Orochimaru regarded Minamikawa Yuu as a kindred spirit and wanted to follow Minamikawa Yuu to learn.
However, he also knew in his heart that achieving this goal would not be easy.
Leaving aside all other conditions, the huge disparity in status alone was already a major problem.
After all, Minamikawa Yuu was the Hokage.
As for Orochimaru, although he performed well at the Ninja Academy, he was merely from a commoner background.
There was a huge gap in their statuses, almost impossible to overcome under normal circumstances.
"To follow Hokage-sama, I must be noticed by Hokage-sama."
Orochimaru mused inwardly, "I must perform well in this graduation assessment."
This time, for the Ninja Academy graduation, because it was the first promotion exam, Minamikawa Yuu would also be present, personally observing the assessment results.
If Orochimaru wanted to be noticed by Minamikawa Yuu, this was undoubtedly the best opportunity.
However, achieving this goal was not easy.
The Ninja Academy was not short of geniuses.
Especially this batch of graduating students.
Originally, there weren't many students in the Ninja Academy, and with Orochimaru's ability, he could easily stand out and become one of the best.
After all, he was a genius himself.
But this batch of students was different.
Because of the establishment of the Middle Ninja Academy and Minamikawa Yuu's forceful promotion of academy assessments, requiring all Ninja Clan Ninja to enter the Ninja Academy, the number of students taking this promotion assessment had increased significantly.
Those Ninja from Ninja Clans were not simple individuals.
Among them were not only geniuses from the Senju and Uchiha Clan, but also many Ninja from other Ninja Clans.
Leaving everything else aside, Tsunade alone, who was right beside him, was already extremely outstanding and could put immense pressure on Orochimaru.
It would be quite difficult for him to stand out among this group of people.
"Alright, it's time to come down."
Minamikawa Yuu, holding Tsunade, spoke softly, "When we return this time, I'll spend some time with you, and there will be plenty of time to stay later."
"Are these your friends?"
He turned around, his gaze falling upon Orochimaru and the others.
Meeting his gaze, Orochimaru's eyes immediately lit up.
He eagerly stepped forward and said, "Hokage-sama, I am Orochimaru."
"I remember you."
Minamikawa Yuu smiled and nodded, "I once exchanged some insights with you. Your ideas were very good and gave me a lot of inspiration."
He certainly had a deep impression of Orochimaru.
There weren't too many research talents in Konoha, and Orochimaru was definitely one of them, and among the most outstanding.
Minamikawa Yuu valued such talents highly, so he had deliberately sought an opportunity to chat with him and exchange some ideas.
From the current situation, that exchange had left a deep impression on Orochimaru, so much so that he was now eager to show off.
"I recently set up a laboratory where many things are being researched."
Looking at Orochimaru in front of him, he thought for a moment, then said, "For this promotion assessment, I will specifically issue an exam paper. As long as one achieves an excellent evaluation in the assessment, they will be qualified to enter the laboratory and serve as my assistant."
"If you're interested, you can give it a try."
"Yes."
Listening to Minamikawa Yuu's words, Orochimaru's eyes lit up, and he nodded.
He had already made up his mind that he must achieve an excellent evaluation in this assessment.
"Hokage-sama's laboratory must have many interesting things, right?"
Standing still, this thought flashed through Orochimaru's mind.
"This is Jiraiya. Although he's a dead last, his Ninjutsu and combat skills are quite good."
After Orochimaru, Tsunade spoke again to introduce him.
Although she usually disdained Jiraiya, she still considered him a friend, so she took the initiative to introduce him on this occasion.
"Third Hokage."
Looking at Minamikawa Yuu in front of him, Jiraiya also shed his usual lively and frivolous demeanor, now appearing somewhat nervous.
It seemed that the Hokage's status, after all, still held some deterrent power.
"So you're Jiraiya."
Minamikawa Yuu's attitude towards Jiraiya was gentle, "Tsunade mentioned you to me, saying you're a very outstanding Ninja."
"Haha, really?"
Listening to Minamikawa Yuu's words, Jiraiya's face immediately broke into a smile, "I'm going to be a famous author in the future!"
"Then I wish you success."
Minamikawa Yuu smiled.
If he remembered correctly, Jiraiya did indeed become a famous author later on.
That famous make-out paradise seemed to sell like hotcakes throughout the entire Ninja World.
"Speaking of which, the publishing industry in the Land of Fire also seems to need some control."
While chatting with everyone present, this thought flashed through Minamikawa Yuu's mind.
He stayed there for a while, greeting all of Tsunade's friends, having met them, and then left.
After he left, the people behind him finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"Phew, to think we'd see Hokage-sama here."
"But Hokage-sama's age doesn't seem to be much older than ours."
"I must perform well in the graduation assessment and strive to make Hokage-sama notice me!"
Everyone looked at Minamikawa Yuu's departing back, their thoughts differing at this moment.
However, Minamikawa Yuu paid no mind to any of this.
"A bunch of naive brats."
The Nine-Tailed spoke disdainfully from the side, "With your strength, you're still mingling with a bunch of brats?"
Although Minamikawa Yuu was not much older than them in age, in the Nine-Tailed's eyes, they were still beings from two different dimensions.
The strength of those brats was merely ordinary in the Nine-Tailed's view, while the Minamikawa Yuu before him, even if he hadn't made a move, just the aura and vast Chakra emanating from him, made it clear that he was not to be trifled with.
In the Nine-Tailed's opinion, although Minamikawa Yuu's strength was not as great as that of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara in the past, he could already be considered top-tier among humans.
Many strong individuals among humans were inferior to him.
"The reason a Hokage is a Hokage is because they have the duty to protect Konoha."
Minamikawa Yuu spoke softly, "And protecting Konoha, in the final analysis, is protecting these future children."
"Don't look at them as young now; as long as they can grow up smoothly, they will always be able to unleash surprising power."
"You, who were born with great power, probably wouldn't understand this point."
"I don't want to understand such things, old man."
The Nine-Tailed sneered, "This old man is hungry again."
As aggregates of Chakra, Tailed Beasts naturally don't need to eat.
Their power comes from the Natural Energy between heaven and earth and does not require replenishment through ordinary means like eating.
However, the Flesh Clone currently carrying the Nine-Tailed's consciousness clearly couldn't achieve this.