In the medical room, the Uchiha clan members exchanged glances, but no one spoke.
None of them were particularly keen on giving Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan to Orochimaru, but the eyes were already blind. The Uchiha had no solution to restore them, and they had reached a point where they had no choice but to trust Orochimaru, who was an expert in medical treatment and body modifications.
When it came to matters like these, the Uchiha had a great deal of trust in Orochimaru's expertise. As for how to restore Shisui's sight, that could be dealt with later. For now, the eyes were just a pair of blind eyes.
"Very well, it seems I don't need to waste any more words," Orochimaru said, licking his lips. He looked around at the crowd before quickly leaving the medical room, completely ignoring the two elder advisors.
They were uninvited guests and had no place in the discussion.
"Orochimaru, you…" Koharu frowned, her face full of anger, but she was stopped as she tried to follow him out of the room.
Homura shook his head. "Why humiliate ourselves? It's time to accept that we have no influence over Orochimaru anymore."
"But that Mangekyō Sharingan has been given to Orochimaru. Sooner or later, it will become the source of trouble," Koharu said, her eyes stern. Her previously distorted expression now shifted, hinting at resentment toward Orochimaru.
"So what?" Homura responded, glancing at the medical room and then at the direction Orochimaru had gone. "Are you going to let Orochimaru destroy Shisui's eyes?"
"Shisui has made great contributions. Because of unwarranted circumstances, he's been deprived of the chance to restore his strength. Not just Uchiha, but the whole village will disapprove of this," Homura continued with a sigh.
While Orochimaru's actions so far could be seen as justified, the two advisors' concerns seemed much darker. Orochimaru was after eternal life and the bloodline abilities of the Uchiha clan. With this perfect opportunity to study the Mangekyō Sharingan, it was unlikely he would let it go easily.
At their level, they knew they couldn't stop Orochimaru.
Homura stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Those eyes are blind, after all. Even with Orochimaru's skills, he won't be able to do much with them for a while. As long as we get back to the village…"
Koharu's eyes lit up as she understood what he meant.
Such a troublesome issue should be handled by Hiruzen. Orochimaru had once been his disciple, and he was the only one who could manage the situation.
But then, she seemed to reconsider. "This is a serious matter. Hiruzen can't keep indulging his disciple like this."
Homura nodded, acknowledging her concern.
---
After dealing with Shisui's eyes, the Konoha Ninja began their journey back to the village. In the blink of an eye, four days had passed.
Their journey home was slower than when they had arrived, with more frequent stops, but there was a noticeable sense of relaxation. The Yunyin battle had ended swiftly, and the entire operation, including both the journey to and from the battlefield, had taken just a little over ten days.
In the short time they had been away, the village had barely changed. It was even quieter than before. The damage caused by the Nine Tails had been largely repaired, and the scars from that disaster were nearly invisible.
The Konoha Ninja Army, with the Uchiha Guard at its core, walked down the long street, greeted warmly by villagers as they made their way to the mission center to report their success.
In a world constantly at war, people are often very pragmatic. It doesn't matter if you're the Hokage or a member of the Uchiha clan; they will praise you openly. What can be offered so freely can sometimes be exchanged for the hard-won peace that only fools would ignore.
As Fugaku Uchiha walked through the street, he kept his usual stoic expression, but the villagers' praise clearly warmed his heart. For a long time, as the patriarch of the Uchiha clan and the leader of the Konoha Guard, he had been respected only within Uchiha territory. In the past, when the villagers saw the Uchiha crest, they would avoid eye contact or quickly turn away. Now, they greeted him with enthusiasm and recognition.
Fugaku could see the sincerity in their faces, and it made him slow his pace a little.
Behind him, the other members of the security team also walked with their usual cold demeanor, but the slight upward tilt of their mouths betrayed their true feelings.
However, Orochimaru was not among them. After entrusting the ninja army's duties to Fugaku, he had returned to his own house in Konoha.
Unlike the Uchihas who claimed not to care about the villagers' opinions but secretly held different thoughts, Orochimaru truly didn't care. He only valued those few individuals who had potential for his own purposes and the land of Konoha that nurtured them.
According to the Lamp God, Konoha could be seen as a land for growing leeks. When the leaves of the land wither and no new leeks grow, Orochimaru would not hesitate to clear the waste and use their flesh to nourish the soil that had run out of its fertility.
With a swift "shua" sound, Orochimaru jumped into his courtyard, and the noise from inside made him pause for a moment.
At this point in Orochimaru's plan, Yamato should have been training.
"Not long after leaving the Root, I forgot what to do and what not to do…" Orochimaru murmured, a dangerous smile forming on his face as he stepped inside. But it was not Yamato who came to greet him—it was someone else.
"Anko… What are you doing here?" Orochimaru asked, surprised.
"Mr. Orochimaru, you're back," Mitarashi Anko replied with a surprised expression. "You came back just in time. I was about to make lunch."
As she spoke, she hurried off to the kitchen.
Orochimaru stood at the door for a moment, then entered the room. He found a chair and sat down, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
The house was exceptionally clean, and unlike the cleaning Yamato did before, this was a much more meticulous effort. It looked like Anko had been staying here for a few days.
Orochimaru stroked his chin thoughtfully, his mind drifting back to memories.
Just as Shizune was to Tsunade, Anko was the daughter of an old friend to Orochimaru. He had taken her in as an orphan, and after accepting her as a disciple, he had trained her for a long time. However, Orochimaru now questioned whether it had been a good idea to take Anko under his wing.
Stripped of emotional attachment, Anko's talent was average, and her temperament didn't quite align with his needs. Perhaps out of respect for him, she had been trying to imitate him, but the gap between them made this imitation seem rather inadequate.
After a moment of consideration, Orochimaru made a decision. "I'll remove Anko's curse mark. It's a chance for her to change."
__________
Support me on patreon and read
1)Insect princess from Konoha
2)Second girls journey in Naruto
3)Orochimaru's Magic lamp
patreon.com/Silver757