It was precisely because Orochimaru placed such tremendous value on Menma that he was willing to accept an alliance that, on the surface, appeared to put him at a disadvantage.
In truth, Orochimaru did not believe he was losing anything at all. The mere prospect of obtaining information concerning the Sharingan and the Rinnegan was more than enough to justify any investment.
Research that he had abandoned years ago had now been revived.
Only now did Orochimaru realize that his previous approach had been fundamentally flawed. Rather than continuing down that misguided path, he needed to correct his course and begin anew from the proper foundation.
Even so, one crucial ingredient was still missing.
An ordinary Sharingan was far from sufficient.
What he truly required…
…was the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Yes. Our objectives align, at least for now. Rest assured, Menma-kun. I will temporarily divert the attention of those searching for you. However, remember that this arrangement has its limits. Whether it is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the Akatsuki, or even Takigakure, they will eventually uncover the truth. If you have any remaining plans to carry out, execute them as quickly as possible. Time is no longer on your side."
Orochimaru spoke with his usual calm smile.
"I understand. Then I'll leave the rest to you, Orochimaru-san. We'll excuse ourselves."
Menma casually waved his hand before rising from his seat.
Turning toward the exit, he strode confidently out of the chamber, with Yūgao following close behind.
Menma-kun… continue growing stronger.
If you fail… I won't hesitate to claim everything you've built for myself.
Watching the two disappear through the doorway, Orochimaru's golden snake-like eyes narrowed with unmistakable greed.
His smile deepened ever so slightly.
Naturally, Menma had no idea what Orochimaru was plotting.
But even if he did…
…he wouldn't have cared.
From the very beginning, he knew he was bargaining with a snake.
There had always been risks.
If he had feared taking such risks, he would never have defected from Konohagakure in the first place. He could have remained in the village and walked the same path as Naruto, just as the original history had intended.
But that was never the life Menma desired.
He had his own ambitions.
His own convictions.
And he intended to pursue them to the very end.
After leaving Orochimaru's underground audience chamber, the two walked through the dimly lit corridors in silence.
Yūgao, who had remained half a step behind Menma the entire time, finally broke the silence after a brief hesitation.
"Menma-kun… can Orochimaru truly be trusted? I can't shake the feeling that he's merely using you."
Her concern was genuine.
As comrades, she believed it was her responsibility to voice such worries.
Although she had never personally known Orochimaru, his reputation throughout the shinobi world was impossible to ignore.
One of the Legendary Sannin.
A genius.
A traitor.
A man whose countless inhumane experiments had made his name synonymous with fear.
Forming an alliance with someone like him…
Yūgao simply couldn't feel at ease.
Menma understood exactly what she meant.
He stopped walking and turned toward her with a gentle smile.
"Trust him?"
He chuckled softly.
"Of course not."
"Apart from you, Karin, and the companions who have chosen to walk this path beside me, I don't place absolute trust in anyone."
"That includes Orochimaru."
"Our relationship exists solely because our interests happen to coincide."
"An alliance built on mutual benefit…"
Yūgao frowned slightly.
"If that's the case, Menma-kun… then why don't we distance ourselves from him as soon as possible?"
"Because," Menma answered calmly, "right now, Orochimaru is the most reliable ally we have."
He continued walking as Yūgao silently followed.
"Greed is one of humanity's strongest driving forces."
"It exists within everyone."
"In me."
"In you."
"In every single person in this world."
"Everyone pursues something."
"Orochimaru is no different."
"What he seeks is something only I can provide."
"As long as he hasn't achieved that objective, he has no reason to betray us."
"Likewise…"
"We still need him."
"He plays an indispensable role in our plans."
Menma looked ahead with unwavering confidence.
"So, for the time being, there's no reason to worry."
"Besides…"
"I've already prepared contingencies."
"If Orochimaru ever decides to cross the line…"
"…I'll be ready."
Yūgao quietly observed him.
Just as Karin had become someone Menma trusted, Yūgao had gradually become part of that same circle.
The promise they had forged witnessed by Matatabi and the Nine-Tails wasn't merely symbolic.
It represented genuine mutual recognition.
Because of that, Menma never hid his reasoning from her.
Explaining his decisions openly was another way of strengthening the trust between them.
Yūgao finally nodded.
"I understand."
After a brief pause, she asked,
"So… are we returning to Takigakure now?"
"Or is there still something left to take care of?"
"There is."
A faint smile spread across Menma's face.
"Someone still has questions that deserve answers."
"And if I leave without answering them…"
"…he probably won't let me go."
As he spoke, Menma subtly tilted his head toward one of the adjoining corridors.
Yūgao instinctively followed his gaze.
A tall, slender young man slowly approached them.
His expression remained as indifferent as ever.
Cold.
Silent.
Yet carrying an unmistakable intensity.
Sasuke Uchiha…
The name immediately surfaced in Yūgao's mind.
Menma smiled.
"I honestly expected you to question Orochimaru first, Sasuke."
Sasuke stopped several meters away.
His dark eyes remained fixed on Menma.
"I will."
"But before that…"
"I want to hear the truth from you."
"Tell me everything you know."
His gaze sharpened.
It was the look of someone who refused to accept evasion.
Menma merely smiled in response.
Yūgao immediately understood that what followed was not something an outsider should hear.
"I'll wait outside, Menma-kun."
She gave him a slight nod before heading toward the entrance without another word.
Menma nodded in return.
What they were about to discuss concerned the deepest secrets of the Uchiha Clan.
No one else had any business listening.
The two eventually arrived at Sasuke's private training grounds.
Orochimaru had built the entire compound specifically for him.
Besides his residence, numerous training facilities occupied the surrounding area, each carefully designed to accommodate Sasuke's rigorous daily regimen.
Whether it was taijutsu, kenjutsu, ninjutsu, or chakra control, every aspect of his training could be conducted there without limitation.
Menma took a slow breath.
"Where should I begin…"
He pondered for a moment before continuing.
"I suppose the most appropriate place is the night of the Nine-Tails' Attack."
"The conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha stretches back decades."
"The seeds of distrust were planted long before that night."
"But the event that directly set your clan's destruction into motion…"
"…was the Nine-Tails' Attack sixteen years ago."
Menma's expression became noticeably more serious.
"The story begins there."
There was little point in delving into every grievance accumulated over generations.
Sasuke wasn't looking for a political lecture.
Nor was he seeking an academic explanation of Konoha's history.
What he wanted…
What he needed…
…was the truth behind the Uchiha Clan Massacre.
Was Itachi Uchiha truly the sole man responsible for annihilating the Uchiha Clan?
Or had far darker hands been pulling the strings from the shadows all along?
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