That night.
Upon receiving the news, Orochimaru personally led a team of over a hundred people to arrive at this stronghold.
The battlefield had not yet been cleared, and Orochimaru crouched on the ground, examining the traces of the battle left from the day.
"Another expert who has mastered the Lava Release Kekkei Genkai, and even you couldn't take him down. How does he compare to Karai?"
Orochimaru turned his head and asked his disciple, who was waiting by his side.
"Their methods are the same, but Tudai is as young as you, Master Orochimaru."
Being young means he is physically strong, has fewer weaknesses, and also means there is still room for improvement.
Whether Tudai can cross this threshold like the Sannin is hard to say, even Uchiha Gen doesn't know.
Looking at the development in the original timeline, he played a significant role when facing the Edo Tensei Third Raikage, assisting the Shadow Clone of Naruto in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode to defeat the Edo Tensei Raikage. However, his raw strength hadn't reached that level yet; he was likely half a step weaker than the Sannin, and his strength had not undergone a qualitative change as of now.
But the arrival of Uchiha Gen himself had already changed the trajectory of some things in the Ninja World. With the increase in his strength and influence, the changes he brought would only become more numerous.
In the coming years, Tudai would still have the opportunity to continue growing stronger.
And even without considering the future, looking at the present, he was already an out-and-out top-tier expert who had entered the bottom of the Ninja World's first tier, with the ability to bring change to a war.
"Our next target is to take the fortress in the Arima Mountains that Danzo abandoned. With Kumogakure stationed there, they can always hold the high ground and maintain pressure on us, like a bone stuck in our throat."
"But if we can retake that place, we can push the defensive line back, and also use it as a springboard to threaten their base stationed in the Land of Hot Springs."
"With the addition of Tudai, this bone that was already hard to chew will be even harder to chew."
Orochimaru's expression was somewhat gloomy.
"Then the forces on Danzo's side will be even more important. Without his cooperation, it is impossible for us to take it down on our own."
"I understand, and he will understand as well."
"Danzo's brain might not be clear. Given his style of doing things, he might instead think this is an opportunity to blackmail us."
Uchiha Gen shook his head and said.
One can say Danzo is evil, but one cannot say Danzo is incompetent. He is truly skilled at doing bad things, but he also has a knack for ruining his own affairs.
His narrow-mindedness and extreme personality caused him to have huge flaws in his overall perspective.
Otherwise, during the several moments related to Konoha's survival in the original timeline, such as the Nine-Tails Incident, the Konoha Crush, and Pain's invasion, he would not have kept the members of Root holed up, using the excuse of acting for Konoha to preserve strength.
Orochimaru pondered for a moment, looked at Uchiha Gen a few times, and nodded slowly.
After Uchiha Gen said that, he also had some doubts.
That really is Danzo's style of doing things.
"After contacting Danzo last time, did you deliberately study him? It seems you have a clear grasp of his personality and behavioral style."
"Yes, I don't think he is a good person. Plus, he has a close relationship with the Sandaime and my uncle, and he also has great power and influence within Konoha Village, so I specifically used the clan's channels to investigate him."
Uchiha Gen nodded at Orochimaru.
"Very good. Eyes that can see through the hearts of others are more important than the Sharingan that can see through Ninjutsu. But you must remember, do not blindly trust your own judgment of human hearts, because everyone is a complex individual, and the human heart is always the most unpredictable."
Orochimaru stood up from the ground and looked at the bright moon rising in the night sky.
"If Danzo can't see clearly, then we will make him wake up himself. If words can't clear things up, then find some things to make him suffer a loss, and then he will come to seek cooperation on his own."
Seeing this familiar posture of Orochimaru, who had everything under control, Uchiha Gen knew he had another plan.
"Then what should we do next? We certainly can't continue to execute according to the original plan, right?"
"For a person like Danzo, one must use profit to lure him, and you cannot blatantly put the meat in front of him for him to bite. You have to let him follow the scent and discover the meat himself, and only then will he take the initiative to snap at it."
"I will plan this matter. When he sees the meat, he will be caught by the trap on the ground. He will definitely come to us to seek cooperation, letting us walk through the minefield for him. As long as he thinks it is safe and profitable, he will definitely pounce on it."
"As for you, take a good rest for these two days and recover your condition."
"Then I will go back to rest first."
"Yes, go back to the base. Since I am not there, it is up to you to hold the fort. The Nara Clan Head will assist you in handling all matters. It just so happens that the recent mission settlements have been approved, don't forget to collect the remuneration you should get."
"Yes, Master Orochimaru."
Uchiha Gen nodded in response.
The mission reports accumulated on the battlefield during this period had been approved by the Third Hokage and the Administration Department, which meant another large amount of experience was about to be credited.
The next day, in the morning.
After a night of rest and traveling in the early morning, Uchiha Gen finally made it back to the camp.
After understanding the situation at the base, Uchiha Gen collected his mission remuneration and then entrusted the affairs to the Nara Clan Head to handle, while he returned to his residence to rest.
The hot springs of the Land of Hot Springs are famous in the Ninja World. Uchiha Gen's current residence also had a water pipe connected to the hot spring, so he could divert the hot spring water into the bathtub to bathe and relax when needed.
Every time he came down from the battlefield, Uchiha Gen loved to wash away the sweat stains and wash away the fatigue accumulated recently by bathing.
Bathing is truly a very pleasant thing.
And a good bathtub, coupled with the famous hot springs of the Ninja World, would take the experience of such a thing to another level.
After soaking for a while, Uchiha Gen opened the panel and began to collect the recently settled missions one by one.
[Character Name: Uchiha Gen]
[Character Level: 41]
[Currently Loaded Character Cards: Kakashi Hatake (Young), Uchiha Sasuke (Road to Ninja)]
[Currently Available Item Cards: 0]
[Available Draw Chances: 6]
[Special Items: None]
[Current Attribute Values: Nin 8; Tai 7; Gen 7; Str 7; Spd 9; Sta 7; Seal 8; Int 8; Total: 61]
Compared to the last time, the attribute values on the panel did not change much, only rising by one point in the Nin data. This was mainly because he had fully absorbed the experience of Young Kakashi's Lightning Release and Earth Release Ninjutsu, becoming a Jonin who had mastered the Nature Transformation of three types of Chakra.
The value of this character card had basically been exhausted, which was just right to free up a card slot for a new guaranteed character card.