Fifth Hokage

The formal inauguration ceremony for Konoha's Fifth Hokage began later than expected.

The delay was because they had to wait for the major Merchants and Entrepreneurs to arrive one after another.

All of Konoha had been mobilized. At such a critical moment, nothing could be allowed to go wrong.

The Konoha Military Police Force, responsible for public security and made up primarily of Uchiha Clan ninja, threw themselves wholeheartedly into patrols. Ever since meeting Lord Fifth, Orochimaru, the Uchiha Clan had developed an even stronger sense of ownership toward Konoha.

No one could be allowed to sabotage the Fifth Hokage's inauguration ceremony.

Those red-eyed ninja scrutinized every person entering the village, looking rather intimidating.

Of course, at such an important moment, Itachi, as the Fifth Hokage's disciple, remained by his teacher Orochimaru's side.

"You're Itachi of the Uchiha Clan?" a Pineapple-haired girl asked, hands on her hips.

Itachi silently looked at her and nodded.

"Good."

The girl raised her chin.

"I'm Orochimaru-sensei's disciple, your senior who joined before you—Anko Mitarashi."

"Senior Anko," Itachi respectfully greeted her.

As the eldest son of the Uchiha Clan head, he also had to observe proper etiquette.

"And you." Anko abruptly dragged Kabuto over from the other side.

"You have to call me Senior too!"

"...Senior." Kabuto forced out a friendly smile, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

Orochimaru-sensei's other disciple was pretty annoying too.

"Good."

Clap, clap.

Anko patted both Itachi and Kabuto on the shoulders at once.

"From now on, I've got your backs! If anyone bullies you, shout my name! I'll let them know that Anko Mitarashi's juniors aren't so easy to push around!"

With her arms crossed over her chest, Anko stood proudly, looking as though steam might burst from her nostrils.

After all, she was the Fifth Hokage's disciple!

But they were the Fifth Hokage's disciples too.

Itachi and Kabuto exchanged a glance.

For the moment, they felt strangely united by their shared misery.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru and the Third Hokage, seated together nearby, watched the children's interaction with smiles.

The Third Hokage glanced at Orochimaru and noticed that some of the gloom surrounding him had dissipated.

He seemed to understand. It appeared Orochimaru had untied some of the knots in his heart.

So he picked up his Long Pipe and began puffing away.

"Sensei, how did you feel when you became Hokage?"

At those words, the Third Hokage recalled Sarutobi's memories of assuming the Hokage's position in a time of crisis.

It had left a deep impression on Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He said, "The weight of it. The responsibility. All I could think about was that I had to bear Konoha on my shoulders and lead it out of its predicament."

"As expected of Sensei," Orochimaru praised. "I don't have that kind of passion. Perhaps I'm not really suited to being Hokage."

"But composure and rationality are also essential qualities in a leader."

"Sensei, are you praising me?"

"Of course I am. Orochimaru, you will always be my most outstanding disciple."

Orochimaru smiled and lowered his head.

The Third Hokage continued smoking. Before long, the door opened, and the two Hokage Advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, entered.

Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses and said, "Everyone is waiting."

Orochimaru rose to his feet. The Third Hokage stood as well, Hokage Hat in hand.

The three disciples—Kabuto, Anko, and Itachi—also stopped their antics and watched the moment solemnly.

A new Hokage.

A new beginning for Konoha.

Orochimaru left the Hokage's Office and ascended the stairs leading to the roof of the Hokage Building, to the platform beneath Hokage Rock.

Once there, he looked out across the open expanse at all of Konoha spread before him.

On the rooftop of a nearby building stood a white-haired man with red tear-like markings painted along both cheeks. His arms were crossed as he watched the scene.

As though sensing his gaze, Orochimaru looked his way from atop the Hokage Building.

Then he quickly faced forward again.

He accepted the Hokage Hat handed to him by the Third Hokage and placed it on his head. The veils at its sides fluttered in the wind.

Step by step, Orochimaru walked toward the front edge of the platform.

Gradually, everyone gathered below the Hokage Building for the ceremony came into view.

The residents of Konoha, ninja, Ninja Clans, and visiting Merchants and Entrepreneurs. Among them were surely agents from various forces, including spies from the other Four Great Nations.

They all looked up at the newest Fifth Hokage of the Land of Fire—the greatest nation in the ninja world—and Konohagakure, the greatest ninja village in the ninja world.

Their gazes differed. Some were filled with admiration, some with longing, some with awe, and some even with malice.

Yet they were all thinking the same thing.

What would the accession of Orochimaru, the Fifth Hokage, bring to this world?

"Boring."

A blonde woman in a green coat turned away, apparently finding it all terribly dull.

That was right—boring. The position of Hokage, the position countless people of Konoha yearned for.

She had no desire to pay any attention to it.

It did not matter who became Hokage.

"Tsunade."

A familiar, sleazy voice called out.

Tsunade did not stop walking.

"Tsunade!"

This time, the voice came from in front of her.

She was about to walk around him.

"Tsunade!"

A hug came at her. Seeing that lecherous bastard's expression, Tsunade did not hesitate before punching the attacker, sending him rolling across the ground until he crashed into a tree.

Jiraiya lay sprawled out with a huge lump on his head, savoring the sensation.

"This familiar feeling."

His face was full of nostalgia.

But... it really hurt!!!

"Hmph!"

Tsunade strode up to him aggressively, arms folded over her chest and pressing them into a visibly exaggerated shape. When she noticed Jiraiya looking at her lecherously again, her eyes immediately sharpened.

Under the pressure, Jiraiya hurriedly got up and sat properly on his knees. Scratching the back of his head with one hand, he chuckled obediently. "Tsunade, it's been a long time."

"Did you find the person you were looking for?"

Jiraiya shook his head helplessly.

"So you came back this time..."

"Of course I came to witness that guy Orochimaru becoming Hokage. You came for the same reason too, right, Tsunade? Hahaha!"

"No."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes in displeasure.

"I don't care who becomes Hokage!"

She turned her head away.

"What a tsundere."

Bang!

Her fist slammed into the tree behind Jiraiya, leaving a conspicuous dent and cracks in the trunk as a shower of leaves fell.

Jiraiya was so frightened that snot ran from his nose.

But with Tsunade's breathtaking chest so close, he suddenly grinned blissfully again.

Then he heard her say,

"I only came because I heard news about a Wood Release Ninja."

"A Wood Release Ninja?"

Jiraiya sharply sniffed back his snot, his expression turning grave.

Of course he understood what a Wood Release Ninja meant to the village.

And what a Wood Release Ninja meant to Tsunade.