"So, Orochimaru-sensei… are you just under too much stress lately and wanted to drink with us to relax?" Uchiha Some asked, skeptical. There was no way a man like Orochimaru would summon him and Tsunade merely for a casual drink—there had to be another purpose.
"You both know me well enough, so I'll speak plainly," Orochimaru said, meeting their gazes. "The Third Hokage sent word: once the current battle calms, you two will be sent to support Jiraiya at the Land of Earth's border, while I will assist Minato Namikaze. Consider this meal a sort of farewell banquet."
Tsunade's brow furrowed. "Why am I going with Some? Shouldn't he be following his master, and you, Orochimaru, going to the Land of Lightning border?"
She couldn't help but wonder—had the village already guessed about her connection with Uchiha Some?
In reality, this had been Jiraiya's decision. On the battlefield, Ōnoki's tactics had left many wounded, and the situation was difficult to control. Tsunade's presence would help stabilize the front. As for Some, Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to foster a bond between him and Shinnosuke, while also leveraging his immense strength to protect the boy at the border.
Once the explanation was given, the three of them began brewing plum wine, discussing the influential figures of the ninja world that Some had brought up.
"Orochimaru-sensei, what about Rōsa?" Tsunade asked, curious. "He assumed the role of Kazekage in a crisis and launched a surprise attack on us. Could he be considered a hero?"
"Rōsa?" Orochimaru sipped the fragrant, sweet plum wine and let his eyes drift in thought.
"Ambitious, yet shallow in talent. Jealous of the capable, envious of the gifted—hardly a hero."
Tsunade tilted her head. "Then what of Ōnoki? Decades commanding Iwagakure, wise and calculating, unshakable in mind—could he be called a hero?"
"Calculating, narrow-minded, deceitful and unpredictable. Firm-minded, yet unable to adapt. Not a hero either."
Tsunade's interest was piqued by Orochimaru's continued denials. "And Hanzo, the half-god? Conqueror of many lands, once even defeated us… could he be a hero?"
Orochimaru glanced at her strangely. "Hanzo is no longer what he once was. He values self-preservation over grand deeds, trivial gain over justice. Fearful at heart, and lacking courage. Not a hero."
"And the Third Raikage? Powerful, generous, blends easily with his subordinates?"
"Brave, yes. But thoughtless. Bold, yet reckless. Not a hero."
"And the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura?"
"Potentially great. Cold, ruthless, decisive in killing, immensely strong. Cunning and unscrupulous—he has the makings of a great but treacherous leader."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Then what about our own teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi?"
Orochimaru only laughed, evading the question, his amusement curling in the air.
Meanwhile, in the Konoha Hokage building, a heated debate brewed among the "Konoha F4" over Uchiha Some.
Hiruzen believed Some was the next great experiment of the Will of Fire. With proper guidance, he would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan like Uchiha Kagami, making significant contributions to the village. And Hiruzen's grandson, Shinnosuke, would gain a powerful future Hokage's ally.
But Danzo Shimura refused to give Hiruzen any leeway. He brought up their teacher, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, insisting on adhering to his policies. Tobirama had always seen Uchiha as volatile—especially those capable of the Mangekyō Sharingan—and recommended strict oversight, if not taming.
Hiruzen's patience thinned, glaring at Danzo, but Danzo remained unflinching. He even produced two volumes: one chronicling the wars between Uchiha Madara and the First and Second Hokage, and another analyzing the Uchiha clan's traits. He handed them to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen caught the books and skimmed through them, feeling his resolve weaken. Though Hokage, he still had to respect the wisdom of his predecessors.
"So… what do you intend to do?" Hiruzen asked, exhaling wearily. Even as Hokage, he could not easily oppose three elders in consensus—especially longtime friends whose ideas had often proved constructive.
"Danzo, Koharu, and Mei," Hiruzen said, addressing the council. "I agree to monitor Uchiha Some. But under no circumstances should you test him because of the Mangekyō Sharingan, nor take direct action against him."
All three elders nodded in agreement. Monitoring Some without provoking him was sufficient. The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan could not be wielded by anyone else, so overreach was unnecessary.
"Then does Danzo simply give up on the Mangekyō Sharingan?" Karasu asked later at the Root base, puzzled. This was entirely unlike him.
Danzo, seated and closing his eyes, slowly opened his left eye. He could feel the power emanating from his right eye, a Mangekyō Sharingan inherited from Kagami, and the immense chakra drain it caused.
"I cannot risk it… though it pains me. The strain of wielding the Mangekyō is too great for a non-Uchiha. When the time comes for me to control it fully, I can act against Some without worry."
He paused. "Kagami's Mangekyō is not easily mastered. For now, I must only maintain it enough to prevent self-harm. When I am ready… then I will confront Some."
For Danzo, the priority was not seizing Some's power yet, but gathering complete intelligence: his bonds, personality, combat style, and behavioral patterns.
Know your enemy, know yourself. Only then can victory be assured.
For a ninja, the battlefield begins with information. Root would collect everything about Some, ensuring that, when necessary, the Mangekyō Sharingan could be claimed on their terms—not through rash action, but through calculated strategy.
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