章節 146: Chapter 145: Danzo and Orochimaru's Reactions

In contrast to the resolute stance of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, the attitudes of the other clans remained ambiguous.

Smaller clans like the Yamanaka and Inuzuka were caught between a rock and a hard place. They were reluctant to offend the Fourth Hokage, but they also didn't want to antagonize the advisory elders who were subtly opposing him.

These high-ranking figures, engaged in behind-the-scenes maneuvering, had the power to easily crush them.

Unlike the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, who had been united for over a century and had their interests closely intertwined, these smaller clans were fragmented and lacked the trust needed to form a cohesive group.

Among the many clans in Konoha, only the Hyuga and Uchiha families were able to maintain their independence.

Due to the branch family system within the Hyuga clan, their ninjas rarely held high positions in the major departments. However, their Byakugan was indispensable to the village's operations.

As a result, the Fourth Hokage's reforms did not directly affect them, unless the reforms touched upon their specific clan system.

After discussions among the Hyuga clan leader and the main house members, the Hyuga decided to remain neutral, avoiding offending either side. They believed that neutrality would make them a sought-after ally by both factions.

On the other hand, the Uchiha clan was in an uproar after receiving the Hokage's orders.

While Fugaku Uchiha had hinted at a possible collaboration with the Fourth Hokage during the clan meeting, many Uchiha ninjas strongly opposed giving up any part of their positions in the police force.

The police force had provided many less talented ninjas with a decent living and a sense of superiority over ordinary ninjas.

The Fourth Hokage's reforms clearly threatened their interests.

As for the conflict between the Fourth and Third Hokages, some had analyzed the situation but were more focused on their own interests rather than the larger political struggle.

In their view, whether the Fourth or the Third Hokage won, the Hokage's faction would prevail.

The Uchiha had no chance of becoming Hokage themselves, so they needed to seize the opportunity to strike hard and attract other clans during this period of conflict.

Facing the complex clan meeting, Fugaku felt equally conflicted.

While the village's power struggle between the Fourth and Third Hokages was intense, the Uchiha clan also faced internal discord. Many within the clan seemed eager to replace him as the head of the police force.

If possible, he wanted to carry out internal reforms within the Uchiha clan, to clean up the complex factions and deal with the militant elements who were quick to call for violence.

These ninjas talked big but lacked dedication to their training.

Since the departure of Madara Uchiha, there had been no other clan leaders with significant strength. Furthermore, the number of ninjas who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan was very limited.

In contrast, within the Hokage faction, there were only a handful of ninjas with clan leader (Kage) level strength.

Given this situation, rather than aiming for the Uchiha to surpass the Senju, it might be better to follow the example of the predecessors and join the Hokage faction, becoming a part of it, and then bide time to potentially become Hokage.

Of course, he couldn't rely on the current members of the clan. His only hope lay in his proud son Itachi Uchiha and the recently born Sasuke.

Itachi was a genius who could master techniques like the Fireball Jutsu with just a glance. His future was bright.

With such a talented older brother, Sasuke's own potential wouldn't be lacking. Perhaps one day, with the help of Mikoto, Sasuke could become good friends with Minato's children.

Leveraging these connections might make it easier to become a Hokage advisor in the future.

Eventually, either Itachi or Sasuke would likely become Hokage, or at the very least, the Uchiha clan would regain its former glory.

For now, Fugaku only needed to suppress dissent within the clan and minimize trouble for the Fourth Hokage.

Fugaku Uchiha was very clear about what he needed to do. He could not afford to let his dream of becoming Hokage slip away just because he failed to succeed the Fourth Hokage. There would still be opportunities for the Uchiha clan.

---

As Fugaku Uchiha entered his contemplation, Danzo and Orochimaru also received the Hokage's orders.

Danzo frowned upon reading Minato's assertive directives in the Hokage's orders and sneered.

"Minato Namikaze is indeed young. Such a hardline stance is bound to provoke Hiruzen Sarutobi's dissatisfaction, and he might even offend Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, those two useless ones. Without their support, does he really think he can push through his reforms? The village's issues could not be easily solved. Does he think he's Tobirama-sensei?"

Orochimaru, having read the contents, chuckled.

"I actually think Minato's strong stance is quite effective. While the village may appear calm on the surface, the gears of progress have already stopped turning. To change a stagnant situation, radical reforms are necessary. If I were Hokage, my reforms would be even more radical. At the very least, I would offer the ninjas in the village a chance to change their fate."

Hearing this, Danzo's expression darkened significantly. He was well aware of the village's predicament and recognized that Minato's reforms had some merit.

However, Minato was targeting their department for restructuring, and the budget cuts would affect them as well.

As for Orochimaru's radical reform suggestions, Danzo remained outwardly expressionless but internally opposed. What chance to change one's fate? It's just a way to recruit volunteers.

If extensive recruitment of test subjects were to occur, even if Orochimaru became Hokage, he would be driven out of office.

Though Danzo had long resided in the shadows, he knew that some things were meant to stay hidden. Even if given a chance to step into the spotlight, he would keep those things concealed.

But Orochimaru was clearly different. He didn't seem to shy away from these practices at all.

Whether it was privately recruiting test subjects or conducting secret human experiments, Orochimaru was almost brazen about it.

If not for the preemptive measures Danzo had taken, Orochimaru would have faced an even more crushing defeat in the Hokage election.

Danzo suddenly felt a pang of envy towards Orochimaru.

Compared to himself, Orochimaru was undoubtedly more fortunate. Both Jiraiya and Tsunade, who were also disciples of Sarutobi Hiruzen, had withdrawn from the Hokage race, leaving only the younger Minato Namikaze.

If Danzo were in Orochimaru's shoes, he might have chosen to mask his true intentions in front of Hiruzen.

Once he became Hokage, he could proceed with his own agenda without delay.

However, what Danzo didn't know was that Orochimaru's ambitions extended beyond Konoha. The constraints of the village's sky were starting to limit his vision.

After his failure to become Hokage, Orochimaru began contemplating leaving Konoha.

Only by departing from the village could he freely research ninjutsu and explore the secrets of chakra. The reason he had yet to decide where to go was that he had not yet settled on a specific destination.