A few days later, in a secret base of Konoha's Root organization.
Inside Orochimaru's research laboratory.
Danzo Shimura happened to be passing by when he noticed the lights were on. He was slightly surprised. Who would be bold enough to loiter in Orochimaru's lab? Are they not afraid of being turned into experimental material?
With that thought, Danzo turned the corner to investigate. Pushing the door open, he saw a familiar yet somehow estranged figure.
"Orochimaru? When did you get back?" Danzo blurted out. "You return without saying a word? You're acting like you never even left!"
"Before entering, please knock," Orochimaru replied without looking back.
Danzo's temper immediately flared. "You still know how to find your way back? Where the hell have you been for the past six months?!"
"I was invited by a like-minded friend to conduct experiments. Nothing more," Orochimaru said calmly.
"A like-minded friend? Since when do you have friends like that?" Danzo asked, his voice dripping with distrust.
"My connections are far more extensive than you imagine," Orochimaru responded, his tone remaining flat.
Danzo didn't want to waste time on trivialities. He spoke with suppressed rage. "Do you have any idea what I've been through these last six months? You were the prime candidate for Fourth Hokage. Now, Namikaze Minato has emerged. I've done everything to spread rumors and force Hiruzen to step down, only for the position to potentially fall to a civilian like Minato?"
Orochimaru's brow furrowed slightly. Are you insulting the monk while staring at his bald head?
What's wrong with being a civilian? I'm a civilian, too. Your Shimura clan isn't exactly some prestigious powerhouse of the shinobi world either, you old dog.
Danzo seemed to realize he had misspoken. Usually, he was more calculated, but his anger had gotten the better of him. After a brief pause, he added, "I didn't mean it that way. You understand."
"It's fine," Orochimaru shook his head. With his level of depth, he wouldn't hold a grudge over such a minor slight. He continued, "Do as you wish, but as I've said, this has nothing to do with me. I have zero interest in becoming the Fourth Hokage. If that Minato is capable, perhaps you should try to win him over instead."
Danzo went silent for a long time before letting out a cold snort. "You are truly a disappointment, Orochimaru! You lack the ambition to plot for greatness!"
Coincidentally, so are you, Orochimaru replied silently in his head.
Danzo was seething. Minato was a staunch member of the Hokage faction. With Orochimaru refusing to step up, Jiraiya and Tsunade nowhere to be found, the Uchiha clan unable to garner public trust, and the Hyuga clan always keeping a low profile, there was no one left to rival Minato.
With no competition, the position was practically set in stone. How am I supposed to 'win him over'?
Danzo harbored a fire in his heart, but with Orochimaru, the most he could do was bicker. He didn't dare cross the line, as Orochimaru was still his most valuable ally.
"Today, the village is deciding to seize Kannabi Bridge, a vital supply line for Iwagakure. Unless something unexpected happens, Minato will be appointed as the commander for this campaign. If you're interested, go to the Hokage Residence now. It might not be too late."
Danzo tried one last time to goad him. Unfortunately, Orochimaru remained completely indifferent. "No need."
Kannabi Bridge?
Isn't that near where Diarmuid and the others are? I wonder if they'll run into each other?
After a moment of thought, Orochimaru shook his head. Probably not. If all goes to plan, they should be heading toward the capital of the Land of Earth by now...
Assassinating a Daimyo... those bastards really dare to do anything. The worst part is that I, Orochimaru, am technically one of their teammates. I'll likely end up taking the blame for it later.
"Hmph." Seeing Orochimaru's ironclad resolve not to participate, Danzo turned to leave.
But just then, Orochimaru called out to him, tossing three scrolls over.
Danzo caught them, feeling puzzled. He opened the scrolls and gasped after a few seconds. "These are the most classified secrets of Kumogakure. Where did you get these?"
"Like I said, I have a like-minded friend. His name is... Rodriguez Diarmuid." This time, Orochimaru looked back at Danzo, a chilling smile playing on his lips.
Danzo froze. Rodriguez Diarmuid? What a strange name. Which clan is he from? I've never heard of it.
Yet, the name felt hauntingly familiar...
After a split second, it clicked. "The one from the rumors? The man who murdered the Third Raikage?"
"I used to think it was just a rumor too. But I can tell you clearly now: it is a fact. This intel was extracted directly from the Third Raikage's body. My absence was spent on this. Consider it a gift," Orochimaru said nonchalantly.
It seemed he quite enjoyed giving "gifts" lately.
The intel was something Kakuzu had originally planned to sell anyway. Since no one had sworn him to secrecy, Orochimaru didn't feel like he was betraying anyone.
Keep a secret? Why would Diarmuid, an S-rank wanted criminal of Kumo, keep secrets for them?
"To think you'd have a connection with such a mysterious man..." Danzo looked at Orochimaru thoughtfully. This kind of network was impressive; it might be useful in the future!
Moreover, the intel Orochimaru provided would allow Danzo to regain some influence within the village and secure more say for Root. This bastard was gone for six months, but at least he did something useful upon his return.
The anger in Danzo's heart dissipated significantly. He couldn't force Orochimaru, so he'd just have to change his strategy.
"Continue your work. I'm leaving," Danzo said. He didn't offer a thank you and simply walked out.
Orochimaru didn't care. He returned to his research in silence. However, after Danzo closed the door, a complex look flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. He whispered softly, "I suppose this is my final contribution to Konoha."
For some reason, even though the environment was the same, the laboratory, the materials, and the people now felt stifling, annoying, and even disgusting to him.
It seemed that at some point, his disappointment with the village had evolved into this visceral revulsion. This place felt like a swamp, entangling him, binding his future and his path.
In contrast, the six months he spent with Diarmuid were incredibly relaxed and comfortable. There were no schemes, no crushing sense of duty or obligation, and no trivial chores. Everyone could do what they loved. If someone had a problem, the others would help out.
The group was surprisingly selfless; whatever anyone found, they shared it with the rest of the "partners."
Orochimaru found that atmosphere infinitely superior to Konoha. The only thing was... well, those people were a bit wild and borderline insane. But no one is perfect. Orochimaru could accept a few flaws, considering he was much the same.
He shook his head, clearing those thoughts. He didn't know why he felt he had to return, but he felt it was necessary. He was also unsure when he would truly leave Konoha. In truth, he was at a crossroads.
He wanted to go, but the bonds of many years were still there. He didn't know how to walk away. Should he be like Jiraiya or Tsunade? Say goodbye and just not come back for a long time?
No, that wasn't what he wanted. He might be lost, but he didn't want a "half-and-half" relationship. Jiraiya and Tsunade might have left, but they were still tied down. If Orochimaru left, he would sever those damnable bonds completely. He would no longer be a shinobi of Konoha.
"Sarutobi-sensei... eventually, I will disappoint you, just as you have disappointed me. 'God of Shinobi'? Heh. If you truly were, the village wouldn't have become like this," Orochimaru murmured.
He stopped thinking and resumed his research.
In truth, Orochimaru was experiencing a rare moment of hesitation. He usually appeared calm, obsessed, and possessed of an unwavering will once a goal was set. But in this period before his defection, he was genuinely directionless.
In the end, he wouldn't even choose to take the step himself. Perhaps he was waiting for someone else to deal the blow. Thus, he began a relatively extreme course of action: secretly kidnapping village ninja for experiments and making little effort to hide it.
This led the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, to discover the trail quickly. When Hiruzen finally found him, Orochimaru was in the middle of an experiment.
In that moment, Orochimaru's expression wasn't one of panic, but of relief. It was as if he had been waiting for this moment, waiting for his teacher to find him.
At that instant, he used this cruel and extreme method to sever the last shred of affection between himself and Hiruzen, and the last bond with Konoha. He had murdered his own comrades. No matter how much Hiruzen loved or admired him, the Hokage could no longer turn a blind eye to such atrocities.
And so, Orochimaru would finally be "forced" to leave Konoha, to leave this place he had come to loathe. Everything from his thirty-plus years in Konoha would vanish like smoke.
What awaited him was a future without restraint, a lawless horizon where he could do as he pleased. To a man as obsessed and paranoid as Orochimaru, Konoha was the swamp that slowed his steps. Once free of it, the venomous snake would finally shed its skin and ascend.