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Rumors about the Uchiha clan's rebellion had already begun circulating within Konoha, though only a handful of people were aware of them.
Due to Obito's influence, Kakashi was particularly sensitive to any news regarding the Uchiha. He had sensed something unusual, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly was amiss.
Now, Midorima's words had confirmed Kakashi's unease.
Not that Midorima's claims were necessarily true—hearsay was often unreliable.
"Where exactly did you hear this news?" Tsunade pressed, clarifying, "About the Uchiha clan planning to rebel."
"Are you sure you want to know?" Midorima looked at her with amusement.
If she dared to ask, he wouldn't hesitate to drop the name Amegakure into the conversation.
As for why Amegakure was involved—well, she'd have to ask Jiraiya about that. After all, he was the one who had trained Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko.
In the end, it all circled back to Konoha.
Surprise, surprise.
Tsunade opened her mouth but ultimately held back.
The last time Midorima had posed a question like this, she had naively taken the bait and ended up entangled in a mess.
Now, if she asked again, there was a good chance it would lead back to something Konoha had done in the past.
"I'm… not interested," Tsunade said after taking a deep breath.
The Uchiha situation was already giving her a headache. If there was something even bigger than the Uchiha clan rebelling, she might just lose her mind.
How boring.
Midorima was a little disappointed. He had hoped to bring up Amegakure, then drag Konoha further into the mess by linking it to Jiraiya. But it seemed the timing wasn't right yet.
"Your opinion—if it were you, how would you handle the Uchiha clan?" Tsunade asked.
"That's not really appropriate, is it?" Midorima waved his hand dismissively. "This is Konoha's internal affair. It doesn't concern me much. Besides, I'm already being hunted by Kirigakure—that's enough trouble. If I also have Konoha ninja after me, how am I supposed to survive?"
"Consider it repayment for saving your life," Tsunade insisted.
"Didn't I already give you something?" Midorima stared at her.
Did she really think the information about the Uchiha clan possibly rebelling was some kind of freebie?
"The last one wasn't enough. I need a second installment."
"When you're at the gambling table, do you pay in installments?" Midorima grumbled.
This woman wasn't stupid when she stepped away from the betting tables.
"I still have a few debts to settle," Tsunade said, straightening her posture with an oddly proud expression.
Of course. Instead of paying off her debts, she'd rather throw more money into gambling. A true professional.
That said, his life was worth more than just one piece of intel and a single suggestion.
"My opinion is that a clan's rebellion is far more complicated than an individual's betrayal. No matter how far a clan descends into madness, there are always a few sane members left. These people are caught between their clan and Konoha. They could have been bridges for communication, but for various reasons, they end up as sacrifices. Find these people—even if it's just one—and use them to find a solution. Another thing is to listen. Don't let words provoke you into losing your rationality. Sometimes, framing someone isn't the real intent—it's stubbornness, an unwillingness to adjust… Don't look at me like that. I was framed by Kirigakure too, and I still haven't cleared my name." Midorima shrugged.
If Shisui was truly dead, then the only person Tsunade could potentially win over was Itachi Uchiha.
But at the same time, Itachi was also someone Danzō Shimura was trying to recruit.
What impact Tsunade's involvement would have on the Uchiha clan—or even Konoha as a whole—Midorima couldn't predict.
Even if she and Hiruzen managed to suppress the Uchiha rebellion, as long as the root of their resentment remained, the flames of rebellion could reignite at any moment.
Secondly, Danzō—that malignant tumor—might temporarily go into hiding. But as long as Danzō lived, he would absolutely stir up trouble again. The only question was who would suffer next.
Finally, without the tragedy of the clan's massacre, Sasuke's life would undoubtedly take a different path. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan might never awaken, and even Naruto's fate could be altered.
In a decade or so, whether Konoha would grow stronger or weaker was anyone's guess.
But for now, Midorima wasn't particularly interested in changing Konoha's future.
Right now, he just wanted to grow stronger and clear his name.
If he had any energy left after that, he'd take down the Akatsuki and Obito.
Tsunade carefully analyzed Midorima's suggestion and agreed it was a solid approach.
Try to win over the moderates, understand both sides' perspectives, and find a way to break the deadlock. The problem was identifying who the moderates were.
Considering how little Midorima knew about Konoha—he was only familiar with Kakashi Hatake because of their mission in the Land of Snow—Tsunade didn't press him for more details.
Still, the fact that Midorima had provided a viable strategy in such a short time gave her a slightly better impression of him. If he ever becomes Mizukage, maybe Konoha and Kirigakure can finally settle their old grudges.
The two exchanged glances, both satisfied with their conversation.
Tsunade now had a potential way to prevent the Uchiha rebellion, while Midorima was curious about how Konoha's future would unfold.
The next day, Tsunade took her leave without explicitly stating her plans, but Midorima guessed she was returning to Konoha.
With Kakuzu and his lackeys having already hunted him outside the village, staying here without Tsunade's protection wasn't safe.
So, even though his body hadn't fully recovered, Midorima had no choice but to disguise himself and leave the village, despite his exhaustion.
As for his next destination… first, he had to escape Kakuzu's pursuit.
---
After deciding to "meet" Midorima, Orochimaru began plotting carefully. However, shaking off Sasori was another challenge entirely.
To buy time, Orochimaru handed over a few test subjects for Sasori to turn into puppets.
Sasori saw through Orochimaru's intentions but didn't call him out—after all, Orochimaru had always been secretly conducting experiments, something even Pain was aware of.
Orochimaru wasn't idle, either. Realizing that tracking Midorima directly would take too much time, he devised a workaround—follow Kakuzu instead, since his target was also Midorima.
"Lord Orochimaru, we've located Kakuzu's trail," a white-haired child suddenly appeared.
"Did he notice you?" Orochimaru asked Kimimaro.
"No. However, Kakuzu seems to be in a hurry," Kimimaro replied.
"Of course. To him, Midorima's heart is a rare prize. That's exactly why I want to see this man for myself." Orochimaru smiled.
Kimimaro frowned, a pang of sourness in his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.