After the war ended, Orochimaru, one of the "Sannin" who had a significant presence on the battlefield, seemed to have suddenly vanished. Very few people in Konoha had seen him or heard any news of him lately.
This was because Orochimaru had devoted his limited energy to the unlimited study of ninjutsu.
Because he remained underground all the time, completely engrossed in researching the mysteries of the ninja world, he often couldn't even tell whether it was day or night.
The more he researched, the more fanatical he became; the more fanatical he became, the more he researched. Orochimaru was now trapped in this cycle. The way he looked at corpses was even more fervent than a otaku looking at his figurines.
However, at this moment, Orochimaru wasn't fiddling with his "life-sized figurines." He was sitting behind a table covered with various scrolls, seemingly drawing some kind of formula.
Just then, a summoning snake slowly coiled itself next to his hand and then spat out a scroll. Orochimaru glanced at the white snake. He thought for a moment, then remembered that this was a communication snake he had given to someone.
"I remember you…"
Orochimaru's gaze fell on the scroll. He unrolled it and read the message.
"I heard that Konoha has a forbidden jutsu called the Eight Branches Technique. I wonder if Orochimaru-sama knows about this jutsu? Can you get it? And after you get it and study it, can you teach it to me?"
Ah, this familiar three-step freeloader style of speaking, it was more than just vaguely familiar.
Orochimaru smiled silently. He thought for a moment, then left his seat. After a short while, he returned with a scroll and sat down again.
"Giving you this jutsu is no problem. Consider it a reward for before. However… this isn't a jutsu you can use. Without sufficient chakra, obtaining this jutsu is pointless."
Muttering this to himself, Orochimaru stuffed the scroll into the "delivery snake's" mouth.
Orochimaru maintained this posture for quite some time before he finally spoke, "It seems I don't have much time left in Konoha…"
How could someone know that Orochimaru had stolen Konoha's forbidden jutsu? Konoha's forbidden jutsu were as vast as the ocean, and what Orochimaru had stolen was just a drop in the bucket, including the Eight Branches Technique. And then someone, while asking him for forbidden jutsu, just happened to name one he possessed? What a coincidence.
Regardless of how this information was known, if someone knew, then sooner or later, the Third Hokage would also know.
Was leaving Konoha a regrettable thing for Orochimaru? It was regrettable, but also not regrettable. Although Konoha possessed a great many resources, at this point, the village was placing more and more restrictions on him. Therefore, he craved freedom immensely.
At this moment, Orochimaru was like a high school student who had gotten a girlfriend. Compared to living in the old home where he had lived for decades, he naturally preferred to live on his own.
Just think about it…
Right? It's great.
...
After several days, Shimura Danzo, who had been sent out by the Third Hokage to handle diplomatic affairs, finally returned to Konoha. He had successfully completed the Third Hokage's mission… This proved that Shimura Danzo was not incapable of work. He had successfully forged alliances and played the game of geopolitics.
Apart from their most important "ally," Sunagakure, the small ninja villages surrounding the Land of Fire had all agreed to the joint Chunin Exam system, including Amegakure, which was particularly well-endowed with military strength.
Although it was just bullying the smaller players, this undoubtedly demonstrated the national power of the Land of Fire and Konoha's influence. In theory, it was a diplomatic victory.
But Shimura Danzo wasn't very happy upon his return to Konoha, because the Uchiha clan's "rebellion" had already subsided. When he reported his work and returned to his underground lair, he listened to the "Root" ninja's account of the chaos in the Uchiha compound that night…
He truly felt like beating his chest and stamping his feet in frustration!
What a great opportunity, and Sarutobi Hiruzen just let it slip away! Such incompetence and lack of wisdom!
And what's with this new Security Force? If you're going to create a new Security Force, why does it have to include the Uchiha? Indecisive, procrastinating, completely lacking the demeanor of a Hokage!
Danzo particularly wanted to shout that famous quote:
I'll do what the Hokage won't! I'll kill who the Hokage won't!
…Why not just let me be Hokage?
This showed that the Third Hokage's decision to send this man out of Konoha was a very correct one. Habara was at most a quack doctor who liked to use shock therapy, while Danzo would strangle the patient to death.
Shimura Danzo was a man of lofty aspirations and perseverance. Although he had missed the best opportunity, it didn't mean he would give up on this matter. He could still "mend the fold after the sheep are lost"… Konoha couldn't catch the kidnapper of the Uchiha because their thinking was limited, but Danzo was a man of broad vision.
Okay, it was actually because Danzo had previously collaborated with Orochimaru on certain things. So, compared to the Third Hokage, his teacher, Danzo actually understood the darker side of Orochimaru better.
Therefore, from the very beginning, Shimura Danzo suspected that Orochimaru was behind this. It was just the sort of thing Orochimaru would do… And with Konoha failing to catch the culprit or even find any effective clues for so long, Danzo was basically certain that Orochimaru was indeed responsible.
Just on the second day after Danzo's return to Konoha, he appeared in Orochimaru's hidden lair… Fortunately, Danzo came alone.
Orochimaru noticed Danzo's arrival. When the other man came before him, he said in his raspy voice, "Before the incident, it seems that someone who wants to share the results found me first."
"Results? Orochimaru, you're saying there are results…" Shimura Danzo's eyes seemed to instantly deepen.
Orochimaru didn't care about the life or death of the Uchiha ninja. Coincidentally, neither did Shimura Danzo… No, no, Danzo did care, because he believed that a dead Uchiha was a good Uchiha.
...
Meanwhile, just as Danzo and Orochimaru once again joined forces and established the "Uchiha Research Alliance," Kakashi sought out the Third Hokage.
"You want the Fourth Hokage's mission activity records from before his death? Kakashi, what for?"
Kakashi thought to himself, I don't even know what for. Someone had instigated him to do this. "Minato-sensei is gone. We want to organize his life records, otherwise, a lot of information might be lost after some time."
"Organize, huh…"
The Third Hokage could understand this, so he nodded in agreement without much hesitation.
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