Hua Yue looked surprised. Her casual question instantly froze the atmosphere.
After a moment, Orochimaru's voice turned slightly hoarse, and a flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Do you think Minato will be the next Hokage?"
Anko was sweating profusely, repeatedly signaling with her eyes for Hua Yue to stop talking. She was strong, but if she provoked Teacher Orochimaru while he was in a fit of rage, she definitely wouldn't come out ahead.
"Isn't that common knowledge, Teacher Orochimaru?"
With a book closed in his hands, he rested his cheek against one hand without moving. His eyes were deep, as though he could see through everything.
"Since the Third Shinobi World War began, he's turned the tide of battle and saved Konoha time and again, achieving what even the Sannin couldn't accomplish together. Doesn't that make him a strong candidate for Hokage?"
"Or is it that you want to become Hokage too, Teacher Orochimaru?"
At that moment, Orochimaru finally stopped his work and set down the research in his hands. He turned to look at her, his gaze profound.
"My most adorable, most beloved disciple, don't forget that the achievements you made on the battlefield can also be credited to me."
"That's exactly why you can't become Hokage, Teacher Orochimaru."
Anko was already sweating profusely. She hurriedly tried to defuse the situation, her usually bright, fiery voice turning strained with urgency.
"Stop it, Hua Yue! Why are you acting just like Rin? Teacher, please don't—"
The autumn breeze was cool as it slipped indoors through a crack. The scent of disinfectant faded a little, but it did nothing to calm Anko's mind.
"When the birds in the sky have vanished, no matter how excellent the hunting bow, the hunter will hide it away. Once the cunning hare is dead, the hound that helped catch it will be cooked by its master."
"An accessory that has lost its value has only two possible fates: being kept as a treasure or being put to death. Either way, its last scrap of value will be wrung from it."
"If that's how it is for a loyal hound or a weapon, what of a venomous snake that its master can't figure out, one that might turn on him?"
Hua Yue paused briefly. Anko, meanwhile, was confused by the veiled meaning of her words. She had never been good at riddles.
Orochimaru's eyes flickered, and the smile at the corner of his mouth only grew. He seemed unimpressed by her argument.
"Wait, what are you even talking about? Can't you say it more simply? I hate people who talk in riddles!"
Seeing Anko's baffled expression, Hua Yue continued with a smile.
"Then let me put it another way. What do you think is the point of Konoha raising geniuses?"
Without waiting for Orochimaru to answer, Hua Yue answered her own question.
"To reduce the losses of war, protect the village and its other ninja, and end wars as quickly as possible. That's what a genius means to the village."
"For you, who came of age during wartime, ending the war quickly was the most important task. Even if your ideas were a little dangerous, your teacher, the Third Hokage, would overlook them."
"But after the war ends, when a new one begins, and a genius even more outstanding than you appears—someone who better fits the Third Hokage's wishes—your role becomes dispensable."
"Once the war is over, your existence becomes a source of instability for Konoha. In other words, you become someone who poses a threat to the village."
"Your ideas and your actions alike. Isn't that right?"
Orochimaru smiled without answering and looked at the experiments before him: the ones in plain sight, the ones kept hidden, and the forbidden techniques beyond the reach of ordinary people...
"To a ninja, techniques are everything. Only when you possess every technique in the world will you be on the verge of understanding the truth."
"If you want to become Hokage, techniques and strength come second. What you really need is the trust of Konoha's many jonin and the great noble clans, don't you?"
The atmosphere grew heavy. Orochimaru's eyes flickered as thoughts rose in his mind like bubbles, only to burst one after another.
"Can your eyes see far into the future? Can you see through my thoughts?"
"Your intentions are obvious at a glance! So if you want to keep doing your research in this village, all you can do is bow your head, lower it like a snake, and keep your fangs in check. Unless..."
"Unless you make sure this war never ends, right? Heh heh heh..."
Orochimaru's chilling laugh sent a shudder through Anko. The teacher who was usually kind to everyone, sometimes making a strange face; the friend she knew so well, who skipped class to go shopping every few days...
At that moment, the two of them seemed close enough to touch, yet impossibly far away—like a flower blooming at the edge of a cliff. She wanted to reach out, but couldn't bring herself to take that first step.
"That's your problem to deal with. It has nothing to do with us. But I don't want to go back to the border and live on Military Ration Pills, facing those troublesome old men. Come on, Anko. We're going to the Dango Shop. Let's go, let's go!"
Before Anko could object, she and Hua Yue vanished in an instant. Orochimaru's expression stayed calm as the smile on his lips slowly faded.
"Strength can't solve everything? She's still just a child, with a certain amount of faith in the world. Heh heh."
"The snake symbolizes rebirth and immortality. Once I complete this forbidden technique, what will Konoha matter? What will the Hokage matter? What will ninja matter?"
Immersed in his forbidden technique, Orochimaru imagined the secrets he could unravel as his eyelids lowered. A dangerous glint shone in his eyes.
"Before that, should I make this war go on without end? Is that what you want?"
"Those eyes of yours—what are you hiding? You're an unfathomable disciple. Is that how Teacher Sarutobi sees me, too?"
For once, Orochimaru understood Sarutobi Hiruzen's feelings. He stopped what he was doing. The reactions he had anticipated kept unfolding, everything just as he had expected.
Inside the bustling Dango Shop on Konoha's busy main street.
"As expected, dango goes best with red bean soup. Aren't you going to eat?"
Anko slowly looked up from her dango, her face inexplicably flushing red, as if she'd just noticed how she looked while eating. But the feeling soon passed.
He'd seen her eat countless times already. There was no point trying to change now. She might as well give up and own it.
"If you eat too much, you'll have to get some exercise later. Come to think of it, I've been working on a new technique lately. Want to help?"
Facing the radiant smile she hadn't seen in a long time, Anko hesitated, then leaned close and whispered.
"Actually, Teacher Orochimaru gave me a snake that can do backflips. Want to come to my house and see it?"
A ripple appeared in those dark eyes. The girl before her looked nervous and expectant, with a hint of impatience. Putting on an act, she lifted her teacup and waited for an answer.
"Never mind. How about we go to my place?"
"Huh? Wait, isn't that a little sudden? I still—"
"What's wrong? We're just testing a new technique. There's no need to go all the way to your place."
Under that half-smiling gaze, Anko was utterly defeated. She huffed angrily.
"Damn it, fine! Fine!"