A Deal Behind Closed Doors

Unlike before, there were no longer so many candidates that a preliminary round was needed. Naruto Uzumaki and Gaara had already eliminated most of them.

Some Ninja chose to withdraw from the next round. Most had seen Naruto and Sasuke's strength and decided not to compete against them.

In the end, only Shikamaru, Neji, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, every member of the Sand Ninja Squad, Dosu, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyuga remained.

They decided to hold the official final round later, giving the candidates time to rest and making it easier to invite the Kazekage and the Daimyo of the various nations.

Elsewhere, several Konoha Ninja discovered traces of a three-person squad that had been killed.

They had not died in the Forest of Death, but outside the examination grounds.

"This method... There's no mistake. It was Orochimaru!"

The purple-haired young woman, her hair tied in a spiky bun and a fishnet shirt beneath her clothes, shouted. She knew the method all too well. Who else could it be but her teacher, Orochimaru?

The faint pain in Mitaraishi Anko's neck only confirmed her suspicion.

All three had been killed. One of them had had their entire face erased.

Mitaraishi Anko had failed to become the Second Exam's chief examiner because of Uchiha Yoru's involvement, but the Chunin under her command were still responsible for maintaining order outside.

"I need to report this to Lord Hokage immediately! You two, find the candidate with that face. Whatever you do, don't alert him!"

Mitaraishi Anko hurriedly gave those orders before leaving. A Konoha rogue Ninja had slipped back into the village.

"Damn it, what's he doing in Konoha now?" Mitaraishi Anko muttered as she ran through the village.

As soon as she entered the office, she saw Shimura Danzō and Hiruzen Sarutobi sitting together, deep in conversation.

Mitaraishi Anko glanced at Danzo, still hesitating over whether to speak.

"Danzo is one of us. What is it?"

"We've found traces of Orochimaru in the village!"

"Tell me everything!"

She laid out what they had found and how they had found it.

"I understand. You may go. Keep searching for Orochimaru!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said, his voice heavy.

News of his former student had left him deeply troubled.

"Yes, sir!"

"I'll be going too, Sarutobi," Shimura Danzō said.

"Danzo, is there really no way to settle this between us?"

"Hmph!"

Shimura Danzō gave a cold snort, making his position clear.

Then he opened the door and left without another word.

"You don't need to follow me."

Shimura Danzō spoke softly as he left the Hokage Building.

Several shadowy figures instantly departed from his side.

Shimura Danzō used the Transformation Technique to take on an unremarkable face and walked through Konoha until he reached a dark house. Inside, he felt around for a switch. A hatch slowly opened in the floor.

"I knew you would be here!"

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Shimura Danzō descended the stairs, his cane striking each step as he called out.

At the bottom, the space opened into a small laboratory. It was in disarray, with most of the equipment destroyed.

It was one of their old laboratories. Shimura Danzō had been involved in Orochimaru's scientific experiments.

"What brings you here, Lord Danzo?"

A stranger appeared, wearing the face of the dead Grass Ninja.

"Do you want to return to Konoha?"

"Oh? Would Konoha still take me?" Orochimaru asked. Ever since his human experiments had been exposed, there had been no place for him in the village.

He kept his eyes on Shimura Danzō. Danzo had played a part in exposing those experiments.

"If I say they will, they will. We can announce that you were carrying out a secret mission for Konoha. That was why you took this guise and endured disgrace all these years!"

"And I wouldn't be coming back for free, would I?"

"Help me eliminate Uchiha Itachi of the Uchiha Clan!"

Orochimaru's expression turned amused. "Are you serious?"

He and Uchiha Yoru were already strategic partners. Danzo was effectively asking him to turn against his own ally.

Still, he wanted to hear what else Shimura Danzō had to say.

Of course, he had no intention of agreeing.

"Yes! For Konoha's sake, they must die!"

"You don't seem to be offering enough." Orochimaru licked his lips.

Killing Uchiha Itachi in exchange for returning to Konoha hardly seemed like an even trade. Itachi was already a Kage Level Ninja.

And there was Body Flicker Shisui outside the village, too. He and Uchiha Itachi were close.

Making an enemy of the renowned Body Flicker Shisui would cost more than a simple return to Konoha was worth.

"I can make you Hokage! And if you want to experiment on Ninja from the Hyuga Clan's Main Family or the Uchiha Clan, I won't interfere!" Shimura Danzō gritted his teeth and laid out his best offer.

Orochimaru considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Agreed."

"How long will it take?"

"Wait for word from me."

Orochimaru waved a hand, dismissing him.

Uchiha Itachi, you dare compete with me for the Hokage's seat? Shimura Danzō thought.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi had not said he would step down after this exam, Danzo would not have reacted so strongly. He had immediately sought out Orochimaru to have Uchiha Itachi assassinated.

Danzo intended to become Hokage. Even if he failed, he would never let the evil Uchiha Clan take the position.

Orochimaru had long been his collaborator, practically one of his own.

He could accept Orochimaru becoming Hokage. After all, he knew the man well. Orochimaru would eventually set his duties aside to focus on his experiments, leaving Danzo to handle everything.

Orochimaru would be out in the open while Danzo worked from the shadows. Most of the power would remain in Danzo's hands. That was something he could accept.

Orochimaru watched Shimura Danzō leave with a hint of contempt.

Once, that offer might have swayed him. But things were different now. His ambitions were no longer confined to one village or one country. His gaze was fixed on the entire world.

The world Uchiha Yoru had shown him was one he—and everyone else—longed for.

A world without war, where peace prevailed and everyone could learn.

As things stood, almost no one outside the privileged and the wealthy could pursue scientific study.

Those without talent as Ninja either inherited their parents' trades or took odd jobs just to put food on the table.

For Orochimaru, a scientist who had once been Hokage, the path of science was painfully lonely. He had not even had a companion on it until he had gone to great lengths to train Kabuto Yakushi as his assistant.

He wanted to be the wind that propelled the world forward, the force that set it in motion.

I wonder what expression Lord Yoru will make when he hears about this? Orochimaru suddenly thought.