Hiruzen, Listen to Me Explain!

Was his teacher serious? Was he going to pass the position of Fifth Hokage to him?

Was this still the teacher he knew—the one who had grown old and weak, unable to make up his mind for so long?

Or was it precisely because he had grown too old, truly feeling that his strength no longer matched his will?

So after looking over all of Konoha, he had decided that only his disciple could inherit this position and bear the pressure he could no longer shoulder.

Looking at the obvious fatigue on his teacher's face, Orochimaru believed it was the latter.

His teacher really had grown old.

"...Teacher, do you truly think I'm suitable?" Orochimaru asked, his voice seeming to carry something else beneath it.

The Third Hokage silently nodded.

He had not been entirely certain at first. After all, in a village that valued martial strength, one needed exceptional power to become Hokage.

But being the Hokage's disciple did not mean one was sufficiently powerful. There were as many examples as one could want of powerful teachers with disappointing disciples.

Yet the moment Orochimaru arrived, he sensed danger from him. That confirmed that Orochimaru was indeed powerful enough, and that his personal strength met the requirements.

As for the other point—his personal prestige as the village's leader—

Since his confidant had mentioned Orochimaru in the same breath as the Council Elders of the administrative department, it meant Orochimaru possessed considerable prestige within the village as well.

In other words, he was fully qualified to inherit the position of Hokage.

Coupled with his status as Hiruzen's disciple,

he was undoubtedly the best candidate for succession.

"Heh."

Orochimaru laughed as though mocking him.

"Teacher, don't you think this kindness has come a little too late?"

Something was wrong.

The Third Hokage grew wary inside.

Keeping his expression unchanged, he asked, "Too late in what way?"

"Danzo will not stand by and do nothing. More than anyone, he wants to become Hokage."

Who was Danzo?

Hmm, he seemed to be the head of the Anbu training department.

In the previous reports, the reports monitoring the Uchiha Clan had mainly come from this "Anbu training department."

Even much important intelligence had come from this "Anbu training department," showing just how important this department was within Konohagakure.

In charge of such an intelligence agency... political espionage?

But what Orochimaru was implying was that this department's leader could oppose the Hokage to a certain extent.

That meant Danzo was not merely the head of the "Anbu training department"; he was also a deeply entrenched elder of Konoha.

In other words, a member of the village's Council of Elders? One of Konoha's upper ranks?

It was hardly strange for Konoha's upper ranks to desire the position of Hokage.

But—

"I am the Hokage."

The Third Hokage said.

Orochimaru shook his head.

"Teacher, you should know what Danzo has done, shouldn't you?"

I don't know.

Still, he pretended that he did.

"You should know that I work for Danzo."

So Orochimaru was Danzo's man?

Unable to make sense of the situation, the Third Hokage's mind raced wildly.

"The village's situation is very delicate now. If you appoint me Fifth Hokage, Danzo will never let it rest. He will expose the things I did for him. The villagers have only just experienced the tragedy of the Nine-Tails; they will never accept someone like me inheriting the position of Hokage."

"..."

So Danzo had leverage over him.

That leverage ensured Orochimaru could not inherit the position of Hokage.

And the Fourth Hokage had just died. This was supposed to be the time to discuss who would inherit the next generation's position of Hokage. Danzo must be plotting to seize this opportunity and become the Fifth Hokage.

But was Danzo really suited to be Hokage?

If he was not suitable, and Orochimaru could not become Fifth Hokage because Danzo held leverage over him,

then who else in the village was there?

Was he really supposed to make these old bones keep going?

The Third Hokage took another drag from his pipe.

Finally—

"Is the leverage only in Danzo's hands?" he asked Orochimaru.

Hearing this, Orochimaru's heart stirred again, but he still nodded firmly.

"Yes, Teacher."

"Then can we strike first?"

"You mean..."

"Take Danzo under control, then destroy the evidence."

He spoke softly and took another drag from his pipe.

Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly as he looked at his teacher in surprise. When had he suddenly become so decisive?

Had he truly grown old? Or had the circumstances forced him to make such a decision?

Was he determined to push him into the position of Fifth Hokage no matter what?

Then... did he truly want to become the Fifth Hokage?

His current plans were to... The reason he had cooperated with Danzo, even doing things which, if exposed, the villagers would never forgive, was to sever his ties with the ninja village.

He had even anticipated that Danzo, in his attempt to ascend to the position of Hokage, would definitely use such matters against him to eliminate every possibility that could obstruct his rise to the position.

When the time came, his teacher would have no choice but to deal with him, no choice but to cut ties with him.

He had prepared for all of this long ago.

Yet now, after making all those preparations, his teacher—who appeared so aged and exhausted before him—had placed the position of Fifth Hokage, that past desire he had thought long since extinguished, before his eyes once more.

He had thought he had long since let go, that he had seen through it all. But at this very moment—

Thump. Thump. Thump.

He admitted that his heart was beating a little fast.

After all, things had not yet reached that point. He still found it difficult to part with this place. The fact that he had made arrangements to force himself to let go proved as much.

It was precisely because he could not bear to part with it that he had forced himself to do so.

And now, it seemed he had found another reason not to let go.

"..."

Besides, his teacher looked so old and weary before him.

As his disciple, his heart softened somewhat.

Teacher, you really have given me a difficult problem.

"...Danzo will not be so easy to control." His voice was somewhat gloomy. "If we are truly going to act, we must be fast. We cannot give him a chance to react."

As he spoke, a chilling aura enveloped the surrounding area.

All the nearby Anbu dared not move.

The Third Hokage immediately understood what Orochimaru meant.

Danzo had planted subordinates around him. If their movements were not secured, then his conversation with Orochimaru would reach Danzo's ears.

In that case—

"I leave it entirely to you, Orochimaru."

"Yes, Teacher."

Whoosh.

Orochimaru vanished in an instant.

Very soon, two Anbu ninja were dragged out and thrown before the Third Hokage.

The other nearby Anbu ninja tacitly refrained from making any rash moves. Their emotions unsettled, they waited for the change in the skies as they saw it.

Not long afterward, Orochimaru arranged for people he trusted to monitor the Anbu guarding the Third Hokage.

Then, with the Hokage's full support, he mobilized reliable people from all sides and spread various false pieces of intelligence as cover, concealing his true intentions.

For example, they claimed to have discovered spies from another village, or that someone was staging a rebellion. By the Hokage's written order, Root was instructed to assist in the investigation, scattering Root's forces.

Next came an invitation from the Hokage for Elder Danzo of Root to come to the Hokage's Office and discuss the rebellious disturbance caused by collusion between insiders and outsiders that night. Word was also spread that the Hokage was deeply displeased and intended to hold Elder Danzo, who oversaw Root, accountable. Why had he failed to discover it in time? Was Root being fed for nothing?

Danzo was also furious when he received the notice.

As the self-proclaimed representative of Konoha's hardline hawks, he too believed that his failure to uncover the internal and external collusion that had caused unrest in the village that night was a dereliction of duty.

He suspected nothing.

The position of Hokage was simply too tempting!

This was his closest chance yet to obtain the position of Hokage! He had focused all his attention on this matter and consequently overlooked everything else.

This truly was unacceptable. Danzo began reflecting on himself as well. No matter how much he coveted the Hokage's position, he could not neglect his duties.

More importantly, Root's failure this time would leave him in a very passive position.

The Fourth Hokage's death was such a perfect opportunity to become the next Hokage! If his dereliction of duty caused him to lose the chance to inherit the position of Hokage, that would be far too unfair!

So he needed to rein himself in a little.

And when he saw Hiruzen next, he needed to explain himself properly to Hiruzen.