On his way home from Hiruzen Sarutobi's residence, Danzo kept brooding over how to carry out the task that had been entrusted to him.
Hiruzen's requirements were extremely demanding, and Orochimaru was no ordinary shinobi.
A simple framing wouldn't suffice.
Whatever plan he came up with needed to be airtight, best with actual evidence, otherwise he risked trapping himself instead.
Danzo thought for a while.
Even after washing up, lying down on his futon, and drifting toward sleep, no brilliant idea came.
Still, although he hadn't struck upon a method yet, he wasn't entirely without a lead.
His approach was simple; deepen his connection with Orochimaru further, provide help, and wait for flaws to reveal themselves in the course of that relationship.
As the old saying went, though Danzo didn't know it, 'If you want to take, you must first give.'
The next morning, Danzo personally sought Orochimaru out with unusual enthusiasm, asking if he needed any assistance.
Orochimaru, while cautious of Danzo, hadn't expected such a shift in attitude. He had no idea that Danzo and Hiruzen were working to undermine him, nor that Danzo himself harbored designs on the Hokage seat.
So, without hesitation, Orochimaru demanded more funding and experimental materials.
Whether it was bad luck for Orochimaru or a stroke of fortune for Danzo, in the midst of these dealings Danzo stumbled across something connected to the Edo Tensei.
At first, he didn't think much of it. But later, while handling paperwork in his Root office, inspiration struck. A few things clicked together in his mind.
How had Orochimaru gotten hold of Edo Tensei, one of the most forbidden techniques among forbidden techniques?
With Danzo's understanding of Hiruzen, there was no way Orochimaru had received it through official channels. He must have stolen it himself.
That memory led Danzo back to a case long unsolved, the murders of the shinobi guards at Konoha's Forbidden Jutsu Repository.
Konoha's ninjutsu was stored in three places; the Secret Ninjutsu Library, which held the widest variety but only up to B-rank techniques; the Forbidden Jutsu Repository, which contained only kinjutsu; and the Scroll of Seals at the Hokage's residence, where advanced and forbidden jutsu were recorded.
If Orochimaru had stolen from the Forbidden Repository, then the slain guards could well have been his doing. And that alone could be used to control him.
Murdering fellow shinobi was among the gravest crimes in any village. A life sentence or worse, would be the minimum outcome.
Danzo's pulse quickened at the thought. He ordered his Root operatives skilled in investigation to re-examine the incident.
But too much time had passed. Orochimaru was meticulous, leaving no evidence behind.
No matter how the Root operatives strained themselves, they couldn't uncover proof strong enough to condemn him.
Danzo's temper flared; he berated his subordinates harshly before sending them away. Yet he did not execute them; Root's philosophy was ruthless, but not to the extent of wasting rare, highly trained operatives on a single failed assignment.
Still fuming, he sat alone in his office. But as he reflected further, his anger ebbed.
Even if there was no proof, the fact remained: Orochimaru had stolen the Edo Tensei, and suspicion of killing the guards hung over him.
These stains on his record were more than enough to shatter Orochimaru's chances at the Hokage seat.
Realizing this, Danzo's mood flipped to elation. He quickly went to find Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu, and finally Hiruzen himself.
The following morning, Orochimaru, having worked through the night in his lab, was interrupted by an Anbu summoning him to the Hokage Building.
He had no choice but to suspend his experiments and comply.
In a small conference room, the entire 'Konoha F4' was gathered.
Orochimaru entered, clad in a dark blue combat suit beneath his jonin vest, his black hair hanging loose, golden snake-shaped earrings glinting faintly. He bowed slightly, his deep, hoarse voice filling the room.
"Such a grand assembly… what is it you want from me?"
The respectful words paired with the dismissive tone made Homura and Koharu scowl. To them, Orochimaru showed far too little deference.
Danzo, who knew Orochimaru well, didn't take offense.
"Orochimaru," Hiruzen said quietly, pipe smoke curling upward, "where did you learn the Edo Tensei?"
At the question, Orochimaru's golden pupils flicked toward Danzo.
Danzo's thin smile said it all. Yes, I betrayed you.
"I found it," Orochimaru replied airily, irritated by the charade.
"Orochimaru, do you take us for fools? Speak honestly!" Danzo barked.
Homura and Koharu's gazes turned sharp with disapproval.
"You gave it to me," Orochimaru countered flatly, eyes fixed on Danzo as though stating fact.
"Ridiculous," Danzo shot back coldly.
"The Edo Tensei is recorded only in the Forbidden Repository and the Scroll of Seals. Hiruzen has already confirmed he never gave it to you. Which leaves only one option—you stole it. And not only that, you murdered the guards!"
For once, Danzo's accusations weren't baseless. Orochimaru had stolen the jutsu and had killed the guards, though this was long before Gen ever became his student.
But compared to later atrocities, experiments on fellow shinobi, Anbu, villagers, even infants, this crime was almost tame.
"I did not," Orochimaru said coldly. "I stumbled upon the jutsu in the Second Hokage's residence. If you can produce evidence, I will accept punishment. If you cannot, then I will return to my work."
His pale face betrayed nothing, his tone like ice.
"Impudent!" Homura roared, slamming the table.
"Orochimaru, mind your manners," Koharu scolded.
"I'm impudent?" Orochimaru sneered. "I'm framed and not allowed even to defend myself? You expect me to accept this quietly?"
His expression never shifted, his tone never wavered. To him, Homura and Koharu were gnats. Danzo was a minor nuisance. Only Hiruzen commanded his wary respect.
"Then let's probe his memories," Danzo urged. "The Yamanaka clan's secret jutsu—"
"Heh… perfect. That will prove my innocence," Orochimaru said smoothly, unfazed.
Hiruzen shook his head, cutting it off. "No. Even as a suspect, Orochimaru has served Konoha faithfully. We cannot resort to such measures."
Inside, Orochimaru's heart was still. If my beloved teacher truly trusted me, would I even be here? Would this meeting exist?
"Hmph. Even without proof, these blemishes are enough to disqualify him from the Hokage position," Danzo said bluntly.
"So that's it," Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "All this fuss… only to bar me from Hokage. You value the seat above all, but to me, it's nothing. Why not say it outright?"
The three elders bristled, shouting him down. Even Hiruzen's face clouded.
"Silence!" Orochimaru snapped suddenly, his voice cutting through them. "If you force this further, I will rally my supporters and contest the Hokage position to the bitter end. If Konoha falls into civil strife, the blame will rest on you."
The room froze. None of them dared push further.
Hiruzen's pipe trembled slightly between his teeth. Relief crept into his chest—thankful he hadn't spoken earlier.
"Orochimaru," he said softly, "if you could return to the person you once were, I would gladly pass the mantle to you."
Return? The Orochimaru who once dreamed of Hokage, who served Konoha without ambition beyond loyalty like Minato?
That person was long gone.
Orochimaru's lips curled faintly. "Too late for that, teacher."
"It is not too late, if only..."
"I can't go back," Orochimaru cut him off. "But I will voluntarily withdraw from the Hokage candidacy...if my conditions are met."
Danzo narrowed his eyes. "Speak."
"First, I may leave and enter Konoha freely, whenever I please."
A sharp demand.
For shinobi, leaving without orders was considered defection.
"Second, my research funding will not be cut."
"Third, from this day on, I focus solely on my research. No missions. No obligations."
The elders exchanged glances. Their silent understanding, forged over decades, carried volumes.
"The third is impossible," Hiruzen said gravely. "You are still a Konoha shinobi."
"What of Jiraiya?" Orochimaru asked. "He wanders the world at will."
"Jiraiya sends intelligence home constantly," Hiruzen replied.
"And Tsunade?" Orochimaru pressed, smirking.
Hiruzen coughed. "You know Tsunade's status is unique…"
The granddaughter of Hashirama, grandniece of Tobirama, princess of the Fire Daimyo's line, diplomat in her own right. Add to that her creation of the medical corps, her treatment anywhere was with honor, never as a mere kunoichi.
"Fine. Tsunade is special. But is my research not of equal value to Jiraiya's intel?"
"I've never abandoned Konoha's projects while pursuing my own."
Hiruzen hesitated, then sighed. "Very well. Unless the village is in danger, we will not disturb you."
"Good. Then I'll make my withdrawal public tomorrow."
Orochimaru turned to leave. At the door, he cast one last cold remark,
"Don't bother me again... whether there's something, or nothing."
Hiruzen's sigh was heavy. The bond between master and disciple had finally snapped, leaving only a hollow title.
Danzo, however, was secretly elated. Never had the Hokage's seat seemed closer.
Homura and Koharu were content as well. Whether it was Danzo or Hiruzen who prevailed, their own interests were secure.
Later, Orochimaru didn't return home or to his lab. Instead, he sought out Uchiha Gen, who had just finished slacking outside the village and was preparing to come back.
"Sensei," Gen said, glancing at him, "judging by your expression, you've had an unpleasant day?"
"Heh… nothing more than a minor irritation," Orochimaru replied.
They stood atop a towering tree, the cold wind tugging at Orochimaru's loose hair and Gen's trench coat. Orochimaru briefly recounted the events.
Gen wasn't surprised as he had expected something like this.
At least Orochimaru hadn't defected outright. Had he gone rogue, Gen himself would have been dragged down, much like Anko had been in the original story.
Still, anticipation or not, he needed to show his stance.
"Hokage-sama handled this poorly," Gen said. "What can't be spoken openly between teacher and student? Why use such underhanded games? And Danzo… traitors are the lowest. Sensei, should we give him a little surprise?"
Orochimaru's lips curved faintly. "You only just had Kushina embarrass Danzo. What's your idea this time? Do what you like but don't go too far. His Root has deep roots across the shinobi world and access to plenty of useful material. For research, he's still worth keeping around."
Gen's eyes glinted. "Then how about we empty both Root's treasury and Danzo's private vault?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "An excellent idea. But be careful. When it's done, I'll take two-thirds, you take one-third."
"No problem."
"Tomorrow I'll send a summon to bring you to a location. There, you'll receive maps of Root and Danzo's mansion. I'll also introduce you to the loyal shinobi who serve me. From now on, I devote myself to pursuing immortality and the truth of the world. My remaining forces will be yours to command."
He continued, "After I withdraw, my followers will shrink, but those who remain will be the most loyal, the most capable. Your ambition is no less than mine, Gen. You'll need people inside and out when the time comes."
Gen nodded once. "Understood."
There was no need to say thanks. Between master and disciple, such courtesy was meaningless.
"Let's go," Orochimaru said. And in an instant, his figure vanished into the wind.