Mingye's words made Shimura Danzō smile with slight confusion as he asked, "Aren't you beating around the bush because you don't want me to become Hokage? Why are you helping me now?"
Mingye shook his head. A whetstone always had to appear. Even when it came to that little monkey, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mingye believed his blade-sharpening philosophy had to be taken seriously. Yet inwardly thinking so, he casually teased Shimura Danzō.
"I'm not helping you. I just don't want Sarutobi Hiruzen to become Hokage so easily. Don't you think your students have been treated unfairly? The quality of the Hatake Clan's shinobi seems more than enough to serve as Konoha's greatest guarantee of glory at present."
"Thank you, Wu! You really are a bastard!"
"See yourself out! Stop bothering me while I'm cleaning!"
After cursing at Mingye, Shimura Danzō left. Mingye continued organizing his scroll compartments. Who knew how much time passed before a fair-skinned, long-haired boy came up the transfer stairs. He bowed to Mingye, then took out the Konoha forehead protector as though he wanted to show it off but did not know how to express himself.
"Big Brother! I graduated. Look! Now I'm the same kind of shinobi as you! Only, Big Brother is a chunin while I'm a genin!"
Mingye smiled faintly, stroked Orochimaru's head, and said, "A genin, huh? You're still one step short. The real test is tomorrow! Orochimaru, work hard!"
Even that small bit of praise made Orochimaru very happy. The introverted Orochimaru nodded solemnly and answered Mingye again.
"Mm! I will! I'll definitely work hard!"
Forests could be found everywhere in the Land of Fire. Those who lived by mountains lived off mountains, and those who lived by the sea lived off the sea. Naturally, those who lived near forests survived on