This girl is truly beautiful!
Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her eyes were bright and her teeth were white, and her demeanor was gentle and elegant.
Even someone like him, who had no interest in women, had to admit that her beauty was of the highest caliber!
Orochimaru tossed aside the other files and began to carefully examine her information.
Uchiha Mikoto...
Entered the academy at five, graduated at ten, promoted to Chūnin at twelve—just this past spring.
Skilled in Shuriken Technique, Fire Release, and Genjutsu.
Has awakened a single-tomoe Sharingan. Reason for awakening: her pet cat died...
"Hmm, a typical Uchiha..."
Gentle, kind, considerate, and well-mannered.
Many secret admirers, but she hasn't shown any clear romantic interest in any male yet.
Her father is a Jonin of the Uchiha Clan, leaning towards a dovish stance. Her mother is a homemaker.
After setting aside Mikoto's file, Orochimaru picked up the others and began reviewing them.
"I must say, the beauty of this clan is truly exceptional."
Orochimaru clicked his tongue, scanning the group. While none of the other targets were as stunning as Uchiha Mikoto, they were all undeniably attractive. Even the least striking was merely average in appearance, certainly not plain.
Setting down the files, Orochimaru pondered for a moment.
In the end, he decided to visit the Uchiha clan.
Although he could have secretly manipulated events to arrange a meeting between the target and Minato, perhaps through a "hero saves the damsel" scenario, he reconsidered.
Such methods were too unpredictable. It would be safer to find a plausible excuse to simply hand the person over to Minato.
As for whether the two would develop feelings for each other...
Don't be ridiculous! Even without considering Minato's exceptional qualities, he refused to believe that a decade of close-quarters missions wouldn't spark some kind of connection between them.
Beyond ensuring stability, there were also some issues within the Uchiha clan that needed addressing.
As night fell, the sky turned as black as spilled ink, and the Uchiha compound fell into a deep silence.
Swish—
Orochimaru materialized silently in the courtyard of Uchiha Ken's residence, quietly observing the room.
Two seconds later, the sliding door between the veranda and the living room slid open. Uchiha Ken frowned at his uninvited guest.
"Orochimaru..."
"Senior Ken, it's been a long time."
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Is this a convenient time to talk?"
Uchiha Ken's expression darkened. "At this hour? Isn't that rather disrespectful?"
"That's a pity. I've brought my full sincerity." Orochimaru replied calmly.
Sincerity?
Uchiha Ken's eyebrows arched slightly. After a brief hesitation, he switched on the living room light. "Come inside."
Soon, the two sat facing each other in the clean, minimalist room.
Though Orochimaru's unannounced visit was presumptuous, Uchiha Ken, considering his status as the Third Hokage's disciple and current leader of Root, maintained proper etiquette. He personally brewed a pot of tea.
After pouring a cup for Orochimaru, he settled into a formal kneeling posture, resting his hands on his thighs.
"Now, you may explain. Your so-called sincerity..."
"Heh, the hospitality of great clans is truly remarkable."
Orochimaru chuckled, gazing at the steaming tea before him. "To be frank, I came to select some individuals for Root."
"Root?"
Hearing this, Uchiha Ken was taken aback, almost laughing at Orochimaru. "You want to recruit from the Uchiha Clan?"
Root was under the Anbu, which reported directly to the Hokage.
Since Konoha's founding, the Uchiha Clan had been excluded from the core power structure of the village.
If even the Anbu didn't consider Uchiha candidates, let alone a place like Root, which handled the village's most sensitive secrets.
So, Orochimaru's words immediately struck Uchiha Ken as a trap.
This is definitely a setup!
"What's wrong with recruiting from the Uchiha Clan?" Orochimaru asked casually, as if he hadn't understood Ken's meaning. "Aren't the Uchiha a part of Konoha?"
"Don't give me that naive talk, Lord Orochimaru. Since you've taken charge of Root, you should know that the higher-ups don't trust our clan—especially after Uchiha Setsuna's coup."
Uchiha Ken shook his head. "Moreover, your late-night visit tonight shouldn't be on behalf of the Third Hokage, should it?"
"This is my own initiative, Senior. Rest assured, I'm absolutely certain I can persuade the old man."
Orochimaru took a sip of his tea and continued. "I suspect you might have some misconceptions about the higher-ups. At least regarding the Uchiha, it's not entirely their fault. The Uchiha Clan itself bears some responsibility, and there are also lingering factors from the Second Hokage's era."
"Please, teach me, Lord Orochimaru!"
Uchiha Ken's expression turned serious. He genuinely wanted to hear Orochimaru's perspective, as the man, as the leader of Root, largely represented the Third Hokage's views.
"The Uchiha Clan is naturally warlike, and their pride is hard to avoid. Logically, places like the front lines or the Anbu would be the most suitable stages for you. Yet the Second Hokage inexplicably assigned you to the Police Force."
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "Heh heh heh... Having proud Uchiha members take on the thankless task of the Police Force not only inflated their arrogance but also expanded the conflict between the Uchiha and the higher-ups into a conflict between the Uchiha and the entire village. It's a wonder you all manage to enjoy this so much."
Uchiha Ken's eyelid twitched. To be honest, he had never considered it from this angle before.
But he had to admit, Orochimaru's words held truth!
Did the Uchiha love the village?
Of course they did. When Madara tried to leave the village, no one followed him.
They poured their hearts into their work with the Uchiha Police Force, relentlessly hunting down any threat to the village. But this also earned them the ire of many.
And some of the younger members of the clan, just as Orochimaru said, had indeed become increasingly arrogant and overbearing under the influence of their power within the Police Force.
"Are you suggesting the Second Hokage did this intentionally?" Uchiha Ken's expression grew increasingly grim as he pondered this.
After all, every member of the Uchiha Clan, including himself, took immense pride in being admitted to the Police Force.
Now, with Orochimaru's words, they appeared like fools, sold out and yet helping their betrayer count their money.
"Senior, please remain calm. Had I not taken over Root, I might have thought so too," Orochimaru said calmly. "However, Root inherited the Second Hokage's research legacy. After reviewing his research documents, I can roughly understand his reasoning. In fact, it's related to the Uchiha Clan itself."
"I'm eager to hear more," Uchiha Ken said, leaning forward. He wanted to know the fundamental reason why the Uchiha Clan had been targeted.
"The thousand-year conflict between the Senju and Uchiha Clans—you must understand it better than I do, Senior. As the saying goes, your greatest enemy knows you best. The Second Hokage was no exception. According to records, he even studied the Uchiha Clan, though that was during the Warring States Period."
Orochimaru explained, "The Second Hokage believed the Senju Clan was driven by emotion, not technique, while the Uchiha valued power above all."
"But in reality, that's not the case..."
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