"When did Root get to interfere with missions directly under the Hokage's Anbu?"
"Or perhaps, Lord Danzo has always had spies planted beside Hiruzen-sensei, intending to achieve some unspeakable goal?"
Orochimaru's figure appeared silently in the Hokage's office, uttering a sarcastic remark at Danzo's back.
The sudden voice startled the two men, who were lost in their own thoughts.
Hiruzen Sarutobi blinked in surprise, then his heart soared with joy.
"As expected of my most favored disciple, these words strike right at my heart!"
Danzo turned around, his squinting solitary eye filled with caution as he looked at the black-haired youth who had suddenly appeared behind him.
"When did this guy arrive? With my strength, I didn't detect any movement!"
Orochimaru met Danzo's gaze without flinching for a moment. Sensing the rapidly growing dark chakra within him, a genuine smile spread across his face.
Danzo was momentarily bewildered by Orochimaru's amiable expression, unable to comprehend how Orochimaru could smile at him with such a cheeky face after uttering such obviously sarcastic words.
"Hiruzen-sensei, I'm here!"
Orochimaru gave a slight nod to Hiruzen Sarutobi and greeted him with a smile.
"Yes!"
"How was the matter with the Sky Ninja spy handled?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked his beloved disciple with a knowing smile.
Orochimaru nodded in understanding.
"Although the process was a bit convoluted, the result is satisfactory. Thank you for your help, Sensei!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his disciple, whose spirit and energy had visibly improved by a level. His previous concerns about his disciple seeking illegitimate power through his help were finally put to rest, and he nodded with deep satisfaction.
"That's good!"
"Sensei heard from Sakumo that the Sky Ninja spy was quite formidable."
"This time, you have identified a hidden spy for the village and eliminated a major threat. Sensei will count this as an A-rank mission for you, how about it?"
Orochimaru glanced at Danzo, whose expression was growing increasingly grim, and gladly accepted his teacher's good intentions.
Without any further delay, Hiruzen Sarutobi pulled out the Jonin registry from his drawer, found the mission completion count on Orochimaru's record, and added a heavy stroke to the A-rank mission category.
Putting away the registry, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe and lit it. After taking a couple of puffs, he seemed to suddenly remember something and said:
"Orochimaru!"
"The main reason I called you here is that I have something to discuss with you."
"Elder Danzo has some doubts about your mission to apprehend the spy with the Anbu. If it's convenient for you, perhaps you can explain the process to him!"
Orochimaru nodded in agreement and turned to look at Danzo with a smile.
"Of course, it's convenient. May I ask what questions Lord Danzo has?"
"If the ninjas of Root lack experience in carrying out missions outside the village, this junior will not be stingy!"
Shimura Danzo was almost choked to death by Orochimaru's sarcastic words. He finally understood that this guy always had a smile on his face when he said such things.
"Orochimaru, watch your tone!"
"Although I haven't taught you, given my relationship with Hiruzen, I am still your elder!"
"What, has Hiruzen taught you for ten years without teaching you about respect for elders?"
Danzo's pointed sarcasm immediately caused Hiruzen Sarutobi's formerly cheerful face to fall, and he said with displeasure:
"Danzo, I have my own methods for teaching my disciples, and I don't need your concern."
Danzo's expression also soured after being retorted by Hiruzen Sarutobi. He hadn't expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to show him such a lack of respect in front of a junior, despite being teammates for so many years.
The apprehension he felt towards Orochimaru and his resentment towards Hiruzen Sarutobi for constantly occupying the position of Hokage quietly turned into a deeply hidden killing intent.
Orochimaru keenly sensed the emotional shift emanating from Shimura Danzo's heart and let out a wry smile.
"As expected of you, Danzo!"
"With such a small measure of magnanimity, it's no wonder you schemed for most of your life and only ended up as the acting Sixth Hokage, not even having your likeness carved on the Hokage Monument before meeting your end!"
Looking at this one-eyed man, whom people from another world jokingly called the 5.5th Hokage, a hint of disdain flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. If it were before he obtained the dark chakra, he might still have worried about Danzo making some covert moves, but now...
Heh!
Danzo was now merely an ambitious schemer who couldn't stand on the table. His two future prominent subordinates in the ninja world, Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune, were not yet born, and his own strength, apart from passable wind jutsu, was nothing to boast about.
Besides the Sharingan in his right eye, which was suspected to be Uchiha Mirror's, he did not yet have the right hand that would later be covered in resurrection coins, allowing him to squander them at will.
As a Jonin, Danzo, with merely two lives, could no longer pose a significant threat to him.
Without the slightest concern for Danzo's increasingly cold gaze, Orochimaru turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi, smiled, and asked softly:
"What is it that you wished to discuss, Hiruzen-sensei?"
"It's quite coincidental, disciple also has something I wish to get Sensei's permission for."
Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe and shook his head slightly.
"You, you!"
He sighed affectionately at his disciple's knack for seizing opportunities, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned slightly somber.
"Orochimaru, you are aware that there are now vacant positions in the Anbu."
"Sensei wants to ask if you have any intention of temporarily joining the Anbu?"
"I can make the decision for you, Sensei, and waive the assessment for joining the Anbu, how about it?"
The Anbu, originally founded by the Second Hokage, was divided into four squads, each comprising a squad leader and sixteen members. Including the two captains, a total of seventy people.
Apart from a squad of seventeen that Shimura Danzo had assigned to Root, Hiruzen Sarutobi's direct Anbu now consisted of just over fifty people.
While the number might not seem large, each Anbu member who passed the practical assessment, background check, loyalty tests, and other rigorous evaluations was an elite among elites.
In terms of strength alone, the minimum standard for joining the Anbu was at least a Special Jonin, or one of the top-tier Chunin.
The two captains of the Anbu were the future legendary Konoha White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's eldest son, who had recently retired from the Anbu due to injury. This son, like his father, was a powerful Jonin proficient in all elemental ninjutsu.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's invitation for Orochimaru to join the Anbu at this time clearly indicated his desire to groom Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was genuinely moved by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
However, despite his feelings, the current Orochimaru did not wish to be constrained by the busy duties of an Anbu captain.
If it were before, the position of Anbu captain would indeed have provided him with many conveniences and connections without much self-protection.
But now...
The foundation he had just acquired had not yet been converted into his own strength. Before the Second Great Ninja War fully erupted, Orochimaru did not want other matters to distract him.
The cultivation of the Body Reanimation Secret Technique, the conversion of his internal chakra towards Yin-Yang release, journeying to the Snake Sage's Cave to obtain what was rightfully his...
All of these required Orochimaru to expend a great deal of effort, and all other irrelevant matters could be temporarily set aside.
With the memories of the future, Orochimaru deeply understood how dangerous the ninja world truly was. Instead of wasting time on scheming with a hidden rat like Danzo, it was better to focus on improving his own strength.
Once his strength reached a certain level, coupled with his current identity, let alone the position of Anbu captain, even the position of Fourth Hokage would be within his grasp.
Shimura Danzo?
He was merely a clown.
With this thought, Orochimaru, under Hiruzen Sarutobi's expectant gaze, shook his head and politely declined the invitation to join the Anbu.
"Sensei, I currently have no intention of joining the Anbu!"
"And..."
"My battle with the Iwagakure ninja earlier revealed some of my own shortcomings."
"Before that incident, I wish to temporarily stop accepting missions from the village and focus on improving my own strength."
"Therefore..."
"I wish to request a long leave from Sensei to consolidate my recent gains into my strength."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused his pipe-smoking action and, after a long moment, finally reacted. He exhaled a long puff of smoke and asked slowly:
"How long?"
Considering the time required for cultivating the Body Reanimation Secret Technique and the round trip to the Snake Sage's Cave, Orochimaru stated concisely:
"Three months!"