The Konoha and the Land of Rivers forces were preparing to return home, and news of the peace treaty had already spread throughout the village.
As the victor, Konoha not only ensured the sovereignty of the Land of Rivers but also received a hefty war indemnity of 4 billion ryo from Sunagakure.
For the common folk, the outcome wasn't particularly significant—whether it was Iwagakure or Sunagakure, Konoha had still won. However, for the higher-ranking jōnin and the clan shinobi who understood the situation, the contrast was stark.
Faced with similar circumstances, Iwagakure and Sunagakure had taken completely different approaches, leading to vastly different results. One decision brought profit, while the other led to losses.
As the saying goes, the burden falls on the people. The 5 billion ryo demanded from Iwagakure wasn't just covered by budget cuts across Konoha's various departments—it also impacted the resource allocations to the ninja clans.
As word spread, murmurs of dissatisfaction with the Third Hokage began to grow within the shinobi ranks.
Since assuming true control over Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation had never been lower. Ultimately, he was forced to release an official statement, declaring his intent to step down as Hokage once the war concluded. This temporarily quelled some of the unrest within the village.
Returning to the village, Danzō Shimura received the news and responded with an indifferent smile.
With Hiruzen's reputation in shambles and his legacy in tatters, it would be difficult for him to drag Danzō down with him when he resigned.
At the same time, discussions over the next Hokage intensified. Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Danzō himself were all contenders, along with two lesser-mentioned candidates—Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Fugaku.
Among them, Orochimaru had the strongest support.
With his formidable individual strength and his difficult-to-counter summoning techniques, he had been instrumental in the battle against Iwagakure. Even if Iwagakure had refused to retreat, they wouldn't have been able to break through his defenses.
If not for his presence, Iwagakure wouldn't have been forced to reroute troops through Kannabi Bridge, inadvertently setting the stage for Namikaze Minato's rise to fame.
...
In the dimly lit underground chamber,
Danzō observed Orochimaru, who had grown even more eerie and androgynous in appearance.
"You should be out gathering support from the major clans. What brings you here?"
"Summoning Technique."
Orochimaru clapped his hands together and pressed them to the ground.
Two human-shaped puppets emerged from the summoning smoke, their bandages marked with the kanji for "Steel" and "Swift."
"Steel Release and Swift Release? Kekkei Genkai exclusive to Iwagakure… quite the impressive materials," Danzō remarked, his eyes flashing with interest. "So, what do you want?"
(T/N: Swift Release is a combined nature transformation kekkei genkai that can be used to move with incredible speed, becoming nothing more than a blur when in motion.)
Seeing the 'gift' Orochimaru had brought, Danzō was clearly intrigued. Such bloodline limits would be invaluable for his research.
"The Ice Release shinobi you provided last time was quite useful. I was wondering… in your operations within the Land of Water, did you happen to acquire any Uchiha?"
Danzō's expression darkened slightly. "Orochimaru, that's a dangerous line of thought."
Orochimaru licked his lips. "What a shame."
Then, as if recalling something, he chuckled softly.
"Danzō-sama, do you have any interest in the Hokage seat? My offer still stands."
Danzō studied Orochimaru's expression carefully. He could sense the man's growing fascination with him, which made him somewhat uneasy.
"Not at the moment," Danzō replied evenly. "Besides, Sarutobi won't let me take the position."
Orochimaru exhaled through his nose in amusement.
"I see. That leaves only me, then." His tone was disturbingly casual, as if he were stating an inevitability rather than a mere possibility.
"You sound confident."
"The Professor would never let Tsunade take over. The other clans won't allow another member of the Senju to claim the seat. As for Jiraiya…" Orochimaru chuckled and shook his head dismissively. He didn't even bother mentioning the other two candidates.
Danzō nodded slightly. "When the time comes, you'll have my vote."
He had no objections to Orochimaru becoming Hokage. The man had no interest in power itself and wouldn't interfere with his own operations. His preference for human experimentation was a minor issue—after all, Konoha's prison cells were filled with war prisoners, enemy spies, and rogue shinobi.
Moreover, Orochimaru had talent, charisma, and overwhelming strength. If he was genuinely interested in the position, he would be difficult to stop.
"At that point, we'll finally be able to continue our research… Bloodlines… Truth… Eternity…" A fervent gleam flickered in Orochimaru's golden eyes.
"I wonder," he mused, "which of us will be the first to take that step toward the ultimate truth…"
His moment of reverie faded as his gaze shifted back to Danzō, taking on a calculating glint.
"Your body won't last much longer," Orochimaru remarked with a hint of amusement. "Fortunately, I've been cultivating some… suitable vessels."
He watched Danzō intently, his forked tongue flicking out slightly, his aura even more sinister than before.
"You've modified your body?" Danzō asked, sensing something distinctly unnatural about him.
Orochimaru smirked, an unmistakable hint of pride flashing in his expression.
"You noticed? How perceptive. With the forbidden techniques of Ryūchi Cave at my disposal, I am inching ever closer to perfection. Bloodline limits… Sage Techniques… Tell me, don't you want to—?"
"I don't."
Danzō's curt refusal caught Orochimaru off guard for a brief moment. Then, as if undeterred, he licked his lips again and spoke in a low, persuasive voice.
"This technique eliminates all obstacles—compatibility, bloodline purity, even Sage transformations… None of it would be an issue anymore."
Danzō frowned, listening carefully.
So Orochimaru had, indeed, refined his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique. He had improved upon the original concept.
It was even more complete than what was later recorded in the manga. Not only could it harness natural energy, but it also significantly improved compatibility, reducing the risks of rejection.
However, he had seemingly overlooked—or outright ignored—the damage to the soul.
Danzō compared this to his own version of reincarnation techniques. While his methods were more suitable for him personally, they also demanded far stricter requirements for compatible vessels.
Despite pursuing similar goals, he and Orochimaru had already begun to diverge in their paths. The distance between them would only continue to grow.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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