sarutobi Hiruzen can't bear to relinquish his current advantages."

"Elder, calm down." Fugaku shared the same belief, but he remained composed. He attempted to reason with the elder by his side.

However, as a representative of the hawk faction, Setsuna refused to back down. He coldly sneered, paying no attention to Fugaku's words.

"Fugaku, don't you see it? The interests within the village have just been defined. The emergence of a new Fifth Hokage signifies the rise of a new power, which will undoubtedly impact the interests of various clans within the village. They don't want that, especially Sarutobi Hiruzen. It's evident that he is driven by a lust for power."

Observing Setsuna's disdainful expression towards Sarutobi Hiruzen, Fugaku, the clan head, sighed. He didn't know how to persuade Setsuna, so he turned his attention back to Yoru and posed another question.

"Yoru, do you know what plans await Orochimaru upon his return to the village?"

This was a crucial question. What was the purpose of bringing back Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin? They couldn't simply keep him in the village as a figurehead, could they?

Setsuna was also intrigued by this question. Yoru let out a genuine sigh and conveyed what Orochimaru had revealed through his telepathic animal, Manda. Yoru couldn't help but feel impressed and awed.

The political maneuvering skills of the Hokage lineage were truly remarkable. After all, Yoru possessed the perspective of five thousand years from his previous life, enabling him to understand these political intricacies. The current Shinobi world had only existed for a short time, and the Five Great Nations had only gone through a few generations.

These political strategies were developed through accumulated experience.

"Clan head, elder, Orochimaru-sensei is currently a member of the Root. He mentioned that they have been assigned a top-secret S-rank mission to undertake."

—

When Uchiha Yoru addressed the clan leader Fugaku and the elder Setsuna, he raised his head and focused his gaze on them. Before they could inquire further, he immediately adopted a serious expression, emphasizing the clan's interests as he delved into the details of the top-secret mission.

"The Root intends to revive the Wood Release Experiment Project, along with another human experiment. I don't have all the specifics yet, but my unique medical ninjutsu skills have garnered my teacher's attention."

Upon hearing this, Fugaku and Elder Setsuna displayed different reactions. Fugaku silently breathed a sigh of relief, relieved that it wasn't a major operation. However, Elder Setsuna seemed to have grasped something and snorted disdainfully.

"They plan to restart the Wood Release human experiment? What is the village attempting to achieve? Isn't it clear? They are clearly preparing to guard against us, the Uchiha. Wood Release has the power to control Tailed Beasts, and it serves as a weapon against us, the Uchiha."

It must be acknowledged that this elder held a strong animosity towards the village.

Nevertheless, Uchiha Yoru inwardly shook his head and sighed. The Uchiha clan has always resided on the outskirts of the center of power. How could they possess the foresight that accompanies years of political experience like the Hokage?

Clearly, this is a means to conceal Orochimaru. It's a top-secret mission that perfectly aligns with Orochimaru's interests and has the potential to resolve the forthcoming political crisis.

There is no need to choose the Fifth Hokage. The interests of the village's higher-ups will be safeguarded, and everything will remain unchanged. It's a flawless plan.

Yet, no one could have anticipated that this concealment might cause Orochimaru to completely abandon Konoha or, perhaps, it will be the moment when Orochimaru ultimately surrenders as everything unravels.

"Clan leader, elder, based on the information I've gathered, the village's Wood Release Experiment Project experienced an accidental success several years ago, which is why it's being restarted now."

"What!"

When Uchiha Yoru disclosed this information, Fugaku and Elder Setsuna's expressions immediately shifted to shock. Wood Release! While Fugaku might not fully comprehend it, Elder Setsuna was well aware of the terrifying power it wielded.

The village succeeded? And now they want to revive it!

In that instant, all of Elder Setsuna's dissatisfaction vanished, replaced by profound fear. Wood Release! Only those eyes can counter it. Until the Uchiha obtain those eyes, they absolutely cannot engage in conflict with Konoha again.

"Clan leader, elder, based on the information I obtained, despite the village's intent to restart the Wood Release Project, the funding falls considerably short due to Konoha's instability."

As Uchiha Yoru voiced this, Elder Setsuna was the quickest to react. Sporting a cold smile, he remarked, "Excellent! Excellent! The Third Hokage truly possesses a cunning plan."

At that moment, not only was Uchiha Yoru taken aback, even Clan Leader Fugaku wore a puzzled expression. Elder Setsuna glanced at them and sneered, saying, "Isn't it obvious? Research of this magnitude cannot be accomplished in a matter of years. If the Wood Release Project were easily researched, there wouldn't have been only one accidental experimental subject all these years. Even if there were, for Orochimaru to make groundbreaking progress, it would take several years at the very least, let alone considering the current lack of funding."

"The Third Hokage and the entire high-ranking officials are playing a delaying game. The shortage of funds serves as a means to stall Orochimaru's ambitions of becoming the next Hokage."

Elder Setsuna seemed to have unraveled the entire situation. The high-ranking officials in Konoha are reluctant to relinquish their power and are doing everything in their power to impede Orochimaru's ascent to Hokage.

Upon hearing this, Clan Leader Fugaku also displayed a realization on his face and nodded with a grave expression. "Elder Setsuna is correct. However, this also presents an opportunity for us, the Uchiha."

After Fugaku and Elder Setsuna exchanged glances, smiles graced their faces. It may not bode well for Orochimaru, but it is a chance for them, the Uchiha. It's an opportunity that has been presented to them.

"Yoru! The clan is ready to fully support Orochimaru's research funding."

At that moment, both of them made up their minds. They wouldn't easily let go of such a tremendous opportunity.

And when Uchiha Yoru witnessed the sagacity of these two individuals, he couldn't help but feel exhilarated as he solemnly nodded. "Clan leader, elder, for the glory of the Uchiha, I, Uchiha Yoru, will firmly stand by Orochimaru-sensei."

—

After the secret family meeting ended, Uchiha Yoru found himself fully engrossed in the Uchiha power center. He had also made a decision regarding the future direction of the Uchiha clan. However, associating with the Uchiha clan didn't bode well for anyone, as proven by his unfortunate connection with Orochimaru.

Not only the Uchiha clan, but several other clans in Konoha were also interested in aligning themselves with Orochimaru. Despite the looming threat of Orochimaru being sidelined, many still held him in high regard.

The high-ranking officials in Konoha were already advanced in age. How much longer could they hold onto their power? On the other hand, Orochimaru was in his prime. The new generation had not yet fully matured, which meant that within the next five years, only three candidates in the entire village were eligible to compete for the position of the Fifth Hokage.

These three candidates were the Sannin. Jiraiya was carefree and unrestrained, Tsunade was far away, and it had been decided more than a year ago that they would not participate in the competition for the Fourth Hokage position. Now, with the passage of time, no one could rival Orochimaru in terms of popularity.

As for the delaying policies of the higher-ups, it was only a matter of time before they were overthrown. Consequently, numerous individuals were contemplating ways to align themselves with Orochimaru.

...

Returning to the luxurious house assigned to him by the clan, Uchiha Yoru closed his eyes and pondered his plans for the next two years. According to his calculations, Itachi was currently six years old and would turn seven next year. By the time Itachi reached eight, it would be around the time when Orochimaru would defect.

[Host: Uchiha Yoru (One Tomoe)]

[Chakra Level: Elite Chunin]

[Chakra Nature: Fire (LV3), Lightning (LV4)]

[Swordsmanship (Taijutsu/Physical Skills): LV4, Medical Ninjutsu: LV4]

[Gold: 21.35 million]

Looking at his own panel, Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but feel disheartened. Despite all the hard work and risks he had taken in the past six months, his gains were meager. It was truly embarrassing.

This amount of gold was enough to evolve his Sharingan into the Three Tomoe, but what would that accomplish? Evolving it into the Three Tomoe would only enhance his physical abilities and chakra to a level comparable to a high-level Jonin at best. Moreover, it would take time, and more importantly, would his rapid Sharingan evolution attract the attention of certain individuals who might covet his power?

After all, his identity was highly sensitive now. There were certainly people in Konoha who would hope for something unfortunate to befall Uchiha, especially as he grew closer to Orochimaru. Someone lurking in the shadows like Danzo, for instance.

As he contemplated this, Uchiha Yoru fell into deep thought. "Ninjas prioritize information, and for now, I can still pass off my sudden acquisition of medical ninjutsu. I should try to avoid evolving my Sharingan before Orochimaru-sensei defects, or at most, I should evolve it into the Two Tomoe. Within these two years, I must become a Jonin, or even an elite Jonin, in order to truly have influence within the clan."

If Orochimaru were to defect in two years and he remained at the same level of strength, he would become a discarded piece. However, if he possessed a certain level of strength and handled the situation correctly, he might be able to inherit a portion of Orochimaru's legacy.

In the original story, Orochimaru had already defected for ten years, yet there were still young admirers of Orochimaru in Konoha. This demonstrated the extent of Orochimaru's influence. And how could Orochimaru, someone who had competed for the position of Hokage, not have a group of followers? That was an inheritance.

If Orochimaru defected, the first group to be targeted would be his followers. With his connection to the Uchiha, Uchiha Yoru had nothing to fear. But what about others?

As he pondered this, Uchiha Yoru smiled. "Perhaps I need to enhance my strength in these two years. Maybe even become a remarkable genius in Orochimaru-sensei's eyes, but I shouldn't display too much talent in the bloodline."

[Exchange Two Tomoe Sharingan, cost: 1 million gold!]

[Exchange 'Kakashi's Lightning Fast Hand Seal', cost: 10 million gold!]

[Exchange 'Third Raikage's Physique Talent', cost: 10 million gold!]