The moment she heard the word "Hokage," Tsunade's eyes widened. She immediately sat upright on the bed and looked at Arisu.
"What did you say?", Tsunade quickly asked.
Arisu shook his head.
"I don't want to be Hokage. I refused directly."
"You actually refused?!"
Tsunade's face instantly filled with disbelief.
Her younger brother had dreamed of it, and almost every ninja had the dream of becoming Hokage when they were young.
Yet Arisu had directly refused.
Arisu nodded.
"Yeah."
"That's a position countless people would fight over! And you just turned it down like that? Why?"
Tsunade asked in confusion.
Arisu chuckled.
"I don't want to do it. It's that simple."
Tsunade laughed when she heard that. She suddenly leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and moved close enough for her breath to brush against him.
"You don't want to be Hokage, but what about me? Do you want to do me?"
Arisu froze, then showed a helpless expression.
"I'm really too tired."
Ever since they got married, Tsunade's demands had become more and more excessive.
For the sake of those demands, she had even stopped gambling.
Every day.
Anytime, anywhere.
———
"Orochimaru, once this is done, we'll rule Konoha together."
In a dark underground room, Danzo looked at Orochimaru, who was conducting an experiment, and spoke slowly.
Orochimaru nodded while continuing his work.
"Is everything ready on the Daimyo's side?", Orochimaru asked.
Danzo stroked his chin, the corners of his mouth curling upward.
"The Daimyo has already agreed to let me become Hokage. Those old foxes just want more money."
After hearing that, Orochimaru nodded lightly and said, "But after it's done, I don't want you to hurt my teacher."
Danzo immediately replied, "What are you saying? Hiruzen isn't just your teacher, he's also my brother. I, Danzo, would never harm him!"
Only then did Orochimaru slowly nod.
———
Several days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi went to the Daimyo's residence.
Because Hiruzen completely trusted Danzo and Orochimaru, he did not take many precautions.
At noon, Orochimaru, as the head of the Anbu, used his authority to transfer the Anbu away from the Hokage Building.
Normally, the Anbu only obeyed the Hokage.
But if the Hokage was absent, they obeyed the department head.
Afterward, Danzo stationed his Root forces throughout the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen entered the Hokage Building alone.
He had just finalized this year's border defense budget with the Daimyo and was thinking about discussing Anbu expansion with Danzo and Orochimaru later.
But the moment he entered the building, Hiruzen suddenly stopped.
The familiar faint presence of hidden Anbu ninja was gone from the air.
In its place was a cold, murderous feeling mixed with the smell of blood.
"Is this the Anbu?"
Hiruzen looked around.
Standing on both sides of the corridor were Root ninjas wearing tanuki masks. They stood straight with empty eyes. Not a single one saluted him.
The Anbu squad captains who would normally appear immediately to report to him were nowhere to be seen.
"Did Orochimaru do this?"
The fingers gripping Hiruzen's pipe tightened slightly as a trace of unease rose in his heart.
Hiruzen was about to turn around, but then...
He neither turned back nor summoned anyone.
He simply walked step by step toward the wooden door engraved with the Hokage emblem.
The door was slightly open.
When he pushed it open, the first thing he saw was Danzo standing by the window with his back facing him, and Orochimaru slowly wiping a Kusanagi Sword.
Sunlight slanted through the window, casting two long shadows across the floor and completely covering his figure in darkness.
"Hiruzen, you're back."
Danzo smiled slightly as he turned around. There was not the slightest guilt on his face. Instead, he wore the calm confidence of someone certain of success.
"You came at the perfect time."
Danzo pulled a red-and-white appointment decree from his robes and gently placed it on the desk.
"The Daimyo's appointment order. Starting today, I, Shimura Danzo, will take over the position of Hokage."
"Danzo... Orochimaru..."
Hiruzen's gaze swept over the seal stamped on the decree before landing on Orochimaru.
The latter raised his head. There was no emotion in his golden vertical pupils. He simply nodded lightly in confirmation.
"Teacher, I'm following the Daimyo's orders.", Orochimaru spoke calmly.
"Why?"
Hiruzen's voice was calm. No anger or joy could be heard in it, only a trace of weariness that was difficult to detect.
"For Konoha."
Danzo walked up to him, his tone heavy.
"You're too soft, Hiruzen. Being merciful to enemies is being cruel to your own people."
"These years, Konoha has looked peaceful under your rule, but in reality it's only strong on the outside."
"Kumogakure is watching us closely, Sunagakure is preparing to move, and only an iron-fisted ruler can truly make Konoha strong."
"The Second Ninja War completely exposed your incompetence. If our ninjas hadn't performed so well, Konoha would never have won the war under your command alone!"
Danzo paused, patted Hiruzen's shoulder, and deliberately softened his tone.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt anyone."
"You're Konoha's hero, and you always will be. You can retire peacefully and enjoy your later years. Leave Konoha's burden to me and Orochimaru."
Hiruzen looked at him.
This brother who had grown up with him and gone through life-and-death situations by his side.
Then he looked at Orochimaru.
His most outstanding student.
The one he had once placed great hopes in.
He had the ability to resist.
With a single order, the jonin loyal to him would come immediately. If he chose to fight, Danzo and Orochimaru together might not even be his match.
But he could not do it.
The moment fighting broke out, Konoha would fall into civil war.
Anbu and Root would slaughter each other. The jonin ranks would split apart. The surrounding ninja villages would immediately pounce and tear apart the village that had stood strong for decades.
Countless innocent villagers would die.
Countless young ninjas would be sacrificed for nothing.
Moreover, Danzo had close ties with the Uchiha clan, and it was obvious that the Uchiha stood on Danzo's side.
If the Uchiha joined Danzo, Konoha would descend into civil war.
That was something he could never accept.
Hiruzen slowly closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
"What are you trying to do? I'm warning you, my strength isn't inferior to yours, Hiruzen!"
Danzo's eyes tightened slightly. The hand gripping his cane unconsciously applied more force.
Orochimaru also stopped wiping the Kusanagi Sword.
Hiruzen removed the Hokage hat from his head and gently placed it on the desk.
"I understand."
"I'll step down.", Hiruzen said calmly.
The worry hanging over Danzo's heart finally disappeared. A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Hiruzen, you truly are someone who sees the bigger picture."
"Gather all the elders and jonin. We'll hold a meeting this afternoon."
Hiruzen ignored him and simply gave the order calmly.
"I'll publicly announce my retirement and pass the Hokage position to you."
However, Danzo immediately stopped him.
"No! There's no need for you to go personally. Write it now! After that, go directly to the retirement facility I've arranged for you and rest there."
Danzo did not dare let Hiruzen gather all the jonin.
Seeing this, Hiruzen nodded.
"Fine."
He had long since stopped wanting to be Hokage. That was why he had wanted to choose Arisu in advance.
If Arisu had agreed back then, he would already be the Sixth Hokage by now.
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