Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head in dejection, his face hidden beneath the Hokage hat shrouded in smoke.
Tsunade, uncharacteristically subdued, sat in silence opposite Hiruzen. The smell of smoke, usually a source of annoyance, seemed to hold no significance at that moment.
The sound of the door opening did not break the silence of the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up at Orochimaru as he entered, then gestured with a complex expression towards their teacher, seated behind the desk, to approach and comfort him.
Orochimaru nodded impassively and walked slowly to the window, opening it to allow some of the lingering smoke to dissipate.
"Sensei Sarutobi, I've returned!"
His voice, spoken once more, finally jolted the Third Hokage from his deep contemplation.
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe and looked up, offering a forced smile to the disciple standing by the window.
"Mm..."
"It's good that you're back."
After a moment of silence, Hiruzen spoke hesitantly, "Is Jiraiya's injury not serious?"
Orochimaru shook his head.
"Such injuries are not a problem for him, who strives to become strong."
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen's expression seemed to darken further.
He nodded distractedly, murmuring softly, "It's good that he's alright, it's good!"
"It's all my fault as an elder, that things have turned out this way."
"I..."
In front of the two disciples he had personally guided and nurtured, Hiruzen Sarutobi, known as the 'Ninja God', finally shed his shell of past resilience.
He sighed softly, as if blaming himself, or perhaps lamenting something.
Orochimaru frowned slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction arising towards his teacher, who was beginning to show signs of indecisiveness.
The Hiruzen Sarutobi he remembered was the one who took on the heavy responsibility, who stabilized the crumbling Konoha after the Second Hokage's death and gradually developed it into a powerful village – the Ninja God. He was the one who, in future visions, would lead the charge against the Nine-Tails' attack, a formidable presence capable of clashing with the Nine-Tails using his summoned beast.
Not like this, sitting there listlessly like a twilight elder.
If things continued like this, it would only be a matter of time before the village's power fell into the hands of the two advisors who occupied their positions without merit, allowing Danzo to run rampant.
Orochimaru still had many plans yet to be implemented and did not wish to be controlled by the figure lurking in the shadows at this juncture.
"I heard about those two elders from Jonin Mitarashi."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, whether he had heard Orochimaru's words or not, gave a perfunctory hum and a slight nod.
"Mm!"
Orochimaru's frown deepened.
After a period of silence, a cold smile played on Orochimaru's lips, and he let out a rather disrespectful snort.
"Hmph!"
"I just came from Konoha Hospital."
"In the Ninja Graveyard there, there are countless ninjas whose names are only etched as cold inscriptions on the memorial monument!"
"It's better to be unable to be a ninja than to be among those who can't even have their bodies recovered!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi blinked, a spark of anger igniting in his eyes. He intended to retort, 'That was my eldest son, his future...'
But the words turned into a sigh.
The parents of this disciple were also part of those cold stone inscriptions. In fact, after taking Orochimaru as a student, the two of them had had a conversation at their graves that profoundly influenced Orochimaru.
And the white snake skin, symbolizing luck and rebirth, was still preserved by Orochimaru to this day.
"Sigh!"
"I've made you two witness the embarrassment of this old man..."
Though his expression remained somewhat dejected after being so sharply rebuked by his disciple, Hiruzen Sarutobi had clearly set aside the heavy burden in his heart for the time being.
Orochimaru gently shook his head, looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose rational thinking had partially returned. He spoke with a shocking declaration:
"Since those two elders are out of mortal danger, and you, Teacher, are the Third Hokage of Konoha, it should be easy for you to ensure those two ordinary people live out their remaining years peacefully in Konoha."
"Therefore, Teacher! From now on, your focus should be on the potential crisis ahead."
"If my judgment is not mistaken, Onoki's troop movements on the border of the Land of Grass could very well be the signal for the Second Great Ninja War to begin."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was startled. He put down his pipe and looked at Orochimaru with utter surprise.
"The Land of Earth has been restless lately, but in my opinion, this is merely Onoki's attempt to probe Konoha's current strength."
"It was precisely because I learned of Onoki's presence at the border of the Land of Grass that I decided to intercept him."
"As for the Second Great Ninja War you mentioned..."
"The reason?"
Tsunade looked at the two of them conversing with confusion. How did the topic shift to war so quickly? Hadn't they just finished one conflict?
Orochimaru walked to Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk, where a military map of the five great nations' influence was displayed.
He slowly unrolled it, and with his finger, drew a circle centered on the Land of Rain, encompassing the territories of the Land of Earth, Land of Wind, and Land of Fire.
"Ever since the First Hokage unified the warring states and occupied the Land of Fire, the richest in resources, the seeds of the Second Great Ninja War were sown."
"Setting aside the Land of Lightning and the overseas Land of Water, the primary sources of income for the two ninja villages bordering the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, apart from the annual stipends from their respective Daimyos, were the bounties earned from missions undertaken by ninjas and the trade with merchants traveling between regions."
"And the environments in these two countries are harsh. The Land of Wind is a desert, perpetually arid, with sandstorms that occasionally lash out, deterring merchants and nobles from traveling abroad."
"Although the Land of Earth is not plagued by drought, it is covered in rocks unsuitable for cultivation. Furthermore, the frequent rock rain, whipped up by strong winds, makes it hardly a hospitable place for ninjas and merchants of limited strength."
Tsunade leaned over the table, looking at the map of the ninja world, which resembled a childish scribble, and then at Orochimaru, who was speaking with confident ease. She felt a sense of defeat, as if her intelligence was being trampled on the ground.
"You, talking for so long, haven't explained why the Second Great Ninja War would erupt!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the map for a long time, picked up his pipe again, and took a quiet puff.
"I roughly understand what you mean."
"Are you saying that the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth might attack Konoha due to their economies being unable to foster growth in their ninja villages?"
Orochimaru nodded slightly, but then shook his head gently.
"Yes, and no!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes showed a flicker of interest. He exhaled a puff of smoke, his anticipation piqued for his most outstanding disciple's continued explanation.
"Teacher, do you remember the first Five Kage Summit convened by the First Hokage?"
Orochimaru glanced at Tsunade, who was visibly anxious, and asked Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hmm..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smacked his lips, tapped his pipe, and nodded thoughtfully.
"I do have some understanding."
"Where did you get this information?"
Tsunade finally found a question she knew the answer to. She excitedly slapped Orochimaru on the shoulder and exclaimed to Hiruzen Sarutobi,
"I know this!"
"That guy Orochimaru sometimes visits Grandma. He doesn't do anything else but lock himself in the library and sift through those scrolls."
"Tsk!"
"They're all filled with old, insignificant records. There isn't even a single ninjutsu. Besides that guy Orochimaru, even Grandma never looks at that stuff."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with understanding and looked at Orochimaru with a gaze full of relief.
"Good!"
"Learning more about the history of the ninja world is always beneficial."
"Just like now, Orochimaru can analyze these things, while you, Tsunade..."
Tsunade, stimulated by such obvious preferential treatment, bristled. She clenched her fists. If it weren't for the fact that this old man was her teacher and had just experienced her son's injury, she would have punched him on the head.
Orochimaru glanced at her, his eyes conveying a message: 'If you have the guts to throw a punch, I, Orochimaru, will truly admire your courage!'
Tsunade instantly understood the meaning in Orochimaru's gaze, let out a huff of displeasure, and turned to sit on a chair, sulking.
Orochimaru ignored her and turned back to Hiruzen Sarutobi, continuing their discussion.
"Teacher, do you know about the First Hokage's involvement in selling weapons of war back then?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils constricted, and he looked at Orochimaru with surprise.
"You know about the Tailed Beasts?"