After the meal, everyone returned to the inn to rest. The events of the day had left them both physically and mentally drained, and hardly had they laid down when they were fast asleep.

Uchiha Miyuki, however, remained awake. Seated by the window at a small table in his room, he leisurely sipped a pot of freshly brewed green tea, his mind already racing ahead.

Later that night, under the pale glow of moonlight, a white serpent silently slithered along the sill and crept into Miyuki’s room. Moments later, with a sudden flash and a burst of smoke, the serpent transformed into human form—it was none other than Orochimaru.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Lord Miyuki,” Orochimaru said, his voice low and serpentine as he bowed slightly.

“Please, have a seat,” Miyuki replied, gesturing toward the chair opposite him. He poured a cup of tea for his unexpected visitor before settling back into his calm composure.

“You did well,” Miyuki complimented coolly. “To produce so many convincing forged pieces of evidence in such a short time—it’s impressive work.”

Orochimaru lowered his head respectfully. “It is an honor to be of service to you.”

As Miyuki regarded the obedient Orochimaru before him, he couldn’t help but reflect on the terrifying power awakened within his own Mangekyō Sharingan—a power so fearsome that its true horror was not merely in bending one’s will, but in stamping an indelible ideological seal deep within the target’s subconscious. With that seal in place, everything would appear perfectly natural, as if it were meant to be. This, he mused, was the reason why his left eye’s Kotoamatsukami comes with a cooldown of ten years, while the brief, brute-force control of the right eye seemed almost expendable in comparison.

Of course, Miyuki wasn’t taking anything for granted. In the original timeline, even more terrifying divine techniques were often detected in minute details by high-IQ shinobi like Shikamaru. It was only a matter of time before Orochimaru realized he’d been caught in the snare. After all, one might question Orochimaru’s morals—or even his strength—but never his intellect.

Miyuki had never intended to enslave Orochimaru for the long term using his dojutsu. His deployment of Kotoamatsukami was solely designed to secure a researcher—someone who would be utterly loyal to him for a given period—without the hassle of constantly monitoring his actions. In the coming days, Miyuki’s own power growth would largely depend on Orochimaru’s technical prowess and vast network of contacts.

Miyuki had carefully evaluated his current level. Excluding the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan, his prowess with Susanoo, his innate Lightning Release, and kenjutsu placed him in the upper-middle tier among Kage-level fighters. The right eye’s dojutsu provided exceptional counters against illusion-dependent adversaries, while the left eye’s ability—the “Eighty Calamities of the Sun God”—allowed him to contend with foes even when heavily outnumbered by shinobi of similar rank. However, using these techniques came at a steep price; any protracted battle would likely leave him blind.

To achieve his ambitions, Miyuki knew that Jiraiya was an unavoidable obstacle. Entering Sage Mode—and having the support of the two Toad Sages—meant that Jiraiya’s power far surpassed his own at this moment.

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More crucially, all of Miyuki’s blood relatives had perished long ago. Without a second set of eyes to evolve his Mangekyō into the Eternal Mangekyō, the natural path for power progression within the Uchiha clan had come to an end for him. The ninja world was an extraordinary realm, but his current strength would never be enough to both stage a coup and weather the ensuing fallout.

Now, faced with the desire to grow stronger, Miyuki saw only two viable paths: one, to try transplanting cells from Hashirama Senju; or two, to train relentlessly in Sage Mode. In both cases, Orochimaru was the optimal choice to facilitate these plans. This was precisely why Miyuki had accepted the mission—and why, in his battle against Orochimaru, he expended chakra without restraint, unleashing wide-ranging ninjutsu to clear the field.

As for the inevitable depletion of his Kotoamatsukami? In Miyuki’s coup plan, that technique was intended solely as a deterrent. As long as no one witnessed him employing it, it might as well have never been used.

Miyuki glanced at Orochimaru and broke the silence. “Have you brought the Summoning Contract from Ryūchi Cave?”

Orochimaru nodded. After forming a quick hand seal, a small snake materialized on the table. The snake unhinged its jaw and spat out a bundle of scrolls. Orochimaru carefully picked up the slime-slicked scroll, wiping it clean before offering it with both hands.

Miyuki unrolled the document, signed his name, and then instructed, “Send my regards to Ryūchi Cave. I will be paying a visit in a few days.”

“Understood, Lord Miyuki. Is there anything else you require?” Orochimaru asked, his eyes glinting with cunning.

“Indeed. Cultivate a sample of Hashirama’s cells for me, and keep a close watch on the Akatsuki’s movements. Should they stir even slightly, report back to me immediately.”

“Very well,” Orochimaru replied. With that, he dissipated into a cloud of white mist, vanishing before Miyuki’s eyes.

…

The next day, pressed by the urgency to return and report to the village, the team no longer traveled leisurely. Channeling every bit of their chakra, they pushed themselves to cover what would normally be a two-day journey in just one. By dusk, they had returned to the village.

Together, they proceeded to the Hokage’s office and submitted their mission report.

“Did Orochimaru manage to escape?” queried Sarutobi Hiruzen, his expression a complicated mix of relief and regret as he scanned Kakashi’s report.

“Never mind that,” Hiruzen murmured, shaking his head and looking at the assembled team. “Regardless, thank you all for your hard work.”

“Lord Hokage,” Miyuki began, “Captain Kakashi and I uncovered some highly classified information during the mission. May we have a moment to present our findings separately?”

Hiruzen regarded the two with mild curiosity. Assuming they had traced further clues about Orochimaru’s whereabouts, he turned his gaze to the others. Sensing the need for discretion, the rest of the team quietly exited the office.

Once only the three of them remained, Miyuki and Kakashi exchanged a brief, knowing glance before handing over the collected documents to Hiruzen.

Hiruzen’s face darkened as he skimmed the papers; one by one, he devoured the incriminating evidence with startling speed. When he finished, he remained silent for a long moment. Finally, he produced his pipe, stuffed it with tobacco, and lit it. The Hokage’s office was filled with curling blue smoke, punctuating the heavy silence.

After finishing an entire pouch of tobacco, Hiruzen finally looked up at Miyuki and Kakashi. “How do you propose we handle this matter? I’d like to hear your opinions.”

At the question, Kakashi bowed his head in deference while Miyuki stepped forward, his eyes burning with resolve.

“My opinion is simple,” Miyuki declared firmly. “Lord Hokage, issue the order immediately: let the Security Division and the Anbu join forces to apprehend all 93 individuals implicated across the three clans as swiftly as possible. Under the radiance of the Will of Fire, there is no place in Konoha for those who recklessly take the lives of their comrades! We must eradicate this cancer with the utmost severity!”

Hiruzen listened as Miyuki’s words sank in, then replenished his pipe with another handful of tobacco. Just then, a commotion erupted outside the Hokage’s office—shouts and clamor suggesting that chaos was unfolding in the corridor.