The Hokage Building's conference hall was filled with the faint scent of incense as Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the long table, gently tapping his pipe. His expression was complicated, caught between worry and hope.
"What do you think," he asked slowly, "about Orochimaru becoming the Fourth Hokage?"
Danzo, Koharu, and Homura exchanged glances. None of them had expected Hiruzen to bring this up today.
Ever since seeing Orochimaru surrounded by children from the Sealing Team—laughing, playing, earning their adoration—Hiruzen's heart had softened. Watching Orochimaru's easy rapport with children rekindled something in him. For the first time in years, Hiruzen began to believe that Orochimaru might not only be powerful enough to lead the village, but compassionate enough as well.
Danzo was the first to speak, though his tone was unusually gentle.
"Hiruzen… before discussing this, you need to consider the main issue. Does Orochimaru even want to be Hokage?"
Danzo didn't want to ruin Hiruzen's enthusiasm. The Will of Fire within Hiruzen burned too brightly sometimes. But reality was harsh: Orochimaru despised the idea of becoming Hokage. He had outright rejected it before. Danzo had even asked him personally once.
Danzo—once a man obsessed with the Hokage seat—could only look back at his past self with embarrassment. He had chased power like a man caught in a genjutsu. Now he had no desire at all. Running Root, handling internal dangers, and avoiding unnecessary responsibility suited him far better.
Hiruzen frowned. "That's why I called this meeting. We need to find a way to spark Orochimaru's interest in the position."
Koharu sighed heavily.
"Hiruzen, Orochimaru is still young. You're not old either. Why rush this? Can't we revisit the matter ten years from now?"
Homura nodded in agreement.
"A Hokage must want the role. No village forces someone to take it. If Orochimaru doesn't want to be Hokage, then we should train someone else. There must be candidates."
But Hiruzen shook his head, face clouded with fatigue.
"You don't understand… I want to retire."
He rubbed his temples, remembering the countless pressures, responsibilities, and crises he had endured since taking the mantle. His teacher had chosen him, and he had done everything to honor Tobirama's will. But decades later, he was tired—so tired.
Yet who would he pass the position to?
Not Jiraiya, whose irresponsibility was legendary.
Not Tsunade, who spent half her life gambling.
And certainly not a newborn child Biwako hadn't even given birth to yet.
He mentally skimmed through all the clan heads. Akimichi Torifu was completely devoted to his family. Nara Shikaku was brilliant but wanted a quiet life. Hyuga, Uchiha, Aburame—none had the temperament for Hokage.
Even Danzo had given up. Root was thriving under his new approach: fewer threats, more salaries, less manipulation. Root ninjas were now living better than ANBU.
Hiruzen's worry deepened.
If Orochimaru refused, who would inherit the Will of Fire?
---
Orochimaru's Exhausting Day
Meanwhile, Orochimaru walked along Konoha's streets, mentally and physically drained. Teaching dozens of enthusiastic children all morning had wrung him dry. The leaves falling around him reminded him that autumn was already ending.
Winter was coming.
He reached out to catch a drifting leaf in his pale hand, watching its veins for a moment before it crumbled.
When he arrived at his underground laboratory, he dispelled his Shadow Clone and absorbed its memories. His eyes moved to the cultivation tank containing blood vessel tentacles infused with Zero Tail Cells.
Still no change.
"Did it fail?" he murmured.
"No," a calm voice replied.
Hyuga Mio stood beside the tank, her Byakugan activated. The veins around her eyes bulged as she examined the tentacles in minute detail.
Then—
The blood vessels suddenly twitched and began to grow at an alarming rate. The culture fluid dropped rapidly as the tentacles thickened and intertwined.
Orochimaru leaned forward excitedly.
"Imu! Add more culture fluid!"
"Yes, Lady Orochimaru!"
Imu, the loyal assistant, quickly turned the valve, replenishing the fluid. Her eyes widened as the growth accelerated.
Soon, the mass curled into a fetal shape. Fascinating. Terrifying.
Mio released her Byakugan and exhaled.
"Orochimaru… was it successful?"
"Yes." Orochimaru's golden eyes glittered. "Highly successful."
The Zero Tail Cells had merged without consuming Kakuzu's genetic structure. Instead of forming snake-like appendages, the blood vessels formed a new embryonic shape.
The implications were enormous.
"Continue observing for a few days," Orochimaru instructed. "If it stabilizes, we'll move to the next phase."
"Yes, Lady Orochimaru," Imu said, bowing.
Orochimaru shot her a look.
"And Imu… don't stand here staring all night. Just record the changes with the equipment."
Imu flushed bright red. She remembered doing exactly that during the last cloning experiment—taking his offhand comments as holy commandments.
"Y-Yes! I won't repeat that mistake!"
Too obedient was sometimes a problem.
---
Returning to Konoha
Orochimaru placed a hand on Mio's shoulder and teleported with the Flying Thunder God technique. They reappeared instantly inside his home.
He stretched his neck, glancing at the photo on his desk.
Tsunade—wearing a nurse uniform, smiling awkwardly.
She had been training in the Shikkotsu Forest for six months now. Orochimaru wasn't the type to miss people easily, yet he found himself wondering how she was doing.
When will she return?
Did her training go smoothly?
Did she run into any danger?
He sighed, setting the frame down.
"Mio, what do you want for dinner?"
Hyuga Mio was curled on the sofa watching today's episode of Konoha Every Day. She looked up thoughtfully.
"Fish. But… not too spicy."
The memory of last week's spicy stir-fried chicken returned to her painfully. She had never known that something called "burning" could extend to one's entire next morning.
Orochimaru smirked.
"Very well. Grilled tuna tonight."
He hated raw food—barbaric, in his opinion—but he could cook fish perfectly well.
"And you'll eat it all, even if you don't like it," he added sternly.
"Understood!" Mio straightened her back instantly.
---
Tsunade — Found at Last
Late autumn rain poured onto Tanzaku Street, but the gamblers inside the bustling casino didn't care. They screamed, cheered, and slammed chips onto the tables, certain they were about to win big.
Orochimaru walked through the rain with a white paper umbrella, stopping in front of one particular casino. A kikaichū landed on his finger.
"So she really is here…" he murmured.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Tsunade… you've become even bolder."
Inside, Tsunade was staring in disbelief at the pile of chips in front of her.
"You won! You actually won!"
"What—no way… I won?!"
She was stunned. Not only had she recovered her losses, she had turned a profit. A miracle.
"See? This calls for a celebration!" a drunken gambler laughed.
Before she could answer, a cold voice spoke behind her.
"Oh? Celebrating already?"
Tsunade froze.
Her blood ran cold as she slowly turned.
Orochimaru stood behind her, expression unreadable.
Her face paled.
"I—Orochimaru?! How… how did you get here?!"
Gamblers around her shouted:
"Hey lady, stop talking and keep playing!"
"Don't let weirdos interrupt the game!"
"Bet again! Bet again!"
Orochimaru's head slowly turned toward them.
"Am I interfering with you?"
His voice slithered like a gigantic serpent. The gamblers felt their hearts seize in primal terror.
"N-No, no! We didn't mean—!!"
"We'll leave! Please don't kill us!"
"We'll stop interrupting! Go on!"
The entire table empties in seconds.
Tsunade swallowed hard.
She may have survived deadly beasts in Shikkotsu Forest…
But facing Orochimaru after gambling?
That was true fear