Orochimaru, the Fourth Hokage

Inside Konoha Village's Jonin meeting room.

The daimyo wanted to meet Konoha's ninja. Hiruzen Sarutobi had no reason to refuse, so he summoned all the Jonin currently in the village.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had wanted to introduce Minato to the daimyo, but unfortunately, Minato was away, leading a team to the Hidden Mist Village.

"By the way, Third, how is the selection for the Fourth Hokage coming along?" the daimyo asked with a smile.

The Land of Fire had suffered devastating losses in the Third Shinobi World War. Naturally, the Third, whose duty had been to safeguard the Land of Fire, had to bear responsibility.

So... he had to step down and yield his position to someone worthy.

"Konoha is full of talented people. We are still discussing who should take office," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied with a smile.

"Then, Teacher, since the daimyo is here today, let us decide on Konoha's next Hokage," Orochimaru said as he stepped forward, looking every bit the good student and respectful disciple as he gazed at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Oh? I think that is a fine idea." The daimyo immediately nodded in agreement.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. Orochimaru was laying it on a little thick.

Wait!!

What had Orochimaru just said?

Cold sweat broke out across Hiruzen Sarutobi's back. He stared at Orochimaru in disbelief!

You! You had been waiting for me here?!

You sent Minato to the Hidden Mist Village just for this moment?!

He looked around, sweeping his gaze across the room.

Everyone seated in the Jonin meeting room today was a diehard supporter of Orochimaru. Masaichi, like Orochimaru, looked at him with utmost respect, as though the two had always been filial sons and virtuous grandsons.

That old bastard Danzo was even pretending to be a decent person today.

And Minato...

Minato and all of his supporters had been sent to the Hidden Mist Village by him!!!

Hiruzen Sarutobi spread out his chakra and sensed the entirety of Konoha. At the moment, only a handful of Minato's supporters remained in the village, all recovering from injuries.

It was over.

He had been fooled by Orochimaru.

"I nominate Orochimaru to become the Fourth Hokage."

Danzo, one of Konoha's advisory elders, rose to support Orochimaru.

"I choose Lord Orochimaru. He is the one everyone truly supports."

Orochimaru's supporters immediately followed, waving their banners and shouting their support.

Only now did Hiruzen Sarutobi realize that Orochimaru's delighted little ponytail flick whenever he got angry had all been an act!!

It had all been an act!!!

It had all been meant to numb him and make him lower his guard!!!

"Oh? So Orochimaru has so many supporters."

The daimyo did not understand Konoha's politics. Seeing so many people support Orochimaru, he assumed that Orochimaru truly had the popular mandate. He had actually thought highly of the young man known as the Yellow Flash, but unfortunately, no one was supporting him.

In that case.

"Very well. It is decided. Konoha's Fourth Hokage shall be Orochimaru."

As soon as the daimyo spoke.

"His Highness the Daimyo is wise!!"

Masaichi gave Hiruzen Sarutobi no chance to object to the daimyo's decision. He immediately had someone drape Orochimaru in the Fourth Hokage Ceremonial Robe that had been prepared long ago.

It was said to be for the Fourth, but one could see that the back had originally borne the character for "First." That character had been sewn over and altered into "Fourth."

It had originally been a Hokage Ceremonial Robe made in preparation for Orochimaru's teacher to defect, so that he would not forget his attachment to his homeland and would one day return to conquer it.

It fit perfectly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had no time to stop them! Not one member of Minato's faction was present, and Homura and Koharu were absent as well!!

Finally, the Land of Fire's daimyo issued an edict in the name of the daimyo's court, thoroughly cementing Orochimaru's position as the Fourth Hokage.

The four characters in Minato Namikaze's name were vastly different from the three in Orochimaru's.

So there was absolutely no possibility that Orochimaru's faction had altered the edict!

Orochimaru's faction had entered the MVP results screen just like that.

The pear blossoms in the courtyard had fallen for another year... standing beneath the clear night sky... moonlight and blossoms spilling over the empty steps...

The teammate who earned a 16.0 rating was, of course, Masaichi.

He had helped Orochimaru contact A to attack Jiraiya's forces, helped Orochimaru devise ways to make money, helped Orochimaru recruit rogue ninja to consolidate his power, helped Orochimaru eliminate Jiraiya, advised Orochimaru to send Minato to the Hidden Mist Village, and helped Orochimaru seize the Hokage position...

For Orochimaru to become Hokage, Masaichi deserved the greatest credit.

The second greatest merit belonged to Danzo. He could at least earn a 10.2 rating and a silver medal. All work targeting the ninja clans had been handled by him. The brat was exceptionally skilled at dealing with his own villagers and showed no mercy at all.

Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. He had clearly helped Minato advance steadily and securely, so how had he still lost to Orochimaru in the end?

Minato's advantage had clearly been growing! Why had he still lost?

He could not understand it! He simply could not understand it!!

"Third, take Biwa Lake and retire in peace." After becoming Hokage, Orochimaru did not rush to hold his inauguration ceremony. The first thing he did was settle accounts with his teacher.

Danzo had made the right bet. He went from being the head of Root to the head of ANBU. Previously, the ANBU chief had by default been the Hokage, while Root fell under ANBU. But now, Danzo could mobilize both ANBU and Root.

Masaichi helped Orochimaru handle government affairs.

Orochimaru, meanwhile, brought Danzo to the Sarutobi Clan head's residence to visit their dear teacher and dear classmate.

This Hokage position was not secure. Once Minato returned with his people, if Hiruzen Sarutobi did anything, they could be overthrown in minutes.

So the Third had to be sent out of Konoha!

"Forget it. I will not leave Konoha."

"Konoha is where I have lived since childhood! What exactly do you two want?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the two of them calmly. It was only a fight; he would not fear these two people who had become Hokage through underhanded schemes.

"Teacher, Asuma has grown taller recently." Orochimaru's voice was sinister.

"You!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened in fury. For the first time, he saw clearly the wolfish ambitions of his student!!

"Orochimaru! Do you not understand that one should not bring harm upon a person's family?" Biwa Lake emerged from the house, pointing at Orochimaru as she angrily rebuked him. "The Third is your teacher. Without him, how could you be where you are today?!"

"Is that how you speak to the Hokage, Biwa Lake? Monkey, your wife appears to lack proper upbringing."

Danzo was not leaning on a cane at the moment, and he was still quite formidable in combat. As one of the victors, he had the right to curse a defeated opponent a few times.

Wonderful!!

It used to be Monkey who told him: I am the Hokage!

Now Monkey was practically a prisoner. What the hell was he?!

"Danzo! Orochimaru, do not forget that Minato and Jiraiya are still out there," Hiruzen Sarutobi reminded them.

"Third, I will settle accounts with every person who does not support me," Orochimaru said, making no attempt to hide his hostility toward Minato and the others.

"Is that so? I hope you can manage it."

"Of course. That day is not far away."

"Orochimaru! Why waste words with him?! You are the Hokage now! He is just a retired old fossil."

"Sarutobi! Look! This is the bond between classmates you protected your whole life. This is the student to whom you taught everything you knew!"