Orochimaru, do you want to become Hokage?

At first, Orochimaru had thought that if the Hokage's son was prepared to die for a mission, why had White Fang abandoned it?

Putting himself in those shoes, if his own death could win a war between nations, what would be wrong with dying?

In his eyes, however old-fashioned his teacher might be, he would never do anything detrimental to the village. Yet every word out of the other man's mouth had slapped him hard across the face.

"Heh."

Orochimaru looked utterly lost, while Ling Tian laughed. "What a wonderful will of fire! If the mission succeeded, his son got the credit. If it failed, White Fang took the blame, and his son still got to demonstrate the will of fire!"

His face was smiling. If his fists had not been clenched and the veins on his hands had not been bulging, he really would have been smiling.

Sending him to assassinate a Kage with dead weight in tow-had the Konoha F4 really wanted his older brother to end the war by taking out the enemy leader, or had they simply wanted to use the war to eliminate a rival?

During the Second Shinobi World War, Kirigakure and Iwagakure had both suffered devastating losses, while Kumogakure had yet to recover from the Kinkaku and Ginkaku brothers' rebellion during the First Shinobi World War.

At that point, among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, only Sunagakure stood against the Leaf Village.

Even Amegakure had been able to take on four opponents at once: the Land of Iron, the Leaf Village, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure.

Yet the Leaf Village had needed to assassinate Sunagakure's Kage just to fight that one village.

He had expected the higher-ups to be shameless, but not this shameless.

What exactly were all those shinobi who fought and died for the village in their eyes?

Even a neighbor's dog would stir some affection if you saw it often enough!

"Idle Fish Lord, perhaps things aren't what you think. I'll ask my teacher and get to the bottom of this. He absolutely isn't that kind of person."

In Year 38 of the Leaf Village, Orochimaru was twenty-eight. Having lost his parents as a child and lived through the First and Second Shinobi World Wars, he knew how cruel the shinobi world was. Yet he still held goodwill toward the Leaf Village, because it was his home.

He also felt grateful to his teacher, because everything he now possessed had been given to him by that man.

At this point, the corruption of the higher-ups and the Third Hokage's inaction had not yet chilled his heart.

"Snake Lord, Kakashi just told me something my older brother said before he left. Would you like to hear it?"

Without waiting for an answer, Ling Tian loudly called for a waiter.

Before long, Kakashi arrived.

"Kakashi, repeat what your dad said."

At Ling Tian's instruction, Kakashi looked at Second Uncle, who was sitting across from Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, and calmly repeated it.

His father was White Fang. Even the Sannin had to address him as their senior. There was nothing to be afraid of.

Once Kakashi finished, Ling Tian promptly sent him away.

After hearing those words, the last trace of hope in Orochimaru's heart vanished.

White Fang had known his achievements threatened those above him, yet he had still gone.

The higher-ups had known how terrible the consequences of losing White Fang would be for the Leaf Village, yet they had still done it.

Looking at the distracted Orochimaru, Ling Tian asked, "Snake Lord, do you want to become Hokage?"

"Hokage..."

Orochimaru murmured.

"The Leaf Village is no longer the powerful village it once was."

Ling Tian sneered. "The Leaf Village once had Madara Uchiha, the First Hokage, the Second Hokage, and powerful clans. Even after Madara left and the First Hokage died, the Second Hokage was there to hold everything together, and the shinobi clans beneath him could shoulder the burden. After the Second Hokage died, what did the Leaf Village have left?

"After the Third Hokage took office, the Hyuga Clan, once a second-rate clan, somehow became capable of competing with the Uchiha. Then there were the three elders. Danzo held a high position, yet all he did was suppress shinobi from his own village.

"The other two clearly had neither talent, virtue, nor strength, yet they were put in charge of vital departments such as the Ninja Academy, the prison, the hospital, and finance. Wasn't all of this the result of the Third Hokage indulging them?"

"The Three Advisors and my teacher were all Lord Tobirama's disciples. Apart from Danzo, the other Two Advisors haven't done anything to betray the Leaf Village."

Orochimaru conceded that point.

Danzo had indeed gone too far; there was no defending that. But although the Two Advisors lacked ability, they had not done anything to harm the Leaf Village. Besides, their seniority qualified them to serve as Advisors. Ling Tian gave a mocking smile. Looking at the Orochimaru before him, so unlike the man he would become once the story began, he said coldly, "If we're judging by seniority, what about Torifu Akimichi and Kagami Uchiha? They were also the Second Hokage's disciples, had greater achievements, and were stronger than those two. Weren't they more qualified?"

Ling Tian continued, "Nothing to say? Torifu Akimichi had both ability and strength, yet they pushed him out of the center of power and sent him home to retire. As for Kagami Uchiha, he couldn't let go of his clan, and he died under suspicious circumstances."

Orochimaru was about to say something, but Ling Tian cut him off before he could speak. "Were you going to say Torifu Akimichi went home because he knew he lacked ability, and that what happened to Kagami Uchiha was just a coincidence?"

Orochimaru frowned and remained silent, waiting for Ling Tian's explanation.

Ling Tian knew what he meant and immediately said, "The Second Hokage had six disciples: Three Civilians and Three Noble Clans. The Three Civilians shared one trait: mediocre aptitude. As for the Three Noble Clans, if Torifu Akimichi lacked ability, would he have been qualified to represent his clan as the Second Hokage's disciple?"

The Third Hokage was known as the Ninja Professor, while Kagami Uchiha was someone the Second Hokage believed might replace Madara and bring the Uchiha and the Leaf Village together. Could Torifu Akimichi, who stood alongside those two, possibly have been weak?

Seeing Orochimaru begin to waver, Ling Tian spoke again. "Have you ever considered that the reason was that both men had supporters behind them? The Uchiha need no explanation. They're currently the Leaf Village's First Noble Clan, at least on the surface.

"And together, the Akimichi Clan, the Nara Clan, and the Yamanaka Clan rank among the Leaf Village's top ten clans. Those three have been allies since the Warring States period. They share in each other's glory and disgrace."

Ling Tian said disdainfully, "Three Civilians with mediocre aptitude hold high office, while two powerful clan shinobi with backing ended up like that. Isn't this evidence that the Third Hokage suppresses capable people?"

Orochimaru closed his eyes again. Only after a long while did he open them and say, "My teacher isn't that kind of person. Also, although I can't understand many of the things Danzo has done, he isn't as weak as you make him sound."

Orochimaru vaguely remembered that he, Jiraiya, and their teammate had once questioned their teacher about why he indulged Adviser Danzo. The Third Hokage's answer had been:

Danzo might have done things others could not understand, but no one could match his determination to protect the Leaf Village.

"I know he isn't weak."

Ling Tian looked at Orochimaru and said, enunciating every word, "I've told you all this because I want you to understand just one fact."

Then he fell silent.

After a long while, when Orochimaru had grown impatient, he finally said, "Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu rose to power because they were mediocre. Although they wield real authority, strength has always been what matters in the shinobi world. To the Third Hokage, they're easy to control. As for Danzo..."