Author notes:
In Naruto's canon timeline, Orochimaru would be with the Akatsuki when this story happens after a man chase from Konoha's Anbu. But since my story part of a time-travel fix-it from Naruto's birth, there was butterfly effect from the previous parts, so Orochimaru is still in his hideout, because Hiruzen never found out about his experiments.
I suggest reading part 4 of the series (Mission: Preventing a massacre) before reading this, because some of the events have a butterfly effect on this story. Mission: saving Konoha (part 1 of the series) can be useful as well.
In case you don't feel like reading the previous parts (SPOILER or previous parts ahead), here's what you need to know: Kakashi and Shikaku are time-travelers. Minato (and Kushina) are alive, and Minato is, consequently, still the 4th Hokage. A few months before this story, Itachi was able to kill Danzo and prevent the massacre of his clan. Fugaku is one of Minato's assistants.
This Stopping Orochimaru part of the series is in my shortest fic. I wanted to write something about Orochimaru, but I struggled to write it. My Beta helped me with ideas for some parts and to improve it, but there are only 6 chapters.
Thanks to my Beta reader Feiris for correcting mistakes I made as well as helping me with ideas and improving my text as a whole.
Minato looked at the scrolls his Anbu agents were bringing to him every day. They were emptying the Roots quarters for weeks now. That division had been dismantled. While Minato saw the use of the division, there were things that happened in it that he didn't agree to. Minato wanted to learn all about it before ever deciding if he built it back.
But the more he read the reports, the more disgusting it felt. Danzo in particular had done quite awful things, and Minato wondered about how many more sketchy discoveries he'd make. Thus, the reason why they were emptying and searching every little corner of the headquarters. Minato couldn't believe how many events he didn't know about. Minato couldn't believe how many events Hiruzen didn't know about.
Minato gave all the reports on the Uchiha clan to Shikaku. Every little thing one of the clansmen said that didn't please Danzo had been reported. It was ridiculous how the clan had been observed. It was also filled with false statements. Shikaku was the one investigating those reports, but he knew how it was filled with lies. Occasionally, Shikaku would call his colleague to confirm or deny events. Minato preferred his first assistant to read the stuff, he didn't want to create a situation with Fugaku, especially since he was his assistant for only a few months so far.
If Shikaku was on the reports against the Uchiha clan, Fugaku had been reading the parts that seemed to involve Orochimaru. Minato shook his head, reading Fugaku's report of his findings. Danzo knew all about the Sannin's experiments, and instead of condemning them, he had actually helped and even gave intel to the man. It was concerning, to say the least.
When Fugaku gathered enough information about Orochimaru for Minato to feel threatened by the man, he called up a meeting with both his assistants.
"Danzo hid from me all about Orochimaru's doings. I thought he was training Mitarashi Anko, but clearly, that's not what he's been doing all those years."
Shikaku bit his lips. Minato had never seen the man this uneased. He was pale. Minato started to wonder if his assistant had heard of something.
"I haven't seen anything on Anko in any recent scroll I've looked at. The last thing I know of her is he was testing some curse mark on his students, two years ago. Mitarashi was in the number, but who knows if any of them survived," Fugaku said. "I didn't realize she was from Konoha, so I didn't think of pointing it out in my report. I should have been more careful."
Shikaku shrugged. "It doesn't matter anyway. Orochimaru made his experiment without us questioning anything nor stopping him. I don't know why; I didn't even think about him."
Minato was confused. Why would Nara Shikaku suspect anything wrong about a man who left Konoha and was never seen again in the village? His assistant seemed to be beating himself up for it, but Minato didn't see what he could have seen more. They all had let it slip. Minato was frustrated with himself. Shikaku had reminded the Hokage about Danzo many, many times. While he kept an eye close on him, he had no clue how badly Danzo had been playing him behind his back. It was obvious Danzo had wanted to become Hokage, but Minato thought that was all it was. He wanted to puke, reading the main scrolls his Advisor brought in.
One of the reports Shikaku gave to Minato that was not on Orochimaru broke the Hokage's heart. The event that had started the third ninja war. It was also one of Danzo's doings. He wanted to trap Hatake Sakumo, so that the man wouldn't become Hokage. Minato gagged. A war for some political rivalry? Minato was shaking, thinking of his student that had grown without a father, raising himself from when he was five.
"That's disturbing, to say the least," Shikaku said. "How many men did we lose in that war?"
"I'm glad Danzo is dead, and anyone who helped him through the years will be condemned to some time in prison. Right, Lord Hokage?" Fugaku said.
Minato nodded. While he couldn't change the past, Minato had to focus on what awful things he could change. Which meant his next target was Orochimaru.
"Do we try to imprison Orochimaru, or kill him?" Minato said. He wanted to hear his assistants' opinion before making up his mind. Orochimaru was a respected Sannin in the village, if not a little feared for his apathetic behavior. Either way, he couldn't ask the Third for a piece of advice, because the old man would never let them go after his student. He might, but at the very least act as a bystander. A neutral party. Which certainly won't help, considering that means he won't offer much useful information on Orochimaru.
"I'd say we do what we can, but the safest thing would be to kill him. I found a map of the region where his hideout is. It's a bit too far from here to bring him back without incidents, even with our strongest Anbu," Fugaku claimed.
"I agree with Uchiha. I think it's also a mission for an Anbu squad. I believe Kakashi is one of our strongest captains," Shikaku said. The man looked at the Uchiha clan head. His oldest son was on that team. Minato waited for the man's approval before agreeing.
"I think Itachi is ready for this mission as well," Fugaku said, seeming confident in his son's abilities. "But Orochimaru is a Sannin, I believe he's too strong for only two men. We should send other Anbu squads. I agree with Hatake leading, though. I think we'd preferably have a Hyuuga on that team to help find the hideout without expending chakra from an activated Sharingan. We could consider adding some others as well, but I am not familiar enough yet with the Anbu squads being in charge of the Police Force and all."
Minato nodded to his assistant's comments. "I believe we should consider the Root agents as well. Yamanaka Inoichi gave me a report on each of them. I think there's one named Tenzo that Kakashi worked with, or at least he showed memories of collaborating with him before. I will ask Inoichi for other Root members he believes will be loyal and capable enough for our mission."
Shikaku seemed to agree as well, proposing some other names of Anbu who could do the job in this manhunt. "Lord fourth, Hiruzen has been one of your advisors in the past, and is on the elder council. Do you think you can gather any information on our mad scientist before we send our squad away?"
Minato nodded. He wanted to give the Anbu that they've chosen as many chances of success possible. If Fugaku was worried about his son, Minato wanted Kakashi to come back home alive, as well as every ninja he sent on this man chase. Orochimaru was a Legendary Sannin who had earned his title. He wouldn't be easy to beat.
"Well, I think we can end our meeting there, then. Thank you for your hard work, I know I've asked a lot of you lately. I'll get as much information as I can on Orochimaru. I think we could send out Kakashi and the team in a few days. Shikaku, I'll let you know, I want you to be the one to send them off and explain the mission."
Fugaku frowned. "But…"
"I know you did the research on Orochimaru, but it's also your son's mission. You can prepare the mission scroll as you wish."
"Yes, sir."
Both his advisors left Minato alone in his office, and as soon as they did he sighed. He knew he had to read the complete reports Shikaku and Fugaku brought to him, but he wanted to push it back. His stomach was a little queasy, with all the horror he had read from those scrolls. He tried thinking about his wife and sons instead, to stop himself from thinking about Danzo and Orochimaru when they are due to be dealt with, or already have been.
