The moment those words fell, the entire Hokage Office went utterly silent.
The air seemed to freeze. No one spoke another word.
With one blunt remark, Tsunade exposed the truth, striking straight at memories Hiruzen Sarutobi had buried deep in his heart for years.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had just been lamenting the Sage of Six Paths' favoritism, his choice of the wrong successor, and the thousand years of strife he had created with his own hands. Now, the composure and world-weary dignity vanished from his face, leaving only a bitter smile.
Others saw the Sage of Six Paths as foolish, stubborn, and obsessive. But Hiruzen alone knew that those in high positions would ultimately make the very same mistakes.
The Sage of Six Paths favored Asura, whose beliefs aligned with his own, and passed over Indra, who possessed greater talent and more well-rounded abilities.
Had Hiruzen himself been any different back then?
Orochimaru had always been his proudest student, and he had always groomed him to become Hokage. His abilities were clearly the most outstanding, making him the best choice to inherit the Hokage position.
Yet Hiruzen had ultimately sidelined him out of fear of his methods, his cold and obsessive nature, and his deep involvement with Root.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi himself had been the one who sent Orochimaru into Root.
In the end, he chose Minato Namikaze, a bright, pure-hearted man who cherished bonds and embodied his ideals.
Minato had indeed been perfect, brilliant, and beyond reproach-the ideal Hokage who best met the village's expectations.
But in terms of standing, achievements, and contributions to Konoha, Orochimaru had clearly surpassed Minato at the time, even after Hiruzen had suppressed him.
Only because Hiruzen personally backed Minato had Orochimaru lost.
Even if Orochimaru might no longer have cared about the Hokage position