Chapter 465: A Secret Deal with Orochimaru

To gain a Kekkei Genkai, there are usually only two paths: inheritance through bloodline or combining different chakra natures.

The former depends on ancestry, while the latter requires effort and talent.

If Takuya mastered Ice Release, he wouldn't keep it to himself. Teaching Kakashi would be inevitable.

Who knows? Kakashi might even grasp it himself. Hatake Sakumo had faith in his son's potential.

Maybe I could collaborate with Orochimaru on this.

As long as Orochimaru didn't cause trouble, Takuya wouldn't mind working with him.

As long as it didn't involve forbidden experiments, everything else was negotiable.

Most importantly, Takuya wasn't afraid of Orochimaru turning on him.

First, his research wasn't taboo; it could even be conducted openly.

Second, he had the funds to support it. Unlike Danzo, who scraped together resources by misappropriating village funds, Takuya didn't have to worry about finances.

And most crucially, Takuya didn't lack support.

If he were transparent about his intentions, he was confident Tsunade would permit it, and Kushina would happily fund it.

"Ah, the joys of wealth."

Thinking about how Orochimaru and Danzo scrambled for money while he had plenty to spare, Takuya felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

"?????"

Minato looked at him, puzzled, his face full of question marks.

"What's with you suddenly saying something so random? I know you're wealthy, but what's your point?"

"You rest for a bit. I'm going to check in with Orochimaru, and then we'll return to Konoha."

Parting ways with Minato, Takuya headed to the command center.

Jiraiya wasn't there, and the person inside wasn't a shadow clone—it was Orochimaru himself.

It seemed Orochimaru had already dealt with his and Danzo's shady affairs.

"Have the assets been relocated?"

"Relocated...?"

Takuya's abrupt question almost caused Orochimaru to reveal too much.

Quickly catching himself, Orochimaru's smile froze for a few seconds before returning to normal.

"I don't understand what you're talking about, Takuya-kun."

"No, you understand."

Takuya sat down across from him without hesitation, tapping the table meaningfully.

"Danzo is going to die. If you want to cut ties, now is the time. As long as you don't threaten me or Tsunade, I don't care what you do."

"Oh, by the way, the war is likely to end soon. The Third Mizukage turned out to be a fraud—and he knows Wood Release, no less!"

In less than a minute, Orochimaru's smile froze twice.

The first time was when Takuya exposed his and Danzo's experiments.

The second was when he learned that the Third Mizukage could use Wood Release.

It was obvious the Third Mizukage was a fraud; otherwise, Konoha wouldn't have collaborated with Kirigakure on such a grand deception.

But what caught Orochimaru off guard was the revelation that the Third Mizukage could use Wood Release.

After all, wasn't the core of his and Danzo's research focused on Wood Release?

Despite some progress and even a few surviving test subjects, they were still just experiments. Whether those subjects could grow into anything significant remained uncertain.

Yet here was Takuya, casually informing him that the Third Mizukage already wielded Wood Release.

How could Orochimaru possibly accept this?

I've risked everything to collaborate with that meddlesome Danzo, pouring countless resources and effort into this research, and there's still no substantial result. And now you're telling me the Third Mizukage already has Wood Release?!!!

From the lack of expression on Orochimaru's face and the sharp narrowing of his pupils, it was clear he was deeply unsettled.

Unbothered, Takuya poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip, waiting for Orochimaru to process the information.

After a while, Orochimaru finally regained his composure.

"That is... quite an unexpected revelation."

He licked his lips with his long tongue.

"You and Danzo were researching Wood Release, weren't you?"

Takuya threw out another bombshell.

Here we go again. The smile Orochimaru had just managed to regain vanished in an instant.

He almost lashed out but restrained himself, forcing a stiff smile as he looked at Takuya with eyes full of veiled menace.

"Takuya-kun, you must be joking. How could I possibly..."

"Don't deny it."

Takuya's gaze sharpened.

"I know exactly what you're up to. I just don't want to get involved. Even if it were exposed, Danzo wouldn't face any real consequences. Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't allow it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths to get him imprisoned in the first place."

"Besides."

Placing the teacup lightly on the table, Takuya smiled faintly.

"Don't give me that dangerous snake-eyed glare, or you'll regret it."

Orochimaru's mind churned with a storm of thoughts as he stared silently at Takuya. The threatening aura dissipated—he genuinely didn't dare act rashly.

If it came to a fight, he knew he would lose.

"What do you want?"

Talking to someone smart had its advantages.

Takuya snapped his fingers.

"Hand over the surviving test subject from your experiments. Erase your traces and prepare all the evidence against Danzo. I want to crush him. After the war ends, I have some projects I want to collaborate on with you."

He wanted the experimental subject and the evidence to destroy Danzo.

This indicated that Takuya wasn't targeting Orochimaru—in fact, he was offering to clear his name.

"Don't get any ideas. The fact that I know this much means I know a lot more, including why the Third Mizukage can use Wood Release. I also hope that when Danzo escapes prison, your name isn't on my hit list.

"Otherwise, you know the consequences. I know you're good at running and hiding, but Manda has been with me for years—it wasn't for nothing."

"All this information—you'd share it with me?"

Orochimaru ignored the other threats, focusing entirely on the reason behind the Third Mizukage's Wood Release.

His gleaming eyes betrayed his intense interest.

"That depends on your performance."

"When I return to the village, send over the experimental subject. I want to see your sincerity."

With that, Takuya left the command center, leaving Orochimaru with an increasingly amused expression.

Wood Release and the fraudulent Third Mizukage...

Things were getting more and more interesting.

Perhaps he could uncover his own path to immortality from all this!

Compared to Takuya's terms, Danzo was nothing but a pile of garbage.

Even the allure of Hashirama's cells couldn't captivate Orochimaru anymore—he wanted more.

If Danzo no longer had anything Orochimaru needed, he would sell him out in a heartbeat.

They were both ruthless and willing to do anything for their goals. Loyalty was unnecessary.

Meanwhile, at the Sarutobi compound, the Third Hokage frowned as he looked at his guest.

"Takeshi, Tsunade has made it clear that she doesn't want me involved in Danzo's affairs. I admit Danzo has gone too far."

The clan leader of the Shimura clan, Takeshi Shimura, smiled bitterly.

"Hokage-sama, while it's true that Danzo-sama has made mistakes, keeping him in a maximum-security cell, forced to eat, drink, and sleep there, could damage the village's reputation if word gets out. Many in the clan are already discussing it.

"As clan leader, I'm in an awkward position. I came here today not to argue but to ask Hokage-sama, for the sake of past ties, to help Danzo-sama just this once."