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"You're saying… Orochimaru plans to capture me!?" Itachi asked in surprise.
"That's the information I've received," Midorima replied.
"But why would he want to take Sasuke?" Tsunade questioned, confused.
"Like I said, this is like a game of shogi. You can't just focus on the current move—you have to consider what Orochimaru is planning several steps ahead," Midorima explained.
"What do you mean?" Tsunade still didn't understand.
And she couldn't be blamed for that.
Midorima could see this far ahead because he understood the full context of the situation. Having spent a long time with Orochimaru and being deeply involved in the events, he could guess the snake Sannin's intentions.
"He's obviously using Sasuke as 'bait' to lure Itachi out," Midorima elaborated. "Once Orochimaru sets his sights on someone, he won't give up easily. But Itachi has already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—Orochimaru can't be certain of defeating him. However, if he holds a hostage, the situation changes. Itachi might make mistakes out of concern for Sasuke, or even surrender entirely."
Itachi's expression darkened.
He couldn't find any flaws in Midorima's reasoning.
After hearing the explanation, Tsunade also looked at Midorima with newfound respect.
This was merely Midorima's speculation, yet he had already drawn a clear connection between Orochimaru and Sasuke's disappearance. He had even deduced most of Orochimaru's plans, proving that Midorima was far from an ordinary person.
Facing someone like him, Tsunade didn't dare let her guard down.
"But all of this is just your conjecture… If Itachi becomes a rogue ninja based on this lead, wouldn't the cost be too great?"
"First of all, everyone must bear the consequences of their own choices. I'm just sharing my thoughts—whether he believes me or not doesn't affect me. If you have a better theory, feel free to share it. The decision is his to make."
"Secondly, him defecting from Konoha doesn't mean he can never return. Don't you know the inside story? Once Itachi finds his brother, you can reveal the truth. Infiltration and espionage aren't exactly new to Konoha, right? And if you become Hokage, his chances of returning would be even higher."
Of course, returning to the village after becoming a rogue ninja was extremely difficult—but there were always exceptions.
Sasuke had defected and later returned, so Itachi could do the same.
Naturally, if the Third Hokage secretly approved, it would be even easier—but the old man probably wouldn't endorse such a "reckless" plan.
"Besides, there's also indirect evidence—Orochimaru used the 'Impure World Reincarnation' on Shisui. Who do you think that was meant to target? I don't need to spell it out, do I?"
The moment Itachi heard Shisui's name, his anger flared.
Both Shisui and Sasuke held deep importance in Itachi's heart. Orochimaru had repeatedly struck at his most sensitive points, fueling his rage even further.
Tsunade was finally convinced.
"Then… can't we just go after Orochimaru directly? Don't you know his whereabouts?"
"I only know where his lab is. But he definitely has more than one hideout. If he truly goes into hiding, how would you find him? And time isn't on our side—what if Sasuke awakens his Sharingan? There's no telling if Orochimaru might change his mind then." Midorima shrugged.
A cunning rabbit has three burrows—someone as shrewd as Orochimaru wouldn't be outdone by a mere animal.
"I see. If I become a rogue ninja, can you help me find Orochimaru?" Itachi asked.
"Fine… I'll stop beating around the bush." Midorima set down his teacup. "Orochimaru may be elusive, but there's one organization that can always track him down."
"Where?" Itachi pressed.
"The Akatsuki," Midorima answered.
Itachi's brow twitched, and he fell deep into thought.
Tsunade's frown deepened as she stared at Midorima. "You can't possibly be suggesting he seek out the Akatsuki? Even Itachi wouldn't stand a chance against them. You're setting him up for disaster."
Midorima tilted his head, his gaze shifting away.
"This is exactly why I didn't want to say too much. I'm not a Konoha shinobi—no matter what I say, you'll doubt me. You'd rather trust someone you know than believe me. But it doesn't matter—I've said most of what I needed to. And even if the Hokage learns of this, it won't affect me much. After all, I've completely escaped Orochimaru's grasp now. Still, your reaction confirms my suspicion—even if I'm telling the truth, you might not trust me. That much is certain, right?"
Tsunade fell silent.
Not long ago, Midorima had explained why he was reluctant to reveal the mastermind behind Shizune's kidnapping—and now, she had perfectly demonstrated his concerns.
It had to be admitted—Midorima's worries were justified.
Even if she had the resolve to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha clan and Konoha, she lacked the magnanimity to fully trust an outsider.
That was probably the real reason he didn't want to get involved.
"Konoha will likely tighten security in the coming days. I have nowhere else to go—you won't betray me, will you?" Midorima stared at Tsunade.
"How dare you speak to Lady Tsunade like that!?" Shizune stepped forward, hands on her hips.
"It's fine—his caution is understandable. But you saved Shizune, and I won't forget that debt. Once things settle down, I'll find a way to get you out of Konoha. Until then, please stay here." Tsunade's expression was solemn.
"Uh…"
"In the next few days, I may make a decision," Tsunade said gravely. "For the sake of Konoha's future… I might have to gamble."
"Gamble…"
Ahem…
Well, Tsunade had almost never won at the gambling tables. Hopefully, her luck would be better this time.
Shizune led Midorima to a neighboring room to rest, while Tsunade turned to Itachi.
"Do you really believe what he said?"
"At the very least, I can't find any holes in his logic," Itachi replied.
"Then what will you do?" Tsunade was worried about his choice.
"I still intend to become a 'rogue ninja,'" Itachi stated firmly.
"You trust him?"
"Whether I trust him or not is irrelevant—I don't have many options. Besides, he knows who kidnapped Shizune. If you want to uncover that person, you'll have to cooperate with him. There's also one more thing you haven't considered."
"What?"
"The Akatsuki is connected to the fake 'Madara Uchiha' and Orochimaru. That means they're the key to solving this problem. For both personal and logical reasons, I can't ignore them."
"Konoha hasn't officially labeled the Akatsuki as an enemy yet. Going alone would be too dangerous."
"No, I'm not planning to fight them. My goal is to infiltrate the Akatsuki—to find Orochimaru's location and uncover the truth behind 'Madara Uchiha.'"
Tsunade was stunned for a moment before realizing Itachi's intent. She took a deep breath and said nothing more.