Seeing the visible disgust on Orochimaru's face, Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a silent sigh.
To be fair, Orochimaru had performed exceptionally in the battle against Kumogakure.
Not only did he display overwhelming power, tearing through enemy ranks like a beast, but he also managed to defeat the Raikage in single combat, leaving him gravely wounded.
Strategically, despite deviating from the original plan, he minimized casualties among the Uchiha guards and helped dispel suspicion surrounding the clan—all at the cost of a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.
It was a high price, but one that ultimately made reconciliation between the Uchiha and the village much easier.
Unlike Danzo and the two elder advisors, Hiruzen was not overly paranoid about the Uchiha. In fact, he welcomed this turn of events.
Orochimaru, after all, was his most brilliant and capable student.
Even so, he couldn't ignore the unease settling in his heart.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly, a wary glint in them as he studied Orochimaru.
This battle had made one thing painfully clear: Orochimaru's goals were no longer aligned with Konoha's. Perhaps they never truly were.
He remembered the moment Orochimaru proposed the strategy.
Back then, seated in the Hokage's office with only a few others present, the plan had sounded ruthless.
"Once enough people die—when the bodies pile up and the pain becomes unbearable—only then will the villagers believe that the Nine-Tails' attack wasn't a Uchiha conspiracy."
At the time, Hiruzen could only see the cruelty in it. But now, with the Mangekyō sacrificed and suspicion shifted, the very same strategy felt… almost merciful by comparison.
He had once wondered which version of Orochimaru was real—the vicious schemer or the benevolent protector.
But now, after watching him manipulate Koharu and use public sentiment to protect the Uchiha's name, Hiruzen understood:
Orochimaru's nature didn't change. He simply wore whichever mask the situation required.
From cruel to kind, from hero to villain—each role was just a tool.
The turning point, Hiruzen realized, had come when Orochimaru learned about Shisui's eyes.
Everything since then—the carefully calculated actions, the sacrifices, the grand performance—had been designed to claim them.
To Orochimaru, morality was never a factor. Good and evil were just means to an end. Whichever path brought results, he would take it—without hesitation.
That realization sent a chill through Hiruzen.
He saw a shadow of Danzo in Orochimaru's methods.
But unlike Danzo, who operated from the shadows and relied on brute control, Orochimaru was refined, charismatic, and far more dangerous.
A man who pursued personal gain above all else, no matter the cost to others, could not be allowed to rise further in power.
One Danzo had already been a burden Konoha could barely endure—another like him, more cunning and harder to rein in, would be disastrous.
Hiruzen had made up his mind.
As long as he still held any influence, he would suppress Orochimaru's rising reputation.
If he didn't, the next Hokage might find themselves powerless in the face of Orochimaru's ambition.
Back in the meeting room, silence lingered.
Orochimaru licked his lips, his expression unreadable.
He was unaware that Hiruzen had already seen through him, piecing together his true intentions from recent events.
But even if he knew, Orochimaru probably wouldn't care.
He might even laugh quietly to himself and think, "As expected of the old man."
Orochimaru was thinking about something else now.
During the battle against the Hidden Cloud, he had deliberately led Shisui to step in as Uchiha's sacrificial pawn—yes, for the sake of obtaining the Mangekyō Sharingan.
He didn't see anything wrong with that. Even if given another chance, he would do the same. However, he had to admit it broke the agreement made before the war and allowed him to claim more fame than was originally intended.
Fame—intangible, invisible—might not seem like much, but in political dealings, it was a valuable currency.
Take now, for instance. The Third Hokage didn't want to reward him, and Orochimaru didn't ask for it. It was a mutual understanding. But how long would that last?
The other ninja clan leaders and villagers didn't know about the secret deal. All they saw was this: Orochimaru had made enormous contributions to the war effort, yet remained just a nominal "Sannin." No reward, no title, no recognition.
Public opinion was a powerful force in Konoha. People might hesitate to support someone cold-blooded enough to sacrifice a comrade, but they would rally behind a powerful ninja who brought peace and victory.
Especially after the trauma of the Nine-Tails' attack, the village was desperate for a sense of security.
Orochimaru had been far too prominent in the Battle of Hidden Cloud. If the Third Hokage continued to ignore him, it would backfire—and the damage would land squarely on his own reputation.
Looking at the outcomes:
The Uchiha clan cleared suspicion, freed themselves from scrutiny, and gained military merits.
Orochimaru earned prestige and secured access to the Mangekyō Sharingan for research.
Both sides had walked away with massive gains.
Meanwhile, the Hokage faction barely benefited.
And in a world where everyone else profits greatly, "barely breaking even" is equivalent to losing. If the Third Hokage's prestige took a hit because of this, the loss would be catastrophic.
This wasn't how the deal was supposed to go.
Originally, Uchiha was meant to clear its name—but suffer heavy losses in the process.
Orochimaru was to lead Konoha's ninja army and repel the Hidden Cloud, but stay low-profile.
The Hokage faction would appear to defeat an outside enemy without bloodshed, reassert control over the Uchiha, and dominate the political reconciliation afterward.
They were supposed to be the biggest winners.
None of that had happened.
It was never written down, but Orochimaru had understood the unspoken agreement—and had silently accepted it.
After all, what he valued most from the beginning was Uchiha's fresh bodies and their financial backing.
Now that things had shifted, he could renege on everything and deny it all—but that wasn't worth it.
The recognition, the villagers' praise, the clear path to becoming Hokage… none of that mattered to him.
What did matter was already securely in his hands.
To throw away credibility for something so shallow would be foolish.
For two or three minutes, silence blanketed the conference room—until Orochimaru finally broke it with a quiet chuckle.
A grin crept across his face. He glanced at the Third Hokage and said with a sly smile,
"It's simple to get everything back on track."
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, bracing himself. He had a feeling whatever came next would be hard to accept.
"Just give me a forbidden technique," Orochimaru said.
"That way, the villagers' awe of me will naturally turn to unease."
Hiruzen's expression darkened. "You want that?"
Orochimaru smirked. "How about Reanimation—the one developed by the Second Hokage?"
Sarutobi's frown deepened.
Setting aside personal feelings, it was a clever move.
If Orochimaru was seen as having only led the army for the sake of a forbidden technique, it would fit his image perfectly.
And Reanimation Jutsu—a controversial, taboo technique—would only reinforce the villagers' unease toward him. Their admiration would turn to suspicion and even fear.
In that case, when the Hokage didn't reward Orochimaru, the villagers wouldn't be outraged. They might even applaud the decision.
Sarutobi's reputation would be salvaged.
"…"
The Third Hokage stared at Orochimaru with complicated eyes.
Was all of this just an impromptu idea?
Or had his student planned it all along?
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