Naruto: Uchiha Plunder System

In a dark, damp underground laboratory, Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped the golden staff formed by Enma's transformation and led a group of Anbu to corner Orochimaru inside a cave.

Orochimaru's forehead dripped with cold sweat, his pale face betraying unmistakable exhaustion. "Sensei, I didn't expect you still have the same vigor as before."

Hiruzen snorted coldly. "Orochimaru, you've gone astray."

"As your student, I must deal with this today," he added solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru flicked out his tongue, licked his lips, and chuckled softly. "Sensei, are you really going to kill me?"

At Orochimaru's words, Hiruzen's expression briefly turned complex.

But thinking of Mirai Uchiha and Danzo Shimura, Hiruzen finally hardened his gaze and said nothing more. "It's not what I want… but…"

Suddenly, Hiruzen charged toward Orochimaru. "Everything I do is for Konoha!"

Orochimaru sprang back and clapped his hands together with explosive force.

Explosion!

Countless explosive tags detonated throughout the cave. Boulders of all sizes crashed down from above. In just a few seconds, the entire cave collapsed in a thunderous roar.

Much later…

Hiruzen glared coldly at the place where Orochimaru had disappeared.

"Go find Orochimaru and bring him back to me."

"Yes sir!" The Anbu forces obeyed and departed, yet an ominous feeling stirred within Hiruzen's chest.

He hadn't told anyone beforehand about coming here to kill Orochimaru. But it seemed Orochimaru had already prepared everything in advance—he had moved all related experimental materials and even set up explosive tags inside the lab complex…

Pondering for quite some time without figuring out why, finally, as usual, Hiruzen placed the blame on Danzo Shimura.

"Danzo—if he hadn't taken matters into his own hands, how could Orochimaru have possibly been prepared in advance!"

"When I get back, I definitely need to teach that fool a lesson."

——

With Hiruzen's stance made clear, Orochimaru's crime of secretly conducting human experiments was fully established.

Once hailed as a hero who made invaluable contributions to the Hidden Leaf Village and revered as the greatest among the legendary Sannin, overnight, he became an 'S-Rank' Rogue Ninja whom everyone condemned.

This sudden downfall left the villagers of Konoha stunned, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"I never thought it would actually be true. Why would Orochimaru-sensei do something like this!"

"Daring to harm fellow villagers? Unforgivable!"

"Thank goodness The Third saw through this treachery and took decisive action. If someone like Orochimaru had become Hokage, Konoha would have been doomed!"

"The Hokage has declared that he will keep serving the village until a new successor is fully trained and ready to step up."

"Truly heartbreaking... the Third must be deeply grieved to face such an issue with his own successor."

Such remarks were common. Occasionally, someone would ask, "Since Orochimaru has become a problem, why not choose Mirai Uchiha, who holds equal prestige, to become the Hokage?" But those people would soon vanish without a trace from the village.

Orochimaru became infamous, and those connected to him were systematically arrested and punished.

For a time, a wave of fear swept through the people of Konoha.

In addition, Jiraiya, who had only recently returned to the village, decided to leave once more.

——

After finishing his report, Inabi Uchiha's face showed excitement. "Great! Orochimaru's defection means the Hokage line has effectively lost an arm."

"Mirai Uchiha-sama, how fortunate for you! With such a strong rival gone, you now have an even better chance of becoming the Hokage!"

Mirai Uchiha gave a light hum and calmly replied, "Every favorable development results from careful consideration and strategic maneuvering."

"As a member of the Uchiha clan, taking pleasure in something as intangible as 'luck' simply proves your lack of qualification."

Upon hearing this, Inabi Uchiha froze in place.

Had he truly said something wrong?

Was it inappropriate to consider Orochimaru's defection — the heir to the Hokage position and a major pillar of the Hokage faction — as good fortune?

Just then, Yashiro Uchiha walked back in from outside.

Behind him followed a little girl with short blue hair wearing a yellow jacket.

"Mirai Uchiha-sama, this girl is called Anko Mitarashi," Yashiro Uchiha whispered into Mirai Uchiha's ear. "Lord Orochimaru left specific instructions, asking you to please look after her."

Mirai Uchiha curiously examined Anko Mitarashi.

The girl before him tilted her head up, her eyes brimming with undeniable sorrow, yet she struggled to maintain a smile.

What a girl who never gives in easily.

Mirai Uchiha silently assessed.

After Orochimaru's betrayal, he had taken away many of his subordinates along with his research notes and jutsu scrolls.

Yet Anko Mitarashi, as Orochimaru's disciple, had been abandoned in Konoha.

Under these circumstances, still trying hard to act as if nothing mattered, perfectly matched Mirai Uchiha's impression of Anko.

"If you ever run into any problems or need help with training, feel free to come to me."

"Now... I'll take you to meet a few partners."

With that, Mirai Uchiha stood up and started walking toward the outside.

Anko huffed slightly. "I don't need any companions. As long as I have my kunai, that's enough."

Saying so, she stuck out her tongue teasingly and licked the sharp edge of a kunai.

Puff!

"Ow, that hurts!"

"Don't do that again in the future."

"Hmph! Why not?"

Mirai Uchiha roughly ruffled Anko Mitarashi's hair. "It's already weird enough when Orochimaru does this. For a girl like you to do it would make you look even creepier than him."

"Don't mention that guy in front of me."

"You should be grateful he didn't take you with him when he ran away. You wouldn't be living this stable life today otherwise."

"Who cares!"

...

Watching Mirai Uchiha and Anko Mitarashi leave one after the other, Inabi Uchiha finally snapped out of his shock.

He stared at Yashiro Uchiha in disbelief and asked, "Yashiro, did you say this girl was entrusted to Mirai by Orochimaru?"

Yashiro Uchiha replied matter-of-factly, "Exactly."

Inabi Uchiha lowered his voice. "So that means... Mirai had been in contact with Orochimaru for a long time?"

Yashiro Uchiha sounded somewhat impatient. "What exactly are you trying to ask?"

Inabi Uchiha swallowed hard, clearly shocked. "You don't think Mirai had anything to do with Orochimaru's defection, right?"

Without hesitation, Yashiro shot back, "Of course. Otherwise, don't you think everyone arguing about 'how Orochimaru could become Hokage' and 'when The Third would step down' makes no sense?"

As Yashiro Uchiha walked away slowly, Inabi Uchiha felt like thunder had exploded in his mind, making his head ring loudly.

[SFX: Gulp]

Yashiro Uchiha swallowed hard, suddenly understanding what Mirai had said earlier.

Orochimaru's defection wasn't some accidental event—it had all been orchestrated by Mirai!

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