With Orochimaru's return, the Third Hokage could finally feel a bit more at ease.
As for Tsunade, whom Jiraiya had mentioned, she was originally the most suitable candidate for Hokage. One only needed to look at her credentials to understand why. She was the granddaughter of the First Hokage.
Unlike Naruto, whose identity as the Fourth Hokage's son was kept under wraps, Tsunade's status as the granddaughter of Konoha's founder was known to all. This meant she possessed the purest "Konoha bloodline." In terms of proper lineage, no one in the entire village could compare to her.
She was one of the three Sannin and a student of the Third Hokage. A medical ninja of legendary renown throughout the shinobi world, Tsunade's skills were second to none. If she were to inherit the title of Hokage, her medical ninjutsu could save countless lives in times of war.
Unfortunately, a moment of poor judgment back then, his silent approval of Danzo's actions, had caused Tsunade to become disheartened and leave Konoha, not to return for many years. The Third often regretted it. Why had he indulged Danzo? Or was it that he, too, had been greedy for the power in his hands?
Back then, Konoha's White Fang was immensely powerful and decorated with honors, but he represented the clan faction. Although the Hatake clan wasn't large, its influence was not to be underestimated. If the White Fang had become Hokage, he would have undoubtedly supported the clans allied with his own. The Third's plan to reduce the clans' political power would have gone up in smoke.
Therefore, when the White Fang failed his mission, the Third tacitly allowed Danzo's smear campaign. His original intention was merely to knock the White Fang down a peg, to teach him a lesson. He never imagined that the man's sense of honor was so strong that he would take his own life.
This outcome had caught the Third Hokage completely off guard. He had not anticipated it at all. Had it not been for the Third's implicit permission, the success or failure of a single mission would never have caused such an uproar in the village. Had it not been for the Third's acquiescence, Danzo would never have dared to do something so out of line.
The Third had his regrets, but fortunately, Minato Namikaze emerged in Konoha later. Minato was an orphan of humble origins, with no distinguished background, who had climbed the ranks through sheer talent. He had also married Kushina Uzumaki.
Kushina was a survivor of the Uzumaki clan. Although the Land of Whirlpools no longer existed, the wealth left behind was still considerable. Even several streets in Konoha were Kushina's property.
Powerful, with a clean background, and a wife who was both wealthy and a jinchuriki—Minato became the Third's most favored candidate for Hokage.
Regrettably, subsequent events spun out of his control. The Nine-Tails' attack led to the Fourth's unexpected death, and the jinchuriki perished with him. Although the Nine-Tails was resealed within Naruto, the boy was still young and would not be a combat-ready asset for some time.
Konoha suffered devastating losses. At that time, Danzo suggested that the Nine-Tails might have been controlled by the Uchiha, as they were the prime suspects. Coupled with the influence of the Second Hokage, Tobirama, the Third held a certain prejudice against the Uchiha. Ultimately, he tacitly approved Danzo's series of actions against them.
For years, the weakening of the Uchiha clan never ceased. Then, Uchiha Kawasaki emerged, and the clan began to develop at a rapid pace.
Now, aside from Jiraiya, Konoha had no other great general who could stand against him. The heads of the various ninja clans could not be expected to serve Konoha with their entire hearts. There had been Kakashi, a useful asset, but Obito had taken one of his eyes, and he had since fallen into a state of despondency.
Compared to the Uchiha, Konoha was in an awkward transitional period, facing a talent gap.
In terms of cunning and strategy, Jiraiya and Tsunade were far inferior to Orochimaru. In terms of ability, Orochimaru was a master of all things, virtually flawless. But in the Third's eyes, Orochimaru had no concept of good and evil and acted without any moral compass.
Initially, the Third believed Orochimaru was beyond his control and would never side with Danzo, which was why he had chosen Minato Namikaze. Now, in the current situation, Orochimaru seemed to have become the best choice.
With Orochimaru back in the village, the Third could use the strength he had left to assess whether he was fit to take over as Hokage. If Orochimaru proved unsuitable, his last resort would be to use the past incident to push Danzo out, thereby earning Tsunade's forgiveness and convincing her to become Hokage. After all, Danzo was good for little else now besides taking the blame.
In the Third's view, Uchiha Kawasaki was extremely intelligent, even cunning. On the surface, Kawasaki appeared lazy and carefree, but his decisions were always unexpected, and each one strengthened the Uchiha while weakening Konoha. Even Jiraiya and Tsunade working together would struggle to contend with him.
Perhaps only Orochimaru possessed the mindset to match Kawasaki.
Of course, if the situation became untenable, he would be at ease whether the Hokage's seat was taken by Orochimaru, Tsunade, or Jiraiya. While he was alive, he could lend them his strength. If he were gone, he would have to eliminate the hidden threat of Danzo before his death. With no obstacles between them, Orochimaru and Tsunade would naturally cooperate to protect Konoha's foundation.
...
In the Village Hidden in the Sound.
Kabuto Yakushi, bare-chested with intricate markings on his face, his vertical pupils glinting, and his skin snow-white, lay on a medical bed. Unlike in the original world, Kabuto had not grown a tail, wore no mask, and had not sprouted horns.
Orochimaru collected data from Kabuto while speaking with him.
"Tell me about your experience in Ryuchi Cave. And how did you master Sage Mode?"
Maintaining his Sage Mode, Kabuto answered, "After Ichikishimahime brought me there, I met the White Snake Sage. The White Snake Sage said my constitution was special and perfectly suited for practicing snake sage techniques."
"There are two ways to master it. One is for the White Snake Sage to transmit natural energy through his fangs. The other is to absorb natural energy yourself and form a marking."
At this, Orochimaru's hand paused. "What's the difference?"
"The natural energy transmitted by the White Snake Sage is already transformed. It causes one to involuntarily undergo snake transformation. According to Ichikishimahime, if a practitioner cannot withstand this energy and turns into a snake, they are devoured by the White Snake Sage. Absorbing it yourself is very slow, and you can't maintain Sage Mode for long."
Kabuto glanced at his own pale skin. "But the White Snake Sage said that after his injection of natural energy, if you can endure the initial phase, you can maintain Sage Mode indefinitely. The final snake transformation can even evolve into a dragon."
"Oh?" Orochimaru asked, curious. "So you chose to have the White Snake Sage inject you with energy?"
Kabuto shook his head. "Although he did inject me with energy, my snake transformation reaction was not pronounced. But when the first white scales appeared, I found my thoughts being eroded, so I changed my mind. I gave up on his injections and chose to absorb it myself. The mental erosion from self-absorption is much weaker."
Orochimaru watched Kabuto, noticing a significant change in him. He had willingly given up an easily attainable Sage Mode to choose a more difficult path. It seemed that leading Otogakure these past few years had matured him.
"Why did you make that choice?" Orochimaru asked with interest.
"Power is just an added bonus. Things that are excessively powerful often come with side effects." Kabuto clenched his fist. "One's purpose in life must be found by oneself, not imposed by others. Lord Kawasaki says that the most important thing in life is to be happy. Following you, Lord Orochimaru, makes me very happy."
Kabuto's expression was serious, the confusion of his younger years gone from his eyes. He looked at Orochimaru with pure admiration.
"Alright, you can get up," Orochimaru said, his face impassive, though the corner of his mouth curved into a slight smile. "Did the initial snake transformation from the energy injection have any lasting effects on you?"
Kabuto shook his head. "Since I switched to absorbing natural energy myself, my skin will gradually return to its original color."
At that moment, Kabuto deactivated Sage Mode, reverting to the gentle and refined young man he appeared to be.
In Ryuchi Cave, when he chose to master snake sage techniques by absorbing natural energy himself, the White Snake Sage had not only not objected but had been quite supportive. According to him, few ever chose the path of self-absorption. Because humans and snake sage techniques were not a perfect match, the rate of absorbing natural energy was slow. Snake transformation solved this problem.
Although Sage Mode achieved through self-absorption was more potent, its duration was too short. After undergoing snake transformation, as long as one's mind remained intact, Sage Mode became stable. Unfortunately, most people found it difficult to maintain their original personality after turning into a snake.
Thus, those who trained in snake sage techniques at Ryuchi Cave ended up becoming more and more like the White Snake Sage. Eventually, they would simply become a snake. For hundreds of years, the White Snake Sage had seen too many like himself, but none had ever truly become his equal. He had grown weary of it and had accepted that no new kin would ever appear.
But this time, the boy Ichikishimahime had brought back, Kabuto, showed an astonishing affinity for snake sage techniques. Whether it was self-absorption or rapid snake transformation, Kabuto excelled at both. Though self-absorption was slow, the White Snake Sage was curious to see what heights Kabuto could reach.
Although Kabuto had not chosen complete snake transformation, his physique had undergone a monumental change since he began practicing sage techniques. The most obvious change was that his nearsightedness was cured. He still habitually wore his glasses, however, as a memento of his matron and as his own personal trademark.
Orochimaru, reviewing the data, said, "Your physical abilities have doubled, and in Sage Mode, they're five times greater. Your sensory perception far exceeds that of a typical sensory ninja, and your regenerative ability is like being under constant medical ninjutsu." He paused. "We'll test the enhancement to your ninjutsu some other time. Lord Kawasaki has other tasks for me."
"Understood, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto stood and began to dress.
In a rare moment, Orochimaru asked, "Do you find it difficult, being the Otokage?"
Kabuto pushed up his glasses. "It's not that different, really. I'm still doing the same things as before, just with an extra title. Lord Kawasaki said it would be more convenient to act as the Otokage, and I find he was right."
Just as Orochimaru was about to say something else, a small bell nearby tinkled softly. He paused for a moment, recalling the bell's purpose.
"We'll talk about this later. Go and handle the village's affairs for now."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
...
Orochimaru walked to the edge of a pond where a red toad was waiting for him. It was the contact toad left by Jiraiya. This period had been quite comfortable for the toad. Otogakure had many people, so summoned creatures were a common sight. As a member of Mount Myoboku, it was a rare treat for the toads not to have to return home every day.
The contact toad had been incredibly busy lately, rushing about and sampling all kinds of delicacies. Today, however, it had finally received a message from Jiraiya, who said he needed to speak with Orochimaru.
Being a toad specifically for communication, it naturally possessed the ability of simultaneous interpretation. Otherwise, having to run all the way to Mount Myoboku and back just to relay a single sentence would make it no different from an ordinary messenger toad.
"What does Jiraiya want?" Orochimaru had a feeling he already knew.
As soon as Orochimaru arrived, the contact toad immediately connected with Jiraiya. Before long, Jiraiya's somewhat gruff voice came through the toad. "Orochimaru, the old man has prepared something for you. I'll bring it next time."
In Konoha, inside the Hokage's office, a green contact toad squatted before Jiraiya. He had just sent his message, but there was a long silence from Orochimaru's end. Jiraiya and the Third Hokage waited patiently. After a while, the toad finally relayed Orochimaru's voice.
His tone was flat, devoid of emotion. "I know. No need to trouble yourself with delivering it."
Jiraiya and the Third exchanged a look, then Jiraiya spoke. "Orochimaru, the old man wants to talk to you."
There was a brief silence from Orochimaru's end. "Go ahead."
A thousand thoughts swirled in the Third's mind, but in the end, he only voiced one. "Orochimaru, was Otogakure established with the Uchiha clan's support?"
Orochimaru let out a soft chuckle. "Otogakure and the Uchiha are simply using each other. I have a partnership with them as well."
"Then do you know the Otokage of the Sound Village?" Jiraiya asked curiously. He was quite interested in learning who led this newly emerged village.
A mocking laugh came from Orochimaru's side. "The Otokage was originally a Konoha ninja, one who was forced to flee by Danzo."
The Third's brow furrowed. How was Danzo involved again? "Who is it!?"
Orochimaru didn't answer directly. "When Uchiha Kawasaki takes his position, he will come to Konoha. You'll know then."
The Third pondered for a long time. It was impossible. Danzo had made too many enemies; he couldn't guess who would have the capability to establish their own hidden village.
"Orochimaru, you have a hand in Otogakure as well, don't you?" The Third's voice was filled with conviction.
"As expected, sensei knows everything," Orochimaru said, unsurprised. After all, founding a hidden village was a monumental task, not something just anyone could do. It was only natural that the Third would guess his involvement. No wonder the Uchiha hadn't completely taken over Otogakure—Orochimaru was the one backing the Otokage.
...
It was common knowledge that Shisui Uchiha and Itachi used to be active in Otogakure. The Third had even suspected that the so-called Otokage might have fallen under the control of Shisui's Kotoamatsukami. Or perhaps this Otokage was nothing more than a puppet of the Uchiha.
Shisui had once described the power of Kotoamatsukami to the Third Hokage, but the Third had never seen him use it and didn't know the true extent of its strength.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, the Third asked aloud, "What kind of partnership do you have with the Uchiha?"
Orochimaru answered without hiding anything. "The expansion of the Uchiha's restaurant business uses all of my people. Only with my people can the Uchiha's secret recipes be protected from leaking."
The Third was suddenly enlightened. That explained why there were so many of their restaurants in the Land of Rice Paddies. Logically, the recipes should have been stolen easily. Yet, for all these years, many who tried to copy them had come away empty-handed.
If it was Orochimaru's subordinates, it all made sense. Orochimaru was a master of various cursed seals and forbidden jutsu. He had countless ways to force someone to keep a secret. Moreover, he was skilled at cultivating loyal agents who would die for him. When he defected, one of the reasons the Third Hokage hadn't pursued him with full force was because Orochimaru's followers were fierce and fearless. A direct assault would have cost the Third dearly.
So that was the Uchiha's roundabout strategy. Orochimaru and the current Otokage had co-founded the village when they were lacking both manpower and funds. Uchiha Kawasaki found him and first made the exiled Itachi and Shisui, along with other Uchiha members, the backbone of Otogakure. Orochimaru used his cursed seals and forbidden jutsu to cultivate loyal agents, then launched the restaurant expansion.
Ultimately, the Uchiha settled their displaced clansmen, and with the recipes secure, their business boomed. Both the Uchiha and Orochimaru profited immensely. Today, Otogakure's development was a great success. This partnership was a true win-win.
Of course, the initial rise of Otogakure relied entirely on the Uchiha. But as the village grew stronger over the years and attracted more ninja, the Uchiha's influence had waned. The Third wasn't sure if the Otokage had sided with the Uchiha.
What the Third was considering was whether Orochimaru himself had been controlled by Kotoamatsukami. It was strange that Orochimaru had suddenly allied with the Uchiha clan; he'd had no dealings with them in the past.
The Third mulled over these thoughts. "Orochimaru, have you met Shisui Uchiha?"
Met him? Not only met him, he saw him every day.
Orochimaru replied coolly, "I have."
"You may not know this, but Shisui's Sharingan is a Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Hm?" Orochimaru didn't understand the Third's point.
"Awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan grants a unique dōjutsu. Shisui's is called Kotoamatsukami."
"Old man, how do you know so much?" Hearing the Third's explanation, Orochimaru was genuinely curious.