The Gates of Konoha
Aoshi and his group, returning from Hōzuki Castle, appeared beneath the towering gates of Konoha.
"Your performance during this mission was outstanding," Aoshi said with a smile as he looked at Kurenai and the other two. "It will be officially recorded in your files and will significantly accelerate the time it takes for you to become a full-fledged shinobi."
He paused briefly, his gaze steady. "To have participated in an S-rank mission while still a Genin… you've truly made history."
The moment those words landed, Kurenai lifted her chin proudly, unable to hide her smug expression.
"We're your students, Brother Aoshi," she said confidently. "Of course, we wouldn't let you down."
Her words drew easy laughter from everyone present, the tension of the mission finally melting away.
"Alright," Aoshi continued, "you three are dismissed. Take tomorrow off and rest properly."
"That's great!" the three replied in unison, clearly relieved.
After parting ways with them, Aoshi and Yakushi Nono headed straight for the Hokage's Office to submit the mission report to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Along with the report, they placed the bodies of the fallen Root shinobi before him.
With such irrefutable evidence laid bare, even Sarutobi Hiruzen could not divert responsibility away from Danzō and Orochimaru.
That damned Danzō… I thought he had finally learned restraint. I never expected him to stir up trouble from the shadows again. And Orochimaru as well…
For a fleeting moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen even entertained the thought of killing them both outright.
But he immediately dismissed it. The most urgent matter was appeasing Aoshi.
"Lord Hokage," Nono said, her voice trembling with restrained anger, "what Danzō and Orochimaru did is absolutely unforgivable. They attempted to assassinate their own comrades from the village!"
Although no one had been harmed this time thanks to Brother Aoshi's overwhelming strength, the danger was obvious.
A thief only needs to succeed once—yet one must guard against them a thousand times.
If Danzō was left unchecked, there was no guarantee such a thing wouldn't happen again. And next time, who could ensure everyone's safety?
"Nono, calm yourself for a moment," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, raising a hand. "This matter is indeed Danzō's and Orochimaru's fault."
He exhaled slowly.
"Orochimaru has already defected. I will officially declare him a Missing-nin. From this moment onward, any Konoha shinobi who encounters him will have full authority to execute him on sight."
That alone was a severe declaration.
"However," Sarutobi continued after a pause, "Danzō was once a Hokage Advisor and the leader of Root. He has made… significant contributions to Konoha in the past."
As he spoke, his eyes shifted toward Aoshi.
Aoshi remained expressionless, offering no reaction whatsoever.
Hiruzen studied him carefully, hoping to read his stance—but Aoshi gave him nothing.
On the way here, Aoshi had already instructed Nono to do all the talking.
The reason was simple.
Aoshi did not want Danzō dead yet. At the very least, every remaining ounce of value had to be squeezed out of him before his end.
Moreover, Aoshi had long anticipated that Sarutobi Hiruzen would protect Danzō.
Hiruzen was, at his core, a man who cherished old bonds far too deeply.
Otherwise, in the original course of history, Danzō—despite all his crimes—would never have survived until the eve of the Fourth Great Shinobi War.
There was no point in wasting words on a foregone conclusion.
Naturally, Aoshi had not told Nono his true reasons.
And Nono, who had already devoted herself completely to him, asked nothing further and obeyed without hesitation.
"But Lord Hokage—" Nono began, clearly intending to argue further.
Sarutobi raised his voice slightly, cutting her off.
"I will personally go and speak with Danzō," he said firmly. "I will warn him that he must never make this mistake again. If he does, he will be punished severely, without exception."
He knew very well that shielding Danzō repeatedly would only alienate others.
This was his way of drawing a line. This was Danzō's last chance.
Understanding the meaning behind those words, Aoshi reached out and gently stopped Nono before she could continue.
"I understand that Lord Hokage has his own considerations," Aoshi said calmly. "But I hope an incident like this never happens again. I cannot afford to keep backing down."
Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately let out a sigh of relief.
"This will never happen again," he said firmly. "I guarantee it."
Aoshi neither confirmed nor denied the statement. He simply took Nono's hand and turned to leave.
After watching the two of them depart, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened instantly.
"Someone," he said gravely, "announce it immediately—Orochimaru has defected from Konoha."
A masked Anbu shinobi appeared in the next instant, kneeling before him.
"From this moment onward," Sarutobi continued, "any Konoha shinobi who encounters Orochimaru is authorized to execute him on sight."
The Anbu shinobi stiffened slightly and looked up.
"Yes, sir!" Before the final syllable had fully left his mouth, his figure vanished.
Sarutobi finished his pipe in silence, then slowly rose from his seat and headed toward Konoha Prison.
At the same time, the news of Orochimaru becoming a Missing-nin spread like wildfire throughout Konoha—and rapidly across the entire Shinobi World.
The reaction was explosive.
"Did you hear? After failing to assassinate Lord Aoshi, Orochimaru defected!"
"That's impossible! That's Lord Orochimaru—how could he betray Konoha?!"
"Exactly! He saved my life during the war!"
Throughout the streets and alleys of the village, heated discussions erupted everywhere.
Some of Orochimaru's followers—and shinobi whose lives he had saved—flatly refused to believe the news.
Arguments escalated. Fists were thrown.
"Bastard! Don't spread slander here! Orochimaru-sama would never betray the village!"
"The order came directly from the Hokage! He's officially a Missing-nin! Any shinobi who encounters him can execute him!"
"That's right! My friend works in Anbu—I heard it firsthand!"
Faced with such undeniable facts, even the doubters were forced into silence.
"Who was causing trouble here? Come with us."
Members of the Uchiha Police Force arrived, escorting all those involved in the disturbance away.
Similar scenes played out across Konoha.
It was clear that, as one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, Orochimaru still possessed enormous influence—even after years spent secluded in research.
Otherwise, in the original timeline, Danzō would never have dared nominate him as a contender against Minato for the position of Fourth Hokage.
While the village buzzed with chaos and disbelief… Deep within Konoha Prison, Danzō received the news from a Root operative.
"Trash! All of you are useless trash!"
Danzō, who had been eagerly awaiting news of Hirakawa Aoshi's death, erupted in fury.
"Useless Orochimaru! He couldn't even deal with a mere Aoshi!" In that moment, Danzō completely forgot that he himself had failed just as thoroughly.
As his curses echoed through the cell, footsteps approached.
Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived.
"Danzō," he said coldly, "I thought that after spending so much time in prison, you would have learned restraint."
"Yet you've caused this kind of disaster again." Sarutobi's gaze hardened. "Tell me—how should I punish you?"