Chapter 149: Orochimaru

A hundred years of peace!

Uchiha Shisui and Yamato listened with blood boiling, longing to immediately throw themselves into the great cause Uzumaki Genma had described.

Uchiha Fugaku could not help but feel his own blood surge.

A hundred years of peace.

No children on the battlefield.

When Uchiha Sasuke was four, he was taken to the Third Shinobi War—did he truly want to go?

No, he did not.

But he had to.

He was the head of the Uchiha clan, obligated to uphold the Uchiha’s honor, to cultivate the clan’s heir...

But.

The heat of passion he had just felt was immediately suppressed by Uchiha Fugaku—he was not a youth like Uchiha Shisui.

He was the head of the Uchiha clan, responsible for the entire race.

His position did not permit him to act on passion!

Suppressing his emotions, Uchiha Fugaku’s mind raced, analyzing what Uzumaki Genma’s words meant for the Uchiha clan.

Opportunity!

The Uchiha were born as a warrior race.

Only battle could manifest honor.

Only through battle could they rise swiftly.

Only through battle could they gain power and status!

“Moreover, he is right—we must resolve the rift with the village, even if we cannot fully mend it, we must ease it...”

Uchiha Fugaku agreed with Uzumaki Genma’s words.

As head of the Uchiha clan, though his tenure had been short, he already sensed that the number of radical clan members was growing.

If this continued, the clan would drift further from the village, breeding unspeakable resentment.

If some event triggered a crisis of trust, the Uchiha would plunge into the abyss.

Coup.

He recalled the vision he had seen through his Mangekyo...

“So this is how it ends, if things continue like this?”

Uchiha Fugaku sighed inwardly, then made his decision, looking up at Uzumaki Genma: “The Uchiha clan will cooperate with your proposal, Genma-sama.”

Uchiha Shisui let out a silent breath of relief, a smile forming beneath his mask.

Uzumaki Genma smiled as well. “Fugaku, your choice will not be wrong.”

With the Uchiha’s cooperation, Minato Namikaze could now integrate the village’s internal forces far more easily.

“The Uchiha trust Genma-sama!”

Uchiha Fugaku said solemnly, then added: “My son Sasuke has some talent—I hope Itachi will guide him.”

“Sasuke? No problem. I have high hopes for him.”

Uzumaki Genma nodded: “If Itachi do not find my abilities unworthy, I will take him as my disciple.”

“Then Sasuke is entrusted to Itachi, Genma-sama!”

Uchiha Fugaku bowed deeply.

Uzumaki Genma raised his hand in a gesture of restraint and replied seriously: “Rest assured—Sasuke will become an outstanding ninja.”

The agreement was reached.

The specific details that followed would no longer involve Uzumaki Genma; they would be handed over to the Hokage’s office.

Weakening the Security Force’s authority and establishing a special emergency response unit—this was the Hokage’s power.

On one hand, the Security Force’s authority needed to be divided.

For example, separating arrest, trial, sentencing, and detention—though this would complicate procedures, it would disperse power and prevent villagers’ resentment from falling entirely on the Uchiha clan.

The Uchiha’s strength could then be freed up, focused more on the frontlines rather than wasting time on trivial village affairs.

What of Uchiha ambition?

Uzumaki Genma believed that even if the Uchiha possessed three or four Mangekyo, he and Minato Namikaze’s family together could still hold them in check!

After seeing off Uchiha Fugaku, Uzumaki Genma began his regular daily duties.

The Root had stabilized; Hyuga Hiashi helped shoulder internal affairs, greatly easing his burden.

What consumed him most each day was the intelligence gathered from all directions.

Though subordinates first analyzed, categorized, and summarized it, he still had to devote considerable thought.

Of course, compared to the beginning, it was far more relaxed—he now had more time for cultivation.

Currently, his main focus was on Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Style, and the cultivation of Lei Shen Susano’o.

Occasionally, he also studied the Impure World Reincarnation technique.

He thought he could capture some White Zetsu and summon Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.

And Obito Uchiha...

Two Mangekyo against two Mangekyo—surely that would be fun!

After lunch with Hyuga Mio, and after personally training the Root ninja in the afternoon, his attention turned back to his own body.

Since purchasing the Sage Body, his chakra had steadily increased.

Especially with continuous training, it had grown even more.

“Could it be that the Sage Body has unlocked my latent potential?”

Uzumaki Genma harbored many doubts.

His physical constitution was growing slowly, yet his chakra was rising rapidly.

Uzumaki Genma suddenly realized: “Perhaps it’s connected to the Mangekyo—mutually reinforcing each other. After all, chakra isn’t just about physique, but also spiritual strength...”

“And the Rinnegan... at this rate, it will take about ten years to fully evolve.”

The time is long, but acceptable.

At this moment, the shadow clone training Lei Shen Susano’o on the island exhausted its chakra and dissolved.

Uzumaki Genma immediately created another shadow clone to continue training, and after absorbing the clone’s feedback, he smiled: “Good progress—nearly there.”

“At this pace, within a year at most, I’ll complete it—enough to make Susano’o unrecognizable even to Uchiha Madara.”

Rubbing his chin, Uzumaki Genma suddenly had another idea: “What if I combine Wood Release with Susano’o, then overlay Lei Shen Mode? Hmm...”

Should he buy Wood Release?

Uzumaki Genma felt it was completely unnecessary—he could fully master Earth and Water Release chakra nature transformations, combine them with his current Yang Release level and the Sage Body.

He could reach, even surpass, Hashirama Senju.

“Step by step... first master Electromagnetic Style, and fulfill my dream of flying swords.”

“Also, Sage Mode—its priority must come before Wood Release.”

After setting his next cultivation direction, Uzumaki Genma plunged into intense training.

Meanwhile, on another front, Orochimaru had already begun planning his departure from Konoha.

Regarding Orochimaru, Uzumaki Genma and Minato Namikaze had both silently left the matter to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

In truth, Uzumaki Genma and Minato Namikaze’s stance was not to eliminate Orochimaru.

If he experimented on enemies’ bodies, they would not interfere.

But using their own people was the line they would not cross.

However, Uzumaki Genma refrained from intervening for another reason—he sensed that for Orochimaru, Konoha had become a restraint.

It hindered his pursuit of his own dream.

Konoha 47, January 28.

That evening, after escorting Hyuga Mio home, Uzumaki Genma deliberately went to a secluded place.

“Itachi’re leaving?”

Uzumaki Genma spoke.

“Itachi truly are Genma-kun...”

Orochimaru stepped out from behind a tree.

Uzumaki Genma turned to face him, smiling Orochimaru, and said: “Beware of an organization called Akatsuki—they possess the Rinnegan.”

“The Rinnegan—the legendary Sage’s eye...”

Orochimaru’s gaze burned with fervor.

“I’ll send people to hunt Itachi down—would Itachi mind?”

Uzumaki Genma asked.

“Of course not.”

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes: “But I won’t hold back.”

Uzumaki Genma nodded: “Of course!”

He truly wished to keep Orochimaru—such a brilliant researcher, leaving was a waste.

Yet even if Orochimaru stayed, he would never research according to Uzumaki Genma’s wishes.

So better to let him go and wander.