Orochimaru Reveres His Teacher and Values the Way

During this period, something strange happened among Konoha's higher-ups: Orochimaru, who had never gotten along with the Third, suddenly began showing concern for his teacher.

This left all the informed Konoha higher-ups staring at one another, completely unable to understand what had happened.

After all, the relationship between Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and his disciple Orochimaru had never been good. Describing them as being like fire and water would not have been far off; in short, there was bad blood between them.

Especially after the Fourth Hokage had been chosen, anyone with eyes could see that Orochimaru and his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi had become complete strangers to one another.

Some clan heads were even worried that Orochimaru, the Sannin renowned throughout the ninja world, might choose to defect from the village. It did not seem impossible, given Orochimaru's temperament.

Yet for some reason, Orochimaru had suddenly begun caring about his teacher lately, occasionally sending him cigarettes—and they were quite good tobacco, too.

What kind of man was Hiruzen Sarutobi? Though some people no longer considered him a qualified ninja, his many years in politics had tempered him. Thus, he was deeply suspicious of his disciple's sudden goodwill.

But no matter how thoroughly he investigated, the tobacco had a clear source and trail, with no problems whatsoever. It was simply ordinary tobacco.

Once, Orochimaru had even personally taken Hiruzen Sarutobi to a shop and bought it right in front of him.

And perhaps because he had heard the rumors and wanted to prove his innocence, Orochimaru often smoked with his teacher as well. For a time, Hiruzen Sarutobi's house was constantly filled with smoke.

Sarutobi Biwako had scolded her old man in private more times than anyone could count over it.

Still, Orochimaru's change was plain for all to see.

Thus, rumors about Orochimaru "turning over a new leaf" and "revering his teacher and valuing the way" gradually became more widespread. The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi heard them, he knew whose handiwork it was. Eight times out of ten, it was that old bastard Danzo.

"Heh, trying to poison people's minds against me." Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his seat with an unhappy expression and took another drag.

"Third, perhaps Lord Orochimaru has truly changed his mind. Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze helplessly rubbed his brow and offered the older man a wry smile of consolation.

Minato Namikaze was rather troubled. Although he had successfully become the Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Konoha's Elder Council had no intention of retiring.

They offered suggestions from time to time and occasionally came to sit in on matters at the Hokage Tower. Danzo in particular often muttered in his ear about how the Uchiha Clan was born with rebellion in their bones and would surely harm Konoha in the future.

It left Minato Namikaze somewhat dazed. He had even begun to wonder whether the Third had chosen him because, unlike Orochimaru, he lacked connections and prestige, making him easier to control.

Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi often respected his opinions as well. Though he would occasionally display his seasoned experience in handling government affairs, making Minato Namikaze feel somewhat ashamed of his own inexperience.

But overall, things were still barely manageable.

"Ah, Orochimaru... perhaps he could once have become an exceptionally outstanding ninja." The Third took another drag. He was not smoking the tobacco Orochimaru had sent him.

Although Orochimaru had acted harmless and no issues could be found, he simply would not use it. He had sold all of it off in secret.

Hiruzen Sarutobi always felt that this disciple of his harbored ill intentions, but he could not yet see exactly what they were.

Minato Namikaze glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Once?

Minato Namikaze felt that something was off. He was not an idiot, and after serving as Hokage for some time, he had grown somewhat. Naturally, he could tell that the Third seemed to be implying something.

But since the Third would not say it, he could not very well ask.

"By the way, Fourth, your wife's due date is a month away, isn't it? Be sure to keep things confidential during this time." Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze grew deep.

He might no longer have been a pure ninja, but he was still Konoha's former Hokage. For the village, he could devote everything he had.

Nothing could happen to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. If something went wrong with the Nine-Tails, Konoha would at the very least lose a chunk of flesh, and might even suffer crippling losses.

"I understand. Please, Third, I hope you'll help watch over her when the time comes." At the mention of his wife, Minato Namikaze grew much more serious.

"I know." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and took another drag.

Kushina being Konoha's Jinchuriki was both a good thing and a bad thing. But whenever Minato Namikaze slept lately, he had lost count of how many times he had wished his wife were not a Jinchuriki.

A Jinchuriki was one of a village's pillars, and a Jinchuriki about to give birth was weak among the weak. Her defenses could be said to have fallen to an extremely low point.

If someone chose that time to strike at the Jinchuriki, the consequences would be unthinkable.

But Minato Namikaze was even more worried about his wife's safety. If something happened to Kushina and their unborn child when the time came, then...

Minato Namikaze abruptly shook his head. That possibility was unlikely. Even Danzo, the Konoha elder who was often at odds with him, knew the importance of a Jinchuriki. Nothing would happen to Kushina.

"Sensei, the village has been very normal lately." Kenichi Amamiya was extracting samples and assisting his teacher. The experimental subject lying before them had already begun turning pale around the neck.

The First's Cells had passed the Rejection test in the subject, but problems had still arisen after the actual transplantation. The subject was about to die.

"Mm." Orochimaru wiped his hands and stopped. This expendable subject was definitely going to die; that was his experience. He had gained experience from conducting so many experiments.

One could imagine just how desperately Danzo desired the First's Cells. Orochimaru believed Danzo probably wanted to gain the First's Wood Release ability.

Wood Release carried tremendous prestige in Konoha. That was also why Danzo had taken away the previously successful experimental subject to carefully nurture him.

Kenichi Amamiya glanced at his teacher. His teacher had been smoking lately, and he could sense that some cancer cells had formed in his teacher's lungs, though they were quickly destroyed.

Kenichi Amamiya had no intention of making a move against his teacher. After all, he knew perfectly well that even if his schemes succeeded and drove his teacher into terminal illness, Orochimaru could still switch bodies through Living Corpse Reincarnation.

Besides, he and his teacher were getting along quite well now.

"The more normal things are, the less normal they are. Counting the days, it should be soon." Orochimaru smiled.