The Next Day
Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Orochimaru.
In recent times, he had been preoccupied with conflicts involving Danzo and had seemingly neglected his restless disciple.
Taking advantage of the time before Orochimaru arrived, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his chair, carefully reviewing Orochimaru's regular reports. He noticed that the progress on the Wood Release experiment had not been updated for some time.
"Orochimaru, what on earth are you thinking?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen set the report aside, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
If Danzo hadn't pointed it out, he might never have realized that Orochimaru had been concealing so much from him. He couldn't help but recall the image of Orochimaru from years past.
Back then, Orochimaru was full of curiosity. Although he appeared cold, he actually had a warm heart and maintained a positive and optimistic outlook on life.
But when had things changed? Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't even noticed that his disciple had shifted. Orochimaru was no longer positive or optimistic; instead, he was fixated on trivial matters, dedicating all his energy to unreliable immortality research.
But is immortality truly attainable?
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. He was convinced that Orochimaru had lost his way. As a teacher, it was his duty to correct this path.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sharp sound of knocking brought Hiruzen back to the present.
"Come in."
Sarutobi Hiruzen opened his eyes, assuming the authoritative demeanor of a Hokage.
Orochimaru, dressed in a white kimono, pushed the door open and said indifferently, "Teacher, did you need something?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, pointed to the report on the table, and said, "I need an explanation, Orochimaru."
"An explanation?" Orochimaru replied, barely lifting his gaze. His tone was icy, and he seemed utterly indifferent.
"Orochimaru, at this point, do you still wish to deceive me, your teacher?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face was etched with deep anguish as he slammed his hand on the table, scattering the documents in every direction. "Tell me, why did you hide the success of the Wood Release experiment?"
Orochimaru paused, and in his narrow, serpent-like eyes, the reflection of the teacher he once held in high regard could be seen.
The once formidable face of the Hokage was now lined with wrinkles, his eye sockets deeply sunken, and dark circles marred his eyes. His entire demeanor seemed drained of the vitality that once characterized the ninja hero.
What remained was only the visible sign of aging, weakness, sadness, and pity.
Orochimaru nearly forgot that the esteemed Hokage had been influenced by Danzo's manipulations.
When this topic arose, Orochimaru couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
Had he not witnessed the Corpse Cathedral or 'that person,' he might have thought Danzo's transformation into a woman was merely an advanced ninjutsu technique.
But now, it was far from clear.
"Speak, Orochimaru!"
Stirred by the array of emotions reflected in his eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen's frustration boiled over. He stood up and shouted, "I am the Hokage, and I am asking you a question! Answer me!"
"Because I don't see the necessity."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Orochimaru's eyes before fading. Facing the Hokage's interrogation, he replied with calm resolve, "Although he survived, his Wood Release is entirely different from the original Hokage's. I see no reason to report what amounts to a failure. Do you have any further questions, Hokage-sama?"
The final word, "Hokage-sama," silently widened the gap between them once more.
Sarutobi Hiruzen understood the implication of those words all too well. His expression darkened abruptly, and his voice, tinged with unmasked anger, demanded, "Orochimaru, whether he's like the First Hokage or not, he's the only surviving test subject. You should be reporting the progress to me directly, not letting others fill me in!"
"Others?"
Orochimaru's brow furrowed slightly, then he guessed who might have said that and sneered, "I see, was it Danzo who told you? No wonder. Haha."
"What do you mean, Orochimaru?"
Perhaps out of guilt or some other reason, Sarutobi Hiruzen averted his gaze from Orochimaru.
"Nothing," Orochimaru said with a slight lift of his eyelids and a casual shake of his head. "If that's all, I'll be leaving now, Hokage."
Without waiting for Sarutobi Hiruzen's response, he turned and walked away.
At the door, Orochimaru suddenly stopped, his back turned to the fuming Sarutobi Hiruzen. He said calmly, "I almost forgot to leave the failed Wood Release experiment with you. After all, it's an 'important asset of Konoha,' right? Hehe."
Ignoring Sarutobi Hiruzen's darkening expression, Orochimaru used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished on the spot.
"Orochimaru!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, feeling the sting of anger, slumped into his chair. His frustration was palpable.
He couldn't comprehend how Orochimaru had ended up this way. What had gone so wrong? Was he truly at fault? A torrent of disjointed thoughts clouded his mind, and his blood pressure seemed to rise.
Years of hard work had left him feeling overwhelmed, and he realized his energy wasn't what it used to be, whether dealing with administrative matters or Danzo's manipulations.
"It seems that I am truly getting old."
Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned wearily against his chair, his exhaustion evident. He pinched the bridge of his nose, pondering deeply. "We need to decide on the next Hokage soon."
Several names flashed through his mind in quick succession.
"Minato Namikaze. Danzo Shimura."
Then, unexpectedly, another figure surfaced in his thoughts, as if by instinct.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was taken aback. Logically, that person should never come to mind, yet he found himself thinking about them.
"No, no, it can't be him. Absolutely not!"
He shook his head, forcibly dismissing the 'daring' thought. "It's a shame about Uchiha Sogetsu."
Even Orochimaru can become Hokage, but the Uchiha clan must not be allowed to take the position! Once the Uchiha clan gains political power, it would spell disaster for Konoha. This has been the guiding principle and decision since the time of the Second Hokage.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, walking down the street, suddenly frowned. He quickened his pace, turned into an alley, and entered a hidden passage.
Such passages are rarely used, but they exist throughout Konoha for evacuating civilians and conducting Anbu operations in emergencies.
In the dark, deserted passage, Orochimaru stopped and spoke coldly, "Come out. I know you've been following me for a long time."
His narrow, snake-like pupils glinted with a sharp, murderous intent that seemed to pierce through the darkness.
After a moment, a figure in a black robe emerged slowly. He removed the hood, revealing short silver-white hair and the face of an ordinary, middle-aged man. "Long time no see, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the figure. "So it's you. Hatake Sakumo."
It turned out that the person trailing him was Hatake Sakumo, who had been missing for a long time on a secret mission.
"Didn't you go to investigate something?" Orochimaru asked, his interest piqued. "From the look of you, have you found something?"
"I returned precisely because of this matter."
Hatake Sakumo's face was serious, his brows furrowed as he spoke in a deep voice. "I've discovered that a mysterious organization is secretly influencing the entire ninja world!"
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, his tone half-joking. "Are you suggesting that the organization you're referring to is us?"
After all, hasn't the enigmatic Mr. 'Adam' been subtly shaping the course of history and the future?
"No, it's a different one."
Hatake Sakumo replied quietly, "They are called… 'Shell (Kara)'!"
********
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