Orochimaru was undoubtedly a genius ninja. Early in his childhood, his parents were killed in war, leaving him with a deep-seated obsession regarding the fragility of life.
He was in the same Ninja Academy class as Jiraiya and Tsunade, graduating at the age of six before being assigned to Hiruzen's squad. Hiruzen held him in extremely high regard, viewing him as a once-in-a-generation genius. And in truth, he was. Despite being from a civilian background, his talent was immense; he mastered everything he touched. Hiruzen favored him so much that a young Jiraiya, the class "dead last," was often jealous, feeling their sensei only cared about Orochimaru.
Initially, Orochimaru was a kind-hearted person. However, his childhood obsession combined with his talent led him toward a dark path. Driven by a fear of death and a love for ninjutsu, he hoped to learn every technique in the world. But that was impossible for a normal person, unless one had an eternal lifespan and ample time. These factors drove Orochimaru toward the study of immortality. He sought a jutsu or a body that would grant him eternal life to support his dreams and ambitions.
A mediocre man isn't scary; what's scary is a genius taking the wrong path. Once he made up his mind, Orochimaru charged down this forbidden road, transforming from a hero of Konoha into its future shame. He became unscrupulous, willing to provoke anyone and do anything. He was a complex man. Later, after witnessing the power of the Sharingan, he would become obsessed with it. Of course, those events hadn't happened yet.
On the path of scientific research, Orochimaru had already accumulated vast knowledge. Otherwise, Danzo wouldn't have built him a dedicated lab and supported his research into Wood Release and Hashirama cells.
"So, do you have any ideas? A way to solve this problem?" Danzo asked, turning his gaze away from the pile of flesh.
Orochimaru paused his dissection, discarded his bloodstained gloves, and spoke: "Ultimately, Lord First's cells are a form of vitality, the power of the Yang attribute. But too much of a good thing is a curse. Because this vitality is too strong, it leads to infinite proliferation and physical collapse. If, while transplanting these cells, we also introduced a powerful enough Yin attribute power, we might achieve a degree of Yin-Yang balance. This could stabilize the body and prevent collapse. That is my view on the matter."
Theoretically, he was correct. Madara had reached the same conclusion; he used Hashirama's cells to save Obito. The Sharingan is the ultimate representation of the Yin attribute, almost perfectly balancing Hashirama's cells. Later, Danzo would receive a gift from Orochimaru, that disgusting arm covered in Sharingan. That arm was made of Hashirama cells, using multiple Sharingan to suppress them and maintain balance.
After a short pause, Orochimaru continued, "There is another possibility: the subject themselves possesses a physical constitution strong enough to rival Lord First's. If so, they might perfectly integrate the power. I suspect this method would be far more stable than seeking a Yin-Yang balance, as balance can be disrupted by external forces."
Orochimaru believed that if a subject's own physical strength and vitality were powerful enough to integrate Hashirama's cells, there would be no risk of backlash. Such compatibility would lead to a true fusion where host and cells were indistinguishable.
However, Yin-Yang balance was fraught with danger. Such a balance is a method of mutual restraint; while they appear merged, they remain two sides of a coin, inherently unstable. If the instability remains dormant, all is well, but if it erupts, it is fatal.
But then, Orochimaru chuckled self-deprecatingly. "However, the first method is more practical. The second seems safer, but it is effectively impossible. Finding a physical constitution or vitality superior to Lord First's... that is a fantasy."
As far as Orochimaru knew, no such person existed. And anyone with that kind of vitality, provided they weren't an idiot, would already be so powerful they wouldn't need to obsess over Wood Release anyway.
Danzo listened to the analysis and nodded. To find someone with more vitality than the First Hokage was a paradox, so Danzo dismissed it as Orochimaru's scientific rigor talking. His primary choice remained finding a way to balance Yin and Yang. That was what suited him.
After a moment of thought, Danzo asked, "So, what material possesses the extreme Yin attribute necessary to restrain Lord First's cells? Do you have any ideas?"
"I don't know," Orochimaru shook his head. He truly didn't. He hadn't yet become obsessed with the Sharingan, so he hadn't discovered its secrets.
Seeing that Orochimaru was unsure, Danzo didn't press further. He knew Orochimaru wouldn't play tricks on him in this regard. Danzo was the benefactor funding his experiments. If Orochimaru wanted to research, he had to cooperate. Their interests were aligned: one wanted Wood Release, the other wanted to unlock the secrets of life.
"I will have the Root members keep an eye out for Yin-attribute items then," Danzo said. He then changed the subject: "A major event has occurred outside."
"Oh? What happened?" Orochimaru asked, though he clearly wasn't interested, merely being polite. He walked over to a bookshelf, picked up a volume, and began flipping through it.
Having grown accustomed to Orochimaru's temperament, Danzo ignored his indifferent attitude. "Barring any surprises, Kagami has fallen on the Kumogakure front lines."
At this, Orochimaru actually looked up in surprise. He instinctively asked, "Did you do it, Danzo?"
"Is that really the image you have of me?" Danzo said, deeply dissatisfied. Why is it that whenever something happens, you blame me? If he had done it, fine, but this really had nothing to do with him! It was slander.
Orochimaru gave him a strange look. "Of course. What other image would you have? Do you think you're some sort of saint? Hehehe..."
If not for Orochimaru's immense skill and research prowess, Danzo would have loved to kill this foul-mouthed bastard. However, he swallowed his anger and said irritably, "It had nothing to do with me. Perhaps I thought about how to remove him, but... I was still hesitating."
Indeed, Danzo, the "Shadow of Konoha," hadn't yet fully evolved into the shameless, bottomless creature he would become. He still possessed a shred of integrity. This shift in character was gradual. The reason he hesitated was the same as Hiruzen's: he still shared some camaraderie with Kagami.
"Is that so? I thought you were worried he'd achieve some great feat on the front lines and return with even more political capital to contend for the Fourth Hokage position, so you took him out early," Orochimaru said, still without restraint.
"Hmph," Danzo snorted. "Though it is unfortunate, shouldn't this be considered a good thing for both of us?"
"No. It has nothing to do with me. If you want to celebrate, go laugh somewhere else," Orochimaru said coldly.
"How can it have nothing to do with you? Orochimaru, you are also a top candidate for the next Hokage. You are strong, your reputation in the village is good, and you are Hiruzen's disciple. With my secret support, the position of Fourth Hokage will be yours!" Danzo said with heat in his voice.
"Hehehe... isn't the Hokage seat the place you've always wanted to sit? Why would you give it to me?" Orochimaru sneered.
Danzo didn't get angry. After a silence, he said, "Given my current situation, even if I wanted to fight for it, it wouldn't be appropriate. Rather than letting someone else have it, I would rather it be you. Once you are Hokage, I will find a way to reverse the current situation. When the time comes, you can simply hand the position back to me."
This spoke to the unique system of Konoha: the predecessor basically had the power to choose their successor. The Second Hokage chose Hiruzen before he died, and Hiruzen became Hokage naturally upon his return. Hiruzen would later choose Minato, and the civilian ninja became Hokage. When Minato died, Hiruzen took power again. One could say the succession of the Hokage was, in many ways, unfair.
In Danzo's mind, pushing a qualified candidate like Orochimaru into power was a sound move. From their years of interaction, Danzo knew Orochimaru wasn't "Hokage material." If he became Hokage, how would he conduct his research? Danzo could sense that Orochimaru had no real interest in the seat.
So, if he pushed Orochimaru into power, and Orochimaru didn't want to handle the administrative work, he could simply leave it to Danzo! The Fourth Hokage could focus on his research, and Danzo would handle everything else. Then, after a year or two when the time was right, Orochimaru could abdicate in his favor. It was perfect.
"You certainly have a vivid imagination, but I'm completely uninterested," Orochimaru said with a wave of his hand.
"You fool! Do you have any idea what you're refusing? If you become Hokage, you can mobilize the entire village's resources to complete your dream, to continue those forbidden experiments. It would be beneficial for both of us!" Danzo said excitedly. His tone was that of a frustrated mentor.
But Orochimaru ignored him completely, walking to the door and opening it.
"Hey! I'm not finished talking yet, you bastard!" Danzo barked angrily.
"You may not be finished, but I've heard enough," Orochimaru replied calmly. With a flick of his hand, he slammed the door shut. He then began walking out of the dark underground structure.
"Hehe... Konoha is becoming quite boring too. A bunch of vulgar fools," Orochimaru muttered to himself with a cold laugh as he walked.
He felt he was losing interest in the village. Jiraiya was gone, and Tsunade had left. Perhaps... there was no need for him to stay much longer either?