Dust Begins to Settle

Land of Rain

Amegakure

A clap of thunder echoed across the Land of Rain, and the rain intensified. Shimura Danzō in the front courtyard of Salamander Hanzo, watching Hanzo emerge from the mansion with a solemn expression.

"How so?"

Salamander Hanzo stepped out of the mansion, looked at Danzo in front of him, and behind Danzo, a pile of body bags laid out on the luxurious floor, and behind the body bags stood elite ninjas wearing masks, and asked in a low voice without expression.

Salamander Hanzo narrowed his eyes slightly. He hadn't expected Danzo, a man of no integrity, to dare to come to the Land of Rain.

"They were already beyond saving when they were found, even though we hadn't reached a peace agreement with the Land of Earth. But when we passed by and saw that they were members of Hanzo's clan, we sent them back here."

Danzo knew he had offended Hanzo, so he spoke humbly, his usual arrogance gone, as if bringing the Ibuse's corpse here was an act of kindness.

Seeing Hanzo 'Danzo humble tone and the fact that he had brought the corpses of his own clansmen, Hanzo's expression softened slightly, and he asked in a deep voice:

"Danzo, have you seen the murderer?"

"It's probably Akatsuki."

Danzo, once again displaying the skills of a seasoned politician, spoke in a somewhat somber tone.

"Xiao? But Xiao is..."

Hanzo had long lost his edge. He originally intended to wipe out the Akatsuki, but after learning more about it, he discovered that the Akatsuki Hanzo not the power grab he had imagined, but rather an organization that promoted peace.

"An organization that promotes peace and develops its strength in Amegakure."

Danzo added that he had spent a considerable amount of time at the Northwestern Stronghold Danzo the Ninja War and had some understanding of Akatsuki.

"Yes, I know about Akatsuki. It's an organization that shares the same aspirations as me, but why?"

Hanzo, having gained a deeper understanding of Akatsuki in the Land of Rain, frowned, somewhat incredulous.

Danzo seemed to share some grievance with the deaths of the Hanzo people, and spoke up:

"Hanzo, you have been too lenient with them."

"What?"

"Pursuing ideals is perfectly understandable, but this is also your weakness Hanzo."

"My weaknesses?"

"It is precisely because Your Excellency has lofty aspirations that you are too lenient with those who share similar ambitions. However, such leniency has ultimately become a hidden danger, affecting innocent bystanders and leading to this tragedy."

No matter how lofty your ambitions may be, the same approach is not suitable for everyone. Even if someone initially appears to be pursuing the same ideals as you, in the end, they are just a mob.

Ultimately, they will be dominated by desire and power, transforming into demons Moryo. Strip away the Akatsuki's grand facade, and you will find that they are nothing more than a bunch of rats who intend to overthrow Amegakure.

"Hanzo, if this continues, they might take over your village..."

Danzo once again tried to mislead Hanzo, using his persuasive words to meticulously analyze the situation for Hanzo, emphasizing the threat posed by Akatsuki, stressing that Hanzo's power might be overthrown, and that the village might be taken over.

Hanzo went from watching the show at the beginning to frowning later, and finally to being expressionless.

Danzo, seeing Hanzo's expression, knew that Hanzo had been moved by his words. His face remained expressionless, but he felt a surge of joy in his heart.

"With the power of the Rinnegan, Hanzo could kill them with ease."

Danzo had already imagined Hanzo going on a killing spree, then taking back the bodies, gouging out their eyes and transplanting them, before returning to Konoha to become Konoha and dominate the Shinobi World.

Danzo's icy expression softened slightly; he had been too optimistic, and his complexion seemed to improve.

"Third Hokage, the peace talks with Hidden Sand have already drawn much criticism, and now you're initiating Iwagakure..."

Who will be held responsible for the Konoha Ninja who died in the war?

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu agreed with the Third Hokage's opinion, but they also agreed that the outcome of the peace talks would depend on finding a way to resolve the resentment between the villagers and the ninjas.

After the memorial service was held in Memorial Stone in the Hokage Office, the sky seemed to sense the end of the somber atmosphere and the sun began to shine through, illuminating the small conference room in the Hokage Building.

"As the Third Hokage, it is natural for me to take responsibility. I should resign and nominate the Fourth Hokage for causing such losses to the village."

This time, Sarutobi Hiruzen, unusually, didn't light his pipe. Instead, he said expressionlessly, "I've called two classmates here to discuss this. I just want to ask about the candidate for the Fourth Hokage."

Upon hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, the two advisors sensed the Third Hokage's determination and exchanged a glance.

Who do you think should become the Fourth Hokage?

Mitokado Homura asked seriously.

The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura were the elite guards of the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. They were Tobirama's confidants and were appointed to succeed him in a time of crisis.

Utatane Koharu maid, also looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, wanting to find out the Third Hokage's opinion first.

The war has not yet completely subsided, Shimura Danzō of the Advisory Council is still active in the shadows, gathering intelligence and causing sabotage, making contributions on the Iwagakure Battlefield.

Everyone's rights come from their classmate, the Third Hokage. After the Third Hokage steps down, how to protect their rights is a key concern for Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

Sarutobi Hiruzen replied without the slightest hesitation:

"Orochimaru, the Sannin Orochimaru, is renowned for his strategic acumen and composure; he is the best candidate for the Fourth Hokage."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance. Orochimaru was indeed quite good, just as Sarutobi Hiruzen had said, but Orochimaru had been famous for a long time and had many supporters in Konoha. If Orochimaru rose to power, what chance would the two of them have?

"Orochimaru is good, but Orochimaru is obsessed with Ninjutsu and has a cold Orochimaru, making him not very approachable."

Mitokado Homura pointed out Orochimaru's shortcomings in a deep voice, and the claim that he wasn't approachable enough was complete nonsense.

Being the Hokage isn't about being an image ambassador. The ninjas and villagers of Konoha need a strong and reliable leader, not someone who's good-looking.

After hearing this, Utatane Koharu, nodded slightly as if in agreement, and said softly:

"Orochimaru's weaknesses cannot be ignored. I think the Yellow Flash is quite good. He is powerful, approachable, and has made great contributions during the Ninja War. Third Hokage, please consider the Yellow Flash."

Upon hearing these words, Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly. Had he misunderstood? Was Orochimaru not the best candidate?

"I understand, I will consider it carefully."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance, stood up, and left without a word, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen to consider it himself.

Sarutobi Hiruzen up his pipe, lit it with a lighter, took a drag, and squinted his eyes.

"Minato is indeed good, but he's still a bit green compared to Orochimaru. If Orochimaru becomes the Fourth Hokage Orochimaru, I believe he can govern Konoha very well, and I can enjoy my old age in peace."

Sarutobi Hiruzen had thought it through and made his decision. He wrote the three characters "Orochimaru" on a piece of white paper, revealing a satisfied expression. Then, Sarutobi Hiruzen's brow furrowed slightly.

"Orochimaru has been famous for a long time, his influence is deeply entrenched, and he has many followers. If Orochimaru becomes the Fourth Hokage, am I just supposed to enjoy my retirement? Namikaze Minato is also very good, young and excellent, but he also needs the assistance of an elder..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes were somewhat deep. He crumpled the paper with Orochimaru's name on it into a ball and threw it away. On the white paper next to him, he wrote Namikaze Minato's name.

"Yan and Koharu are right..."

The higher-ups never considered Tsunade. Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, is the most prestigious among Sannin. Sarutobi Hiruzen's decision not to consider Tsunade in the first place was because he was wary of Tsunade prestige and influence, and he chose to recommend Orochimaru instead.

On the advice of the two advisors, it was discovered that Orochimaru's strength and reputation were not inferior to Orochimaru Namikaze Minato's. Namikaze Minato, on the other hand, came from a commoner background, was powerful, but became famous later and his influence was not yet significant.

Jiraiya Namikaze Minato's teacher, had no desire for power. Although he had many followers, he had the fewest among the Sannin.

As for Uchiha Nara, who made great contributions in the Third Shinobi World War, and White Fang Hatake Sakumo, who played a significant role, they were not considered by the higher-ups.