Inside the Hokage's Office.
Orochimaru told Minato Namikaze that he intended to return to Konoha.
Naturally, Minato Namikaze was delighted by Orochimaru's return.
What did Konoha need most right now? Talent, of course.
Although... it was a little disrespectful to think this way, in Minato Namikaze's mind, Orochimaru was more important than his own teacher, Jiraiya.
Jiraiya was actually an idealist. If his head had been filled with red thought rather than the Third Hokage's so-called will of fire, he would certainly have become a great man someday.
But... the will of fire was already deeply rooted in his heart. To change Jiraiya's thinking, he would have to stop being a ninja.
As long as he remained a ninja, he would think about problems from a ninja's perspective.
What was a ninja's perspective? To achieve peace, all the ninja villages and countries simply needed to understand one another.
Naturally, there was nothing wrong with that idea in the Shinobi World. It was even a noble one.
After all, there was no such thing as peace in the Shinobi World. Jiraiya and the First Hokage before him were both extreme idealists who completely disregarded reality.
But Jiraiya's vision of peace was far too narrow compared with the peace advocated by communist red thought.
And Orochimaru? He was a pure technician, someone who would uncover the truth of everything with his own hands.
Naturally... Orochimaru was also someone others failed to understand. But having been exposed to the internet and an explosion of technological progress, Minato Namikaze understood him and knew how to put his talents to use.
"Welcome back, Orochimaru!"
Minato Namikaze extended his hand, smiling with genuine sincerity.
Orochimaru reached out and shook it.
"Wonderful... Orochimaru's back. Now we just need to bring Tsunade back!"
At Jiraiya's words,