Though he tried to put on a "kind" smile, it still carried the aura of a predator.
Just seeing him made people uncomfortable, let alone being targeted by him.
Yet such a being possessed a prestigious status.
Orochimaru was not only Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciple, but also bore the title of one of the "Three Sannin."
Ino Yamanaka pondered for a few seconds, then immediately invited Orochimaru inside.
After Orochimaru waited a while, Akira Sarutobi, who had finished his morning training and changed clothes, emerged from the bathroom.
"Mr. Orochimaru, what brings you here?"
Akira Sarutobi sat down on the spot, facing Orochimaru across the table.
Different versions of the Hokage world had different historical developments.
In the manga, Orochimaru had no connection whatsoever to Senju Nawaki.
The TV anime, however, had created an original teacher-student relationship, making Orochimaru Senju Nawaki's teacher.
Such subtle differences, and the gaps in understanding they caused, were matters Akira Sarutobi had carefully kept in mind ever since arriving in this world.
In Akira Sarutobi's world, Orochimaru and Senju Nawaki had no teacher-student relationship.
Therefore, Akira Sarutobi was not particularly familiar with Orochimaru either.
"Heh heh, it's like this..."
Orochimaru did his best to appear friendly.
For someone as arrogant as him to show goodwill was no easy matter.
As Hiruzen Sarutobi's beloved disciple, Orochimaru's name as a genius resounded throughout Konoha, so he naturally had every right to be proud.
Orochimaru took two sheets of paper from his sleeve and placed them on the table. "These are your and Ino Yamanaka's Jonin Qualification Scrolls..."
Akira Sarutobi glanced at them.
Like Chunin, Jonin received qualification scrolls after passing their evaluations as proof.
They were symbolic items, merely part of the procedure.
"Sorry for the trouble, Mr. Orochimaru..." Akira Sarutobi nodded slightly and instructed Ino Yamanaka to put the qualification scrolls away.
"Then, Akira Sarutobi... come with me to the Jonin archives..."
Orochimaru rose to his feet and extended his next invitation.
Akira Sarutobi knew that, just as becoming a Chunin brought Konoha vests and a series of identification documents and supplies—
becoming a Jonin also came with corresponding benefits and resources.
A Ninja Village's training system spared no effort when it came to nurturing its own ninja.
The distribution of resources was also a means of winning people over.
Following Orochimaru out, they strolled through Konoha's streets. Before long, Orochimaru began chatting. "Heh heh... Young Master Ryo, first of all, congratulations on becoming Jonin..."
After some pleasantries.
Akira Sarutobi did not believe Orochimaru had come merely to deliver a message. If that were the case, he could have simply found some random nobody to lead the way.
Clearly, Orochimaru had other requests.
Before long, the three arrived at the Jonin archives.
Located on a street beside the Hokage Building, the area was somewhat deserted.
There were not many people around so early in the morning.
They followed a dark alley until they finally reached a door at the end.
The two Konoha Ninja responsible for guarding the place nodded at Orochimaru and unlocked the door.
A room packed full of scrolls appeared before Akira Sarutobi.
Now that he had become a Jonin, his access to ninjutsu studies was naturally far better than it had been as a Genin or Chunin.
"So many scrolls... Are these the resources Jonin can obtain?"
Ino Yamanaka stepped forward first and immediately began examining the scrolls that countless people before her had already perused.
But soon, the girl's expression turned disdainful as she sorted through them.
"Tch... they're all trash~~!"
Ino Yamanaka casually tossed a scroll back onto the shelf, all interest gone from her pretty face.
"Young Master, I thought there would be some powerful ninjutsu, but after looking closely, they're all commonplace stuff..."
"You may each choose one scroll from among them."
Only then did Orochimaru begin his introduction.
Saying that now, after Ino Yamanaka's display, made things rather awkward for a moment.
Watching Orochimaru's upturned lips and seemingly friendly eyes, Akira Sarutobi walked over and silently browsed the scrolls on several shelves.
There was no reason to turn down something free.
It was better than getting nothing at all.
With that mindset, Akira Sarutobi began choosing carefully.
"Heh heh..."
Orochimaru stood to the side, observing Akira Sarutobi's movements.
Akira Sarutobi's neither servile nor overbearing demeanor, along with his steady mindset, earned Orochimaru's great appreciation.
At last, Orochimaru made a decision—or rather, revealed the true purpose of his visit.
"Young Master Ryo, what do you think of this scroll?"
He took it from his sleeve, walked over, and handed it to Akira Sarutobi.
Looking at the offered scroll, Akira Sarutobi immediately understood that this was Orochimaru's personal collection.
Orochimaru, who aspired to master every ninjutsu in the world, naturally possessed an extensive collection of scrolls.
Compared to the common goods on the shelves, such as Wind Release: Great Breakthrough and Lightning Release: Ground Walk... Orochimaru's treasured techniques were the true treasures.
Without saying a word, Akira Sarutobi accepted it and unfurled the scroll.
With one glance, he recognized its value.
At times, a technique's power could not be judged by rank alone. Some ninjutsu were outrageously, monstrously powerful.
The scroll Orochimaru had given him came from the Land of Rice and was a technique secretly passed down by a certain clan.
This scroll contained a taijutsu that had never spread through the ninja world or Konoha. It was an exceedingly rare technique.
"If I remember correctly, only Jirobō of the Sound Four learned this taijutsu in the original story."
Shattering boulders with one punch, lifting multi-ton rocks barehanded, sending Chōji flying with a single palm strike even while he used the Super Expansion Jutsu...
Every one of those feats demonstrated the strength of this taijutsu.
It was a taijutsu of pure, brutal violence.
The technique was only C-rank in difficulty, and anyone could learn it.
But only those with special physiques could truly bring out its power. Otherwise, it was merely an ordinary taijutsu when used.
For the Sarutobi Clan, blessed with Innate Divine Strength, learning this taijutsu would be like a fish taking to water. Unleashing its full power would not be a problem.
Seeing the interest in Akira Sarutobi's eyes, Orochimaru knew he had achieved his goal.
When Akira Sarutobi asked, Orochimaru formally voiced his intention. "Young Master Ryo, I only hope that... if the village holds an election for the next Hokage, you will support me..."
So that was it.
Akira Sarutobi understood.
Orochimaru had always considered himself the best candidate for Fourth Hokage.
That baffling confidence would not be shattered until Minato Namikaze took the position in the original story.
Trying to win my vote with a powerful scroll... it isn't impossible.
But the problem is...
"I'm sorry, Mr. Orochimaru, but I can't accept this scroll."
Akira Sarutobi handed the scroll back, declining Orochimaru's proposal.
Orochimaru was not surprised by Akira Sarutobi's decisiveness. Through years of observation, he had long known Akira Sarutobi's neither servile nor overbearing personality.
"Heh heh... Young Master Ryo, do you believe I cannot become Fourth Hokage?"
Orochimaru spread his hands without taking the scroll back, asking curiously instead.
Just as Minato Namikaze had Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura supporting him, Orochimaru had Danzo as his backer.
"How should I put it... if we go by the facts, Mr. Sakumo has the greatest chance of becoming Fourth Hokage."
Akira Sarutobi voiced his judgment.
Even the Three Sannin were indistinct figures before Konoha's White Fang.
Orochimaru clearly understood this as well.
He smiled and did not mind. "Then... if Mr. Sakumo has no intention of running for Hokage, how about supporting me among the other candidates?"
Orochimaru proposed a possibility, but it contained an enormous amount of information.
His golden slit-pupiled eyes stared intently at Akira Sarutobi.
Akira Sarutobi calmly met his gaze, then drew back his outstretched hand. "No problem."
A moment later.
Akira Sarutobi and Ino Yamanaka listened to the sound of the door closing and locking behind them as they watched Orochimaru leave.
"Young Master, what Lord Orochimaru said just now contained a lot of information..."
Ino Yamanaka felt that those words had implied many things.
"Mm."
Akira Sarutobi nodded and put away the scroll.
Danzo: Hiruzen, Your Son Has Anbu Potential
More than ten minutes later...
Akira Sarutobi and Ino Yamanaka arrived at a breakfast shop.
Orochimaru's visit had left them with no time to prepare breakfast.
Ino Yamanaka ate with great relish, constantly stealing glances at her young master.
Last night's events remained vivid in her mind. Whenever she remembered that her young master, who only knew how to cultivate like a training machine, had such a side to him as well, her cheeks could not help but burn.
Meanwhile, Akira Sarutobi, seated opposite Ino Yamanaka, had fallen into deep thought.
Hokage...
His goal was to become Hokage and then set Konoha—and even this entire ninja world—right.
But considering that both he and Minato Namikaze were still children—
the strongest candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage should be the long-famous Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo.
Hatake Sakumo currently enjoyed immense popular support among the people, even surpassing the Three Sannin. Barring any surprises, he would certainly become the next Hokage.
However, judging by the higher-ups' way of thinking and arrangements, as well as the implications in Orochimaru's words this morning, Hatake Sakumo would most likely still follow the same path as in the original story, facing suppression and persecution.
And the best way to bring someone down was to ruin their reputation.
That much could be seen from what Hatake Sakumo suffered in the original story.
Before you continue