(Starting today, at least three thousand words a day. Probably...)
"Your story? Go ahead. I'm all ears."
Orochimaru reminisced about his life of advancement.
"Like most boys in Konoha back then, my parents died in the war, and I became an orphan at a young age...
Not long after my parents died, the Third Hokage took me on as his student.
The Third Hokage treated the three of us pretty well. That much can't be denied.
Like every child in Konoha, my dream was to become Hokage and make progress in life.
So every day, I thought about how I could advance."
At this, Orochimaru paused.
"After years of hard work, I earned the title of Sannin. By then, the war had ended, and the Third Hokage should have stepped down and yielded his position to someone more worthy.
By rights, there was a good chance the Hokage Position would go to either me or Jiraiya. I think Jiraiya already told you about Tsunade's situation, and Jiraiya himself had no interest in the position.
So I should've had the job in the bag. Even Danzo had less chance than I did. But then the Yellow Flash came along.
He was outstanding. I respected him, too."
Orochimaru looked a little wistful.
"Then came the Nine-Tails' Attack."
Orochimaru gave a bitter smile.
"Back then, when I faced power so overwhelming it took my breath away, I'll admit, I was shaken. I don't know if you know how it ended, but the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to save Konoha."
"I thought I'd finally have my chance, but who would've thought the Third Hokage would take the position again? What a joke.
"But at the time, I still held on to my hopes for the Hokage Position. And with the Third Hokage and Danzo