Orochimaru, the Fourth Hokage

Inside Konoha's jōnin conference room.

The Feudal Lord wanted to meet Konoha's ninja, and Hiruzen Sarutobi had no reason to refuse. He summoned all the jōnin in the village.

Hiruzen had also wanted to introduce Minato to the Feudal Lord, but unfortunately, Minato wasn't there. He had taken a team to Kirigakure.

"By the way, Third, how are things going with the Fourth Hokage selection?" the Feudal Lord asked with a genial smile.

The Land of Fire had suffered heavy losses in the Third Shinobi World War, and naturally, the Third, whose duty was to protect the Land of Fire, had to take responsibility.

So... he had to step down and make way for a worthy successor.

"Konoha is full of talent. We're still discussing who will take the position," Hiruzen replied with a smile.

"Then, Teacher, since the Feudal Lord is here today, let's decide who will become Konoha's Hokage," Orochimaru said, stepping forward with the air of a model student and devoted disciple. He looked at Hiruzen respectfully.

"Oh? That sounds good to me." The Feudal Lord immediately nodded in agreement.

Hiruzen furrowed his brows. Orochimaru was laying it on a little thick.

Wait!!

What had Orochimaru said?

A cold sweat broke out down Hiruzen's back. He stared at Orochimaru in disbelief, eyes wide!

You! You've been setting me up?!

Was sending Minato to Kirigakure all for this moment?!

He looked around, scanning the room.

Every jōnin seated in the conference room today was a staunch supporter of Orochimaru. Zhengyi, just like Orochimaru, looked at him respectfully—as if the two of them had always been model sons and disciples.

Even that old dog Danzo was putting on the airs of a respectable man today.

And Minato...

Minato and all his supporters had been sent by Hiruzen to Kirigakure!!!

Hiruzen spread his chakra throughout Konoha, sensing the entire village. Only a handful of Minato's supporters remained, and they were all recovering from injuries.

It was over.

Orochimaru had tricked him.

"I nominate Orochimaru for the position of Fourth Hokage."

Danzo, a senior advisor to Konoha, stood up and voiced his support for Orochimaru.

"I choose Lord Orochimaru. He's the people's choice."

Orochimaru's supporters cheered and fell in behind him.

Only then did Hiruzen realize that whenever Orochimaru saw him get angry, his gleeful reaction had all been an act!!

It had all been an act!!!

They'd only been pretending to let Hiruzen's guard down!!

"Oh? So Orochimaru has so many supporters."

The Feudal Lord didn't understand Konoha's politics. Seeing how many supporters Orochimaru had, he assumed Orochimaru really was the people's choice. He'd actually been quite impressed by the young man nicknamed the Yellow Flash, but unfortunately, no one supported him.

In that case...

"Very well. It's decided: Orochimaru will be Konoha's Fourth Hokage."

At the Feudal Lord's declaration,

"Long live the Feudal Lord's wisdom!"

Zhengyi didn't give Hiruzen a chance to object. He immediately sent someone to drape Orochimaru in the Fourth Hokage's haori, which had been prepared well in advance.

It was supposed to be for the Fourth Hokage, but you could tell that the back had originally been embroidered with "First." Someone had patched over the character and changed it to "Fourth."

Originally, it had been made for the day Orochimaru defected, so his teacher wouldn't forget his homeland and might return one day to take it back.

It fit him perfectly.

Hiruzen didn't have time to stop them! Not one of Minato's faction was there, and Homura and Koharu weren't there either!!

Finally, the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire issued a decree in the name of the Feudal Lord's Mansion, officially cementing Orochimaru's position as Fourth Hokage.

The names Minato Namikaze and Orochimaru were so different that there was absolutely no chance Orochimaru's faction could alter the decree!

And so, Orochimaru's faction reached the MVP results screen.

In the courtyard, pear blossoms had faded for another year... The quiet night had settled... Moonlight scattered across the empty steps...

The teammate who scored 16.0 was, of course, Zhengyi.

He had helped Orochimaru arrange for A to attack Jiraiya's forces, helped him come up with ways to make money, recruited rogue ninja to consolidate his power, helped him kill Jiraiya, advised him to send Minato to Kirigakure, and helped him seize the Hokage's seat...

Zhengyi deserved the most credit for Orochimaru becoming Hokage.

Danzo deserved second place. He could at least earn a 10.2 and a silver medal. Every task targeting the ninja clans had been assigned to him. The guy was good at dealing with his own people in the village, and he showed no mercy.

Hiruzen looked as if he'd aged ten years. He'd clearly helped Minato build a steady lead, so how had he still lost to Orochimaru in the end?

Minato's advantage had only kept growing! Why had he still lost?

He couldn't understand! He just couldn't understand!!

"Third! Take Biwako and retire somewhere." After becoming Hokage, Orochimaru didn't rush to hold his inauguration ceremony. The first thing he did was settle accounts with his teacher.

Danzo had bet on the right side. He went from being the head of Root to the head of Anbu. In the past, the Anbu chief had usually been the Hokage, and Root had been subordinate to Anbu. But now Danzo could command both Anbu and Root.

Zhengyi helped Orochimaru handle government affairs.

Orochimaru, meanwhile, brought Danzo to the Sarutobi Clan Estate to visit their dear teacher and fellow student.

Orochimaru's position as Hokage wasn't secure. Once Minato returned with his team, if Hiruzen made a move, they could be toppled in an instant.

So the Third had to be driven out of Konoha!

"Don't bother. I'm not leaving Konoha."

"Konoha is where I've lived since I was a child! What exactly are you two trying to do?!" Hiruzen looked at them calmly. They'd only fought once; he wasn't afraid of two men who'd become Hokage through underhanded schemes that wouldn't stand up to scrutiny.

"Teacher, Asuma's been growing taller lately," Orochimaru said ominously.

"You!" Hiruzen glared at him, only now seeing the ruthlessness lurking in his student's heart!!

"Orochimaru! Don't you understand that the innocent family members of your enemies shouldn't be punished?" Biwako came out of the house and pointed at Orochimaru as she scolded him. "The Third is your teacher. Without him, you wouldn't be where you are today!"

"Is that how you speak to the Hokage, Biwako? Monkey, your wife seems to lack manners."

Danzo wasn't leaning on his cane now, and he was still quite capable in a fight. As one of the victors, he had every right to throw a few insults at the defeated.

How satisfying!!

Before, it had always been Monkey telling him, "I'm the Hokage!"

Now Monkey was little more than a prisoner. What did that make him?!

"Danzo! Orochimaru, don't forget that Minato and Jiraiya are still out there," Hiruzen reminded them.

"Third, I'll deal with everyone who doesn't support me, one by one." Orochimaru made no attempt to hide his hostility toward Minato and the others.

"Is that so? I hope you can do it."

"Of course. That day isn't far off."

"Orochimaru! Why waste your breath on him?! You're the Hokage now! He's just a retired old stump."

"Sarutobi! Look! This is the bond with your classmate that you spent your whole life protecting. This is the student you taught everything you knew!"