Land of Rice Fields, Otogakure.
Orochimaru's Lab.
In the original world, although Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage, that was only because the Third Hokage had died suddenly.
Tsunade had taken up the position of Fifth Hokage because she did not want her grandfather's life's work to be ruined by Danzo.
Tsunade's relationship with Konoha was not good now. Nawaki's and Dan's deaths had both been far too absurd. Shamu did not believe Danzo had played no part in them.
However, whether Danzo had acted on his own or coordinated with the Third Hokage was unknown.
One Senju Clan heir had died, while the other suffered a mental breakdown. The Senju Clan went into hiding.
The Sarutobi Clan grew powerful, while Danzo coveted the position of Hokage.
Judging from who had benefited in the end, both Danzo and the Third Hokage were suspects.
Shamu gave a sinister smile. "Orochimaru, do you want to become Hokage?"
"Hokage?" Orochimaru mulled over those words.
He did not actually have much of an obsession with becoming Hokage. He had merely resented the old man for choosing Minato over him.
In what way was Orochimaru inferior to Minato? Yet Minato had been chosen as the Fourth Hokage.
He wanted to prove that the old man's choice had been wrong. He, Orochimaru, was the finest!
By now, Hidden Sound Village had grown strong. Though it could not call itself a Shadow under the name of a nation like the Five Great Nations, calling its leader the Sound Shadow would not be a problem.
However, outside the Five Great Nations, no one acknowledged the Shadows of smaller countries once they left their villages. That was why titles like Takikage, Kusakage, and Shimokage were rarely heard of.
Orochimaru no longer had much interest in becoming the Shadow of a