The brand-new Orochimaru made it difficult for everyone in the Hokage Office to accept for a moment.
Jiraiya stood there in a daze, his face a mix of joy and conflict.
On the contrary, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes narrowed with laughter, looking very satisfied.
Under Orochimaru's questioning, Minato Namikaze gave a rough account of the process of killing Danzo Shimura.
Orochimaru's eyes sparkled repeatedly as he listened.
When he heard Minato Namikaze mention the appalling human experimentation records and the brainwashing control of Root Ninjas in Danzo Shimura's Root base.
Orochimaru became surprisingly angry:
"I knew it, that fellow Danzo Shimura would never give up doing those kinds of filthy things."
He gnashed his teeth, itching with hatred:
"Back then, when Danzo Shimura tricked me into helping him with experiments, I already sensed his conspiracy."
"Unfortunately, I took a wrong step and fell into the trap as well, with my hands covered in blood."
Saying this, he turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi and snorted coldly:
"Hmph, I said back then that fellow Danzo Shimura wouldn't let it go at that."
"But Teacher Sarutobi trusted him implicitly."
"I..."
Suddenly being called out, Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned for a moment, stammering and not knowing how to explain.
"Alright, Lord Orochimaru, it's all in the past."
Minato Namikaze said with a smile, trying to comfort him.
"Lord Minato, you are always so kind, but you don't know how sinister the human heart can be."
Orochimaru sighed, slowly paced to the window, gazed out at the scenery of Konoha Village, and said faintly:
"During this past year outside the Village, I have witnessed too many evil deeds and sins."
"I found that except for places like the Five Great Ninja Villages or the capitals of the Five Great Nations, where order still exists..."
"...other small countries and towns have completely become hell on earth."
"Ordinary people struggle in purgatory, generation after generation, never to be liberated."
Saying this, Orochimaru let out a long sigh, containing his dissatisfaction and unwillingness regarding the current state of the Ninja World:
"I have reached out to help them countless times, but it was all to no avail."
"No matter how powerful one person's strength is, they cannot completely change the world."
"Just like the First Hokage, who as the god of shinobi, created the rules of peace."
"But once he died, they were overthrown again by greedy people, and everything returned to a state of chaos."
Hearing Orochimaru's compassionate words, everyone looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.
Orochimaru paid them no mind, or perhaps he just wanted to speak his mind at this moment:
"So I think, even if I cannot change the entire Ninja World..."
"...I am willing to do my best to save those I can save."
"I established a small Village in the Land of Rice Fields, filled with refugees and starving people I rescued during my travels in the Ninja World; I gave them a chance to survive."
"I won't stay long this time; they are still waiting for me over there."
Orochimaru's words greatly surprised Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu.
We finally got you back with great difficulty, and now you want to leave?
"No, you can't leave!"
Homura Mitokado said anxiously.
"Hmm? Why?"
Orochimaru turned around to face Homura Mitokado, his brow furrowing.
"What Homura means is that there are still many things in the Village that need your help, and we can't do without you for the time being."
Utatane Koharu quickly explained.
"What things? With Minato and Teacher Sarutobi in the Village, and Jiraiya and Tsunade able to come and support at any time, what could possibly be left unresolved?"
Orochimaru said in confusion.
Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Tsunade.
Four Kage-level experts, plus a bunch of Elite Jonin-level experts in the Village—there are only a handful of forces in the entire Ninja World that can rival them. What could possibly be unsolvable?
"This, well..."
Utatane Koharu was momentarily speechless and could only look at Hiruzen Sarutobi for help.
The Old Monkey sighed in his heart. From the interaction just now, Hiruzen Sarutobi was certain that Orochimaru had truly changed from the inside out, and letting him go wouldn't cause any issues.
But he couldn't ignore Utatane Koharu's plea for help, so he had to speak up:
"It's like this, Orochimaru."
"We received intelligence earlier that a powerful enemy will attack Konoha on the day Kushina gives birth, releasing the Nine-Tailed Fox to invade the Village."
"To stop this and better protect the Village, I specifically called Jiraiya and Tsunade back."
"Since you've returned to the Village at this time, you might as well lend a hand."
Out of helplessness, Hiruzen Sarutobi revealed the news that Uchiha Obito was about to attack Konoha.
Actually, such top-secret matters shouldn't be told to Orochimaru; after all, the only people in the Village who knew the inside story were those currently in the Hokage Office.
The heads of those Ninja Clans only knew that someone would come to attack Konoha.
"Oh? Who is so bold?"
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and asked with interest.
In his view, only Kumogakure and Iwagakure in the entire Ninja World could compete with Konoha.
As for the other two of the Five Great Nations, Sunagakure has declined since the Third Great Ninja War, with the Village's core strength completely exhausted.
In the Land of Water, Hidden Mist Village has recently seen the outbreak of the Blood Mist incident, leaving the entire Village in chaos and with no strength to wage war externally.
"It's my former student, Uchiha Obito."
Minato Namikaze explained:
"He possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan and can control the Nine-Tailed; we must be on guard."
Given Orochimaru's status in Konoha and his intelligence-gathering abilities, he must have heard of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Mangekyo Sharingan? Wasn't that student of yours called Uchiha Obito killed at Kannabi Bridge?"
Orochimaru thought for a moment, and as information about the Mangekyo Sharingan surfaced in his mind, he also felt it was a bit troublesome.
And that Uchiha Obito, in Orochimaru's memory, was clearly just a mediocre Ninja; how could he have such strength?
"Yes, we all thought he was dead at the time."
"But according to intelligence, Uchiha Obito was saved by a conspirator who brainwashed him and filled him with hatred for Konoha."
"So he chose to attack Konoha when Kushina is giving birth and the Nine-Tailed seal is unstable."
Minato Namikaze briefly explained the situation but omitted the information about Uchiha Madara.
After all, Uchiha Madara's existence is the Village's highest secret and cannot be revealed to Orochimaru for now.
"Is that so? Then I understand."
Orochimaru nodded and said seriously:
"Very well, I will temporarily stay in the Village until this crisis has passed."
After saying that, he smiled at Minato Namikaze and said:
"And while I'm at it, I can see if Lord Minato's child has inherited his talent and personality."
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