Hokage Residence.
Hiruzen sat in the seat of honor. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru were seated below him.
Biwako busied herself back and forth. After learning that Jiraiya and Tsunade had arrived, she hurried into the kitchen and swiftly prepared several good dishes.
Tender chicken, grilled meat, dango, and refreshing, appetizing snacks to go with drinks.
All of them were foods the children loved, according to her memories.
Asuma huffed and puffed as he carried over several jars of alcohol and placed them beside the table.
Both Tsunade and Jiraiya enjoyed drinking. The moment the two arrived, they started clamoring that the Sarutobi group had not reunited for a long time and that they absolutely had to drink a few rounds properly.
"Asuma, why are you apologizing to me?" Seeing his youngest son's exaggerated attentiveness and evasive gaze, Hiruzen teased him.
He could roughly guess the reason himself.
It was nothing more than complaining that he was old-fashioned or something along those lines.
After all, Hiruzen had originally been a classic, old-style father from the late Warring States era. His attitude toward his son could be summed up as long as he could be raised to adulthood, that was enough; heart-to-heart talks and casual chats practically did not exist.
Because in his era, surviving was the best form of upbringing.
That was simply how family education worked among old-style ninjas.
"I said something about you at school…" Asuma's face instantly flushed red. Truly unable to say it out loud, he suddenly bowed deeply. "Father, I'm sorry!"
"It was probably something like 'that old man is really boring,' right?" Hiruzen chuckled as he shook his head. "You're hardly the first one to say that…"
Asuma lifted his head in confusion, his gaze drifting as he looked toward his eldest brother at the side.
Shinnosuke's face darkened. "Brat, I've always respected Father!"
Asuma was bewildered—then who would say something like that?
Hiruzen looked meaningfully toward his three disciples.
Jiraiya put on an act of being scatterbrained, looking around at the sky, whistling through his mouth.
Tsunade, meanwhile, rubbed her hands together and snickered. "Ah, wasn't that just when I was young and didn't know any better, sensei!"
Only Orochimaru sat steady as a rock.
However, although he truly had not cursed Hiruzen as an old bastard, if things had continued developing as they used to…
He probably would have cursed him in a less intimate way.
Asuma could not help but complain, "Heh. Tsunade-oneesan and Jiraiya-niisan really have no conscience. Father taught you so many ninjutsu, and you still badmouthed your own sensei behind his back!"
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Hey, hey, you little brat—old man is still your dad!"
Jiraiya crossed his arms. "Sensei, I think this little brat is asking for a beating!"
Orochimaru silently watched this scene.
He could actually empathize with Asuma a little.
What this kid lacked was Hiruzen's recognition and care.
And he was the same—perhaps even more so.
"Asuma, in the past, your old man spent comparatively little time with you…" Hiruzen cleared his throat. "From now on, if anything happens at the Academy, you can come and share it with me."
Hearing that, Asuma's eyes immediately lit up, and he said excitedly, "Really?!"
Hiruzen nodded.
"Dad, I won't be eating with you all today. I'm on ANBU duty tonight…"
Shinnosuke put on his mask and raised his thumb.
"I can't be the one to hold you back!"
With that, Shinnosuke turned around and left briskly.
"It's fine, it's fine—I'll keep you company!" Asuma chuckled and was just about to sit at the table.
After Biwako brought over the final dish of stewed soup, she asked softly, "Hiruzen, are you going to talk about business?"
"Mhm."
Hiruzen blinked. "You've worked hard."
Biwako smiled faintly, understanding at once. She grabbed Asuma by the back of the neck and carried him away from the dining table.
Hiruzen felt amused inside.
When it came to sitting down at the table for meals, the Sarutobi family was very traditional.
As for why Tsunade was allowed to sit at the table—
Because she was not just a woman, but also a formidable jōnin, Konoha's number-one medical kunoichi, Sarutobi Hiruzen's disciple, the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito, and the princess of the Land of Fire…
In terms of strength, that spoke for itself.
"Eat first. Help yourselves—don't make me pick food for you…" Hiruzen gestured toward Orochimaru. "You've gotten thinner again. Eat more meat and build yourself up."
"I say it's because you beat him so hard that his chakra got overused, sensei!" Jiraiya stuffed meat into his mouth aggressively, speaking in a muffled, sarcastic tone as he ate.
"What does he care about being fat or thin anymore? Whether he's even properly put together at this point—maybe even that stinking snake could change a bit…"
Orochimaru's heart stirred slightly, though his expression remained calm. He ate his egg elegantly.
"A fool indeed cannot understand a genius. The toad should just focus on eating."
But in truth, there was some surprise in his heart.
Was a fool's intuition really this accurate?
The Living Corpse Reincarnation technique he had been researching was indeed capable of seizing another person's body, and in the stillness of the night, he had genuinely indulged in such fantasies before…
If one day he were to part ways with Konoha, he could try switching to a different gender—perhaps that would be quite interesting.
But as things stood now…
Orochimaru glanced at his sensei and smiled faintly.
There was probably no need for that anymore.
Tsunade ate with hearty abandon.
For her, after the tragic deaths of her lover and her younger brother, among the very few people who still mattered to her in her heart, aside from Uzumaki Mito, were those sitting at this table.
After watching the Sarutobi group drift farther and farther apart, losing the atmosphere they once had, Tsunade had originally planned to leave the village after some time to clear her head.
Out of sight, out of mind.
But now… that plan would have to be put on hold for the time being.
Her sensei was about to carry out reforms, and had somehow repaired his relationship with Orochimaru as well…
She had to stay and help her sensei—help the village!
What Hiruzen had said today had been especially stirring to all three of them as they listened.
Three rounds of sake passed, five flavors of dishes enjoyed.
Hiruzen clinked cups with his beloved disciples, and after draining his drink—
"Did I do all right today?" Hiruzen sighed as he lit his pipe. "What do you think of everyone's reactions?"
"Really had style!" Jiraiya raised his thumb. "I think today's emergency drill was very meaningful!"
"My disciple Minato told me that the village's security seems a bit lax. Sometimes he can spot the ANBU, yet the ANBU can't spot him…"
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, thinking over that name.
The one who rescued Kushina; a ninja of civilian origin; the disciple Jiraiya had only recently taken in.
"The ANBU can't detect him?" Tsunade frowned tightly. "The ANBU's performance today was fairly decent. Has it actually become lax to this extent?"
"That's not quite how I'd put it…" Jiraiya grew excited, gesturing animatedly. "Minato is a top-tier genius! I think he'll become a very formidable ninja!"
"My disciple Minato has the bearing of a Hokage!"
Tsunade chuckled. "A brat who just graduated already has the bearing of a Hokage? You really are something, Jiraiya."
Jiraiya immediately shot back, "You don't get it, Tsunade! He's a genuine genius!"
Tsunade nudged her chin toward Orochimaru. "Hey, there's another genius over there—one you've known since childhood. Why don't you ask his opinion…"
Jiraiya was left speechless for a moment, but still argued stubbornly, "What's so great about that stinking snake? Minato is stronger than he was at the same age!"
"A true genius is someone who can grow in three to five years—maybe he could even compete with that stinking snake!"
Tsunade waved her hand as if swatting flies. "I can't be bothered with you."
Regarding Jiraiya's remarks, all Tsunade wanted to say was: what a joke.
As long as Orochimaru didn't give up on himself, Tsunade didn't think there was anyone else who had much chance of taking over the Hokage position from Hiruzen.
Orochimaru took a sip of the wine in his cup. He didn't take Namikaze Minato to heart at all, merely regarding it as Jiraiya being stubborn.
Interesting—who isn't a genius, after all?
"Truly pathetic, Jiraiya. Have you placed all your hopes on your disciple?"
"So be it. To make an enemy of this genius—such an outcome is only inevitable."
"That damn stinking snake? What are you so smug about!" Jiraiya shouted loudly. "You don't understand Minato!"
Hiruzen took in the entire scene.
In this cruel shinobi world, bonds formed from a young age were profoundly different… When the three of them were together, that ease and joy that came straight from the heart was impossible to fake.
And he also understood why, despite growing up together, Jiraiya had never managed to win Tsunade over.
That mouth of his was truly stubborn—and his emotional intelligence was truly low.
"Instead of talking only about your disciple, why haven't you thought about working hard yourself and becoming the Fourth Hokage?"
Hiruzen flicked a peanut at Jiraiya's forehead. "My grand-disciple is only a chūnin now, right?"
Jiraiya waved his hands repeatedly. "Ah, I'm willing to work for the village! But being Hokage is something I really can't do—this job is better left to you, old man… it's too much of a brain-drain!"
"Good-for-nothing." Hiruzen laughed as he scolded him, took out a scroll, and handed it to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru accepted it. "Sensei, what is this?"
"These are Danzō's materials reporting you—about your unauthorized research into forbidden Wood Release experiments, stealing important village ninjutsu, embezzling Konoha's research funds, forming cliques and factions…"
Hiruzen said softly.
The harmonious atmosphere instantly froze.
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils involuntarily narrowed to slits. He took the documents, his emotions rising and plunging like a roller coaster.
"Hehe…"
Orochimaru rapidly flipped through the scroll. In his mind, he muttered that things were bad, yet on the surface he did his utmost to remain calm.
Danzō had indeed added a lot of embellishment, but in the broader sense, he hadn't gotten it wrong.
These were things Orochimaru had truly done.
Orochimaru's mind raced at high speed—why would Danzō sell him out?
Danzō had been involved in these matters as well. If he dragged Orochimaru down with him, could he really keep himself clean?
"Sensei, you don't actually believe all of this, do you?" Orochimaru's voice grew hoarse without him realizing it.
"Let me see!" Tsunade leaned in and took the scroll.
Jiraiya looked along with her. The expressions on both of their faces gradually became complicated.
This was bad—there really was substance to it. The chain of evidence was written in enough detail to withstand scrutiny…
"Based on my understanding of you, nine parts true, one part false?"
Hiruzen quietly lit his pipe and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "Danzō probably pinned some of his own deeds on you as well—especially when it comes to the funds."
"You've cheated him out of research funds more than a few times, haven't you? I can see his resentment runs deep…"
A glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
He couldn't read his sensei's intentions at all.
Was this tone meant as a warning? It didn't seem like he intended to punish him severely.
"Damn it, stinking snake—what exactly are you trying to do?" Jiraiya rubbed his forehead, his eyes full of confusion. "Are you planning to defect from the village?"
Could he really be a genius?
According to what Danzō had said, Konoha already had a small circle of Orochimaru's loyal supporters—people with money and access to ninjutsu resources.
If things kept developing like this, it wouldn't be impossible for him to one day form a hidden village of his own!
"Sensei, although Orochimaru may have gone too far, it definitely wasn't intentional. There must be some misunderstanding here!" Jiraiya hurriedly explained on behalf of his friend.
"Danzō's words can't be taken at face value!"
Tsunade also echoed him. "Sensei, you absolutely can't listen to only one side. Orochimaru might be the one being framed!"
A warm current flowed through Orochimaru's heart.
Though they bickered with each other on ordinary days, when something truly happened, Jiraiya and Tsunade were still willing to speak up for him.
"Enough. Orochimaru hasn't committed any fundamental, principled error."
Hiruzen spoke, setting the tone for the matter. "The relationship between us as sensei and disciple has gradually grown distant since the Second Shinobi World War."
Weariness showed on his face.
And with that, the performance began.
"After the Kushina incident, I started to think about an issue I was unwilling to face."
"What you did—acting behind my back as Hokage—was certainly wrong, but in the broader direction, you weren't mistaken."
"You felt that I was too conservative and inflexible, so you went off to handle things privately on your own. Is that right?"
Hiruzen took a sip of sake. "With the three of you here today, let's speak frankly, behind closed doors."
"In the past, why was I so conservative?"
Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya looked at Hiruzen and gently shook their heads.
"Because change always comes at a cost, and change is not necessarily a good thing."
Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe. "I was merely of middling ability, yet by sheer luck I took on the responsibility of the Third Generation. So from the very day I became Hokage, I was lost."
"I was also afraid. I worried that I wouldn't be able to fulfill the role of Hokage… I possessed neither the First's overwhelming might nor the Second's wisdom, yet I still became Hokage."
"So I was unwilling to adjust the Second's policy framework. All I could do was work myself to exhaustion, handling everything personally, terrified of betraying the will of my predecessors."
"But the village didn't develop well."
"During the Second Shinobi World War, I even thought about running away… I wanted nothing more than to be a charging jōnin, taking down one Konoha enemy after another, dying on the battlefield under the name of a hero—so I wouldn't have to bear this pressure."
Hiruzen let out a self-mocking laugh.
"Someone must have noticed it, right? When I was young, I had the same build as Jiraiya—a sturdy, robust fellow. After a few years as Hokage, even my height began to shrink. Clearly I was still middle-aged, yet I already looked like an old man."
Tsunade's expression gradually grew heavy. Being more emotionally inclined, she could better feel the suffocating pressure within her sensei's account.
Jiraiya was the same. He detested administrative affairs; just listening to this narration made it hard for him to breathe.
Orochimaru listened in silence, his gaze fixed firmly on his sensei. Some of the resentment buried deep in his heart began to slowly dissolve.
Sensei—he had his difficulties as well.
"Until after that incident with Kumogakure, I dreamed of the Second Hokage-sama. In the dream, he scolded me harshly."
"He said, 'Monkey, how can you be so cowardly! If every generation of Konoha lacks more confidence than the one before it, the village will perish sooner or later!'"
"After I woke up, I thought about it for a long time… Rather than saying the Second appeared in spirit, it was probably my own subconscious."
"To make amends, it is not too late! From now on, I will change Konoha. Whatever benefits the village, I will do. Whatever stands in my way, I will eliminate!"
"Including the cowardly me."
Hiruzen's tone was calm, yet in his eyes it was as if flames of anger were leaping.
The Sannin had never seen Hiruzen like this.
Forceful. Cold. Resolute.
Like a man forged of steel.