"Weren't Shisui's eyes already destroyed by the elder? Hehehe..."
Orochimaru chuckled, the mockery in his laughter completely unrestrained.
"You—!?"
Koharu tried to speak, her voice caught in her throat. A cold sweat clung to her back, soaking through her clothes.
Yes, she was angry—but more than that, she was afraid.
If Orochimaru hadn't pulled out the real nutrition jar just now, the entire incident would've ended with her destroying what she believed to be Shisui's eyes. She would've gone home proud of her "sacrifice" for the village, while in truth, Orochimaru would've been behind the scenes, clutching the real eyes and laughing at her foolishness.
Koharu wasn't afraid of sacrifice—but she was terrified that her sacrifice had been for nothing.
The humiliation quickly twisted back into anger. Her emotions spiraled wildly as she glared at Orochimaru with eyes full of rage.
That bastard had played her.
But Orochimaru wasn't done.
Smiling, he said, "What's wrong? Destroying one pair of Shisui's eyes isn't enough for you? Want another?"
"It's fine. I've got plenty."
With a flick of his hand, Orochimaru pulled two more nutrient jars from his scroll and set them casually on the table before retrieving them again—just to show off.
It made everyone wonder: Just how many Sharingan does he have in that scroll?
And more importantly—were any of them even real?
After what had just happened, no one in the room was sure of anything anymore.
At this point, the entire debate about the Mangekyō Sharingan had lost its meaning. Even if Orochimaru smashed what appeared to be Shisui's real eyes right in front of them, no one would believe it.
Because Orochimaru would never give up the Mangekyō Sharingan—not truly. Whatever destruction they witnessed would only be for show, a carefully staged performance to deceive them. The only question was whether they would choose to believe it... to find some comfort in the illusion.
And Koharu? She wasn't stupid.
After Orochimaru had played her so thoroughly, her mind began to sharpen. Her emotions still seethed, but reason finally caught up. She realized there was no longer any point in rallying the village council or trying to pressure Orochimaru through the Third Hokage. They had no leverage.
Worse, not everyone among the upper leadership even supported her.
Shooting a glare at both Danzo and Orochimaru, Koharu stood abruptly and stormed out.
Mitokado Homura gave the Third a glance—still silent, still unmoved—and sighed. Then, with a shake of his head, he chased after her.
And just like that, silence reclaimed the Hokage conference room.
Only three people remained—Sandaime, Orochimaru, and Danzo.
Despite having lost his composure earlier, Danzo sat there now with his usual stony calm. Years in the shadows had given him a face like armor—nothing could crack it for long.
But the air was tense. With him present, Orochimaru and the Third couldn't speak freely.
They didn't need to say a word. The mutual distaste in their eyes spoke volumes as they turned toward Danzo, waiting.
Danzo understood.
Not because he was ashamed—he simply didn't want to waste his time.
They wouldn't talk with him in the room, and he had no interest in their little family drama. His purpose here had been simple: make sure Shisui's eyes weren't destroyed.
Everything else was irrelevant.
Besides, he was confident. As long as he was willing to pay the price, he could still obtain those eyes.
Orochimaru... Danzo thought to himself. You're just another power-hungry fool. With enough benefit, you'll give in like the rest.
With a final glance at Orochimaru, Danzo scoffed.
"Suit yourself, Orochimaru. Do as you please..."
And with that, Danzo disappeared from the meeting room, leaving the tension to smolder in his wake.
After Danzo left, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his head and let out a weary sigh.
"Orochimaru, you went too far today. You shouldn't have toyed with Koharu like that."
"I didn't expect things to unfold that way either," Orochimaru replied with a shrug, as if genuinely surprised. But then his tone shifted, laced with venomous mockery.
"Maybe it's because that old bat has been a Hokage advisor for so long, she's grown blind—blinded by power and everyone's obedience. She's forgotten she's still just a person."
He grinned, a wicked curve playing on his lips.
"And if she's still human, then she can be tricked like anyone else. Why shouldn't I play a little game with her? She takes her position way too seriously, anyway."
Hiruzen didn't respond to the insult toward Koharu. He remained quiet, though his expression tightened.
"What I didn't expect," he said slowly, "was that you didn't follow the script."
Compared to most, Hiruzen understood his former student better than anyone. From the moment Orochimaru pulled out the fake eyes, he'd been trying to figure out his intentions. When Koharu had destroyed the jar, he'd nearly spoken up—he'd planned to expose Orochimaru and corner him. But Orochimaru had turned the tables on his own, revealing the truth before anyone else could.
Yes, it was cruel. Yes, it was petty. But it hadn't been a lie. Orochimaru hadn't tried to deceive them—at least not in the usual way.
Jiraiya, who had remained silent all this time, finally looked over, his brow furrowed with curiosity. This wasn't the Orochimaru he remembered.
"Tsk, tsk... The reason's simple," Orochimaru said, shaking his head. "For once, most of the village is actually on my side. That's rare."
He gave a bitter laugh. "Ironically, you're the one who's starting to look hesitant."
Hiruzen didn't answer. He just sighed again.
Orochimaru kept talking.
"The two advisors, as part of the village's leadership, baselessly targeting a ninja like Shisui—it doesn't make sense."
He paused, then sneered. "At first, I thought it was personal. Some old grudge. But after today? I've changed my mind."
He glanced at the doorway where they had left, the corner of his mouth curling in disdain.
"They're not evil. They're stupid. And that's even worse. Stupidity is more dangerous than malice—it doesn't stop until it drags everyone down with it."
Neither Jiraiya nor Hiruzen argued.
Even Jiraiya, though he still felt uneasy, found himself agreeing. The advisors' hostility toward the Uchiha had always seemed unjustified.
Then Orochimaru turned to Hiruzen with a sly smile.
"Tell me, old man... did you want Shisui's eyes to be destroyed too? That doesn't sound like something the Hokage would approve of."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Let's not talk about that right now."
There was a shift in his tone—calmer, but firmer.
"What I want to talk about is the Battle of Kumogakure. You didn't do what you promised me."
At those words, Orochimaru's smile faltered. His expression grew more serious, a faint frown appearing.
Hiruzen leaned forward slightly, watching him carefully.
The reason Orochimaru had been allowed to command the operation against Kumogakure was because of Hiruzen's backing. In exchange, he was supposed to make sure the Uchiha bore the brunt of the suspicion—damaged, discredited, but ultimately cleared of betrayal.
Instead, Orochimaru had done too well.
Kumogakure was successfully repelled, and yes, Uchiha had lost a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan—but it wasn't enough. Their name was cleared, but the "stain" Hiruzen expected to be left on them… wasn't there.
Worse, Orochimaru came out of the battle looking like a hero.
His prestige in the village soared. For a brief moment, there were whispers… Could Orochimaru be the Fifth Hokage?
That possibility alone sent a chill down Hiruzen's spine.
And now, seeing his old teacher's expression, Orochimaru finally understood.
He stiffened slightly, his smile now completely gone.
Being Hokage? That dream had long died.
Not for Jiraiya's sake.
But because he had stopped believing it was worth the cost.
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