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Konoha.
The bright sun illuminated the village, where the atmosphere was filled with the vibrant and peaceful energy of youth. Konoha seemed to be thriving, as if it had fallen into a time of peace.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, with a pipe in his mouth, puffed out a cloud of smoke while looking at Konoha through a crystal ball. A sense of relief and weariness crossed his face.
"Hiruzen, you've been working hard lately."
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were sitting on the side, sipping hot tea. Homura Mitokado's words made the Third Hokage sigh deeply.
"You two! Ah, Orochimaru may have strayed, but it shouldn't be like this."
As a teacher, he felt guilty for trying to take all the credit for his student's achievements and even hiding his student away, which left him feeling melancholic.
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's self-reproach, Koharu Utatane took a calm sip of tea and said, "Hiruzen, Orochimaru joined Danzo's Root. Root is a hidden organization, just like Aburame Ryoma. So you don't need to feel guilty; this was Orochimaru's own choice."
Orochimaru joined Root after the Fourth Hokage's election.
Homura Mitokado also noticed Hiruzen Sarutobi's hesitation and sighed, shaking his head. "Hiruzen, you can't hesitate now. Orochimaru is too dangerous, and he's gotten too close to the Hyuga and Uchiha clans. If Orochimaru becomes Hokage, Konoha might face another upheaval."
From a political perspective, the Third Hokage's faction had been stable for many years. If Orochimaru were to take power, the first to be affected would be their existing power base.
The Hokage's position is limited, and it has already been divided among the upper echelons and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. If Orochimaru were a lone figure, it might be easier, but he has his own faction. When he takes power, he will surely try to claim a larger share of the power.
Moreover, Orochimaru has already strayed, and if he becomes the Fifth Hokage, the political struggle in Konoha will require a reshuffle, which will destabilize the village that has just begun to stabilize.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked deeply at his two old friends. Everyone has their own selfish desires, but the problems Konoha faces are also serious.
"Perhaps you're right. Orochimaru is not like Minato."
In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to remain silent and compromise, or perhaps he had chosen to stand by and watch from the beginning, even with the support of his clan, the Sarutobi.
Minato Namikaze's greatest advantage in becoming the Fourth Hokage was that he had no power base. He would need to build his own political allies, and the existing Hokage faction would be a good start.
The old generation was retiring, and the new generation was forming new alliances. This was a good thing. But Orochimaru had his own faction, which was different.
After exhaling a thick cloud of smoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his Hokage hat and said solemnly, "Let's leave it at that. Konoha's stability is paramount."
Was the Third Hokage wrong? From a political standpoint, he was not. Konoha could not afford another upheaval. The current stable situation was the best.
After all, Konoha had just endured the brutal Third Great Shinobi War, which had even sent students to the battlefield, showing how devastating it was. Just as the war ended, the Nine-Tails' attack caused the loss of many elite ninja, and even the Fourth Hokage, who had been in office for only a year, was killed.
This was a severe blow, and Konoha was now in a weakened state, desperately needing a period of recovery.
If Orochimaru were to take power, the political landscape of Konoha would be reshuffled, leading to political struggles. Moreover, Orochimaru was obsessed with ninjutsu and had already strayed.
Konoha was in a weakened state, and another upheaval was something Hiruzen Sarutobi absolutely did not want to see.
"Hiruzen, rest assured. The village only needs a few years to recover." Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado understood the implications of Hiruzen Sarutobi's words. This was a form of guilt, as Orochimaru was his student. Homura Mitokado nodded solemnly.
This was a political struggle. After Orochimaru formed his own faction, which did not belong to the original Hokage faction, a rift appeared, especially after the Hyuga and Uchiha clans aligned with Orochimaru, two influential clans.
Therefore, the biggest challenge for Orochimaru to become Hokage was to face the opposition from all the clans in the original Hokage faction. They had already divided the power and would not allow anyone to redistribute it.
"Hiruzen, Shinno will be ready to take on responsibilities in a few years."
Koharu Utatane's words made Homura Mitokado smile, but Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head, his eyes filled with a complex expression.
Everyone has their own selfish desires! Ape Fly Shinno, the son of the Third Hokage and former ANBU captain, was now the commander on the front lines. While he might not be as strong as the older generation of Kage-level ninja, he was certainly the strongest of the new generation.
His status was even more significant, as the Sarutobi clan now represented the entire Hokage faction's interests.
This was not just the private desires of Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado but a decision made by the entire Hokage faction. If Ape Fly Shinno became Hokage, he would not harm the current interests, and Konoha would remain as it was.
Konoha would still be Konoha, just with a young leader.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's silence was a sign of his agreement. Perhaps in his heart, Konoha's stability was more important than anything. He had recommended Minato Namikaze for the sake of the village's stability, and now he was tacitly allowing his son to become Hokage.
From a political standpoint, if Ape Fly Shinno became the Fifth Hokage, Konoha would remain stable, and the interests of the major clans would not change, avoiding any turmoil.
From a personal standpoint, his son becoming Hokage, with two Hokages in the family, would naturally bring him joy as a father.
"Keep a close eye on the Uchiha clan. With the front lines stabilizing, we fear the Uchiha clan might cause trouble."
The conversation eventually returned to the most pressing issue for Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, deep in thought.
"The ANBU has already begun monitoring the Uchiha clan and is preparing to reach out to the new generation. The Uchiha clan needs someone to inherit the Will of Fire."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's determination was clear. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado nodded in agreement. "We'll follow your lead, Hiruzen."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's methods were undoubtedly shrewd. The ANBU would monitor the Uchiha clan and also try to win over some of the new generation. From the beginning, the plan was to have someone from the Uchiha clan on their side. He needed to know if the Nine-Tails had any connection to the Uchiha clan and to keep a close eye on their movements. After all, the full power of the Nine-Tails was a sword hanging over Konoha's head.
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(End of Chapter)