Jiraiya had long been asked to find the last of the three separated ninjas, and the news Orochimaru received this time was not just a matter of luck.
However, according to Orochimaru's habits, even if this news didn't come, he would just find a logical excuse to leave Konoha, and he would never let Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo see the flaws.
After all, he knew very well that according to the two of them, they might have started planning his research institute a long time ago.
Especially those projects that Orochimaru personally took charge of.
This time is just a chance to give them a chance, and let them see if they can grasp their own leverage.
Fortunately for Danzo Shimura, the two parties are considered allies. Even though Orochimaru is quite powerful, he doesn't care about power, which quite satisfies Danzo.
And after Orochimaru obtained the resources, the benefits of giving feedback to Danzo were also real.
Danzo himself has experience in researching and developing secret techniques. He knows very well that for such things as scientific research, it is meaningless to just rely on the number of people without talent.
This is why he has always tried his best to satisfy Orochimaru's needs. He knows very well that a person's energy is limited, since all his energy is focused on cultivation and scientific research.
Then he can no longer compete for power, and Orochimaru is his best ally now.
In particular, Danzo got the secret medicine that can restore youthful vitality from Orochimaru. This is not a control medicine that needs to be taken continuously, but a medicine that completely activates his own cells and restores his body to the vitality of his youth.
He even secretly calculated that his life span would be extended by fifteen years. This alone was enough for Danzo to support Orochimaru at all costs, but even to support him, he had to have those handles in his hands. Here, this is the basic skill of politicians.
It doesn't have to be a threat to the other party, but presence and absence are two different concepts.
Having many contacts with Orochimaru, Danzo believed that there must be something unspeakable in this research institute, enough for him to hold as a trump card.
But unlike Danzo, Sarutobi Hiruzen's view of the institute was filled with hatred.
Not to mention how the various things developed by the research institute have enhanced the survivability and combat power of Konoha ninjas during missions and battles.
It can even help many chuunin break through to jounin, allowing jounin to enter the elite jounin level.
It was unacceptable for Hiruzen Sarutobi to just passively receive the products of the research institute and not be able to actively control the items produced by the research institute to obtain sufficient benefits.
This without any threshold strengthens the entire strength of the Konoha ninjas, and in the eyes of Sarutobi Hiruzen, it destroys the will of fire of the Hokage series!
If it weren't for Orochimaru's several tough warnings and his astonishingly tyrannical fighting power, which left Sarutobi Hiruzen helpless, he might have sent people to sneak into the institute to carry out various activities.
Unfortunately, Orochimaru's output from the institute not only benefited ninjas, but also ordinary people received considerable benefits, and ordinary actions could not do anything to him.
Even though I could still control the institute's funding sources before, the institute's output also made up for part of it, and the remaining part was provided by Shimura Danzo.
If Orochimaru had no interest in power, I am afraid that the research institute would be able to break away from Konoha and form its own force.
Because of this, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but regret his previous actions of suppressing Orochimaru.
But at this time, there is no regret medicine to take.
All he can do is try every means to force Orochimaru to make a new choice, even at the expense of creating a situation that Orochimaru has to walk out of.
As Orochimaru withdrew from the Hokage Contest, Sarutobi Hiruzen had a feeling that the direction of Konoha Village was getting more and more out of his control.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was smoking a cigarette in the Hokage's office, kept thinking about the recent development of Konoha Village. The thriving industries and even the high-yielding crops that the research institute began to experiment with all represent that Konoha seems to be moving towards a Towards a brighter future.
But the source of everything cannot be circumvented by the research institute under the control of Orochimaru.
'We must have it in our hands...'
'Orochimaru, I'm really getting more and more confused about this. '
Thinking of his old teammate's now younger and stronger body and face, the wrinkles and ravines on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face became more obvious.
...
"In that case..."
"It's not easy for me to stop you."
Sarutobi Hiruzen did not expect that the opportunity he had been waiting for would come so soon.
Looking at his former beloved disciple with complicated emotions in his eyes, the Sandaime Hokage told lies that even he did not believe.
"If possible, the return of the Konoha Sannin could bring unimaginable benefits to the village."
"I hope Orochimaru you can bring back the glory of the past."
"As a teacher, I would be happy too."
However, facing the words of his former mentor, Orochimaru did not respond. He just glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen with his pale golden eyes and noticed the deep mark left by the pressure and time on him in recent times.
And his breath, which had been passing away but became stable again, spoke lightly.
"Next time, don't use those barely purified things."
"If you need medicine, just go to the research institute and ask for it from me."
"Don't forget, you are still the Hokage of Konoha Village, so using the results of the research institute is a matter of course."
Hearing Orochimaru's words, the fake smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's oak bark-like face suddenly froze. Just when he didn't know how to proceed, Orochimaru made a casual move and hit Demura who was on his table. The order had already fallen into his hands.
There was no thought of further communication, and the master-disciple communication again ended in vain after a long time.
Just like many times before, Sarutobi Hiruzen also revealed his concealed face, showing a hint of ferocity.
"Orochimaru...!!"
He was extremely angry at the disrespect of his disciples.
However, he did not realize that to this point, and even the complete departure of the Konoha Sannin from the Hokage line, wasn't it his own fault?
In the original plot, what he did with his own hands was even more despicable than in the current situation with Orochimaru suppressing him.
...
"Are you so generous as to show me and Hiruzen your things?"
"Orochimaru, Orochimaru, you are still so confident and proud!"
After learning that Orochimaru was leaving Konoha for a while, Shimura Danzo also showed a look of surprise.
Because of Orochimaru's recommendation, Danzo's men also left the cold underground and are now operating openly as a war department with their own base on a street in Konoha.
It has to be said that after this choice, the cold and vicious atmosphere of the staff at the root has also changed a lot.
It can be said that Orochimaru's advice to Danzo almost always made him move towards the position of Hokage in his heart.
Therefore, Danzo has a deeper understanding of Orochimaru than his former mentor.
As if he understood something, Danzo laughed and looked in the direction of the Hokage's office.
"Hiruzhan, Hiruzen, the wave of a new era is coming!"
"And you have become a rock blocking the tide..."
"If you stubbornly look at Konoha today through the eyes of the past, there will only be one end!"
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