As expected of the Third Hokage's most favored student, Orochimaru cloaked his ambition in the language of dreams as he continued speaking to Kabuto.
"No matter what kind of dream you hold…"
"If you follow me, you will have the chance to achieve it."
Kabuto still remembered what Yusuke had said—that Orochimaru had likely been sent by Danzō as a final safeguard.
At first, he remained guarded.
But Orochimaru showed no intention of carrying out any execution.
"Orochimaru-sama… why are you telling me all of this?" Kabuto asked, confusion evident.
Orochimaru stared at him in silence, clear appreciation in his eyes.
"I have been observing you for a long time."
"You are talented. I value that."
"To kill you would be wasteful."
"These medical facilities…"
"…were prepared for someone like you."
Kabuto's confusion only deepened.
"…What do you actually want?"
Orochimaru spoke as though discussing an academic theory.
"I intend to create a village entirely different from one that erases individuality."
"There, you will discover the meaning of your existence."
"I will shield you from Danzō."
"You can be reborn at my side… under a new identity."
As he spoke, he casually tossed Kabuto a newly forged identity card.
Kabuto instinctively wanted to refuse.
Orochimaru did not force him—
but neither did he allow hesitation to linger.
"Come to my side."
And so, shaken and directionless, Kabuto stepped into Orochimaru's shadow.
Orochimaru's first order was delivered swiftly:
Investigate an organization called Akatsuki.
Yusuke Returns to Konoha
At the same time, Yusuke escorted Yakushi Nono safely back to Konoha.
Orochimaru was setting his sights on Akatsuki.
Yusuke, meanwhile, was preparing to uproot Danzō's Root.
Back in the Land of Fire—
inside Konoha—
Yusuke acted without delay.
He instructed Uchiha Fugaku to quietly select trusted members of the Konoha Military Police Force and form a covert investigation team.
Their objective:
Collect irrefutable evidence of Danzō's crimes.
If Yusuke investigated personally, it would alert Danzō immediately.
After careful thought, he entrusted the operation to Fugaku.
With the intelligence Orochimaru provided, breaking through Danzō's defenses would not be difficult.
Fugaku frequently led Police Force units outside the village on "cases," so his movements would not arouse excessive suspicion among the higher-ups.
But for additional security—
Yusuke deliberately created noise on the surface.
Using his authority as Hokage Advisor, he publicly announced the expansion of a new直属 ANBU unit under his direct command.
Recruitment began loudly.
It was a calculated distraction.
A loud shield.
A quiet blade.
The Hokage's Office — Konoha F4 Convenes Again
Hiruzen Sarutobi had already received reports from his ANBU.
Yusuke's recruitment of elites across departments made him uneasy.
Taking a slow draw from his pipe, Hiruzen introduced the topic.
"What are your thoughts on Yusuke's recent actions?"
Mitokado Homura responded first, his tone stern.
"I have read the ANBU reports."
"He is using ANBU expansion as a pretext to recruit elite shinobi."
"He is building his own faction."
"The Uchiha clan alone is already a delicate matter."
"If he forms another power bloc, the situation becomes harder to control."
"Yusuke's intentions are questionable. Hiruzen—you cannot ignore this."
Utatane Koharu nodded in agreement.
"Homura is correct."
"You already transferred some of Danzō's former personnel to him."
"Yet he still appears unsatisfied."
"We cannot allow him to grow unchecked."
Then Shimura Danzō spoke.
If anyone resented Yusuke's rising influence most, it was him.
That title—
Hokage Advisor—
had once been his.
Now it rested on Yusuke's shoulders instead.
He tapped his cane against the floor.
"The Uchiha's ambition is obvious."
"We should strike first."
"Eliminate the unstable factor entirely."
Hiruzen felt a dull ache behind his eyes.
Danzō's solution was always the same—
eradication.
As though slaughter were a simple administrative decision.
Was the Uchiha clan truly so easy to destroy?
Hiruzen's concerns centered primarily on Yusuke himself.
As for Fugaku, Shisui, Itachi—
he still believed they could be guided.
In his mind, the problem was singular:
Uchiha Yusuke.
Danzō's recent assassination attempt had not fooled him either.
He had hoped Danzō might present a solution.
Instead, even with Hanzō's involvement, Root had been crushed.
Hiruzen was disappointed.
Danzō had failed again.
In Hiruzen's private calculus, a massacre was never acceptable.
If Danzō could eliminate Yusuke discreetly, perhaps he could be restored.
If he could not—
then Hiruzen would find a way to "share" Konoha's power.
Sharing power with Danzō.
Or sharing power with Yusuke.
Either way, power would be balanced.
And Danzō had already attempted to undermine him more than once.
Hiruzen's face remained calm, but inwardly he kept score.
Yusuke possessed ambition—
but so far had not crossed a line that forced Hiruzen's hand.
So Hiruzen chose the simplest path:
Let Danzō and Yusuke clash.
He would observe from above.
Putting on a measured expression, Hiruzen concluded,
"This matter is too significant."
"We will discuss it further at a later time."
Again—
he deflected.
Homura and Koharu, after brief hesitation, aligned themselves with Hiruzen's "stability" stance.
Danzō misread it as softness.
In truth, Hiruzen simply wished to avoid immediate conflict.
Yusuke's popularity was rising—
but he could not overturn decades of rule overnight.
Hiruzen had led Konoha for years.
As long as he avoided a catastrophic mistake, his position remained secure.
His reputation mattered above all else.
All necessary darkness could be attributed to Danzō.
Even if Yusuke attempted to dig deeper—
most trails would lead back to Danzō first.
Furthermore—
the Legendary Sannin still existed.
If Jiraiya or Tsunade returned, either could stand opposite Yusuke.
Hiruzen's network remained deep-rooted.
Compared to the old guard's foundation—
Yusuke's was still developing.
Clan heads supported Yusuke now—
but if Hiruzen summoned their elders, loyalties could shift.
And none of them harbored hatred toward Jiraiya or Tsunade.
Tsunade was the First Hokage's granddaughter and recognized by the Daimyō.
Jiraiya represented the common shinobi and trained the Fourth Hokage.
Yusuke had won battles—
but in legacy and renown, he only now approached the Sannin.
Konoha Streets — Recruitment Begins
Yusuke invited Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy to a high-end restaurant.
The moment Kakashi learned Yusuke was paying, he began ordering enthusiastically.
Yusuke glanced at his rapidly thinning wallet and felt a headache forming.
He had already allocated a large sum to stabilize Nono's orphanage.
Now this extravagant dinner?
He was nearly broke.
Wasn't Nono supposed to receive official compensation for five years of undercover service?
Why was he paying from his own pocket?
If this dinner was related to ANBU expansion—
it qualified as operational expense.
Yusuke silently resolved to demand reimbursement from the Finance Department later.
After several rounds of food and drink, Yusuke finally revealed his purpose.
"I am forming a new ANBU unit."
"I want both of you to join."
Guy froze.
He had once volunteered for ANBU—
and been rejected directly by the Third Hokage.
Now Yusuke invited him personally.
He didn't know how to respond.
Kakashi remained relaxed.
"I'm not interested in ANBU."
"Ask someone else."
But in truth—
Kakashi was already an ANBU captain under Hiruzen.
ANBU identities were classified—even from close acquaintances.
Yusuke attempting to recruit Kakashi was essentially testing Hiruzen's boundaries.
And Yusuke knew it.
Hiruzen already possessed many elites.
As Hokage Advisor, recruiting one or two outstanding shinobi was perfectly reasonable.
Yusuke smiled.
"Don't reject it so quickly."
"The organization I'm building differs fundamentally from traditional ANBU."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"You're not planning to create another Root, are you?"
Yusuke did not answer directly.
"Konoha has accumulated too much darkness over the years."
"I intend to sweep it away."
"How much can be swept?"
"I will do what I can."
"And leave the rest to fate."
Kakashi's expression changed.
His father, Sakumo Hatake, had taken his own life under political pressure.
Minato had died abruptly.
Rin. Obito.
Those wounds never healed.
Though Kakashi respected Hiruzen—
deep down, he longed for change.
If Yusuke truly intended to become that spearhead—
Kakashi was willing to stand beside him.
Obito once dreamed of becoming Hokage to change Konoha.
Perhaps supporting Yusuke was another way of honoring that dream.
Seeing Kakashi's hesitation soften, Yusuke's smile deepened.
For him, change would not be rhetoric.
It would be proven through action.
And the first proof would be simple:
Danzō.
If Root were uprooted, half of Konoha's shadow would vanish instantly.
Hiruzen was cautious and self-preserving—
but he did not indulge in cruelty as openly as Danzō.
Time had worn down Hiruzen's ambition.
Now he only sought a smooth retirement and a favorable legacy.
Yusuke's objective was clear:
Rewrite the clan's fate.
Danzō and Root must be destroyed at the root.
Words were only the knock on the door.
Results would be the real persuasion.
If Kakashi joined—
Guy would likely follow.
Add Nono and Kurenai—
and Yusuke would already have four squad-leader candidates.
As for ordinary members—
he could recruit promising shinobi from major clans.
Hiruzen's ANBU was not made of gods.
Perfection was unnecessary.
And beyond these four squads—
Yusuke intended to draw elite Uchiha into the structure, appointing Uchiha Shisui as captain.
After repeated discussions, Shisui's stance had begun to shift back toward the clan.
Yusuke believed—
once shaped by this new organization,
Shisui would ultimately choose the Uchiha over the old guard.
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