There Are No Eternal Secrets

By now, dusk had settled, and blazing torches were burning brightly, crackling and snapping, only serving to accentuate the silence within the conference room.

Orochimaru spoke casually, as if the enemy he mentioned was not one of the greatest shinobi villages in the world, but merely some ordinary stray cat or dog. This was not arrogance; his confidence was forged through countless life-and-death struggles. The renown of the “Three Legendary Shinobi” had long spread across the land, marking him as one of the strongest, and now, years later, his power had grown even further. Last night, he single-handedly turned the tide of battle, once again proving his might. With the strategy offered by the Genie, he believed himself capable of mastering the battlefield.

The squad captains from Konoha exchanged anxious glances, astonished as they looked toward the head of the room.

Everyone knew the strength of the Hidden Cloud Village. Last night, even with Konoha’s advantage in terrain and morale, they only managed a narrow victory and could not completely defeat their foe. And that was not even the full force of Hidden Cloud.

To truly break Cloud’s power, they would have to face the fortress—a structure already partially completed, surely surrounded by countless traps, sealing techniques, and barriers. Under such unfavorable conditions, with fewer troops and less strength than the enemy, it was simply impossible to win!

Yet, despite knowing the disparity between their forces, the Konoha shinobi in the room found themselves stirred by Orochimaru’s bearing. After all, war means death, and shinobi are still human. Even if they carry the “Will of Fire,” they are not like the unfeeling tools of the Root Division. On the battlefield, who would not wish for such a powerful leader to guide them, reverse their fortunes, and seize victory?

The captains of the Uchiha clan in particular, who always admired strength, were even more eager to take Orochimaru’s place. Unfortunately, their education had stalled at birth, so they could not voice the ancient sentiment: “A true man should ride in such a carriage.”

For a moment, the fervor in the conference room was even more intense than the roaring flames outside.

Of course, no one dared to speak recklessly. If there was no solution, then there was no solution; all eyes remained fixed on Orochimaru.

Among them, Fugaku’s gaze was troubled. He understood the true nature of this war and feared that Orochimaru’s methods might be too ruthless, causing excessive losses among his clan.

Surprisingly, Orochimaru’s proposed method was not particularly ingenious—it was simply a direct exchange of pieces.

The Fourth Raikage and the two Jinchuriki, the three strongest warriors on the Cloud side, were to be excluded from the main battle. Konoha’s shinobi needed only to destroy the Cloud fortress, and for this, Orochimaru had arranged additional support.

Everyone looked at each other. If things went as Orochimaru planned, they might truly have a chance to win.

But what about the Raikage and the Jinchuriki? Was Orochimaru planning to face all three alone?

From last night’s battle, Orochimaru could perhaps hold off the two Jinchuriki, but not the Raikage. If there was no fortress to destroy, the Raikage could break through at any time, and Orochimaru’s Yamata-no-Orochi form could never stop him.

Under the questioning gazes, Orochimaru offered no explanation, but suppressed dissent with his authority. It was the simplest and fastest method, provided there was no failure.

After the meeting, everyone dispersed to prepare for the coming battle—except for Shisui, who was asked to stay.

Shisui stood in place, his expression puzzled, but the question that reached his ears made his face change.

“Shisui, you should be able to withstand a Jinchuriki in Tailed Beast form, shouldn’t you?”

Orochimaru smiled, getting straight to the point. “You have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, correct?”

Upon hearing this, Shisui’s face shifted through several expressions before settling into a bitter smile. “How did you discover that, Lord Orochimaru?”

After awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shisui had been cautious, aware of the delicate relationship between the Uchiha and the village. He had never used it in front of others, and could not imagine where he had slipped. Yet Orochimaru’s words made it clear—he possessed undeniable evidence.

“There are no eternal secrets,” Orochimaru replied with a smile. He did not dwell on whether Shisui admitted to his awakening, but instead asked, “Shisui, how do you view this war?”

Shisui was deep in thought, considering the consequences of exposing his Mangekyō Sharingan to Orochimaru. Hearing the question, he paused.

This war had begun because Hidden Cloud, seeing Konoha weakened after the Nine-Tails attack, sought to press their advantage, perhaps even to provoke a wider conflict and carve up Konoha entirely. The village’s leadership had discussed this thoroughly—why was Orochimaru asking again?

Shisui pondered for a moment, linking the Mangekyō Sharingan to the chaos of the Nine-Tails, and was suddenly struck with fear. He quickly stood and denied, “Lord Orochimaru, I swear the Nine-Tails’ control had nothing whatsoever to do with me!”

Orochimaru spoke calmly. “But it cannot be unrelated to the Uchiha, and to the Mangekyō Sharingan, can it?”

Shisui was silent, but Orochimaru shifted the topic.

“However, both the Third Hokage and I believe that most of the Uchiha are innocent.”

Before Shisui could show relief, Orochimaru continued,

“But for the rest of the village to believe this, the Uchiha must prove themselves.”

“This war is the opportunity.”

Orochimaru laid everything bare, recounting the arrangement made with the Third Hokage and Fugaku Uchiha.

Shisui’s face changed repeatedly, and he sighed. “The clan leader… he actually agreed.”

“Circumstances leave him no choice. The village can trust the Uchiha once, but if the mastermind strikes again, what explanation could we offer?”

Orochimaru’s voice softened. “A simple word of trust is paid for with the villagers’ flesh and bones. The village cannot bear that cost.”

“Thus, the Uchiha must prove themselves, framing the Nine-Tails attack and any future assaults as invasions by outside enemies, not a treacherous rebellion.”

“This is the stance the Uchiha must uphold!”

Hearing this, Shisui understood the events of recent days and his expression returned to calm. “What do you want me to do, Lord Orochimaru?”

“That depends on your choice,” Orochimaru said, glancing at Shisui. “Are you willing to give up these Mangekyō Sharingan?”

“To the village, the Uchiha’s losses are already severe. If the Uchiha lose a pair of legendary forbidden eyes on top of that, it would serve as proof of their resolve to protect the village.”

“No need to say more, Lord Orochimaru,” Shisui replied evenly, his face composed. “I have no attachment to these Mangekyō eyes.”

With his intelligence, Shisui understood that so-called choices were little more than a joke. Orochimaru had already counted these eyes into his plans against Hidden Cloud.

He did not object; he never coveted the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. For the village and his clan, he was willing to give them up. Yet, being manipulated to such a degree left a trace of bitterness in his heart.

“You seem to have misunderstood me,” Orochimaru smiled. “Even without you, I have other ways to hold off a Jinchuriki.”

“Jiraiya is preparing in Konoha, and I can summon him to the battlefield.”

“But the duration of the summoning is limited. In the later stages of the war, your clansmen will have to hold off the enemy with their own flesh and blood.”

“They are the ones without a choice.”

“So, what is your answer?”