Doing All That Work for Someone Else

After chatting with the Third Hokage for a while longer, Hane glanced at the shadows in the command room, then rose to take his leave.

"Sensei, what did you think?"

Long after Hane had left, a soft, androgynous voice sounded from a corner.

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched Orochimaru emerge from the shadows and smiled ruefully. "I didn't expect you to take an interest in this."

"It concerns me, after all." Orochimaru licked his lips. "You want me to take over Root, don't you?"

"I hadn't considered it before, because you were too close to Danzo. That was my fault, too. I shouldn't have sent you to Root back then."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was complicated, though a faint smile touched his lips. "But when Konoha needed it, you voluntarily stepped aside and gave up the Hokage Position to Minato. I was glad."

"After this, leaving the two advisors aside, Danzo will certainly have to step down as Hokage Assistant. Root can't remain in his hands, either."

"Originally, Shikaku was my preferred candidate for Hokage Assistant. Every generation of the Nara Clan has been full of brilliant minds. Aside from those Danzo drew into Root, none of them took part in this willingly."

"But it's customary for them to serve as Jonin Commander. With Minato's recommendation, choosing Hane is a good option, too. It's just..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice grew low.

"Root won't do. Combining the Hokage Assistant position with command of an independent unit has already shown us the damage Danzo can do."

Wasn't that caused by your own indulgence?

Thinking this to himself, Orochimaru smiled. "Would I really be suitable for the job?"

"You spent some time in Root back then, so you're more suitable than he is. And although the title of Hokage Assistant carries weight, only the Hokage has real authority. Nothing can be accomplished unless he's willing to delegate. In other words, the position requires someone the Hokage trusts."

"Hane is a member of the Shadow Guard. It's only natural that he's suited to the position."

"Konoha needs a fresh start. Minato, Hane... You Sannin, and the rest of us old fogeys, should retire."

The impact of that letter was greater than I'd imagined.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and asked in a hoarse voice, "When you read the letter I sent you, which mentioned a fresh start, who came to mind?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen froze.

Who had come to mind?

He recalled the contents of the letter.

A letter recommending Minato for the Hokage Position would naturally describe his strengths.

Gentle and kind, exceptionally skilled in one-on-one combat, deeply trusted by the civilian ninja...

Who had come to mind?

There had once been a Konoha ninja much like Minato. Like him, he excelled at surprise attacks. Like him, he was gentle, and like him, he was deeply trusted by the civilian ninja.

When Minato and Kakashi stood together, the familiarity of the sight had left him breathless.

That was Konoha's... White Fang!

Sarutobi Hiruzen instinctively tried to avoid the thought, but when he looked into Orochimaru's eyes, he knew he couldn't hide it.

"I never meant to drive Sakumo to his death. Danzo only wanted to damage his reputation. We never imagined he would die!"

"He had a five-year-old child. He had Kakashi to look after. Why did he choose such a drastic way out?"

The Third Hokage, who had been calm just moments ago, took dry drags from his pipe, his eyes distant. "We didn't want him to die."

Orochimaru's eyes held a trace of pity.

Guilt was a blade.

White Fang's death had also been a major factor in the outbreak of the Third Great Ninja War.

As the war dragged on, his teacher must have wondered more than once what would have happened if White Fang hadn't died.

And when a ninja so like White Fang appeared before him in the form of Minato, certain things had naturally followed.

"I've been wondering lately: what would have happened if I'd given the Hokage Position to Sakumo?"

"He had no experience, just like Minato. He had nothing but a reputation, and few of the clans supported him."

"But if I'd been able to make up my mind and clear a path for him, would things have turned out better?"

The Third Hokage looked toward the doorway of the command room, as if he were watching someone.

"He didn't know how to handle administrative affairs. I could have taught him. He had no support. I could have given it to him. Sakumo was such a gentle person. He would have gotten along well with Minato, and then he would have gained even more support."

"Who could say he was truly unsuited to the Hokage Position without giving him the chance to take it?"

For a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to see Hatake Sakumo wearing the Hokage's hat, with Minato, Jiraiya, Kakashi, Tsunade, Hane, and the others standing behind him. The scene seemed almost dazzling, and he couldn't help closing his eyes.

"If he were alive, Kakashi wouldn't be torn between his comrades and his missions. He would have grown much faster. It would only be a matter of time before a second White Fang of Konoha appeared."

"If he were alive, many people in Konoha wouldn't have died. He was the White Fang of Konoha, the man who kept Sand Village awake at night!"

"I've already made one mistake. I truly can't make a second!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen opened his eyes and repeated those words, his clouded gaze fixed on Orochimaru.

"Back then, I, Danzo, and both advisors were at fault for Sakumo's death. But those clans can't escape blame, either. They fanned the flames and were happy to see it happen."

"For civilian ninja like Sakumo and Minato, the clans are their greatest obstacle. Last time, I couldn't bring myself to act. This time... I'll do it myself!"

"Do you think I did the right thing this time? I must have, right?"

Orochimaru watched Sarutobi Hiruzen's bewildered expression and remained silent.

Perhaps. For a Hokage of a previous generation, you've done quite well this time.

But at the same time, Hane had used you as a blade, letting you cut away every obstacle he would have faced on his way to power!

He'd laid his plans on the Mist Village Battlefield, making you retrieve Tsunade to undo the Caged Bird, so you could prevent Danzo from abusing it.

He'd become a Jonin, used his status as a member of the Branch Family to catch the Fourth Hokage's attention, and become one of the Shadow Guard.

He'd deepened Konoha's internal divisions, bringing the conflict between the clans and the Hokage into the open and forcing you to consider how to resolve it.

Those clans feared Minato because the Bloodline Clans had helped him rise to power—because of the Hyuga and the Uchiha!

With their power passed down through blood, they were harder to replace and more powerful than ordinary Secret Technique Clans. If Minato rose to prominence, any clan that hadn't backed him early would suffer losses, and it would be difficult to suppress the Hyuga and Uchiha in the future.

The circle of Old Clans that you had once led to prominence and the circle of New Clans, now led by Minato at the heart of Konoha, were irreconcilable.

Watching Minato and Kakashi, you were tormented day after day by Sakumo's shadow. To prevent internal conflict in Konoha, you had to make up your mind to cut away the influence of the Old Clans.

And Hane had used the incident Danzo caused to gain the possibility of publicly removing the Caged Bird.

By now, a member of the Hyuga Branch Family, who should never have been able to become part of Konoha's High Command, was only a reputation away from taking the Hokage Assistant position.

And the Mist Village had already handed him the opportunity to build that reputation.

Danzo was your blade. You used him to set off the clans' resentment. You, in turn, were Hane's blade, removing everything that might hinder his rise to power.

Orochimaru sighed to himself.

A phrase came to mind: doing all that work for someone else.

Just as you said, Sensei, the Hokage Assistant needs the Hokage's authority, and the Hokage's trust.

After you paved the way for Minato and gradually cut away the influence of the clans that once belonged to the inner circle, how much authority could Hane, who had Minato's deep trust, gain?

Even without Root, if Hane wanted to form his own unit, would Minato stop him?

Given Hane's abilities... it was hard to say who would control Konoha in the future.

Hane, you said you would stay in Konoha for now and watch over the peace Minato hoped for... You certainly chose a very special position.

But surely that wasn't all you wanted?

Hane stepped out of the command room and watched the sky gradually brighten.

Under the One Country, One Village system, the Daimyo had no authority over Konoha's politics. As the Land of Fire's military organization, Konoha was closer in nature to a mercenary force. It could even accept missions from other countries without reporting them to the Daimyo.

The village's main source of income was missions from the Land of Fire, not trade.

The Daimyo held the village's economic lifeline, but lacked the strength to oppose it.

A distorted, bizarre symbiotic relationship.

The highest leader had no control over the military. Instead, he controlled the village through economic and other soft forms of power.

It had none of the advantages an excellent political system ought to possess.

Nor was it efficient.

Chakra, a resource useful in every field, was controlled only by ninja, samurai, monks, and the like. Most of it was used for combat, killing enemies, and increasing their fighting strength.

How many people lived in Konoha? How many at the Fire Temple? And how many in the Land of Fire?

If everyone could wield Chakra, the Land of Fire's potential for war and its foundations would grow at an astonishing rate.

But the Daimyo wouldn't promote it, and didn't dare to... because he couldn't control that power. The Hokage couldn't, either.

The old ways weren't necessarily right. The Jinchuriki, the clans—

Neither was the One Country, One Village system!