Chapter 61: A Leader's Heart; The Final Piece of the Puzzle
High atop the Hokage Rock.
Hiruzen and Orochimaru sat cross-legged on the grass, looking out over the flickering lights of the village. The night air was cool, and for the first time in years, the tension between them had vanished completely.
"Orochimaru, tell me... what is your dream?" Hiruzen asked quietly.
"To master every jutsu in existence. To understand the laws of this world so that life is no longer a fragile, fleeting thing," Orochimaru replied. After their heart-to-heart at the gravesite, he saw no point in hiding behind diplomatic masks.
He paused, then added with a touch of raw honesty: "And... to earn the recognition of my Sensei and the village. To become the rightful Fourth Hokage."
"You remind me so much of my younger self," Hiruzen said, shaking his head with a wistful smile. "When I was your age, I believed I could master every art, too. I wanted to be the strongest Hokage in history. People even started calling me 'The Professor'..."
"But eventually, I realized I was just a man of average potential. Simply keeping this village from falling apart took everything I had."
Hiruzen's tone shifted, becoming deeply emotional.
"But you are different, Orochimaru."
"You're young. Your talent dwarfs what mine was at your age. When I look at you, I see a better version of myself... a version that doesn't have to settle for 'average.'"
Orochimaru felt a surge of conflicting emotions. On one hand, the praise from the man he respected most was like a drug. On the other hand, he looked at the man sitting beside him—a man who trained at 4:00 AM, whose chakra was growing more massive by the day, and whose political mind was outplaying the entire world.
Average potential? Orochimaru thought. Sensei, if you are 'average,' then the rest of us are barely human.
"You shouldn't sell yourself short, Sensei," Orochimaru said firmly. "You are... you are not like other shinobi."
"Perhaps. But a man's life isn't dictated by talent alone," Hiruzen sighed. "The era, the state of the world—those are the true masters. If Lord Tobirama had returned from that battlefield, I might have become a very different man. But he died for the village—he died for me. I took the hat because I had to, and I've carried that weight ever since."
Orochimaru nodded. He understood now. To achieve greatness, one needed the luxury of time. If the weight of leadership crushes you before you reach your peak, you never truly find out how high your ceiling is.
"But you have an advantage I never had," Hiruzen said, turning to look his student in the eye.
"You have me to carry the weight for you. I will be your shield while you grow."
Orochimaru's pupils dilated. A fire seemed to ignite in his chest. Even for a man as cold as a serpent, it was impossible to remain unmoved by such words.
"I only have one requirement for you: before you act, always remember that you are a shinobi of the Leaf. You were raised in the light of the Will of Fire."
"Temptation is a powerful thing, Orochimaru. Desire makes men impulsive. But if you slow down and look at the board, you'll find there are many ways to solve a problem without losing your soul."
Hiruzen looked back at the stars. "Moving slowly often means moving more securely. I don't want you to do something you'll regret, or something that would break my heart."
Orochimaru sat in thoughtful silence. He understood the subtext. The Living Corpse Reincarnation currently required a human sacrifice—it was "Body Snatching."
But technology wasn't static. In the few decades since the founding of the Hidden Villages, bio-engineering and sealing arts had advanced at a terrifying rate.
If he waited, if he researched alongside the village, who was to say they couldn't develop a way to grow a "perfect vessel" without taking a life? And even if he eventually needed a donor, with the Hokage's backing, he could simply use the remains of a high-ranking enemy criminal. It was a much cleaner path.
Besides, Hiruzen was offering him everything: resources, protection, and a clear path to the Fourth's seat. Why would he risk losing all of that just to rush a prototype jutsu?
If Lord Tobirama sacrificed himself to save Sensei, Orochimaru thought, then I can certainly exercise a little restraint to honor the man who is giving me the world.
"Sensei... I will always remember that I am a ninja of the Hidden Leaf," Orochimaru promised. He didn't make a dramatic oath, but the conviction in his voice was absolute.
"Good. That's all I needed to hear." Hiruzen nodded, visibly relieved. He lit another cigarette, the tension leaving his shoulders. "Who knows? Maybe one day you'll become a truly eternal being, like the White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave."
Hiruzen chuckled playfully. "When that happens, you won't even need to be Hokage. Just make sure you sign a few contracts with our village so we can keep using your summons."
Orochimaru laughed—a genuine, warm sound. "When that day comes, I'll commission a monument. It will say: 'Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Great Third Hokage, was and will always be my Master.'"
Hiruzen smiled, though internally he was focused on his own path. I'm not like the others, Arata thought. The effort I put into this village isn't being wasted—it's being converted into my own potential. Quantifiable growth. As the Leaf prospers, I become a god. I have all the time in the world.
"We need to handle the bureaucracy of your new jutsu," Hiruzen said, getting back to business. "I want you to file a formal report. We'll list the Living Corpse Reincarnation as a Joint Research Project under my personal office."
Orochimaru frowned. "Sensei, is that necessary? I've already given you my word."
"It's not about trust; it's about protection. To perfect this jutsu, you'll need to move massive amounts of resources and experimental materials. Danzo is the Commander of the Anbu now, and Koharu and Homura are watching the books. Even Hiruko is a High Commissioner."
"If you conduct these experiments in secret and get caught, the political fallout would destroy your reputation. You'd never be the Fourth. But if it's an Official State Secret under the Hokage's name? No one will ever dare to question it. It gives you absolute legal immunity."
Orochimaru realized the depth of Hiruzen's calculation. He's covering my tracks before I even make them.
"I wouldn't dare say I'll never use it," Orochimaru admitted, "but with your help, the chances are near zero. I'd rather master my own soul than steal another's."
"And if anyone tries to smear you," Hiruzen added, "they'll have to go through me."
Orochimaru felt a rare sting of shame. He had spent years plotting in the dark, and here was his teacher, offering to take the "darkness" onto his own shoulders just to keep his student's hands clean.
"People say Danzo is your shadow... the man who handles the village's darkness," Orochimaru whispered.
"Perhaps," Hiruzen said, looking at his hands. "But a Hokage has to carry much more than just a shadow. One day you'll understand. Or maybe you won't. It doesn't matter."
"In the end, it's all the same."
A Few Days Later. The Hokage Office.
Danzo Shimura strode into the room, a high-priority intelligence scroll gripped in his hand. He looked energized, his eyes sharp with the thrill of the hunt.
"Hiruzen, we found him."
He slammed the scroll onto the desk.
"The target you asked for. The missing piece for your 'Biological Project.'"
"The rogue ninja of the Hidden Waterfall. The holder of the Earth Grudge Fear. We've located Kakuzu."
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you