News of several geniuses emerging from Konoha spread like wildfire after the exercise ended, quickly reaching Orochimaru, who was studying commissions at the mission office.
"Shimura Kazashiro? Shimura Danzō's son? I see. Then those two samples..." After learning this from a ninja nearby, Orochimaru quickly connected Kazashiro to those samples.
Damn Danzo. Was this why he cut ties with me?
Orochimaru's expression darkened.
Ever since he had severed ties with Danzo, his life had become much harder than before.
When he left, Orochimaru had talked tough, saying Danzo would definitely regret it.
But a year had already passed. He did not know whether Danzo regretted it, but Orochimaru himself regretted it somewhat.
The reason was simple: life without money was truly miserable.
Back then, with Danzo funding him, Orochimaru bought experimental equipment by the pound and acquired test sites by the acre. He never had to worry about food or drink, nor did he need to take on any missions.
But now, not only could he no longer afford experimental equipment, even his test sites had been reclaimed by Danzo's subordinates on the grounds that they were Root assets.
Not to mention the various materials he had painstakingly acquired, all of which had been sealed away wholesale by Root ninjas.
With nowhere even to live, Orochimaru could only return to the small house his parents had left behind after their deaths. After tidying it up, he moved in.
"Geniuses... Hmph. Compared to eternal life, they are not worth mentioning."
Orochimaru seemed to think of something and muttered in a hoarse voice.
"So frightening. Is this Orochimaru-sama, one of the Sannin?"
"A terrifying ninja who carries ruthless cruelty to the extreme, whether dealing with enemies or comrades. His reputation truly precedes him."
"Just standing near him makes my body tremble uncontrollably."
Frightened by the gloomy aura radiating from Orochimaru, the Konoha ninjas had moved away and gathered nearby to whisper among themselves.
Orochimaru, immersed in his own thoughts, paid them no heed and sank deeper into his own world.
Genius. Once upon a time, he had been called that too.
But during wartime, so-called geniuses were nothing more than expendable tools in the hands of the higher-ups.
Having participated in the Second Shinobi World War, Orochimaru had personally witnessed countless geniuses fall. Some had been blown to pieces by Exploding Tags, some had their bellies slit open and their organs removed for no apparent reason, while others had been poisoned to death by some mysterious fish-riding man...
No matter how great their talent or how profound their mastery of ninjutsu, they still could not escape the fate of death.
So, Kakashi, Kazashiro, Asuma... what form would your deaths take in this cruel shinobi world?
Though he thought this, if Orochimaru could not find a suitable commission to fill his stomach soon, he too would become one of those fallen geniuses.
Most missions posted at the mission office were like children playing house, while the more dangerous ones were personally assigned by the Hokage.
In other words, Orochimaru's situation now was this: either he competed with Genin for the petty commissions of wealthy clients, or he swallowed his pride and asked Hiruzen for missions.
Damn Danzo!
He did not know how many times he had cursed Danzo in his heart, but Orochimaru's expression grew increasingly grim.
"Achoo!"
Danzo, who was at home receiving a report from his subordinate, suddenly sneezed.
"Are you all right, Danzo-sama?"
Hei, who had been sprayed across the face with saliva while giving his report, wiped his face and asked Danzo with concern.
"It's nothing. Continue." Danzo shook his head, assuming the evil Uchiha were scheming behind his back.
"Yes. Young Master Kazashiro defeated Asuma Sarutobi in just two moves. Under Captain Ryoma's instruction, we have already begun spreading word of it in secret." Hei lowered his head and continued his report.
Hearing that the villagers already knew how outstanding his son was, Danzo nodded in satisfaction. "You have done well. The only one who can change this rotten Konoha in the future is Kazashiro, who has inherited my will. Only by becoming Hokage can he dispel the darkness shrouding Konoha."
"Enough. Kazashiro is back. You may leave."
Hearing movement outside the door, Danzo waved a hand, indicating that the other man could withdraw.
Pushing open the front door, Kazashiro glanced at Danzo sitting in the living room and nodded to him as a greeting.
"I heard you defeated Asuma Sarutobi?" Danzo took the initiative to ask Kazashiro.
Kazashiro was not surprised by his bargain-bin father's question. After all, he was Konoha's head of the Intelligence Department. If he did not even know about something like this, he ought to be out of a job.
Kazashiro readily admitted it. "Yes, but it was only an exercise."
"Mm. Neither arrogant nor impatient. As expected of my son." Danzo was extremely satisfied with Kazashiro's performance and, unusually, praised him to his face.
"Still, this is indeed nothing worth boasting about. It is only natural for my son to defeat Hiruzen's son."
Worried that Kazashiro might grow proud because of his praise, Danzo continued.
Listen to you talk. Why didn't you defeat the Third Hokage, then? Instead, you follow him around like a lapdog and take the blame for him all day.
Kazashiro mocked inwardly.
"In any case, continue training. Strive to take the Chunin Ninja Exams and advance to Chunin as quickly as possible after graduation. Then I will find a way to transfer you into the Anbu and make you a Jonin." In his delight, Danzo began laying out his plans for Kazashiro.
Meanwhile, Asuma hummed a tune as he returned home.
The moment he entered, he saw the Hokage's Hat, symbolizing Hiruzen's status, hanging on the wall.
"Tch." Clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction, Asuma took off his shoes and instinctively looked toward the study as he entered the living room.
Sure enough, Hiruzen was in the study, brush in hand, writing furiously on rice paper. He paused occasionally to ponder, carrying the air of a refined scholar.
"What, not busy today?" Seeing that his father had no intention of acknowledging him, Asuma could not help but speak.
"Oh, Asuma. Sorry, sorry, I was so focused on writing that I did not notice you. Hahaha." Hearing his son's voice, Hiruzen gave an awkward laugh, set down his brush, and walked into the living room with his hands behind his back, stopping before Asuma.
"So, how was school today?" Looking his son up and down and seeing no injuries on him, Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
"Hmph, as Hokage, would you not know what happened at school? You ask even though you already know. You always treat me like a child!" Asuma was deeply dissatisfied with Hiruzen's act, and his voice rose unconsciously.
"You father and son start arguing the moment you meet. Can't you be quiet for once?" Sarutobi Biwako poked her head out from the kitchen, waving the spatula in her hand as she shouted her rebuke.
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