Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the triumphant ninjas and greeted them with loving faces.
The early morning sunlight shines on Konoha Gate, reflecting a peaceful scene.
But under this seemingly warm scene, there is a complex game of interests hidden.
If Iori had not suddenly emerged, Hiruzen Sarutobi would not have planned to welcome the ninjas returning from the Land of Wind battlefield with such a high profile.
Orochimaru has great military exploits, so it stands to reason that he is the number one candidate for Fourth Hokage.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew his disciple's character very well. He did not doubt Orochimaru's ability, but he had deep doubts about his moral bottom line and political policy.
As for whether this worry includes the fear that he will lose his rights, no one can confirm, not even Hiruzen Sarutobi himself can be sure whether there is selfishness in his heart.
He prefers Minato Namikaze to succeed Fourth Hokage. On the one hand, Minato Namikaze's ability is indeed outstanding and his popularity is also very high. Both the mission evaluation and the reputation among ninjas are close to perfect.
On the other hand, his girlfriend Kushina Uzumaki is Konoha's last war weapon-Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Because of the special relationship between the Uzumaki Clan and Konoha, as well as the kinship between the Senju Clan and Kushina, she cannot simply be regarded as a weapon in many cases, and her opinions are sometimes very important.
Konoha has always wanted to weaponize Tailed Beast, but the premise is that it is controllable. In Minato and Kushina, they discovered this possibility, just like Mito Uzumaki said, fill the vacancy with love.
In addition, Jiraiya himself has no intention of becoming Hokage, but he fully recommends Minato to the top, which greatly tilts the balance in Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind.
Various reasons intertwined together, leading to the scene where Orochimaru was refrigerated in the first half of the war.
If the four-nation coalition forces hadn't attacked Konoha together, forcing Konoha to use all his strength, even Genin, who had just graduated, would have been sent to the battlefield.
Orochimaru has no chance of going into battle, let alone becoming a front-line commander.
Originally, the village had already prepared for a cold treatment, downplaying Orochimaru's achievements on the battlefield and highlighting Minato's consecutive victories in multi-line operations.
However, the unexpected situation of Land of Wind and the strong strength of Uchiha Iori completely disrupted their plan.
Orochimaru's reputation is no longer the most worrying thing.
The rise of Uchiha Iori is like a dazzling new star, keeping Hiruzen Sarutobi and others awake at night.
Their hearts were filled with uneasiness and anxiety, as if a black mist shrouded their hearts. They had all experienced the period when Madara Uchiha was so violent, and the fear of Mangekyō Sharingan had already penetrated deep into their bones.
The various methods they once used against the Uchiha Clan have now become a rope hanging around their necks, tightly strangling their breathing.
Once Uchiha Iori becomes Hokage, everything in the past will inevitably be liquidated. Not only Konoha F4 himself will be liquidated, but their family will not be able to escape either.
Under the threat of Iori, choosing the lesser of two evils, they would rather give their reputation to Orochimaru than to Iori.
Iori looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a lot of emotions in his heart.
Although this was not the first time they met, he had never been qualified to look directly at this Hokage in the past.
Looking back on every meeting in the past, I either listened to his speech at the Ninja Academy or accepted a task at Hokage Building.
Every time, Iori lowered his head and tried not to be noticed.
However, now, Iori can finally look directly at, or even look down at, this once lofty figure.
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi is only in his early fifties. Although his strength has begun to decline, his combat effectiveness is still the same as at his peak.
His eyes were still bright and bright, and although his smile was kind, it revealed a majesty that could not be ignored.
More than 20 years of Hokage career has given him a unique leadership temperament.
Although Iori has always felt that Hokage, who was the strongest among the Ninja Academy in the past, was just farting, Second Hokage may not be able to win, let alone First Hokage.
But his title of Doctor of Ninjutsu and Shinobi Hero is still very appropriate.
In the past, when he was in the Ninja Academy, in order to inspire the students, Hiruzen Sarutobi also showed his skills in the Ninja Academy. His Five Elements Escape Technique was so superb and convincing.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Orochimaru's expression, indifferent and alienated. He understood that Orochimaru already knew his choice, but it was not clear whether he was ready to accept it or continue to compete.
He felt a little uncomfortable in his heart, but he still felt that he was doing it for Konoha's own good and waited until the election to find an opportunity to repair the relationship between master and apprentice.
"Orochimaru, you did a good job. You led the troops to win this war. You are all Konoha's heroes."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said loudly, and the sound spread throughout the crowd under the influence of chakra.
There was a commotion among the returning ninja team. As early as when Mitokado Homura appeared to seal the deal, they understood the upper management's intention.
But they didn't expect that the higher-ups would be so eager to take action during the triumphal ceremony, trying to attribute most of the credit to Orochimaru.
Ryozo and other ninjas who had been favored by Iori were about to speak, but were interrupted by Orochimaru's voice.
"Teacher, you are wrong. Most of the credit for this war was made by Uchiha Iori. Our ability to fight back completely depends on his power."
Orochimaru licked his lips and replied calmly. He had already made a decision and no longer planned to act as a gunman for the superiors.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face changed slightly, and then he regained his composure.
[Didn't Yan get things done? And what about others, why didn't they see him?] Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the crowd, but did not see Mitokado Homura.
He frowned, feeling a little uneasy in his heart, but he quickly regained his composure.
Turning around, he looked at Iori, his tone softened, "Really, you did a good job. I have prepared a reward for you, come to Hokage Building to get it later."
After speaking, he reached out and patted Iori on the shoulder, with a bit of expectation in his eyes, "Konoha's future still depends on young people like you, hahahaha."
If he hadn't known the future plot, Iori might have been deceived.
"Thank you, Lord Third Hokage." Iori nodded without saluting.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile froze for a moment, but soon returned to its natural state. He turned around and greeted the ninjas behind him, and put a kind smile on his face again.
As expected of the veteran Hokage, his prestige has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. After a few words, most ninjas put aside their previous doubts and began to enjoy the treatment of heroes.
Only those ninjas who wanted to follow Iori continued to watch him warily.
"What happened to Orochimaru, Advisor Mitokado?" After the welcoming ceremony, Hiruzen Sarutobi came to Orochimaru and asked.
"He was a little injured. He's still behind now. He should be here soon." Orochimaru looked at him and replied.
"Why was he injured? Didn't the negotiation go smoothly?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was a little strange.
"I provoked people who shouldn't be provoked, so I was taught a lesson." Orochimaru said as he left, "Teacher Sarutobi, I'm leaving first."
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Orochimaru leaving, smoking cigarettes and recalling the past.