The Hokage's Office was filled with smoke.
The pipe in Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand flickered between light and shadow, mirroring his turbulent emotions.
The cheers of the villagers celebrating their victory could be faintly heard outside the window, but their joy seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier, unable to truly penetrate this room that symbolized the highest power in Konoha and dispel the heaviness weighing on his brow.
Then the Captain of the Hokage's Personal Guard suddenly appeared in front of the desk, knelt on one knee, and reported everything that had happened at the village entrance in an incredulous and urgent tone.
" Lord Hokage! Lord Chiyo... he's returned with the missing-nin Orochimaru!"
"What?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly stood up from his large chair, his pipe falling to the table with a "thud," sending sparks flying.
He didn't even bother to wipe himself; he leaned forward, his eyes fixed intently on the Captain of the guard.
"Explain yourself! Orochimaru? That Orochimaru?! How is he? Was he captured? Or...?"
His voice trembled without him even realizing it, and a series of questions came out of his mouth.
"Reporting to the Lord Hokage, based on observations at the scene, Orochimaru..."
Orochimaru returned voluntarily, expressing his deep remorse, his desire to atone for the village's sins, and his commitment to dedicating his knowledge and power to the Mirai of Konoha.
Currently, Orochimaru has been taken by Lord Chiyo towards the Konoha Guard Unit.
The Captain the guards gave a brief and clear reply, but the surprise and doubt in his tone were still hard to completely conceal.
"Voluntary return... atonement..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured the two words repeatedly, his excitement and surprise receding like a tide, replaced by an extremely complex expression that mixed with immense loss and understanding.
He slumped back into his chair slowly and dejectedly, as if all his strength had been drained away in an instant.
Voluntary return...
Instead, they went directly to the Uchiha.
Yes, what right or standing does he have now to demand to see that child?
Or perhaps, in that child's heart, they have already stopped acknowledging themselves as a failed teacher.
Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air, and also revealing the weariness and regret that Hiruzen Sarutobi could not conceal.
His gaze became somewhat hazy, his thoughts drifting back to many years ago, to that open space in the Training Ground, where three children with very different personalities stood before him.
Jiraiya is loud, impulsive, and hot-blooded. He may seem like a loser, but he has a pure heart and unwavering perseverance.
Tsunade, the granddaughter of the First, is exceptionally talented, a prodigy in Medical Ninjutsu, and possesses a proud heart.
And Orochimaru...
Orochimaru is the most different.
His golden, snake-like eyes had always gleamed with a calmness, wisdom, and... beyond his years.
An almost obsessive thirst for knowledge about the unknown.
He was the most talented of the three, learning everything quickly, drawing inferences from one instance to another, and possessing an astonishingly sharp mind.
He was taciturn, but he always managed to offer insightful observations at crucial moments.
Hiruzen Sarutobi saw in him the shadow of his own youthful pursuit of the ultimate in Ninjutsu, and even saw a deeper and more unattainable possibility.
He studied Ninjutsu on his own and was known as the Ninjutsu Professor".
He once firmly believed that Orochimaru would surpass him.
This will elevate Konoha's Ninjutsu development and even its exploration of the mysteries of the entire Shinobi World to a whole new level.
His fondness for Orochimaru may stem from this expectation and appreciation of "possibilities," a kind of cherishing of pure wisdom and talent.
However, it was precisely this overly advanced wisdom and insatiable thirst for truth that ultimately led Orochimaru step by step into the forbidden abyss.
When he discovered that Orochimaru was still conducting human experiments, which were strictly prohibited, the shock, heartache, and anger nearly broke him.
As the Hokage, he must uphold the village's rules and bottom line.
This guilt and regret, like a venomous snake, has been gnawing at his heart for many years.
He thought of that pale, thin figure countless times in the dead of night.
Now, Orochimaru is back.
He returned to Konoha in a way he never expected, only to join the Uchiha clan.
This seemed like a silent mockery of his past failures.
" Uchiha... Chiyo..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes bitterly, his fingers weakly pressing against his throbbing temples.
Chiyo did indeed do what he couldn't, whether it was winning the war, or...
"Subdued" Orochimaru.
After a long while, he took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, and waved to the guard Captain was still kneeling on the ground, his voice hoarse and tired.
"Understood. Keep a close watch on Orochimaru's movements, and report back immediately if there are any unusual occurrences."
"Yes!"
The Captain of the guard disappeared without a trace.
Silence returned to the office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat alone for a long time, but in the end, he could not suppress the strong urge in his heart to see Orochimaru.
That was not just concern for the missing-nin, but also a teacher's most primal concern for his lost disciple.
He needed to confirm Orochimaru's true condition, he needed to see with his own eyes whether he was truly... well.
"Someone come here."
He raised his voice slightly.
A member of the Anbu appeared.
"Bring Danzo here."
"Yes!"
A short while later, Shimura Danzō Earth Run.
He didn't even wait for Hiruzen Sarutobi a cold snort.
" Hiruzen, if you're going to talk about Orochimaru, there's no need to repeat yourself. The whole area outside the village is talking about it; it's hard not to know."
He walked to the sofa and sat down, his cane slamming heavily on the floor, his tone undisguisedly sarcastic.
"That's quite a tactic, Chiyo Uchiha."
Not only did he win the war, but now he can even make an S-rank missing-nin return 'willingly', and he even brought back the Uchiha.
It seems that the Uchiha has indeed become powerful enough to disregard the village's established rules and deal with missing-nin on its own.
This prestige and power... even the First Hokage probably didn't possess anything like it back then."
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, not Danzo's words, but instead speaking in a deep voice.
" Danzo, Orochimaru was once my disciple. Now that he has returned to the village, I need to see him, both for personal and professional reasons, to understand the situation. He is currently with the Uchiha. Go and bring him here for me."
Danzo his one eye slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing within it.
"Bring it over? Hiruzen, are you kidding me?"
The people Chiyo Uchiha personally brought back are now surrounded by an impenetrable Uchiha Guard Unit. What am I supposed to use to bring back more people?
"With my old face? I'm afraid I don't have that much influence in front of the Uchiha Clan Head head."
Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally knew Danzo's thoughts, and he wearily rubbed his temples.
"I will temporarily place the Hokage's Personal Guard under your command."
In the name of the Hokage, we demand that the Uchiha hand over the relevant personnel to cooperate with the investigation. Is that acceptable?
Upon hearing this, a Danzo's single exposed eye.
The authority to mobilize the Hokage's Personal Guard!
This is real, temporary, and substantial power!
Moreover, this is a perfect opportunity to legitimately suppress the Uchiha's arrogance, test Chiyo's attitude, and even potentially seize information about Orochimaru's research findings!
That's killing two birds with one stone!
He suppressed his excitement, his face remaining as somber as he slowly stood up.
"Since it's in the name of the Hokage, and for the sake of the village's rules, then I'll make this trip. I hope the Uchiha Clan Head still remembers the Hokage's authority."
Having said that, he didn't linger. Turning around, he leaned on his cane and left the Hokage's Office with a barely perceptible eagerness.
Watching Danzo's departing figure, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes showed even greater weariness.
He was well aware of Danzo's intentions, but at this moment, all he wanted was to see Orochimaru.
As for what trouble Danzo might cause by doing this, he was no longer able to delve into it.
Meanwhile, inside a heavily guarded secret room in the Uchiha Guard Unit building.
Chiyo was flipping through several Scroll that Orochimaru had respectfully handed over.
These Scroll are made of a special material and are covered with complex incantations and diagrams. The contents recorded are bizarre and horrifying.
The development and optimization of Forbidden Technique far exceeded the information left by the Second;
Amazing data on human cell activation and transplantation;
A bold hypothesis and preliminary experimental record regarding the synthesis and stripping of Kekkei Genkai...
Everything about it is at the forefront of the times, even bordering on ethics and taboos, but the wisdom and groundbreaking nature it demonstrates are enough to shock anyone who knows about it.
Even Chiyo, after quickly browsing through the text, couldn't help but show a glint of approval in his eyes.
Orochimaru, as expected of a scientist favored by fate, possesses a talent that inspires envy.
"A very interesting study."
Chiyo put down the last Scroll about Cell Activation and turned his gaze to Orochimaru, who was standing quietly to the side, his expression even deserving of the description "docile".
"Your knowledge and imagination are a valuable asset to the village."
"It is my honor to contribute to your and Konoha's Mirai."
Orochimaru bowed slightly, his tone utterly sincere, his golden snake eyes gleaming with the focused light of someone who had found a new direction in life.
This is naturally the power of Kotoamatsukami.
Chiyo tapped his fingertips on the table, pondered for a moment, and then asked the question that truly concerned him.
" Orochimaru, most of your research focuses on the essence of life and individual enhancement."
So, have you ever dabbled in Large-Scale Barrier Jutsu, especially special Barrier that incorporate Nature Energy ( Senjutsu )?
Or rather, is there any idea that can create a...
Barrier capable of being extremely concealed and accurately identifying and issuing warnings about the intrusion of a specific, eerie life form?
When Orochimaru heard the keywords " Barrier," " Senjutsu," and "identification and warning," his golden pupils suddenly lit up.
It was as if I had encountered a completely new and extremely challenging subject; my tongue unconsciously licked my lips.
This habitual action seems to have remained even after the will was altered.
"A large-scale early warning Barrier that integrates Sage Sensing? Targeting a specific life form?"
Orochimaru's voice carried the excitement of a scientist encountering a difficult problem.
"This is a fantastic direction!"
Traditional Barrier Jutsu rely on chakra sensing, but their effectiveness is limited against those who can perfectly simulate or even conceal chakra fluctuations.
Nature Energy permeates all things in the universe, and its fluctuations are more fundamental and difficult to conceal...
He fell into a brief moment of deep thought, his mind racing.
"If we can build a Macroscopic Sensing Network based on Nature Energy and set up a specific screening mechanism... it is theoretically possible to achieve ultra-long-distance, extremely high-precision screening and early warning of specific targets."
However, this requires a profound understanding and control over Nature Energy, and it also necessitates solving a series of challenging problems such as energy convergence, node stability, and information transmission and analysis...
This requires a lot of computation and experimental attempts.
Orochimaru raised his head, his eyes filled with a passion for research.
Give me some time and a suitable venue, and I'm willing to begin this research immediately!
This is absolutely a groundbreaking project that will greatly enhance the village's ability to conceal and defend itself!
Seeing Orochimaru instantly get into the zone, Chiyo nodded in satisfaction.
Indeed, professional tasks should be left to professionals.
"Very good. Just give me a list of the resources and facilities you need. This research is the highest priority."
Just as Chiyo gave the order, a soft knock came from outside the secret room.
A respectful voice came from an Uchiha clansman.
" Clan Leader, Danzo is out with the Hokage's Personal Guard, claiming to be acting on the orders of the Third Hokage, demanding... demanding that Orochimaru be taken away for questioning."
Inside the secret room, Chiyo's gaze instantly deepened.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, seemed completely unconcerned, still absorbed in his new idea about Barrier Jutsu.