As a speculator, Orochimaru's logic was simple: he wanted to exploit the lack of transparency between Danzo and Soji, using himself as a "bridge" to profit from the difference.
The plan appeared flawless, but Snake Bro, who had only just entered the upper echelons' struggle, had overlooked a crucial flaw in the logic—if he wanted to profit from an information gap, he first had to ensure that he monopolized the flow of intelligence in that particular field.
To put it more plainly...
For the business of a double agent feeding lies to both sides to last, Lord Cold Sovereign had to ensure that the intelligence he provided was irreplaceable!
Conversely, if other espionage activities existed between Root and the Residency Training Center, and some of those people's roles even overlapped with Orochimaru's, then his supposed ability to play both sides was nothing more than a wishful fantasy.
And with the Pot King's style, how could he possibly place all his bets on Sarutobi Hiruzen's disciple?
—As mentioned before, Danzo's problem lay in his scope and vision, not in his ability to make decisions in political struggles.
This was especially evident in the original story's contest between Orochimaru and Danzo.
Because audiences usually viewed things from the protagonist's perspective, most people only noticed how many resources the mad scientist had mobilized and how many forbidden techniques he had invented, while overlooking the master-servant relationship hidden beneath that partnership, which proved that Orochimaru had always been at a disadvantage!
Other than Kabuto Yakushi, the fiercely loyal subordinate he had acquired from the orphanage, the vast majority of Snake Bro's research achievements during his time in Konoha could actually be traced on the Ninja Darkness himself...
In stark contrast, after he lost the Fourth Hokage election, responsibility for a whole series of illegal