Orochimaru's Doubts

Konoha, the Hokage Building, a temporary conference room.

Orochimaru, who had just returned to the village, was waiting here to be summoned by the new Acting Hokage.

His memories had naturally been altered by [Omnipotence]. In those memories, Naruto and Sasuke had relied on their talent and cheats to surpass the limits of their own scientific prowess and win the Fourth Great Ninja War. Now, they had become the Seventh Hokage, Jigen Uzumaki.

So when he learned that even the powerful Jigen Uzumaki had lost to Sasuke Otsutsuki and the others, and ultimately died in battle,

Snake Uncle was naturally stunned!

On top of that, the village had called for help, and it had been ages since he'd come back to see Mitsuki.

So he'd hurried back, ready to meet the newly appointed Eighth Acting Hokage.

But as soon as he returned, his old friend Kakashi, the former Sixth Hokage, pulled him aside for a quiet word of caution. He claimed the new Hokage, Lord Code, had an aggressive personality and hoped Orochimaru would be patient and, above all, avoid clashing with the new Hokage.

With few worldly desires left, Snake Uncle smiled faintly. "Don't worry."

"That guy is Jigen's son, after all. For the sake of my old friend Jiraiya, I won't hold a grudge against his grand-disciple."

"Besides, no matter how bad his personality is, he can't be worse than Tsunade."

"More importantly, I'm more concerned about what you said regarding Sarada and Sumire's memories."

"You suspect they were both controlled by Genjutsu?"

Kakashi nodded. Although his memories had also been altered, he hadn't lost the mind or experience that made him one of Konoha's top strategists.

Those two young flowers, Sarada and Sumire, couldn't hide the truth from Kakashi, no matter how good their acting was. Once