Half an hour later, Orochimaru entered the Hokage Tower.
As he passed through the halls, the shinobi inside instinctively moved aside, pressing their backs against the walls.
The aura around him had grown even colder.
One medical-nin nearby sniffed the air.
'Is that… formaldehyde?'
Orochimaru stepped into the Hokage's office, where Danzo was already waiting. He didn't acknowledge either of them and seated himself lazily on the side sofa.
"You called me? I'm busy."
Danzo felt a rare twinge of relief.
So Orochimaru spoke to Hiruzen with the same contempt. Not just him.
Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned forward.
"Someone in the village has begun to stir. Madly. Brazenly.
Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yuu, both on the cusp of promotion to jōnin, were assassinated—on the eve of their exams."
Orochimaru blinked.
'Oh? That serious?'
The two did have things in common—both were about to be promoted from Tokubetsu jōnin.
Judging from Hiruzen's tone, this wasn't the work of enemy villages.
No… this smelled like something much worse—an internal purge.
His mind whirled.
He recalled a conversation after the last jōnin council meeting.
He'd warned Tsunade—she wasn't ruthless enough. Didn't understand the nature of power.
Power meant death. Not impassioned speeches in a council hall.
Later, a Senju Tokubetsu jōnin that Tsunade had nominated suddenly died. Orochimaru hadn't investigated, but he knew—that hadn't been an accident.
And now?
Two high-profile, soon-to-be jōnin murdered in cold blood.
But he doubted Tsunade had done this.
She didn't have it in her.
"So?" Orochimaru asked, glancing lazily toward the Hokage. "Did you summon me to investigate the murders?"
"I'm not going," he added flatly.
"Such a mission would be a waste of time. My research is reaching a critical phase."
He shifted his gaze to Danzo, signaling: You know exactly what I mean.
The Hashirama Cell project.
If he could succeed in cellular transplantation, he might just gain the power of the man once hailed as the God of Shinobi.
Hiruzen shook his head.
"No. I didn't bring you here to investigate."
"There's a force lurking in Konoha's shadows—working to disrupt our current order, plunging the village into chaos.
I intend to cut off their ambitions at the root.
Orochimaru… you should start preparing.
For the position of the Fourth Hokage."
"...Huh?"
Not only was Orochimaru stunned, but Danzo slowly rose from the couch, locking eyes on Hiruzen.
Hiruzen continued:
"Some younger shinobi in the Senju Clan have been whispering about becoming Hokage.
Hatake Sakumo once spoke of it too.
We must suppress their momentum. It's because they believe they have a chance that they're willing to resort to extreme means.
Which is why I've decided: I'm backing you, Orochimaru.
You will be the Fourth Hokage."
For a brief moment, Orochimaru was tempted.
Then, he understood.
His teacher wasn't choosing him because he admired his talent.
He was choosing him to block others—to become a wall against Tsunade, Sakumo, and the Senju.
He said nothing of that insight aloud.
Instead, he smiled faintly and replied:
"In the Academy, six out of every ten kids dream of becoming Hokage.
When they grow up, they realize how far they truly are from that seat—and laugh at the arrogance of their childhood selves."
"Becoming Hokage is a fantasy. A delusion."
"Jiraiya once declared it. Nawaki shouted it. Dan, too. Sakumo said it when he was still a student.
And so what?
Hiruzen-sensei, dreaming of Hokage isn't a crime.
As for me… I'm not particularly interested in the role."
His voice faded at the end.
Because his eyes had drifted—onto a large scroll being moved out of the Sealing Chamber.
The Scroll of Seals.
Even Orochimaru didn't have free access to it.
Inside were the forbidden and secret techniques collected by the Third Hokage. Everything from Tobirama's research to the most dangerous experiments of the village.
The Hokage seat...
It did have some appeal.
The power. The secrets. The forbidden knowledge.
Hiruzen followed Orochimaru's gaze.
But didn't comment.
Instead, he said:
"Among all Konoha shinobi in their twenties, you're the only one who can rival Hatake Sakumo."
"Sakumo's strength is monstrous."
"Just last week, we executed several Sand spies who were investigating his whereabouts—trying to plan an ambush. Chiyo herself intended to lead it."
"...Oh?" Orochimaru mused. "Then why not leak the intel to Chiyo?"
Then, catching his own words, he chuckled darkly.
"Ah… because you feared she'd fail—and hand Sakumo another trophy?"
That's what schemes were.
Weapons for the weak.
And against Sakumo's White Fang, even legends could fall.
Chiyo, the puppet master granny—her techniques were uniquely unsuited to fighting the White Fang. She'd be crushed.
Hiruzen added:
"The Daimyō of Wind Country, River Country, and even Fire Country were all stunned when they heard Sakumo had killed Torashi."
"Before he crossed Sakumo's path, Torashi was a nightmare to all three nations.
His puppets had assassinated multiple nobles from Fire and River."
"Thanks to that… Sakumo now enjoys a solid reputation among the daimyō."
He turned his gaze back to Orochimaru.
"Jiraiya is unreliable. Tsunade only cares about her clan."
"Only you, Orochimaru, can stand up to Sakumo."
There was a moment of silence.
Then Orochimaru gave one last glance toward the Scroll of Seals.
"...I don't mind."
"If that's what you want—then I'll compete for the position of Fourth Hokage."
And with that, he turned and left.
Danzo stared after him.
"You really intend to let Orochimaru rise to Hokage?"
Hiruzen remained calm.
"Danzo… being a Hokage isn't just about the glory. It's a burden."
"Look at me. I'm not even fifty, yet I look sixty."
He sighed.
"You're not fit to be Hokage."
"You've seen the reports from ANBU's Copper Fox, haven't you? He's just like you—extreme. Ruthless. Never meant for the sunlight."
"You're too impulsive."
"You killed a Senju Tokubetsu jōnin without authorization. You nearly killed Shinma—a terrible misstep."
"And now? They're retaliating."
Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yuu—both dead.
"Now the problem is… we don't even know who did it."
"Tsunade? Sakumo? Uchiha?"
"I doubt any of them would go this far—but someone did."
Danzo clenched his jaw.
'Now it's a "misstep," huh?'
'It worked before—you never called me extreme then.'
But he didn't argue that.
Instead, he asked coldly:
"Then who do you think did it?
Tsunade?
White Fang?
Or the Uchiha Clan?"