Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

Although Hatake Sakumo felt uncomfortable listening to this, he nodded in agreement. He then sat down and began to mutter to himself. Back when he was the head of the Anbu, members of the Uchiha clan would go missing every few days. His Anbu underlings weren't blind, and it was his old leader who hinted that he didn't need to pay attention to it, which is why he didn't bother with Danzo's nonsense.

Given Orochimaru's talent, he should have gotten tired of researching for so long. Moreover, he didn't attack the Uchiha clan for many years afterward. So why is he suddenly back targeting Sasuke Uchiha now that the Uchiha clan has been wiped out?

"Hey! No need to even think about it... Didn't that Uchiha brat's brother, Uchiha Itachi, defect from Konoha? I heard from Kakuzu that shortly after his defection, Itachi encountered Orochimaru. You know how crazy Orochimaru is about scientific research. Even the first scientist, Senju, didn't fully understand the Mangekyou Sharingan. Orochimaru, who was determined to surpass Senju, was definitely interested. So, I don't know how he knew Itachi had awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, but he naturally wanted to study it thoroughly. However, I heard that the two didn't get along very well and even fought. Afterwards, Orochimaru even came to Sunagakure to ask me for some cells to study. He looked even worse than Kakashi is now; he probably got beaten up. This brat is Itachi's brother. Although he's a bit weak now, he's still a sibling. If he can't beat Itachi, it's not a problem for him to target this weakling. Isn't the way of ninjas—if you can't beat the old, you beat the young?"

"I have a pretty good relationship with Orochimaru. I'm telling you this in secret, but please don't tell anyone else..."

Masato whispered to the three of them, as if afraid they might be overheard.

976. Orochimaru, it's truly pathetic to have a friend like you.

"..."

The three of them looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

Especially Hatake Sakumo and his son, who knew Orochimaru's big mouth personality well, felt a pang of sympathy for him. "Orochimaru having a friend like you is truly pathetic..."

However... it was quite unexpected that Orochimaru was staring at Sasuke Uchiha because he had been beaten up by Itachi Uchiha.

Kakashi may not be very familiar with Orochimaru, but Itachi Uchiha followed him back then and knew a little about him. He even knew that Itachi had awakened the Uchiha clan's ancestral Mangekyou Sharingan, which was incredibly powerful. However, he was still very surprised to hear that Orochimaru had actually been beaten by Itachi Uchiha.

Who is Orochimaru? He was not even born when he rose to fame in the ninja world and became a top-ranking ninja. For decades, he fought countless battles, big and small, for the village, earning numerous military exploits. According to his father, if Orochimaru hadn't refused to become Hokage, he wouldn't have been Minato's teacher. He even went toe-to-toe with the Third Raikage, who was said to be "a match for ten thousand men," during the Second Shinobi World War. His strength is beyond question. The title "Cold-blooded Orochimaru" is well-deserved.

However, this senior figure, this super rogue ninja, was actually beaten up by one of his former underlings.

This is truly a case of the old guard dying on the beach...

Compared to Kakashi, his father, Sakumo Hatake, was even more surprised. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya were all trained by him. Although the Hokage was their teacher, he was very busy with official duties and it was already quite good that he could teach the three of them in his spare time. He didn't have time to train them. So, this task naturally fell to him.

He had known the Sannin for decades and was quite familiar with them. He also knew Orochimaru's strength better than anyone else. If Orochimaru had been born into the Hatake clan or a family with secret techniques or bloodline limits, he would definitely be the second White Fang of Konoha. This was no exaggeration. Even so, Orochimaru's fighting strength was not weak, especially in terms of self-preservation, where he was among the best in the ninja world. All his ultimate techniques were focused on self-preservation. Even at his peak, it would have been very difficult to defeat Orochimaru. Didn't the Third Raikage beat Orochimaru until he was disgusted and nauseous?

So when he heard that Orochimaru had been beaten up by Itachi Uchiha, his expression was much more varied than his son's.

He was very familiar with Itachi Uchiha. He was present when Itachi and his old boss planned to film Infernal Affairs. He had also seen Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan. Although it was amazing, the pressure it put on him at the time was not very great. It was nothing like the imposing presence that his father had described to him when he was a child, Madara. He never expected that it could actually defeat Orochimaru. It was almost unbelievable.

Could it be that Orochimaru is also getting old and weak? But isn't that guy researching some kind of immortality technique?

With his talent, shouldn't he have achieved something?

"However... even if Orochimaru is defeated by Itachi Uchiha, what does that have to do with Sasuke? Orochimaru isn't like that."

Kakashi wasn't buying it at all. Although he didn't know Orochimaru as well as his father, given Orochimaru's established persona over the years, he definitely wouldn't do something as shameless as turning on a weaker opponent when he couldn't beat him. It was more likely that the old man would do it.

Sharingan!

This time, there was no need for a real fight to answer. Kakashi had barely finished asking when his father, White Fang, blurted out the answer.

As a veteran king of the ninja world, being defeated by a newcomer is something even an ordinary person like him would find hard to forgive, let alone Orochimaru, who has an extremely strong sense of pride and a pursuit of immortality.

Orochimaru wanted Sasuke because Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha were brothers. Although Sasuke was weaker than Itachi Uchiha at the same age, brothers should have similar talents. It was hard to say whether he would suddenly rise rapidly in the future. This was what Orochimaru valued.

"But Orochimaru isn't from the Uchiha clan, so Sasuke's Sharingan wouldn't be of much use to him..."

Then Hatake Sakumo shook his head, still puzzled. Many people have known about the limitations of the Sharingan since ancient times. For non-Uchiha clan members, equipping the Sharingan would not only not bring any benefits but would actually be a burden. His son was a living example. Orochimaru, who came from a commoner background, did not have the explosive chakra of the Senju or Uzumaki clans. Although he was not as lacking in chakra as the Hatake clan, he was not much more either.

As a scientist, Orochimaru had no reason not to know this, and he simply couldn't figure out what use Orochimaru would have for Sasuke's Sharingan.

"Hehe, that's hard to say. What if Orochimaru has his eye on that kid? You know, scientists' ideas are often wildly imaginative, and who knows what kind of quirks they might have."

Shinto certainly wouldn't reveal that Orochimaru had already developed the technique of possession; that would be betraying Orochimaru.

His character as a golden lion is still trustworthy.

Betraying your friends is something you shouldn't do too often...

"hiss...!"

Upon hearing this, Kakashi and Haku inexplicably twitched at their anuses, and an unhealthy thought popped into their heads and lingered for a long time.

Haku was even more horrified. He had been hanging around with Zabuza for so many years, but he was only on the periphery of the ninja world. After all, Zabuza's status was too low to reach the core of the ninja world. He had only heard of Orochimaru's name once or twice. Now, after following Shinto and getting in touch with the core of the ninja world, he realized that the ninja world was not as wonderful as he had imagined.

Even more unexpectedly, the infamous and notorious rogue ninja Orochimaru was so despicable and filthy... Fortunately, the person who found him back then was the upright Zabuza; if it had been Orochimaru, his fate would have been much more difficult...

Sakumo Hatake felt a sudden realization. No wonder Orochimaru was still single all these years. Orochimaru was a handsome man back then, and his popularity with women was even more exaggerated than his. Moreover, he wasn't as straightforward as Sakumo Hatake. Even in his thirties, Kakashi's mother took the initiative to seduce him, and he couldn't help but make the mistake that all men make.

Orochimaru shouldn't have been able to resist, but he really hadn't had any scandals all these years. He didn't understand, but it was a fact; he simply assumed Orochimaru was dedicating his life to science...

I just realized that Orochimaru's tastes are quite different from ordinary people's!

He didn't react much. This kind of trend is rare in the ninja circle, but it's common among noble lords. Aren't there about a dozen male concubines among the wives and concubines of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire?

Kakashi and Haku haven't reached his level yet, they haven't encountered this level of complexity, so their strong reaction is understandable...

977. Hiruzen Sarutobi: I never expected Orochimaru to have this kind of hobby.

(⊙_⊙)?？

"You...understood what I said?"

Seeing Hatake Sakumo's sudden realization, I didn't think much of it. Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru had known each other for decades, so I just assumed that Hatake Sakumo had figured something out.

However, Kakashi and Haku's reactions were somewhat unusual, and Shinto was also completely bewildered, wondering what the two of them were thinking...

"Ahem... Anyway, I'll go report first."

Knowing Orochimaru had designs on his student, Kakashi couldn't sit still any longer. Just as his father had guessed, the proud Orochimaru had been beaten by Itachi Uchiha. If Sasuke fell into Orochimaru's hands, the scene would be unimaginable. Even after watching Jiraiya's masterpieces for ten years, he couldn't picture it. He still urged the Hokage to send more people to protect Sasuke. If all else failed, he would personally act as Sasuke's guardian, hoping Orochimaru would spare him any designs because of his father...

After Kakashi finished speaking, he disappeared from the hall and sped towards the Hokage Building.

"...Your son is really good to that Uchiha brat, huh? He even taught him his signature skills. Minato's son has been hanging out with him for so long and hasn't learned a thing..."

Masato retorted to Sakumo Hatake, speechless.

The savior at least had some connection with Kakashi, but the second male lead had absolutely no relation to Kakashi, yet Kakashi actually fell for him. Fate is truly a mysterious thing...

“…”

Thinking of Naruto's talent, Sakumo Hatake could only shrug helplessly. Although his son wasn't that great now, he was a genius when he was young. It's easy for a genius to teach another genius, since a genius knows what a genius needs most. Sometimes, just saying a few words can make a genius have an epiphany for a day or two. But it's very difficult to teach a fool. Even if you analyze it word by word for him, he will definitely not understand.

Naruto wasn't very bright to begin with, and with half of the Nine-Tails inside him causing trouble, let alone Kakashi, even a renowned teacher like the Third Hokage who trained the Legendary Sannin couldn't handle him.

If Naruto really has talent, what is Kakashi's Chidori compared to that? Considering the Fourth Hokage's contributions to the village, he could have personally taught the Hatake clan swordsmanship without any problem. The key issue is that that blockhead is really incompetent!

.....

"puff!"

"You mean Orochimaru is after Sasuke's body?"

Now that he's older, since his return to the Hokage position, Hiruzen Sarutobi has rarely worked overtime. Firstly, because he's getting old and his energy is declining, and secondly, because his eldest son abandoned his grandson to build the village flag, leaving only his youngest son and grandson with him and his family of three generations. The grandson is still young and hasn't inherited his eldest son's excellent character, so ever since his eldest son built the village flag, he has been leaving get off work on time every day to personally teach his grandson, just in case he's influenced by his surroundings and his grandson ends up like a short, weak mule.

The way his grandson behaved after being taught a lesson by the Kazekage's son a few days ago was very worrying to him. Instead of trying to get revenge himself after being beaten, he went to call for help. Isn't that exactly what the youngest son of the former gang leader did?

However, having received news of his beloved disciple's return to Konoha today, he was still worried, so he sent out a small ANBU squad to investigate while waiting for the results at the Hokage Building.

Kakashi suddenly appears and tells him that Orochimaru wanted to touch Sasuke Uchiha because Orochimaru had his eye on Sasuke's body.

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately shuddered in fright.

"...According to that guy Golden Lion, that should be the case."

Kakashi nodded with a serious expression.

Although this conjecture is somewhat unhealthy, according to that old man, this is his guess.

...I never expected Orochimaru to have this kind of hobby...No wonder he hasn't had a goal all these years, even that bastard Shiki has one...

That's well hidden!

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag on his pipe to calm himself down. The information was simply too shocking; he was too old to handle such a shock.

He might not have believed this analysis if it came from Kakashi, but coming from Kakashi's mouth, he was basically convinced. Kakashi's growth was severely hampered by that damned Sharingan, but having served in so many ANBU squads, his analytical abilities were definitely top-notch. In addition, he had been wondering for many years whether Orochimaru, his beloved student, was so focused on his scientific career that he had no interest in finding girls. This was somewhat plausible, after all, his Second Hokage was the same. Moreover, his Second Hokage was the most handsome man in the ninja world back then, with a much greater reputation for beauty than Orochimaru. It is said that the old lady Chiyo of Sunagakure was still drooling over the Second Hokage's portrait for more than ten years after his death.

However, that was because the Second Hokage was genuinely busy with work. At that time, Konoha had only been established for a few years and was in a period of rapid development, so he simply didn't have the mind to indulge in romantic relationships. But that doesn't mean the Second Hokage was indifferent to women. Back then, he often saw a mysterious person who looked very similar to the Second Hokage occasionally entering and leaving entertainment venues. However, because the matter was of great importance and he didn't have any real evidence, he didn't dare to make any wild guesses.

But Orochimaru is different. Even if you're completely focused on research projects, you should still have some time, right?

He's not the Hokage, and he's not busy with work. He's still a man, and sexual intercourse is a normal need. But over the years, he has never heard of his beloved disciple having any scandals in this regard.

This is extremely abnormal.

I hadn't thought about it before, but now, after Kakashi's analysis, Hiruzen Sarutobi seems more and more likely...

Unbelievable!

Who would have thought that this seemingly upright and proper disciple would actually be this kind of person!

"Send more people to protect Uchiha Sasuke."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke to the shadows.

Now that he knew his beloved disciple had set his sights on Sasuke because of Itachi, he was even more determined not to let his disciple succeed. If Sasuke fell into his disciple's hands...

I can't imagine the torture they endured; just thinking about it sends chills down my spine...

.......

"Ah Qiu...hmm?"

Inside the tower in the center of the Death Forest, Snake Uncle, mingling among the examinees, sneezed for no apparent reason. He frowned, somewhat puzzled. Although he had not yet achieved mastery of his cultivation, his longevity technique had already yielded considerable results, allowing him to transcend the realm of ordinary people. In addition, as a ninja, he had not experienced minor illnesses such as colds or fevers for decades.

Now I'm sneezing for no reason at all.

For the first time in decades, he had a feeling that someone was talking badly about him behind his back.

Thinking back on all the people and things he's known over the years, it seems he doesn't have any deep-seated grudges against anyone.

Could it be that idiot Jiraiya?

978. Was Danzo, the Advisor to the Fire Country, handsome before?

The second exam, the Death Forest, was followed by another elimination round inside a tower. However, those were not very interesting; they mainly eliminated the weaklings. After all, the final exam was a public one. Konoha had learned from the lessons of Iwagakure and wanted the final exam to be as exciting as possible, avoiding the drawn-out and tedious process that Iwagakure went through last time. Therefore, they tried their best to select the elites for this exam.

After all, the audience has bought tickets and come here often. We can't expect them to watch those long, tedious videos of novices fighting and petty thugs squabbling together, can we?

The joint Chunin Exams hosted by Iwagakure have been criticized by many for Onoki's shamelessness. It's one thing to have some behind-the-scenes manipulation, since it's their home turf and a little bit of shady dealing is normal, but the exams dragged on and on. Of the several exams, only two or three were truly exciting, and the tickets were ridiculously expensive. If it weren't for the few exciting matches, people would have already gotten refunds!

Therefore, Konoha is striving for perfection this time. The first and second rounds were not open exams, which was to eliminate the weak. The remaining elites will be tested in the third open exam, which is where the real excitement begins. It doesn't matter if the tickets are a bit more expensive.

Hiruzen Sarutobi is different from Onoki. Onoki was used to being shameless, so he didn't care if people criticized him. But Hiruzen Sarutobi had to save face, and he couldn't be too unseemly when he was eating.

It must be said that, from this perspective, Hiruzen Sarutobi was quite qualified to be the leader of the number one ninja village in the ninja world. If he had gone to Iwagakure to be the Tsuchikage, he might not have done as well as Onoki, and Iwagakure would not have reached its current level. On the contrary, if Onoki had gone to Konoha to be the Hokage, the effect would have been the same.