"Oh? I thought you'd rather see my path fail, so I'd end up making the same choice as you."
"No. If there were only one path to immortality, that would be far too regrettable."
"Perhaps. But it's too early to be talking about that. Where's what I asked for?"
"Heh, not early at all. Time passes very quickly."
After saying that, Orochimaru was about to open his mouth wide and spit something out.
Makoto, familiar with his habits, immediately stopped him: "Wait, wait—Orochimaru-senpai, don't! Don't you know the Summoning Technique? Do you really have to spit it out of your mouth?"
Orochimaru gave a wicked smile, ignoring Makoto's disgust. He obediently formed hand seals and summoned a scroll.
"Danzō never leaves behind much solid evidence. This is just a portion I deliberately kept. I hope it's useful to you."
After looking through it, Makoto said: "This is enough. I won't act against him for now. I believe he'll come looking for you again in the future. When that happens… you know what to do, right, Orochimaru-senpai?"
"You don't need to tell me that."
Sure enough, cooperation between two schemers always leaves leverage on both sides. Orochimaru had dirt on Danzō, and naturally, Danzō had dirt on Orochimaru as well.
Unfortunately, with Orochimaru's defection, his leverage no longer meant much. At most, Danzō could use the hidden agents Orochimaru left behind in Konoha as a threat.
Makoto took the scroll and said: "Since our cooperation went smoothly, I'll give you a piece of information as a courtesy from a junior. Before the Third decided to act against you, he had already informed Jiraiya-senpai."
"You might run into your old teammate soon. Be careful—don't get killed. If your main body dies, I won't let you revive through Anko's body."
Orochimaru didn't care in the slightest. He stood up and left. Before departing, he said with complete confidence: "Don't worry. That idiot Jiraiya wouldn't be able to kill me."
That was true. Jiraiya, like Naruto, didn't care what his best friend's dream was—he only wanted him to return to Konoha and stay by his side. Even if it meant breaking his legs and dragging him back.
Kill him? That was absolutely out of the question.
"…"
Makoto didn't stop Orochimaru from leaving, nor did he ever intend to kill him—even if the man had all but abandoned his humanity.
His sense of justice wasn't that strong. Everything he did in the shinobi world was ultimately for himself—to live a brilliant life.
The shinobi world was a transcendent world, one with a path to immortality. Just as he had told Orochimaru earlier, thanks to the "white natural energy" cheat, he had already found that path.
Although he was still young, he could vaguely sense that as natural energy continued to reshape his body, his lifespan would become very long—at least not inferior to the sages of the three great holy lands.
He didn't know whether he would find a way in the future to extend the lives of his family and friends.
If not, then one by one, they were destined to leave him.
And at that point, immortality would become a road leading to eternal loneliness.
Keeping Orochimaru around… at least meant that in the future, he could still see a familiar face. That alone could be considered a kind of comfort.
If he didn't want the only familiar face left to be "snake uncle"… or maybe even "snake aunt," then he would have to work harder to find a solution.
It should be possible.
After all, Fukasaku and Shima by the side of the Toad Sage, and the three snake princesses by the side of the White Snake Sage, had all lived for hundreds of years.
If they could do it, there was no reason humans couldn't.
...
In an experimental base outside Konoha's back mountains, one of Makoto's shadow clones was directing ANBU shinobi to rummage through everything, searching for all materials Orochimaru had left behind.
Unfortunately, aside from some grotesque experimental subjects and complicated, obscure research records, there was nothing else.
These alone were enough to convict Orochimaru—but he had already defected and no longer cared. As for any connection with Danzō, there was basically none.
He would never leave such things behind for Konoha. No matter what, Orochimaru and Danzō still needed each other. Until they had fully exploited each other's value, they would protect one another.
If Makoto hadn't been someone Orochimaru couldn't deal with—unable to beat him and unable to escape—he wouldn't have obediently handed over any information.
Inside a sealed laboratory, on a metal operating table, a vigorous tree had grown in a bizarre manner.
The wild tree had grown recklessly, destroying the surrounding equipment and structure.
At its roots, a vague human shape could still be seen.
The exposed head still had its mouth opening and closing slowly, in a steady rhythm.
But Makoto could sense it clearly—this person was completely dead. The soul had vanished. Only the body's vitality remained abnormally strong, continuously supplying nutrients to the tree.
The other ANBU shinobi all felt deeply uncomfortable at the sight.
This was seriously sanity-damaging.
Makoto found a test tube and carefully took tissue samples from the human body, the tree, and the connection between them.
He had no interest in conducting experiments—he only wanted references to develop his own Wood Release.
...
Late at night, all the ANBU involved in the operation brought the gathered materials and records to the Hokage Tower.
After flipping through some of the records, Hiruzen frowned deeply. At this moment, he felt a trace of regret for letting Orochimaru go due to a moment of softness.
From these materials, it was clear—his beloved disciple, the one he still hoped could turn back, had long since abandoned his humanity and fallen completely into darkness.
He could no longer be considered human.
He should have been eliminated when there was the chance.
Kumomi asked: "Third Hokage-sama, what should we do now?"
"Orochimaru holds a large number of Konoha's secrets. His defection will pose a serious threat to the village. I order you—pursue him with full force. Before he leaves the Land of Fire, capture him… or kill him on the spot."
"Yes!"
With the order given, the ANBU moved out immediately to hunt Orochimaru.
However, half the night had already passed. With Orochimaru's strength, he had long since disappeared without a trace.
How could they possibly catch him?
Hidden among the crowd, Makoto's shadow clone silently complained in his heart:
You were the one who let him go. Now you're the one trying to capture him.
Old man… what exactly are you trying to do?
...
Inside Konoha, Makoto's original body used Flying Thunder God and appeared outside Minato's house.
With such a major incident, as Hokage, Minato naturally hadn't gone to sleep. Even Kushina stayed up with him, waiting.
Only Naruto had nothing to worry about—he was already fast asleep.
After entering, Makoto tossed the materials to Minato.
As Minato read through them, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
"Where's Orochimaru? How did the Third handle it?"
"He defected. The Third didn't keep him. I think… he went soft."
"Ah…"
Minato let out a deep sigh.
At this moment, even he—the ever-bright "sun" of Konoha—felt dissatisfaction toward the Third, increasingly believing him to be too indecisive.
How could someone like one of the Sannin be allowed to defect? A person like that held nearly all of Konoha's secrets. Letting him go was inviting disaster upon the village.
Kushina complained: "That old man Third has really gone senile. If it were me, I'd retire immediately and let you handle it, Minato."
Minato smiled helplessly: "Wouldn't that just bring us back to the previous situation? What would be the point?"
"Huh? How would it not have a point?"
Minato didn't explain, so Makoto spoke instead: "Kushina-sensei, if the Hokage's authority keeps getting divided and divided again, then it really does become meaningless. Whatever you try to do will be restricted."
"Eh? It's that complicated?"
"Yes. Even during the Third's tenure, this problem already existed. After Minato-senpai became Hokage, it became even more severe."
"From the Third's actions over the past one or two years, I can see that he wants to solve it. But judging from today's Orochimaru incident… I suspect he may no longer have the resolve."
"Homura and Koharu are easier to deal with. The real problem is Shimura Danzō. He—and the Root under him—must be completely eliminated."
Kushina's sharp mind quickly came up with a solution: "Then just kill Danzō, right? Is he that strong? With you and Minato together, you still can't do it?"
Minato shook his head: "We can. But, Kushina… we can't do that."
"Why not?"
Makoto explained: "Because the Hokage must lead by upholding Konoha's rules. After all, we are beneficiaries of that system."
"If we start using internal assassination like Danzō, that's absolutely unacceptable. The Hokage must act with legitimacy."
Whether in his previous life or in this shinobi world, those who resorted to internal assassination never had good endings. Even Rasa, when he wanted to kill Pakura, had to use Kirigakure's hand.
Kushina picked up the materials and glanced at them: "Legitimacy? Aren't these documents evidence?"
Minato replied: "They are. But there's no rush. Let the Third handle it himself first. What Danzō has done… I believe he already knows."
Having once been Hokage, Minato understood that the most important quality for someone in power was patience.
And he was still young—he had plenty of time to wait.
In any case, the initiative was in his hands. Given a choice, Minato, by nature, did not wish to tear things apart with his seniors.
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