Inside the Hokage Building office.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, studied the mission report that Orochimaru had just delivered. A meticulous inventory of weapons and supplies, fully fifty percent more than they had requisitioned.
"Thank you for the hard work, Orochimaru."
Clad in a green field‑uniform, Orochimaru merely chuckled at the remark. "If I sit idle too long, I start to grow mold."
"I'd say you accomplished something rather impressive this time," Hiruzen said.
"Since I happened to be there, I couldn't just stand by and watch."
Hiruzen raised a letter. "The daimyo sent his compliments. He says that with a talent like you in Konoha's ranks, the war will be over in no time."
Unmoved, Orochimaru replied, "I met Minato on the front lines, his charisma is incredible. With him leading, Konoha can win this war."
"You think so highly of him?" Hiruzen asked, smiling.
"Jiraiya really raised an exceptional student."
Hiruzen's gaze sharpened. "Then what do you think of Minato becoming the Fourth Hokage?"
Orochimaru's expression didn't change. "The war isn't over yet, and you're already planning to retire?"
"We have to look to the future. The daimyo believes in you, and you believe in Minato, how could we possibly lose?"
"The Hokage's seat should go to whoever is capable; Minato certainly qualifies."
Hiruzen searched Orochimaru's snake‑like eyes for any flicker of emotion, but none surfaced.
At length he said, "Orochimaru, you once had a student like that yourself. If you put yourself in his place, he'd surely be happy for you."
Orochimaru's gaze turned icy. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
After he left, silence blanketed the office.
Hiruzen reached beneath the desk for his pipe. As he lit it, his eyes fell once more on the daimyo's letter.
Alongside the lavish praise for Orochimaru, the daimyo also complained about Konoha's border security. How had a squad of Iwa shinobi slipped in so easily?
The moment Hiruzen heard of the incursion, he'd ordered a full review of border traffic. Wartime controls were iron‑tight; the report showed nothing out of the ordinary.
Something is off, he thought.
Yet even if he uncovered the unpleasant truth, what could he tell the daimyo? That Konoha's factions were already jockeying for the Hokage's chair?
'Orochimaru… I underestimated your ruthlessness, and your ambition.'
A thick cloud of smoke drifted before his eyes.
…
The first thing Orochimaru did on returning home was to send Anko to fetch Shinji.
Once she dashed off, he sat alone in the living room, motionless.
'How pathetic, Orochimaru, still unable to cast off these useless emotions?'
After a long silence, a masked shinobi in Anbu garb appeared in a flicker, kneeling on one knee.
"Lord Orochimaru." He offered a scroll with both hands.
Orochimaru didn't so much as lift an eyelid.
A large python slithered from his sleeve, crawled to the Anbu's feet, and took the scroll in its jaws.
"Lord Danzo sends his regards," the Anbu said, bowing before vanishing once more.
Nearly half an hour later, Anko returned at last, tugging Shinji behind her.
The moment Shinji stepped into the room he felt the icy pressure radiating from Orochimaru.
Anko, oblivious, bounced up beside him, eager for praise.
"Lord Orochimaru, I brought Shinji!"
Orochimaru smiled faintly and patted her head. "Shinji and I have something to discuss. Go play outside for a while, all right?"
Anko blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
She glanced at Shinji, since when was he so close to Lord Orochimaru?
In her experience, Orochimaru only asked her to leave when he spoke with other important adults. Why would he need privacy with Shinji?
Still, she obeyed. "All right," she said, slipping out, though she couldn't resist a final curious look at Shinji.
Shinji ignored Orochimaru's frosty mood and began, "Everyone in the village is talking about how you saved the daimyo."
Orochimaru didn't answer. Instead, he flipped a scroll over.
Shinji unfurled it. Inside were records of certain Land of Fire nobles, ministers who had gladly accepted Root's "gifts."
Those men weren't fools; if they dared take Danzo's money, there was more than goodwill involved.
Unperturbed, Shinji murmured, "The war's almost over."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "And how do you know that?"
"Konoha can barely keep fighting, Iwagakure as well, I can gather as much even from here."
"Even so," Orochimaru said, "do you think Iwa will simply stand down?"
The war between Fire and Earth had long since lost its meaning; most shinobi now fought only to avenge old grudges.
"That's why we need a spark," Shinji replied, "Force both sides into a truce, and Konoha will present a peace treaty."
Orochimaru frowned. "Wouldn't that look like surrender?"
"Dress it up and the villagers won't see it that way. Then, at just the right moment, the Hokage will take the opportunity to resign and support the Fourth to take his place."
A flicker of interest crossed Orochimaru's gaze. "And this spark?"
"Have you forgotten why this war began?" Shinji asked softly.
"Sunagakure…" Orochimaru muttered.
"The Fourth Kazekage's hold on Suna is finally stable. If we secure their alliance, Iwa will have to stop."
"Will Suna agree?"
"They need peace too, they won't risk upsetting the balance of the three nations."
Orochimaru fell silent, thinking.
"You would need to go to the Land of Wind yourself," Shinji continued, "Earn that alliance for Konoha."
"No." Orochimaru's voice cut him off. "That alone isn't enough."
Shinji stiffened.
Orochimaru's lips curled into a cold smile. "It has to be at Konoha's darkest hour, when the village hangs on the brink. Only then, if I arrive at the head of our allies, will I gain the prestige I need."
"Iwa doesn't have the strength to push Konoha that far," Shinji said quietly.
"Then we'll give them that strength," Orochimaru replied.
"Lord Orochimaru, if you become Hokage, those shinobi on the front lines will be your family."
Orochimaru's eyes were stone. "They'd crown another Hokage over me, then, isn't that betrayal by your logic?"
He understood now: their hearts would never turn to him quickly enough, no matter what he did.
So he would carve a path of blood.
"That will plunge Konoha, and all the Land of Fire, into chaos," Shinji warned.
Orochimaru's voice turned raspy, almost reverent. "Chaos is a ladder."
A ladder to sweep aside every obstacle, and climb to the very peak.