Ruthlessness and Betrayal

"Let's put that aside for now. Soon, the first group of ninjas will head to the frontlines to counter the forces from Iwagakure."

Uchiha Fugaku tossed out a list filled with experienced veteran Uchiha ninjas.

The strategy was simple: send those who had participated in previous wars to probe the enemy, while assigning relatively easier tasks to novice ninjas so they could gradually acclimate to the battlefield.

This was the most fundamental tactic—properly distributing tasks among the clan members.

Fugaku fell silent after that. The future path of the Uchiha clan after this war was uncertain, leaving a deep sense of confusion in his heart.

He did indeed aspire to become Hokage.

It was his lifelong dream.

However, he could not foresee a future where he became Hokage. Although his Mangekyō Sharingan could predict fragments of the future, these glimpses were cryptic and unreliable, beyond his control.

It was more like drawing lots—whatever he pulled was what he saw.

Ever since he had foreseen the appearance of a mysterious man, Fugaku had been restless.

Sleepless nights were spent in his study, searching for strategies to respond. Even Mikoto's attempts to console him were futile. It had been a long time since he last returned to their bedroom.

Uchiha Hachidai took the list from Fugaku, noticing his troubled expression. Without pressing further, Hachidai went off to inform the listed ninjas and changed the topic by conversing with nearby clansmen.

Following his words, many Uchiha began fantasizing about one of their own becoming Hokage.

Shimizu sneered twice and casually made a few perfunctory remarks.

An Uchiha as Hokage?

Were they drunk?

A few dishes and they dared to dream like this.

The current Uchiha clan had yet to face bitter setbacks or experience the complexities of hidden politics.

They hadn't learned what it meant for the path to be dark and slippery, for society to be treacherous, where a single misstep could send them tumbling.

In The True Legend of Itachi, during the Hokage selection, the Uchiha clan didn't even get a nomination—yet even Orochimaru did.

The room was filled with the rising and falling chatter of the clan members.

Time ticked by until the moon hung high in the sky, and silence blanketed the world. The gathering finally came to an end.

One by one, the clansmen gradually filed out.

Due to Shimizu's special status, he was assigned to Konoha Hospital for logistics, with further assignments depending on the intensity of the war.

As Shimizu was preparing to leave, Fugaku called out to him.

Now, only the two of them remained in the vast underground chamber.

"Lord Fugaku, is there something you need?"

Shimizu spoke calmly, neither servile nor arrogant.

"Can you speed up your research?"

Fugaku had tasked Shimizu with researching ocular cloning.

Every Sharingan was immensely precious. For now, Fugaku only allowed Shimizu to conduct experiments using ordinary eyes.

Each monthly research report was filled with meticulous and rigorous data that Fugaku had others verify. It was thorough and well-documented, but Fugaku couldn't grasp how far along the research was or what defined completion.

It was like a client dealing with a contractor—clients never cared about progress; they only cared about whether the project was complete and the final product was delivered.

"The timeline is too tight. This research is time-consuming. I hope Lord Fugaku can grant more leniency."

Shimizu shook his head.

Research was already burdensome, and adding more would only pile extra work onto poor Nohara Rin.

"Shimizu, you know how critical this war is for the Uchiha clan. If you can complete the research sooner, it will enhance the clan's strength and save more families from tragedy."

"Your parents died in a ninja conflict too. I imagine you understand the pain of losing loved ones. To prevent that, I'll ensure you don't have to go to the battlefield. I'll apply for you to stay in Konoha for a longer period."

Fugaku spoke at length, mostly extolling the virtues of sacrifice and loyalty to the Uchiha clan. In the end, he patted Shimizu's shoulder and left the chamber.

A cold glint flickered in Shimizu's eyes.

Fugaku was still pressuring him, even resorting to moral coercion.

His parents had been Fugaku's subordinates, yet Fugaku had never offered him special care. It was Uchiha Hazuki who had taken care of him.

The death compensation was also a pooled contribution from the clan, with everyone receiving an equal share.

Watching Fugaku's departing figure, Shimizu stroked his chin thoughtfully.

In the anime, Fugaku awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan during the Third Shinobi War. However, given Shimizu's butterfly effect, it was uncertain whether Fugaku had already awakened it.

After all, Shimizu's parents had been mere background characters in his previous life, undertaking numerous missions beyond their abilities just to support him.

The extent of this butterfly effect remained unknown.

To be safe, Shimizu had to prepare for the worst: that Fugaku had already obtained the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"If that's the case, I'll be sure to take good care of Mikoto."

Shimizu strode out of the chamber.

He had naturally left some contingencies in place while helping Mikoto with massages.

If Fugaku was ruthless, then he shouldn't blame Shimizu for being heartless.

Konoha Hospital

"Huh... Is that Shimizu-kun?"

Shimizu turned his head. The man speaking to him had pale skin and exuded an eerie chill.

"Hello, Lord Orochimaru."

Shimizu nodded slightly.

This was his first interaction with Orochimaru. In the past, Shimizu had deliberately avoided him to prevent the Sannin from detecting his unusually rapid growth.

"Interested in becoming my assistant?"

Orochimaru extended his hand in invitation.

As a passionate researcher, Orochimaru had always maintained a fervent interest in life sciences.

He had numerous informants in Konoha Hospital and was impressed by Shimizu's talent.

Recently, Orochimaru had been considering recruiting an assistant to help manage his research.

Uchiha Shimizu seemed like the perfect candidate.

From the moment he first heard the name "Uchiha Shimizu" from Nonō Yakushi, Orochimaru had taken notice.

Watching Shimizu's performance during the Chūnin Exams had piqued his interest further, prompting him to keep a close eye on him.

Fearing rejection, Orochimaru sweetened the offer.

"I know you've been researching the human body and collecting ninjutsu. I can provide you with all of that."

Orochimaru's golden, slit-like pupils fixed on Shimizu. The sight of his youthful, robust physique stirred a hint of desire and fascination in Orochimaru.

He had modified his body, resulting in some side effects. Although these did not affect his strength, his body was far from healthy.

"I have a wealth of medical information and numerous materials on human research—things you won't find at Konoha Hospital."

Orochimaru licked his lips, radiating calm confidence.

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