So, first set a small goal—become the chief gold debt collector under the merchant guild!
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Konoha Year 46, early February.
While it was still snowing, Hidden Rock and Hidden Cloud suddenly reached a ceasefire agreement.
Hidden Rock returned the Third Raikage's body, and Hidden Cloud also compensated Hidden Rock.
Thus, the conflict between Hidden Rock and Hidden Cloud ended, but the Third Ninja War did not come to a close because of it.
Just a few days after the ceasefire with Hidden Cloud, Hidden Rock immediately sent three thousand ninja to the Land of Grass, setting up a formation to go head-to-head with Konoha.
Short on supplies, Hidden Rock was prepared to stake everything and settle things with Konoha once and for all, aiming for a quick and decisive battle.
Meanwhile, Hidden Cloud also reinforced its troops in the Land of Hot Water, sending the thousands of ninja previously meant to fight Hidden Rock to the Land of Hot Water, led personally by the Fourth Raikage in a massive invasion into the Land of Fire.
The Konoha Squad led by Akimichi Torifu was forced to retreat again and again, and only with the support of large numbers of elite ninja from the Uchiha and other ninja clans did they barely resist Hidden Cloud's further advance—but the losses were enormous.
Compared to Konoha's decline in the Land of Hot Water, the Hidden Cloud ninja were riding high, especially with the Fourth Raikage personally on the battlefield, boosting Hidden Cloud's morale and putting serious pressure on Konoha.
While the outside world descended into chaos and war, a certain dark corner of Konoha remained eerily calm.
Inside the dimly lit laboratory, yellow-tinged shadows, all sorts of experimental equipment were laid out.
Standing before the lab bench was a figure, holding a surgical knife without expression, skin pale, pupils slit like a serpent's, dissecting an animal corpse on the experiment table.
After a while, he looked toward the laboratory door as someone walked in without knocking.
The newcomer radiated a gloomy, icy aura.
The right half of his face was wrapped in bandages, and there were more wrinkles than before, suggesting he hadn't had an easy time lately.
"You're not in the Root Base. Why'd you come to me? Did you come just to watch me embarrass myself, Danzo?"
Orochimaru put down the surgical knife, wiped away the blood that had accidentally stained his hand with a white handkerchief, his snake eyes fixed on Danzo, voice magnetic and hoarse.
"The Konoha forces fighting Hidden Cloud on the front lines are losing. At the high-level meeting just now, many Jonin recommended you be sent to the Hidden Cloud battlefield. Congratulations, Orochimaru."
This seemingly congratulatory remark sounded grating to Orochimaru.
He gave a chilling laugh and licked his tongue.
"Don't make me laugh, Danzo. You should know, the more they support me, the more Teacher Sarutobi grows wary of my existence. The older people get, the more afraid they become of being forgotten by the world. Teacher Sarutobi doesn't want to step down."
Though it's already time to step down, many in the village had long since grown dissatisfied with Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's appeasement policies.
So after this war, his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi would have to step down, even if he didn't want to.
But he couldn't let go of his grip on power, nor could he abandon Konoha. He always believed only his own policy of balance would bring stability to Konoha. Therefore, he needed a Fourth Hokage who would obey him.
Even if they didn't obey, one with a hollow title and no real power would work just as well.
The problem was, Orochimaru himself wasn't part of that club.
As one of the Sannin, he not only had prestige, but also his own loyal group.
What he lacked to be Hokage was only the control of the Anbu.
But the Anbu's power had long since been fully infiltrated by the Sarutobi clan—the most powerful Minister and Deputy Minister were both Sarutobi ninja, monopolizing the force.
Given this situation, the more people in high-level meetings who backed him, the more it forced Hiruzen Sarutobi to abandon his pupil.
Orochimaru could foresee that the Fourth Hokage position was growing ever more distant from him.
"Orochimaru, aren't you angry?"
Danzo asked.
"Angry?" Orochimaru laughed coldly. "It's just tedious political struggle. If I want something, I'll take it myself—I won't accept anyone's charity, even if that person is my mentor."
Hiruzen Sarutobi had indeed taught him much—without Teacher Sarutobi's elite training, he would never have built such achievements in ninja techniques.
But that doesn't mean he'd follow Hiruzen Sarutobi's arrangements for his life.
"Even if you want to compete for Hokage with your own strength, the other two Sannin probably won't support you. Especially Jiraiya."
"Jiraiya? Since childhood he's been accustomed to Teacher Sarutobi arranging his life; especially on big decisions, he never opposes Sarutobi's intentions. It's less living his own life than living the one someone else mapped out for him. He's my friend, but that's exactly what I look down on most about him."
"Then how about supporting me as Hokage?"
Danzo's gaze burned with raging ambition.
"Support you?"
Orochimaru's expression froze.
He looked at Danzo's wrinkled face and shook his head.
"Ten years ago you still had a chance; now… you're too old."
He turned back to his research.
"Let's put the Hokage issue aside—I want you to help me complete a research project."
Danzo didn't get angry. Instead, he invited Orochimaru, admiring Orochimaru's mind and top research skills.
"What kind of research?"
"Wood Style."
Danzo uttered the word.
Orochimaru's movements paused. He turned and gave Danzo a deep look.
"The Wood Style project has been forbidden by Teacher Sarutobi for years. You should know if word got out you were researching Wood Style without permission, what kind of fate you'd face."
"I understand Hiruzen better than you. Even if things come to light, he won't lay a hand on me. Besides, I've already placed an absolutely unexpected, important pawn at his side."
Danzo said confidently.
Orochimaru pondered for a moment, then said to Danzo, "Understood. I can help you research Wood Style, but I want a sample of Hashirama's Cells as payment for the research."
Danzo frowned, but in the end nodded, agreeing to hand over a sample of Hashirama's Cells to Orochimaru as payment for his Wood Style research.
Compared to the finished Wood Style, one sample of Hashirama's Cells was nothing.
Once Orochimaru succeeded in researching Wood Style… Danzo inwardly gave a cold laugh.
The most esteemed student engaging in forbidden research clearly banned by the village—once this gets exposed, how will you step down, Hiruzen?
Danzo was looking forward to seeing his opponent's expression wracked with regret and pain.
If you won't give up the Hokage title, you'll be forced to relinquish it.
From this moment on, Danzo had only one goal—to save Konoha with his own methods, and to purge the conservative rot of Konoha's old guard.