Chapter 459: Passing a Tip to Orochimaru

"The village's second rotation period is coming soon. This time, your Uchiha clan members can return to the village for some rest."

Even the strongest warriors can't stay on the battlefield indefinitely. Proper rotations are essential.

The exceptions were special cases like Orochimaru and Jiraiya, who would only rest after the war was over.

"The clan leader will be thrilled to hear this," Mikoto Uchiha said excitedly as she hugged Takuya and kissed him twice.

It was only logical and fair for the Uchiha to have their rotation now.

However, Fugaku Uchiha, their clan leader, was a taciturn man who rarely spoke out. Asking him to request something like this was impossible.

Because of the lack of rotation, many Uchiha members were starting to resent Fugaku.

Takuya understood the root of the Uchiha's issues, but such problems couldn't be solved overnight. Fortunately, Tsunade's leadership had created room for some improvement.

"Honestly, this rotation could've been requested long ago. If only the Uchiha clan leader had been willing to lower his pride, those who were struggling could've returned to the village earlier for rest."

"I'll talk to Orochimaru about it tomorrow."

Judging by Fugaku's attitude, relying on him was futile. Takuya could use his authority to send Mikoto back to Konoha for a break, but that might cause unrest.

To avoid any unnecessary conflict, he decided to discuss a proper arrangement with Orochimaru. After all, it was only fair for the Uchiha to have their turn at rotation.

You can't expect people to stay on the battlefield forever. Even farm animals aren't treated that harshly.

After parting ways with Takuya, Mikoto chose not to share the news of the upcoming rotation with her clan. She didn't want them to develop further negative opinions about Fugaku.

It was already frustrating enough that the clan leader hadn't taken any initiative to secure their rotation. Prolonging their time on the battlefield without any reprieve was bound to make anyone uncomfortable.

At the command post, only Orochimaru remained.

Jiraiya was too busy to linger, and both Sakumo Hatake and Minato had accepted a few minor tasks to make themselves useful on the battlefield.

Without anyone else around, Takuya didn't bother holding back and brought up the issue of the Uchiha rotation directly.

Orochimaru looked at him with mild surprise before smiling faintly.

"The Uchiha rotation was indeed scheduled long ago. However, their clan leader has never approached me to request it. I didn't expect you to be so concerned about the Uchiha's affairs, Takuya-kun."

"Cut it out."

Takuya wasn't fooled by Orochimaru's probing tone.

"You know exactly what Fugaku Uchiha is like. If it weren't for the potential negative impact, why would I care about the Uchiha rotation?

I'm just worried about Mikoto being overworked. Since a single-person rotation might cause unnecessary strife, I figured I'd help them apply for the whole clan's turn."

"Besides, don't bother trying to dig into my motives. I have no hidden agenda against the Uchiha, and neither does Tsunade. As long as the Uchiha follow the rules, they'll always remain a part of Konoha."

Unlike the Third Hokage and his generation, Tsunade had no particular bias against the Uchiha.

The term "cursed clan" was just a label Tobirama Senju had popularized.

That sentiment had been passed down to Hiruzen Sarutobi and his peers. Tobirama's dislike for the Uchiha likely stemmed from his experiences with Madara Uchiha.

Madara had left a lasting impression, creating a deep psychological shadow. Tobirama feared the emergence of another figure like Madara.

The Uchiha's emotional volatility, tied to the activation of their Sharingan, often led to dramatic personality shifts. If another Madara-like figure arose, Konoha might not survive the fallout.

Such concerns weren't entirely baseless. It wasn't unreasonable for Tobirama to take precautions.

"Oh, is that so?" Orochimaru said, his expression unchanged.

Having grown up with Tsunade, he knew her temperament well. Even though she admired Tobirama, she hadn't inherited his biases.

Still smiling, Orochimaru gave off an air of composure, which made Takuya want to punch him to see if he could knock that smirk off his face.

"By the way, let me offer you a little insider tip," Takuya said.

"Go on, Takuya-kun," Orochimaru replied politely.

Takuya leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice as he said, "Due to certain circumstances, Danzo has been secretly imprisoned in a high-security facility. This decision was made without opposition from the Hokage."

"Danzo?"

Orochimaru's smile vanished instantly. His pupils narrowed into vertical slits, a telltale sign of his shock.

The revelation of Danzo's imprisonment as a high-profile criminal clearly unsettled him.

As Danzo's collaborator, Orochimaru knew the consequences if sensitive information were exposed. He, too, could be implicated.

Takuya was confident that Danzo would attempt to escape Konoha, and Orochimaru likely felt the same.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, calculating the potential risks Danzo's escape might pose to him.

Takuya added, "Recently, two unidentified shinobi appeared near Danzo's holding area. Both had cursed seals on their tongues to prevent information leaks. I suspect Danzo has undisclosed underground facilities or research labs outside the village."

"If these hidden sites are discovered, Danzo will be finished."

"Hohoho, that's certainly an intriguing piece of news," Orochimaru said, though a cold gleam flickered in his eyes. Internally, he cursed Danzo.

Orochimaru knew exactly where the captured shinobi had come from. Danzo had stationed many operatives in their shared research facilities, despite most of his forces being wiped out in the village.

It was clear that Danzo wouldn't quietly serve his sentence.

Once Danzo made a move, it would expose their shared secrets.

At that point, their partnership would effectively end.

Danzo, in his desperation, might destroy evidence of his own wrongdoings. But Orochimaru's involvement? He wouldn't hesitate to throw Orochimaru under the bus.

"Once Danzo acts, I'll only have two choices," Orochimaru thought grimly. "Either admit my guilt or follow him into exile."

"This information is classified, so don't let it slip. If Tsunade finds out I told you, she'll chew me out," Takuya said, curious about how Orochimaru would respond.

Would he continue his alliance with Danzo and leave Konoha together, or would he betray Danzo and distance himself from the fallout?

If necessary, Orochimaru could sell out Danzo just as easily as Danzo might sell him out. The question was whether Orochimaru would be willing to leave Konoha in disgrace.

"Don't worry, Takuya-kun. This will remain between us," Orochimaru said, his faint smile returning.

"Good." Takuya chuckled. "Then I'll leave the Uchiha rotation to you. Let them know when it's time. I'm off for a walk."

After Takuya left, Orochimaru's expression darkened.

"Danzo…" he muttered.

He realized he couldn't afford to remain passive any longer. Otherwise, Danzo might drag him down with him.