Where Konoha's leaves danced, the fire burned on

When Sarutobi Hiruzen brought up that incident, his eyes turned bloodshot, and his whole face flushed red.

"You know I was framed, don't you?!"

Orochimaru shook his head regretfully.

Even now, Hiruzen was still arguing about whether he had been framed.

Did that even matter anymore?

He could stop anyone on the street and tell them he hadn't killed the Daimyo's entire family. Who would believe him?

If he hadn't gone to the Daimyo Mansion, none of it would have happened. At worst, he could have retired quietly, and no one would have bothered him.

But he had been so obsessed with power that he refused to let it go. He had even used his own son to get into the Daimyo Mansion.

Had he really imagined that a powerless Daimyo could help him stand against Uchiha Genya, who had just won a war and stood at the height of his prestige?

After being forced from office twice, Hiruzen still couldn't stop stirring up trouble. No one could put up with that.

Of course, Orochimaru couldn't say any of this outright.

He wasn't the rogue ninja who had betrayed Konoha in the original story, with nothing left to lose and no fear of dragging a ruler from his throne.

Orochimaru was now the head of Konoha's Research Department. He was a man of standing!

He answered only to one man and stood above everyone else. Uchiha Genya might even be watching him from the surveillance room!

If he said the wrong thing and gave someone ammunition, only to suffer for the sake of Sarutobi Hiruzen, a man with one foot in the grave, it would hardly be worth it.

But his attitude today had already said plenty.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes turned completely bloodshot.

"You all know... but not one of