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"If death is the inevitable path, then there is nothing to fear."
Several days later, a severed arm from Iwagakure was placed on Hiruzen's desk, along with the grim news of death.
Perhaps because it had been preserved well, the arm showed no signs of decay. The skin was pale, devoid of any color, and the few exposed parts of it stood in stark contrast to the blood-stained areas that covered the rest. The arm tightly gripped a short blade, with fingers dyed red as though they had been soaked in blood for a long time. The blade, similarly stained with deep, dried blood, had a handle that remained as dark and glossy as black jade.
This short blade was called Raiga, Ye Zi's personal weapon, now held by a severed arm laid before Hiruzen.
Hiruzen's hands gripped the armrests of his chair tightly, his eyes locked onto the severed arm as his brow furrowed deeply, forming a groove across his forehead. He stared at the arm in silence, the tension in his hands draining all color from his fingers as he clenched the armrests.
He was holding back his anger, an anger that he didn't know who to direct it toward.
Perhaps he wanted an explanation, but there was no one who could provide it.
Ye Zi, a member of Root, had been sent on a mission by Danzo, and now Iwagakure had sent his severed arm to Konoha.
So, Ye Zi was dead.
How did he just die like that?
Even Hiruzen, who was accustomed to seeing death, couldn't help but sigh in regret after forcing himself to suppress the surge of emotions.
He didn't know what kind of mission Danzo had sent Ye Zi on. Now, he deeply regretted it, but it was too late.
If only he had been more forceful back then, Ye Zi wouldn't have been caught in a situation where Danzo could force him into Root. If he had stood firm and protected Ye Zi, he wouldn't have ended up in the darkness of Root but would have stayed as part of the Anbu, close to Sarutobi's side.
If things had gone that way, Ye Zi wouldn't have become a mere tool, completing countless missions for Konoha and Root.
Hiruzen knew the extent of Ye Zi's mission records within Root, filled with instances where Ye Zi had walked the fine line between life and death. Now, this record would come to a final, grim conclusion.
"Orochimaru, you once said this child would become a towering pillar of Konoha, and you were right. But in the end, I have grown old. He should have had a better fate, a better path, but because of my weakness…" Hiruzen slowly released his grip on the armrest, sighing deeply, his heart heavy with guilt as he thought about the future.
Perhaps the title of hero was the best blessing one could offer the dead.
But what kind of accomplishments, what kind of contributions, were enough to earn that title?
The answer was vague, but if Ye Zi's mission records were made public, no one could deny that he deserved to be called a hero.
Yet those records would be sealed in scrolls, locked away in darkness, never to see the light of day.
Because Ye Zi was a member of Root, a force that operated in the shadows, unknown to the people of Konoha. No matter how much he had done for the village, the people couldn't see it, for Root was buried underground, unlike the leaves basking in the sunlight.
Ye Zi was undeniably a hero of Konoha, but after his death, his name couldn't be inscribed on the memorial stone. The false rumors about him circulating in the village would never be cleared up.
How unfair this was to Ye Zi!
Hiruzen's face filled with self-mockery. Suddenly, he slammed his hand on the table in frustration, his expression weary, like that of an old man nearing the end of his strength.
He had truly grown old.
At that moment, the desire to step down from his position was stronger than ever.
"I'm sorry."
Hiruzen lowered his head slightly, the "Fire" symbol on his hat hiding the exhaustion etched on his face.
Just then, the door suddenly opened.
Without knocking, someone entered.
It was Orochimaru, his face expressionless as he walked up to the desk.
Hearing the noise, Hiruzen slowly raised his head, looking at Orochimaru. The weariness and resignation that had been on his face moments earlier vanished.
"Aren't you going to do something?" Orochimaru's voice was as cold as his expression, and his eyes—serpentine and emotionless—showed no signs of warmth.
Hiruzen's face twitched slightly, but he remained silent.
"You've grown old," Orochimaru said, his calm eyes finally flashing with anger as he added in a cold voice, "Why not step down? Let me take over the things you can no longer handle."
Once, Orochimaru had longed to become Hokage. But after everything he had been through, that pure ambition had long since disappeared. Now, if he still sought the position, it was only for the convenience it would bring him. The idea of protecting Konoha as Hokage was a thought that had long since faded into some forgotten corner of his mind.
Now, he wanted to become Hokage more than ever, driven by the desire to clear the false rumors surrounding Ye Zi. At the very least, that was the one thing he could still do, and the one thing he most wanted to accomplish.
Hiruzen was no longer silent. He raised his head and looked at Orochimaru—his former prized student, who had grown step by step into the legendary Sannin, a man who had bled for Konoha and contributed greatly to its strength.
But Orochimaru was not suited to be Hokage.
There were many others better suited for the role—Kato Dan, Minato Namikaze, Tsunade, Jiraiya—but not Orochimaru. Orochimaru was too much like Danzo.
"This position is better suited for someone else," Hiruzen said wearily. "Ye Zi… I owe him."
"Heh." Orochimaru let out a raspy laugh, the pale skin on his face twisting into a look of deep mockery. "This is my teacher, huh? Time truly is a mysterious thing."
In that moment, Orochimaru's words reflected a piece of his worldview.
Human life was fragile.
Human existence was short.
Time ruled over everything in a person's life, wearing down so much along the way.
The only way to fight time was through immortality…
After speaking, Orochimaru turned and left without another word.
Ye Zi's death had come as a sudden blow. When Hiruzen's men had informed Orochimaru of the news, he hadn't been able to accept it. For more than a decade, Ye Zi had been a constant presence in that cold, empty house, and over the years, Orochimaru had grown used to his company. And now, just like that, Ye Zi was gone.
After a moment of silent reflection at home, Orochimaru accepted the truth and went to Hiruzen's office.
Ye Zi was dead.
As a member of Root, Orochimaru knew that all of Ye Zi's achievements would sink into the shadows along with him.
It didn't matter. The only thing that needed to be addressed was the ridiculous rumors. And to clear them, even Orochimaru lacked the authority. Only the Hokage could put an end to it.
That was why he had come—and why he was leaving in disappointment.
He was disappointed in his former teacher, disappointed in the position of Hokage, disappointed in the village of Konoha…
Hiruzen sat in silence, staring at the open office door.
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Currently on Chapter 201: Severing of Bonds...