Inside the Hokage Building.
Orochimaru looked at the email Hiruzen Sarutobi had sent him, the same sort he had been sending for years, shook his head helplessly, and clicked reject.
A moment later.
The door to his office was pushed open, and a furious Hiruzen Sarutobi stormed in.
"Hokage! What is the meaning of this?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi demanded, his face flushed red as he stared at Orochimaru.
"Uncle Hiruzen, stop sending them. I'm never going to agree. You've already retired, so why are you still thinking about coming back as ANBU director? Sakumo is in his prime. Am I supposed to make him retire now just so you can come back?" Orochimaru rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on.
"...Hokage, did you even read my email? This time I applied to be the ANBU director's secretary!" Hiruzen said helplessly.
"Whether the ANBU director needs a secretary isn't up to me. You have to ask the ANBU director," Orochimaru said, close to breaking down.
"I really don't get it, Uncle Hiruzen. Why are you so fixated on the ANBU director?" Orochimaru asked next.
"Because the ANBU is my life's work. Only after I truly retired did I realize how hard it was to let go. Orochimaru, give me this chance. Let me shine one last time for Konoha." Hiruzen sighed, clutching his chest in anguish.
"I'll ask Sakumo for you and see whether he's willing." Looking at Hiruzen's pained expression, Orochimaru shook his head helplessly.
After all, Uncle Hiruzen and Uncle Danzo belonged to the same generation. Perhaps those old-timers were all determined to give their light and warmth to Konoha until their dying breath? That was the only explanation Orochimaru could think of.
With no other choice, Orochimaru called Sakumo.
"Sakumo, Uncle Hiruzen emailed me about that ANBU matter