After Hiruzen Sarutobi announced the election results that day, all of Konoha rejoiced at Orochimaru's victory while expressing contempt for Elder Danzo's actions.
The commotion caused by Chihane's Flying Slash had been too great to completely conceal the embarrassing incident during the election.
Naturally, however, they could not tell the villagers about Danzo's human experiments within the village.
So Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed on one public account: after losing the Hokage election, Danzo had refused to accept the result.
He had therefore used a forbidden technique in an attempt to take Orochimaru, Konoha's Fourth Hokage, down with him. Fortunately, Jonin Chihane had acted in time and killed him, keeping everyone safe.
Many villagers who had never seen Danzo were still curious about who he was, but after learning of his extreme temperament, they were relieved that he had not won the election.
After all, the villagers did not want someone so extreme to become their village's highest authority.
Whatever the case, the villagers now remembered Danzo's name. Whether the deceased Danzo would have been happy or sad to know how they remembered him was another question.
Orochimaru's inauguration as Hokage was scheduled to take place after the Daimyo's letter of appointment arrived.
The village entered a period of cheerful preparations, as though a major festival were approaching.
Hiruzen Sarutobi also took the opportunity to show Orochimaru genuine warmth as the student he valued most.
He began handing over the Hokage's duties to Orochimaru ahead of time as well.
On the very day after the election, Hiruzen Sarutobi sought out Chihane and personally handed him the Scroll of Seals he had promised him.
Of course, with Orochimaru becoming Hokage, a new ruler meant a new set of officials. Konoha would inevitably have a new administration.
The first changes would naturally