"How childish… really."
Orochimaru leaned back in his chair, a stack of mission reports and official documents spread across the desk before him. He tapped a long, pale finger against the table as a wry smile curled across his lips. I wonder if Lord Danzo has finally realized that the Hokage's seat isn't such a great prize after all?
He allowed his mind to wander. Danzo Shimura in the original timeline had always been a man lurking in the shadows. He commanded the Anbu training division, kept to his underground base, and only emerged when the opportunity to seize power presented itself. Paperwork, endless meetings, and the daily grind of running a village? Danzo had never tasted such burdens—until now.
Orochimaru chuckled softly. He must be drowning under the weight of these reports and constant emergencies. Perhaps now he understands that the Hokage's title is more curse than honor. Only a fool with broad shoulders and a thick skull would willingly take on such a thankless job.
He thought of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. Hiruzen had carried this responsibility for decades, and it showed. The man's hairline had retreated like a beaten army, and Orochimaru wouldn't be surprised if his former sensei went completely bald before long.
At that exact moment, inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen sneezed several times in a row. He rubbed his nose and muttered, "Is someone speaking ill of me?"
---
Meanwhile, the village buzzed with tension. Internal disputes within the proud Hyuga Clan demanded constant attention, adding to the Hokage's already overwhelming workload. And in the shadows of Root headquarters, Danzo Shimura prepared to unveil something extraordinary.
---
The Rebirth Pill
Root operatives gathered in the underground chamber at Danzo's summons. A single square box rested in his hand, its surface lacquered black and shining faintly in the torchlight.
"This," Danzo announced, his gravelly voice echoing off the stone walls, "is the latest creation developed by Orochimaru—a rebirth pill. Swallow it, and any non-fatal wound will heal at astonishing speed. Who among you will test it first?"
He opened the box to reveal a dark-red pill that gleamed like fresh blood. The Root operatives exchanged glances. Skepticism flickered in their eyes for only a moment. Orochimaru's reputation for dangerous but effective inventions preceded him.
Danzo's single visible eye scanned the room. "You," he said, pointing to a young operative near the front.
"Yes, Master Danzo." Without hesitation, the chosen shinobi stepped forward. In one smooth motion, he drew the katana from his back and drove the blade into his own abdomen. A sharp twist of the hilt made the wound even more grievous. Blood gushed as he fell to his knees, grimacing but silent.
Danzo tossed him the pill. "Take it."
The wounded operative caught the container with a trembling hand, popped the pill into his mouth, and swallowed. Moments later, before the astonished eyes of his comrades, the bleeding slowed, then stopped entirely. He rose to his feet and lifted his shirt. The deep gash had closed completely, leaving only a faint smear of fresh blood where the blade had pierced him.
Through the Sharingan hidden beneath his bandaged right eye, Danzo observed the internal damage. Astonishingly, even the organs shredded by the twisting katana were fully restored. Incredible, he thought. This is far beyond what I imagined.
The pill was more than a medical marvel; it was a strategic weapon. In the field, where a single wound could end a mission or a life, such a tool would tilt the balance of power.
---
A Visit to the Hokage
Soon after, Danzo carried the remaining pills to the Hokage Building. He entered Hiruzen's office without knocking.
"Danzo? What brings you here?" Hiruzen asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I have something to show you." Danzo set the black square box on the desk and slid it forward.
"What is this?" Hiruzen opened the lid, revealing the dark-red pill. "A medicine?"
"Yes. An experimental rebirth pill, the latest product of Orochimaru's research. I thought you should see it."
Hiruzen studied the pill, suspicion flickering across his features. Why would Orochimaru give the results of his latest research to Danzo first? I am his teacher, after all. He masked his irritation. "Have you tested it?"
"Of course," Danzo replied smoothly. "Orochimaru calls it experimental, but I believe it already meets the standards for mass production."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. He knew Danzo well enough to trust that he would never present something untested. The potential of this medicine was obvious—and dangerous.
He summoned his advisors, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado, to discuss the discovery. After hearing the report and witnessing the pill's miraculous healing effects, both advisors agreed that the rebirth pill should be produced for Konoha's shinobi, especially those undertaking hazardous missions.
If anyone else had invented the pill, they might have sought to purchase the formula outright. But this was Orochimaru. Negotiations would require delicacy.
---
Enter Orochimaru
Before long, an Anbu operative arrived at Orochimaru's laboratory with a formal request to appear in the Hokage Building's conference room. Orochimaru sighed, setting aside a vial of chakra-infused poison he had been studying. "It seems I visit that meeting room more than my own home these days," he muttered.
When he entered, he greeted the assembled leaders politely. "Hiruzen-sensei. Lord Danzo. Lady Koharu. Lord Homura."
To his surprise, Koharu beckoned him over with an uncharacteristically warm smile. As he approached, she pulled him into an embrace, guiding him onto her lap as if he were still a child. Orochimaru stiffened, mortified. Why do these elders insist on such displays? I really must grow taller soon.
"Orochimaru," Koharu said brightly, "you've created another remarkable medicine!"
"This is only an experimental product," Orochimaru replied, his voice dry. He shifted uncomfortably under her affectionate pat on the head.
"Experimental or not," Homura interjected, "its effects are extraordinary. Can the formula be refined further?"
"No," Orochimaru said. "The core of the rebirth pill lies in stimulating cellular division to accelerate healing. It is already at its optimal form."
The questioning continued, more like an interrogation than a meeting. They asked about side effects, production costs, and whether Orochimaru intended to set any conditions for sharing the formula.
Finally, Orochimaru spoke. "I will give the rebirth pill formula to Konoha without charge. It is a medicine that can dramatically increase a shinobi's survival rate. However, the formula for a less potent version—the Healing Pill—I will provide to my White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company for commercial sale. Konoha may profit from the stronger pill; I will earn from the weaker one. That is my proposal."
The advisors exchanged glances. At first they were ready to object, but they quickly realized the generosity of Orochimaru's offer. To give the village free access to a life-saving medicine of such immense value was an extraordinary contribution. How could they deny him the right to profit from a lesser product?
---
The Critical Ingredient
With the agreement settled, they examined the formula. The key ingredient caught everyone's attention: a healing fluid secreted by the rare Chimera Bug, a species cherished and protected by the Aburame Clan.
Only four Chimera Bugs existed in the village—or rather, five, now that a larva had recently hatched. Obtaining their healing fluid would require careful negotiation.
Hiruzen summoned Aburame Shisuke to the Hokage Building. The stoic clan representative arrived promptly, assuming it was a routine mission briefing. But when the subject became clear, his face hardened.
"Hokage-sama, if your request would harm the Chimera Bugs, I must refuse," Shisuke said firmly. "They are the lifeblood of our clan."
"Please, look at this," Hiruzen replied, handing him a scroll detailing the rebirth pill's effects.
Shisuke scanned the document, his hands trembling slightly. "The healing fluid of the Chimera Bug… is the main ingredient?"
"Yes," Hiruzen said, watching closely for his reaction.
Shisuke exhaled in relief. "Ah, only the healing fluid. You startled me. If it's just that, there is no issue. The bugs produce it naturally every day. We can provide it without harm."
The Hokage and his advisors exchanged sheepish glances. They had feared a bitter confrontation, only to realize their own poor explanation had caused the tension.
---
A Village-Wide Effort
With the misunderstanding cleared, the higher-ups decided that both Anbu and Root operatives would oversee production jointly. This collaboration would keep costs low and ensure the medicine remained affordable for all Konoha shinobi.
The implications were staggering. If the rebirth pill became standard issue, the survival rate of Konoha's ninja would rise dramatically—not by a mere ten or twenty percent, but far beyond.
For Orochimaru, it was another step in cementing his reputation as both a genius and an enigma. For Konoha, it was the dawn of a new era of medical advancement and battlefield resilience.
And for Danzo Shimura, who had once believed the Hokage's title was worth any cost, it was a sobering reminder: true power lay not in the throne, but in the shadows—and sometimes in the palm of a hand, where a single dark-red pill could change the fate of an entire village.
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