Like Uchiha Shinsuke, Fugaku hadn't given up.
But unlike the impulsive young man, Fugaku knew better than to ask certain questions directly.
Orochimaru met Fugaku's gaze for a moment, then replied with a question of his own:
"At this point in time, would it really be a good thing for both the Uchiha and the village if Shisui's eyesight was restored?"
Fugaku froze, his heart skipping a beat. He suddenly realized he'd been too hasty.
Military merit, prestige, momentum—during this war, the Uchiha had gained a lot. Compared to those benefits, the losses suffered by the Guard Corps were minimal.
But if Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan remained blinded, it would reinforce the perception that "the Uchiha clan sacrificed everything to protect the village."
This was exactly why, before the war began, Fugaku had agreed to Orochimaru's conditions—to use the Guard's heavy casualties to erase suspicions about their role in the Nine-Tails Rebellion.
He had simply miscalculated. Kumogakure had retreated sooner than expected, and thanks to top-tier medics like Orochimaru, the Guard Corps hadn't suffered as much as planned.
Fugaku had assumed Orochimaru wouldn't go so far as to intentionally create casualties.
But in the end, that "missing cost" had been extracted through Shisui.
Realizing this, Fugaku asked hesitantly, "Does Shisui know about our... agreement?"
"He does," Orochimaru replied. "But you don't need to worry. Shisui willingly chose to become the scapegoat."
He added calmly, "And I agree with him. The symbolic weight of a Mangekyō Sharingan is greater than the lives of a few Uchiha."
Fugaku was silent for a while before repeating the question that lingered in his mind:
"Lord Orochimaru... is there really no hope for Shisui's eyes?"
Now that he understood Shisui's choice, Fugaku's resolve hadn't faded—it had only grown stronger. But this time, it wasn't just for the clan. It was for Shisui himself.
"In the medical room, I told no lies," Orochimaru said coolly. "The physical enhancement surgery is immature. It's far too dangerous for Shisui's current condition."
He glanced at Fugaku, noting the clear disappointment in his eyes. A moment later, he added with a smirk:
"But... with more testing, we might be able to refine the procedure. There could be a safer, improved method."
Fugaku looked conflicted. "But earlier, you rejected Shinsuke's offer. If something happened to him…"
He didn't finish the sentence. The unspoken consequence—Orochimaru being accused of killing a fellow Konoha ninja—hung in the air.
Fugaku knew too well what that would mean. Orochimaru was one of the few higher-ups who didn't outright despise the Uchiha. For the clan's future, Fugaku couldn't afford to see him branded a traitor.
"Yes, the procedure would be just as dangerous for Shinsuke—or perhaps even more so," Orochimaru said, his voice low and eerie.
Then, his tongue flicked out to lick his lips, and he gave a sharp, amused grin.
"But I never said that was the only surgery I could perform."
Fugaku's eyes widened. He turned to face Orochimaru more directly, a spark of hope reigniting.
"There's an alternative," Orochimaru continued. "An inferior version of the enhancement surgery. It only has about 30% of the original effect, but the risk is significantly lower."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint sneer, revealing a trace of disdain. It was clear he wasn't pleased with this type of surgery.
"Of course," he said, "while it's an inferior method, it still helps refine the overall surgical technique."
Fugaku, caught between surprise and confusion, couldn't help but ask, "Then… why didn't you mention this earlier, Lord Orochimaru?"
His tone was polite, but there was a hint of complaint beneath the words.
"I'm well aware of the consequences of conducting human experimentation on fellow shinobi," Orochimaru replied, his eyes narrowing. "In this village, the moment you cross that line, someone like Danzō will be there to dump all the blame on you."
He shot a sideways glance at Fugaku—one filled with open contempt.
It was as if to say: Uchiha Shinsuke is a reckless fool, and you're not much better.
Fugaku flushed but forced himself to stay composed. Before he could speak, Orochimaru continued.
"Now, from the Hokage's advisors down to the average shinobi, everyone knows the risks involved in this operation. They're watching. If no one dies, they'll look the other way. In that case, as long as the surgery doesn't fail, no one will come after me in the shadows."
Some things simply can't be hidden.
Whether you call it "surgery" or "human experimentation," it amounts to the same thing. The only real difference lies in who chooses to care—and why.
And since exposure was inevitable, Orochimaru had taken precautions early on.
He needed the villagers to understand one thing: human experimentation wasn't his sin. The true stain would be a botched surgery and a dead comrade. That distinction mattered.
For most, managing such a delicate perception would be difficult.
But Orochimaru wasn't most people.
His reputation preceded him. Whether it was an old ally or a shinobi meeting him for the first time, if you told them Orochimaru was performing human experiments, they'd barely blink. They'd accept it with little more than mild surprise—even without proof.
A reputation collapse? Not for someone like him.
If someone like Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage—were to show a sinister or unhinged side, that would shock people. That would be a character collapse.
But finding Tsunade at a gambling den, or Jiraiya in a women's bathhouse, or Orochimaru grinning beside a blood-soaked surgical table?
No one would bat an eye.
Orochimaru had always looked like that.
And whether or not he would be punished—he didn't care.
The threat of war had forced Konoha to accept many ugly things. Even someone like Danzō had managed to thrive. The Intelligence Division could dig into memories, violate minds with impunity.
As long as Orochimaru remained one of the Sannin—one of Konoha's highest assets—and didn't use surgery to kill his allies, a little human experimentation was nothing.
What happened to Hatake Sakumo wouldn't apply to someone like Orochimaru.
A good man who puts comrades before the village? He'd be torn apart by public opinion.
A bad man performing human experiments? People would just keep their distance.
And of course, men like Orochimaru—or Danzō—would never be chosen as Hokage.
But that didn't matter to him.
Fugaku couldn't quite follow Orochimaru's line of thought, but he could sense the man's overwhelming confidence—his detached authority in the village. It stirred both admiration and envy within him.
"If Lord Orochimaru has considered everything," Fugaku asked cautiously, "then… when will the surgery be arranged?"
"We'll discuss it once we return to the village," Orochimaru replied.
He paused, then added with emphasis, "Though this version of the procedure is weaker than the original, it's still enough to significantly boost a jōnin's strength. It won't come cheap."
"I understand."
Fugaku nodded. "For every jōnin, the Uchiha clan will pay 10 million ryō."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly. That was more than he expected—he had assumed seven or eight million at most.
The Uchiha clan's coffers run deeper than I thought…
With the operation and payment agreed upon, Fugaku was ready to return to his duties with the Shinobi Army.
"Lord Orochimaru," he asked, "is there anything else?"
"There is one thing... No, never mind." Orochimaru frowned, then waved the question off. "It doesn't concern you."
After Fugaku left, still confused, Orochimaru turned to the empty space beside him.
"Why stop me?" he asked the shadows. "Was Fugaku not the right one for the genjutsu experiment?"
________
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