In the quiet room, the atmosphere seemed to freeze for a moment.
But it was only a fleeting moment before Minato frowned and asked, "He likes Kushina?"
"Hehehe... Minato-kun, there's no one else here. Given our relationship, there's no need for pretense."
Orochimaru chuckled meaningfully, his voice low and suggestive. "Besides, you're really not much of an actor."
"..."
The furrow in Minato's brow slowly smoothed out, his expression returning to its usual calm. "So, Senior, how did you notice?"
"It was your attitude."
Orochimaru leaned back casually in his chair, arms crossed, and explained with a faint smile. "A person's attitude differs depending on who they're facing. The respect shown to elders, the equality with friends, the care for juniors—these differences can be measured."
"For example, I've always treated you as an equal, Minato-kun. In my eyes, you're a kindred spirit, a fellow traveler on the path of ideals. So even though you're just a child, I see you as an equal."
"But I'm not the only one around you who treats you this way. Tsunade is the same."
"So the question is, no matter how strong Minato-kun is, most people still see him as just a child who needs to be looked after by his seniors. I treat Minato-kun as an equal because I consider him a confidant. But what about Tsunade?"
"At first, I thought it was simply because of Minato-kun's precociousness that Tsunade subconsciously treated you as her peer. But some later events made me change my mind."
"What events?" Minato asked curiously.
"She quit gambling. That alone is utterly unbelievable."
Orochimaru chuckled. "Jiraiya also noticed this. We once thought she was in love, so out of curiosity, I had my subordinates investigate Tsunade's social interactions during that period."
"Don't misunderstand, I had no intention of prying into your privacy. It was just plain gossip."
Minato: "..."
"According to the investigation results, Tsunade didn't have any close interactions with men. However, I did discover some interesting things."
Orochimaru listed them like a know-it-all: "For example, outside of work, she spent the most time with you. She occasionally went out to buy clothes and cosmetics, and even used the Transformation Technique to buy romance novels. She particularly favored stories with younger male protagonists."
"To be honest, I found it hard to believe at first that a teammate I've known for years was a pervert. But this kind of subjective behavior makes it impossible for me to excuse her by saying she doesn't understand her own feelings."
"But that's the Teacher's behavior, not mine. Why are you calling Dan Katō my love rival?" Minato pressed.
"If you really knew nothing of this, you wouldn't deserve my special attention. But since you do know and haven't acted, it means this is exactly what you want."
Orochimaru said with a playful tone, "How greedy you are, Minato-kun."
A rare hint of embarrassment flickered across Minato's face. "Please keep this confidential."
"Of course. I'm just curious, not a gossip."
Noticing Minato's reaction, Orochimaru found it amusing. "Let's talk about your rival then. Dan Katō, twenty-five years old, a Jonin in Konoha."
"His personality is somewhat similar to yours, Minato-kun. Both of you use your looks to charm others. However, his methods are too direct and clumsy, lacking the sophistication you project."
"..."
The corners of Minato's mouth twitched. He couldn't tell if Orochimaru was praising him or insulting him.
Orochimaru continued, "As for his abilities, Dan Katō excels at the Spirit Transformation Technique. He has a natural talent for Ninjutsu and possesses some research capabilities. I worked with him for a while when he was researching the Spirit Transformation Technique."
"His strengths lie in his ability to present himself well and his skill in navigating social relationships. At least in my eyes, that's a valuable trait."
"His weaknesses are a lack of mental fortitude. He's too easily swayed by his pursuit of women and the flattery of others, becoming somewhat arrogant. He only knows how to speak pretty words and refuses to put in the hard work required for cultivation. This has resulted in him being unremarkable in all areas except Ninjutsu."
"Of course, that's relative to his potential. In reality, Dan's strength is decent for a Jonin, but merely decent. The old man originally intended to cultivate him, but he failed to seize the opportunity himself."
Orochimaru said with a seemingly mocking smile.
Hearing this, Minato's eyebrows rose slightly. "He just tried to approach me through Nawaki."
"I'm not surprised. When we were researching the Spirit Transformation Technique, he also tried to subtly praise me while finding opportunities to express his admiration for Tsunade. I ignored him, of course."
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "As for his true motives for approaching Tsunade, that's debatable. What do you say, Minato-kun? Shall I take care of him for you?"
"That's not really necessary..."
Minato sighed helplessly. "But I admit, he's not someone I can like."
"After all, he's a rival in love," Orochimaru said, shrugging with a teasing tone.
Minato ignored the teasing. "Could you find out how he became Nawaki's team leader?"
"No need to investigate. I was present at the Jonin Council meeting."
Orochimaru propped his chin on one hand and crossed his legs. "Dan Katō applied to become Akimichi Choza's team leader, claiming he was close to the little fatty and even bought him snacks."
"However, the Ino-Shika-Cho clans have always been led by members of the Sarutobi Clan. So, he had to settle for applying to become Nawaki's Teacher, using the same flimsy excuse."
"Settle?" Minato's tone was strangely flat. "Among Konoha's Jonin, he's probably the only one who doesn't know that the Ino-Shika-Cho have always been led by the Sarutobi Clan, right?"
"Exactly. That's why I say his motives are too obvious and his methods too clumsy."
Orochimaru's voice dripped with amusement. "He's so infatuated with her that he's lost his mind. He probably thinks the old man is just one of his fangirls. Minato-kun, you mustn't end up like him~"
"..."
Minato sighed. "Thank you for your help, Senior."
"There's no need for thanks between us, Minato-kun." Orochimaru said calmly, "But since you came to me first, I'll take care of that guy."
"You're not going to kill him, are you?" Minato asked hesitantly.
"How could that be?" Orochimaru replied with a meaningful smile. "This situation doesn't warrant taking a life."
Minato pondered this, but didn't press further.
He received a message from his Wood Clone: Nawaki's test was over, and Dan Katō was treating them to dango.
After thanking Orochimaru, Minato left Root.
Watching Minato's retreating figure, Orochimaru's expression grew inscrutable. He casually pulled out a notebook and jotted down two lines:
1. Wood Release + Senju.
2. Wood Release + Uzumaki.
After a moment's thought, he remembered the relationship between the Senju and Uchiha clans and added a third line:
3. Wood Release + Uchiha...
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