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The manga had only mentioned that the Fourth Mizukage was controlled by Obito's genjutsu, but whether it was related to the Sharingan, Midorima wasn't entirely sure. However, one thing was certain—this was undoubtedly Obito's doing.
Being inexplicably driven out of Kirigakure and simultaneously facing two formidable enemies—the Akatsuki and the Hidden Mist Village—just surviving was already a feat in itself.
When dealing with Tsunade, some words had to be a mix of truth and lies.
"Dojutsu?" Tsunade's expression shifted slightly.
The three most renowned Dojutsu in the shinobi world were the Sharingan, the Byakugan, and the Rinnegan.
Tsunade had never personally witnessed the Rinnegan, but the Sharingan and Byakugan were the signature techniques of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans, respectively.
While the Byakugan was primarily used for perception, the Sharingan had countless other applications.
"So, you're saying you were framed by Konoha?" Tsunade clenched her fists, struggling to suppress her agitation.
She had wondered how a missing-nin from Kirigakure could be connected to Konoha. Now, it all made sense—the root of the issue lay here.
"Are you trying to provoke conflict or slander Konoha? Who put you up to this?" Tsunade glared coldly at Midorima.
If his next answer didn't satisfy her, she wouldn't hesitate to punch him straight in the face.
"Get out!" Midorima shouted.
"What?!" Tsunade thought she had misheard.
"I said, 'Get out!' Can't you understand?" Midorima glared back. "Our meeting happened because you approached me, didn't it? If you hadn't stopped me, Kakuzu wouldn't have caught up. Admit it!"
Tsunade remained silent, waiting to see what else the young man had to say.
"Fine, even if you won't admit that—didn't I warn you that once you knew the mastermind behind this, extricating yourself would be difficult? Didn't I also say that you'd have to judge the truth of the information yourself? When I didn't speak, you pressed me to talk. Now that I've spoken, you're dissatisfied. There's no point in continuing this conversation. Just leave." Midorima's voice was icy.
Though Tsunade hadn't been in contact with Konoha for years, her heart still belonged to the village.
Strictly speaking, this matter did involve someone from Konoha. And if one dug deeper into the Akatsuki, they would find deep ties to the village as well.
Anyone in Tsunade's position would resent hearing Konoha being slandered—it was only natural, given her background.
Midorima understood her reaction, but if she couldn't control her emotions, there was no point in continuing the discussion.
Tsunade slammed the table and stood up, striding toward the door. Just as she was about to open it, she hesitated for a few seconds, then lowered her hand. Taking three deep breaths, she turned back and returned to her seat.
"Sorry, I lost control earlier. But I refuse to believe Konoha would do something like this," Tsunade said.
"First, I never said Konoha was involved. Second, if you dig deep enough, none of the Five Great Shinobi Villages are clean. Don't forget—the Anbu originated in Konoha. And as for whether Konoha has even darker organizations beyond the Anbu… who can say for sure?"
Tsunade opened her mouth but found no rebuttal.
It was true that the Anbu had been established by the Second Hokage. And by the Third Hokage's era, Danzō had formed the Root—another undeniable fact.
"Then what exactly are you implying?"
"Simple. Someone from the Uchiha clan is involved," Midorima stated.
"Who?"
"The man called himself… Madara Uchiha."
In the eyes of many, Obito was already dead. Convincing others of his survival was impossible, so it was better to wait until Obito revealed his true identity.
But since Obito was acting under Madara's name, any trouble he caused would inevitably tarnish Madara's legacy as well.
"Impossible. He died long ago." Tsunade shook her head.
The "Valley of the End" battle was legendary. Konoha had even carved statues into the mountains to commemorate it.
Madara Uchiha had died in that battle.
Midorima shrugged, offering no further explanation.
Madara hadn't died in the "Valley of the End" battle, but he was certainly gone now.
"Igawa allied with Madara to ambush the Third and Fourth Mizukage, controlling them. But aside from Madara, there were others working with Igawa—a group known as the Akatsuki. The two who tried to kill me yesterday were members of that organization. And regarding this group… I've also uncovered some information related to Konoha."
Tsunade frowned at Midorima's continued insistence on calling the man "Madara Uchiha," but the mention of Konoha immediately drew her attention.
"What information?"
"The Uchiha clan may be planning to betray Konoha."
He watched Tsunade closely, expecting her to erupt in anger again. But after an initial flash of fury in her eyes, her expression shifted to confusion before finally settling into deep contemplation.
Huh? Did Kakashi tell her something yesterday?
Don't tell me… Shisui is already dead?
Midorima was inwardly stunned.
The Uchiha clan's downfall was an incredibly complex affair. On one hand, the Uchiha were indeed dissatisfied with their standing in Konoha and had begun plotting rebellion. On the other hand, Danzō had orchestrated events behind the scenes, forcing Itachi Uchiha to slaughter his own clan.
The entire incident was convoluted and, in a way, had shaken Konoha's foundations.
Moreover, with Danzō in the picture, resolving the situation solely through the Third Hokage's efforts was nearly impossible.
This matter wasn't directly tied to the Akatsuki, but Midorima had deliberately linked it to them to ensure Konoha became aware of the organization's existence. Even if they denied it, he wasn't worried.
After all, this was "intel" he had "gathered"—in other words, hearsay. As long as there was a kernel of truth, that was enough. Whether the Akatsuki was truly behind it was irrelevant.
Besides, Orochimaru and Danzō were already colluding in secret.
"Of course, this is just hearsay… You could say I'm trying to sow discord within Konoha," Midorima said, spreading his hands.
"Someone from the Uchiha clan… has already died," Tsunade said grimly.
So it's true… It must be Shisui.
"And Konoha is indeed unstable. Whether or not the Akatsuki is involved, the village is facing a crisis… If it were you, what would you do?" Tsunade asked.
"Me?" Midorima hadn't expected her to ask him such a sensitive question. "Most conflicts arise from poor communication—unless one side is determined to annihilate the other from the start."
"That's what I thought too." Tsunade's expression softened slightly. "What you said earlier… made a lot of sense."
"Which part?"
"That I should focus on the intel that's useful to me." Tsunade smiled.
Midorima shrugged. He hadn't expected Tsunade to confront "Madara Uchiha" on his behalf. But if she could prevent the Uchiha massacre, Itachi wouldn't join the Akatsuki—which would significantly reduce the pressure on him.
Aside from the Six Paths of Pain, Itachi Uchiha was likely the strongest member of the Akatsuki.
"But the fact remains—Madara Uchiha is working with the Akatsuki. That's what the man claimed," Midorima emphasized.
Tsunade froze. Seeing that Midorima didn't seem to be lying, she was momentarily lost in thought.