"The Four Pillars Technique... what a remarkable Ninjutsu..."
In his office at the Hokage Building, Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed at the scene unfolding within the crystal ball, his voice filled with emotion.
Though Root's personnel had been wiped out, their base remained. In a single day, the Anbu had thoroughly investigated its secrets.
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The investigation revealed dark secrets: human experimentation, selling out Konoha ninjas for Root's benefit, threatening and intimidating parents of gifted children to forcibly recruit them, and even assassinating foreign envoys multiple times to instigate wars.
Of course, there were also actions that benefited Konoha, such as assassinating geniuses and radicals in other ninja villages and eliminating small villages or political organizations with potential for growth.
However, such matters were debatable, and compared to Danzo's atrocities, these "achievements" were hardly worth mentioning.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had to admit that Minato had been right all along.
The growth of Root had brought far more harm than good to Konoha.
He had entrusted the Root to Danzo because he recognized his own limitations and needed someone to take some decisive, even ruthless, action.
But now, it seemed this man had been using his underhanded tactics against his own people...
Although Danzo's death left him with some lingering resentment toward Minato, he had to admit that the young man was truly exceptional.
He possessed a kind heart without being blindly naive, and acted with ruthless efficiency without descending into cruelty or depravity.
Minato's assistance to the orphanage further solidified this view.
He acted with method and precision, advancing and retreating with strategic foresight. He exploited rules when they served his purpose, defied them when they hindered him, and even possessed the absolute power to create rules when none existed...
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't be more satisfied with Minato.
This was the successor of his dreams!
Watching Minato's figure in the crystal ball, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly chuckled. Though he was inferior to Teacher Tobirama in both strength and ability, he was at least superior in judgment.
Though, it's possible Teacher Tobirama simply had no other choice...
The thought made his smile vanish.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and a gaunt, stern figure pushed it open.
Orochimaru entered the room. "Teacher Sarutobi, you sent for me?"
"Hmm, there's something I need to discuss with you."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe, the smoke curling around his head. Danzo was dead, but that didn't mean the dirty work was over.
He knew himself well enough to recognize that some tasks were beyond his own capabilities, though he could turn a blind eye to them.
When he thought of someone suitable for such work, his mind immediately went to Orochimaru, his disciple. Yet as Orochimaru stood before him, he hesitated.
His disciple's calm and composed demeanor would undoubtedly make him capable of handling such matters.
But as his teacher, Hiruzen could sense the darkness lurking within Orochimaru, fearing he might stray down a crooked path.
After some thought, he decided to leave the choice to Orochimaru himself.
"Danzo died last night."
"Heh... With his death, his contributions to Konoha have completely surpassed even yours, Teacher, as Hokage."
"Pfft... cough...!"
Hearing Orochimaru's raspy voice, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly choked on his smoke, erupting into a violent coughing fit.
As expected, none of these three disciples ever give me peace of mind!
"So you called me here to take over the mess he left behind, didn't you?"
Orochimaru asked calmly, a smile playing on his lips.
"Ah, that's correct."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, momentarily unsure how to begin.
To be honest, Orochimaru had originally been his favored successor for the Hokage position. Had he not stumbled, the future leadership of Konoha would have been almost guaranteed for him.
Sarutobi Hiruzen knew that though his disciple never spoke of it, Orochimaru must have longed for the Hokage's mantle.
But Minato was simply too exceptional!
His overwhelming talent had silenced all doubts!
Orochimaru was already a once-in-a-generation genius, yet even he paled in comparison to Minato's terrifying natural ability.
"Some tasks simply need to be done," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, pausing almost imperceptibly. "You have the ability, and the... aptitude."
He continued, "But before that, I want to hear your thoughts."
Orochimaru fell silent for a moment, then chuckled softly. "Teacher, you needn't be so cautious."
"Hmm?" Sarutobi Hiruzen was slightly taken aback.
"Roots are roots," Orochimaru continued. "Staying buried deep in the earth is always the best choice. That fool Danzo doesn't understand this, but I do."
Orochimaru said calmly, "Once I take this job, it means I've completely forfeited any chance of becoming Hokage. That's what you've always worried about most, isn't it?"
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent, surprised that Orochimaru would bring this up directly.
After a long pause, he sighed. "That's why I wanted to hear your thoughts."
"My thoughts don't matter, Teacher. You know that best." Orochimaru spread his hands casually, his tone devoid of resentment or bitterness. "Ever since Namikaze Minato appeared, everyone who wanted to compete for the Hokage position has been equally stripped of their chance, haven't they?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent again. Orochimaru chuckled at his expression.
"Are you feeling guilty, Teacher?"
"I..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen paused. He did feel guilty toward Orochimaru.
Though he had never explicitly stated it, he had indeed been grooming Orochimaru to become Hokage.
If it had been a fair competition, he wouldn't feel this guilt.
But the problem was that Minato had been pre-selected!
Even without the pre-selection, the two Advisors would have staunchly supported Minato. Once Minato's talent fully revealed itself, all the major clans in the village—except the Uchiha—would have overwhelmingly rallied behind him.
"I'm sorry."
After a long silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke, a hint of guilt in his voice.
"There's nothing to apologize for. If I were in your position as Teacher, I would have made the same choice."
Orochimaru chuckled. "Besides, my ideal has always been to master all the ninjutsu in the world. While I did aspire to the position of Hokage, it was more because that position would have better served my ideal. It was never my only option."
"You... you really don't mind?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart trembled, and a sudden sense of relief washed over him.
"Why would I mind? I wasn't fooled by what happened last night..."
Orochimaru tilted his head, a playful smile on his face.
"I lost to Wood Release, to a Double Bloodline Limit genius who killed Danzo at age five. It's not like Danzo, who lost to someone as mediocre as you. What reason do I have to resent it?"
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's old face darkened.
"And I'm very curious..."
The image of a certain blonde-haired boy flashed through his mind. Orochimaru's heart stirred with anticipation, and a hidden desire for something...
Wood Release, Light Release, and a talent that was overwhelmingly powerful and all-encompassing...
"Just how far can that child go?"
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