Seeing Orochimaru stand up, the Third Hokage cast an inquiring glance at Danzo.
Orochimaru was now a Root ninja. Had he made this statement without discussing it with you first, Danzo?
Danzo's eyes were slightly closed, thinking to himself that Sarutobi Hiruzen's disciples were at it again, challenging authority one after another, none of them obedient.
Nawaki's death had left Orochimaru feeling guilty towards Tsunade.
Seeing Tsunade's resolute attitude, Orochimaru decided to help her.
Orochimaru said, "I've been rather busy lately and forgot to submit my Jōnin recommendation."
"It seems there's significant controversy over this batch of Jōnin recommendations. Why not wait for me? We can review my submitted recommendation along with the others."
Tsunade turned to look at Orochimaru beside her, unsure why he wanted to postpone these Jōnin promotions.
Orochimaru also had a group of subordinates around him.
War easiest fosters solid bonds.
Many had received promotions and ninjutsu from Orochimaru.
Orochimaru also needed obedient subordinates to handle tasks for him.
Nara Rokaku glanced at the Third Hokage and, seeing the Hokage show no particular reaction, said,
"In that case, let's wait until Orochimaru submits his Jōnin recommendation and until Konoha Hospital produces the investigation report before re-reviewing the Jōnin promotion candidates."
The Jōnin Commander meeting came to an abrupt end, cut short by Orochimaru's intervention.
On the street outside the Hokage Building, Orochimaru and Tsunade walked side by side, the surrounding Jōnin tacitly giving the two a wide berth.
"Orochimaru, why did you get involved? Why did you disrupt my plans? Why are you helping the Third Hokage?"
"Heh." Orochimaru said:
"You think I'm helping Lord Third? I'm helping you, Tsunade."
"Hatake Sakumo is weak, and the Uchiha clan carries original sin. Why would you think of allying with them?"
"Hatake Sakumo is weak? He's Konoha's White Fang, recognized by the Sand ninja. How could he be weak?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade as if she were an idiot:
"Who isn't ruthless towards enemies? Being ruthless towards your own villagers is true ruthlessness."
"You simply don't understand Lord Third and Danzo."
"Old man Utatane Koharu seems quite mild, right? The number of Konoha ninja lives in his hands is no less than eight or ten."
"Tsunade, how many Konoha ninja have you killed?"
"The Senju clan's belief in tolerance and universal love, Hatake Sakumo's belief in the bonds of comrades, the Uchiha clan's belief in growing stronger through self-torment... which of these is a match for Danzo?"
"In this Jōnin promotion, would you dare kill 5 Sarutobi clan Tokubetsu Jōnin to force Lord Third to concede?"
"They dare to use others' hands to eliminate your people during some inadvertent mission. Would you dare retaliate in kind?"
"Would you dare?"
Tsunade stood there, her eyes dazed, as frail as a student from the Ninja Academy who hadn't yet graduated.
"Does it have to be so cruel?"
Orochimaru mocked Tsunade: "Look at your answer, as weak as a slug's body."
"You don't dare do anything? Then, honestly accumulate power and do nothing."
"The shadow of Konoha's great tree is darker than you can imagine."
"Either wait for this batch of elders to die of old age, or be more ruthless than them."
"Your collusion with Hatake Sakumo and the Uchiha clan is simply child's play, so foolish it makes me feel like I don't know you."
Blood rushed into the vessels on Tsunade's head, making her feel a splitting headache.
Could what Orochimaru said be true? Was she completely ignorant of Konoha's darkness?
Yōkō was very disappointed with the Jōnin Commander meeting.
The crucial struggle was interrupted by Orochimaru, leaving him feeling unsatisfied.
He returned to the Tsurugetsu Izakaya and set up an Earth Vibration Barrier.
He knew all of Konoha's defense information and knew there were no Hyūga ninja nearby.
After carefully scouting for half an hour, confirming there were no suspicious personnel nearby, he used the Summoning Technique.
The ninken Pakkun appeared in a puff of white smoke.
Pakkun said, "Is something big happening again?"
"Indeed, it's a big matter," Yōkō said:
"Pakkun, the village just decreed that aside from ANBU Jōnin, all Jōnin must, within three years, serve at least once as a Team Leader at the Ninja Academy."
"Please tell Lord Sakumo to pay attention to a person at the Ninja Academy named Namikaze Minato."
"He must, without fail, absolutely take him as his disciple."
"The struggles within the Jōnin Commander are temporary. For Lord Sakumo, it's far less important than taking Namikaze Minato as a disciple."
Pakkun was extremely puzzled. The Fox specifically emphasized having Sakumo take a student as a disciple?
This matter was somewhat bizarre, which made it seem truly important.
He didn't ask further and was prepared to relay the Fox's request.
Late at night, Hatake Sakumo was equally surprised upon hearing the Fox's message.
The next day, Hatake Sakumo brought Kakashi outside the Ninja Academy.
A ninja greeted Sakumo: "Lord White Fang, what brings you to the Ninja Academy?"
Within the Jōnin Commander meeting, Hatake Sakumo was only a lower-ranking high-level deputy commander, but in the eyes of ordinary ninja, the White Fang was a highly respected powerhouse.
Sakumo said, "I brought Kakashi to experience the atmosphere of the Ninja Academy a little early."
Kakashi looked curiously inside the school, where senior students were sparring.
Sakumo quickly found his target, the bright yellow-haired Namikaze Minato.
Namikaze Minato was sparring with an Uchiha student.
The Uchiha clan was famous for being a precocious ninja clan; their children often displayed talent and strength far surpassing their peers from a very young age.
Hatake Sakumo immediately noticed something unusual about Namikaze Minato.
Calm. Too calm.
Whether it was a fist coming straight at his face or a foot aimed at his knee, Namikaze Minato tracked them with his eyes.
His pupils followed the Uchiha student's movements, taking in every detail.
This proved Namikaze Minato had insight and reaction speed far beyond his peers.
Reaction speed was one of the most important talents for a ninja.
Hatake Sakumo's sword style was built upon reaction speed surpassing others.
Even without the sharp destructive power of the White Fang's blade, if you gave Hatake Sakumo an ordinary kunai, he could still carve a path through the battlefield.
Hatake Sakumo was secretly astonished. With this level of reaction speed, whether in taijutsu, kenjutsu, or ninjutsu, he could easily grow into a Jōnin.
No, perhaps he could easily grow into an Elite Jōnin.
No wonder the Fox specifically instructed him to take Namikaze Minato as his disciple.
Namikaze Minato's talent was exceptionally astonishing.
"Let's go, Kakashi. You won't enroll until next year. When you're in school, you must listen carefully to the teachers' instructions."
Early the next morning at the ANBU base.
Purple Cat submitted a mission report.
Yōkō looked at the scroll and found it was a Jinchūriki surveillance mission.
All suspicious personnel around Uzumaki Kushina were under ANBU surveillance.
Kushina's friends, Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Mikoto, Senju Shō, and others, had a high surveillance priority.
Last night, the Yak Squad was on duty monitoring the Jinchūriki. They discovered a new development regarding Namikaze Minato, the Jinchūriki's closest friend.
After school, Namikaze Minato was training hard at a training ground when he encountered a father and son.
Hatake Sakumo had begun teaching Hatake Kakashi kunai and shuriken.
The three met at the training ground.
Yōkō said, "Purple Cat, give this report to Butterfly. Tell her I will handle the subsequent surveillance personally."
"Involving Hatake Sakumo, other squad captains would be discovered. Only I can complete the mission."
"Understood, Captain."
***
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(Chapter End)