In the Root, a dimly lit secret chamber.
The head of ANBU left with a satisfied smile after concluding a successful political deal, leaving only three people behind in the secret chamber.
Observing the head of ANBU'S departure, Koharu Utatane furrowed her brows and spoke with a serious tone, "This woman is too obsessed with power."
Perhaps, with outsiders gone, the three of them dropped their facades. After all, they had been companions since childhood.
However, Homura Mitokado shook his head and sighed, "Being ambitious is not the issue; my concern lies in Sarutobi Shinzo's abilities and achievements, which might not garner widespread support."
They had already decided to abandon Orochimaru. Not only was he difficult to control, but his ascent to power would disrupt Konoha's interest groups, leading to instability. In contrast, Sarutobi Shinzo as the leader would maintain continuity, which suited their preference for stability rather than upheaval.
Moreover, after experiencing the Third Great Ninja War and the Nine-Tails disaster, Konoha desperately needed time to recuperate.
"Hmph, with Hiruzen around, Sarutobi Shinzo's potential rise won't be much of a problem."
Danzo Shimura was eager to uncover the weaknesses of the new Hokage. He planned to exploit them and tarnish Sarutobi Shinzo's reputation. With the right strategy, he might have a chance.
Sarutobi Shinzo was much easier to deal with than Orochimaru. Danzo Shimura had already devised several plans.
On the other hand, supporting Orochimaru would only lead to further alienation from their old friends and opposition from various factions within the old Konoha. They were considered part of the old establishment.
Who would voluntarily help outsiders target their own faction?
The plotting of Danzo Shimura was unknown to the other two. Koharu Utatane contemplated for a moment and then said with concern, "Danzo, the forbidden jutsu left by our teacher is too dangerous."
She wasn't just talking about its danger but also its cruelty. Danzo Shimura coldly chuckled, "Orochimaru is not as cautious as White Fang. We can't afford a repeat of the White Fang incident. But we still need to undermine Orochimaru's reputation. What drastic measures do you suggest?"
The position of Hokage requires the approval of a majority of high-level shinobi. In the past, they used this opportunity to tarnish White Fang's reputation, and now the situation was somewhat similar. The ninja world was in turmoil, and if there was a shift in power in Konoha, it could lead to further instability and potential opportunistic interference.
That's why they decided to undermine White Fang's reputation, but they never anticipated White Fang's suicide. That act was considered taboo.
White Fang's strong-willed personality was not like Orochimaru's, who had faced criticism for his ruthlessness. This time, they were confident.
Homura Mitokado shook his head gently and sighed, "The two forbidden jutsu left by our teacher would require extensive live experiments. We need to be cautious. Another bloodshed like the White Fang incident must be avoided."
They could damage Orochimaru's reputation to prevent him from becoming Hokage, but they absolutely couldn't afford another incident like White Fang's. The losses to the village would be too great.
White Fang had always served as a lesson for their high-level leaders. They had never intended for White Fang's sacrifice, as they were politicians driven by interests, not warring ninjas.
Having a powerful Kage-level shinobi who completely forfeited the chance to inherit the position of Hokage would maximize their interests in Konoha.
Seeing his two friends mention the White Fang incident, Danzo Shimura couldn't help but frown and said with a serious tone, "Rest assured, Orochimaru is not like White Fang."
What kind of person is Orochimaru? At this point, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado exchanged glances and smiled lightly.
Orochimaru is ruthless and earned the title of a cold lord . He doesn't care about others' opinions, which makes him stronger than White Fang.
However, while they all agreed that Orochimaru was cold-blooded and focused on personal gain, they never considered the possibility of him going insane.
Immortality! Those two words were simply nonsense, and no one ever imagined Orochimaru would become such a maniac. That's why when the Third Hokage saw Orochimaru's female face during the Chunin Exams in the original work, he was so shocked and couldn't believe it.
Edo Tensei, an imperfect ninjutsu. They knew that their teacher, the Second Hokage, developed this forbidden jutsu. Rumor has it that it was a forbidden technique developed by an evil onmyoji and ninja in the Warring States period. But it wasn't perfected and was eventually destroyed by the Uchiha and Senju clans working together.
Later, the information about this jutsu fell into the hands of the Senju clan, and the Uchiha clan's nature would never be interested in it. (This is a plausible explanation for why Uchiha Madara knew about this technique.)
After the First Hokage's death, the Second Hokage found this forbidden jutsu again and started researching it. But as soon as he began, he encountered trouble in the Land of Lightning. Since then, this forbidden jutsu was sealed away.
"Edo Tensei, when you hand over the information about this forbidden jutsu to Orochimaru, keep a close eye on him. We must have solid evidence."
Koharu Utatane spoke seriously. They all knew what it meant. Experiments on human subjects were inevitable with this kind of forbidden jutsu, and it would involve a large number of them. Signs of this activity would undoubtedly emerge.
Therefore, they needed concrete evidence to deal a heavy blow to Orochimaru's reputation, ensuring he had no chance of becoming the Hokage. They could then exile him to the borders, as they did with Tsunade and Jiraiya.
...
Inside the Hokage's office.
The Third Hokage sits there, puffing on his pipe with Nara Shikaku, a member of the Nara clan and his trusted advisor, by his side.
"Shikaku, the ANBU head went to the Root, and Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane also went there."
The Third Hokage says in a low, raspy voice. As the leader of the Konoha for many years, he couldn't be kept in the dark about the village's affairs, especially those involving higher-ups.
Shikaku lowers his head, visibly troubled by the news. Being entangled in the power struggle for the position of Hokage is quite challenging.
Seeing Shikaku's distress, the Third Hokage sighs sadly, "Orochimaru has gone down a dark path. If we let him continue like this, it will bring turmoil to Konoha."
Years ago, he supported Minato Namikaze (the Fourth Hokage) despite opposition, precisely because Minato had few allegiances. This way, once Minato became Hokage, the Third could gradually hand over his influence, ensuring a stable and peaceful transition of power in Konoha.
Furthermore, Minato's philosophy of the Will of Fire aligned with his own, unlike Orochimaru's, which completely contradicted his political beliefs.
This was his rationale for supporting Minato. Now, faced with this difficult situation, Konoha had just endured the Third Great Ninja War and couldn't bear further instability, let alone Orochimaru's actions.
The Third Hokage's true intention was never about Orochimaru's research. As the leader, he was well aware of Orochimaru's large base and numerous resources. Besides, even the Second Hokage conducted human research during his time.
During his own reign, the Third Hokage initiated the Mokuton (Wood Release) project, which ultimately ended in failure. However, it demonstrated that human research, although forbidden, was happening in various major shinobi villages. How else did they develop powerful medical ninjutsu and various forbidden techniques?
Analyzing the original story, it becomes evident that the Third Hokage may have had personal ambitions, especially with the flourishing Sarutobi clan. Yet, his love for Konoha was genuine and surpassed all other interests. His political beliefs were dominant, and he believed that only his philosophy of the Will of Fire could bring stability to the village while deeming other approaches as incorrect.
~~~
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