Kiyosuke staggered away, tongue numb and mouth full of strange tastes that were hard to describe.
With complicated feelings, he made his way to Orochimaru’s residence. Seeing that he was still conducting experints, Kiyosuke said,
"Orochimaru-sensei, the Hokage-sama summoned today to talk about the matter of succession."
"The next Hokage is Minato, isn’t it?" Orochimaru replied without even looking up.
"Yeah. I don’t want it."
"Mmm. That’s very much like you, Kiyosuke-kun."
Orochimaru didn’t stop his experint, adding,
"Minato is more suited for the position than you. Your personality can be a bit too forceful at tis—you wouldn’t let anyone interfere with your affairs. If you beca Hokage, the Elders would basically just beco decoration."
"Co on now, ’decoration’? That’s harsh. They’re such useful tools—if I didn’t use them, I’d feel sorry for them."
Kiyosuke shook his head.
"Anyway, it’s not my problem anymore."
Orochimaru said,
"Minato will be marginalized soon enough. Those old n won’t give up power so easily. Power is an addictive drug—it’s not sothing they’ll let go of without a fight. For at least the next two years, Minato will be restricted at every turn."
Danzō and the others wouldn’t relinquish their control easily. They’d sat in their positions too long to compromise—especially not for a younger man.
In their eyes, Minato was just Jiraiya’s student. Sure, his military record was impressive, but when it ca to political gas, he was still too green.
"Orochimaru-sensei, you have the qualifications to be Hokage too. Doesn’t it bother you?"
Orochimaru also had the right credentials—and Danzō was backing him...
Well... maybe that was the problem. With Danzō as your teammate, failure almost seems inevitable.
"There’s no need to be upset. Minato will just beco the Third’s puppet. He’s too young, and his reputation doesn’t match up to the Third or the Elders. I imagine that’s why the elders considered both you and Minato. But your personality just isn’t suited to being their puppet."
Orochimaru saw it all clearly—he’d long since seen through the ga.
Kiyosuke nodded.
"True. If I beca Hokage, I’d probably be brawling with the old man within three days. That sneaky geezer... Even if I let the Third slide, I’d definitely give the Elders a good beating."
Orochimaru twitched at the corner of his mouth, but he knew Kiyosuke was serious. With Sage Mode under his belt, Kiyosuke might struggle a bit against the Third, whose strength hadn’t entirely faded—but wiping the floor with the Elders? No problem.
"If there’s nothing else, take Anko and complete a few missions. I don’t have ti to babysit you two right now."
Orochimaru was busy—he’d acquired plenty of fresh materials from the battlefield and had lots of work to do.
...
Knock knock knock!
At that mont, soone knocked at the door.
Kiyosuke opened it to find a man in his fifties or sixties with a scar under his chin and bandages wrapped around his face. He was dressed in black, flanked by two masked ANBU—no, Root operatives.
"Orochimaru’s student? So it’s you, Asakawa Kiyosuke."
The visitor was none other than Shimura Danzō—Root’s leader and a Hokage advisor.
He gave Kiyosuke a long, deep look.
"Where is Orochimaru?"
"He’s inside, working on an experint."
"Take to him."
Kiyosuke raised an eyebrow but didn’t move.
Danzō frowned and repeated,
"I said, take to him."
Kiyosuke still said nothing.
The two ANBU beside Danzō made a move—but in the very next second, their bodies froze.
Two burning spears of fire hovered inches from their foreheads, radiating intense heat. A single thought from Kiyosuke, and they’d be skewered.
"Never learned what manners are, huh?"
Kiyosuke crossed his arms.
"What exactly brings you here, Danzō-sama? My sensei is busy."
"Just take to him."
The mont those words left his mouth, another spear of fire shot out, pointing directly at Danzō’s bandaged right eye.
"Danzō-sama, your eye’s kind of... unique. Also, you’re not exactly young anymore—maybe it’s ti you learned so manners."
Danzō narrowed his one visible eye.
"You’re impressive. Orochimaru’s raised quite the student."
Just then, Orochimaru erged.
"Well, if it isn’t Danzō. What brings you here?"
He turned to Kiyosuke.
"Kiyosuke-kun, they’re not here to cause trouble. It’s fine."
"I was just giving a little lesson to a rude old man."
Kiyosuke dismissed the fire spears with a wave.
"Seriously though, at your age you should be ho fishing or gardening. Wandering around like this—be careful not to break a hip!"
"No need for your concern."
Danzō’s voice was curt.
"Orochimaru, I need to speak with you."
He followed Orochimaru into the lab without another word.
...
Kiyosuke watched their backs in silence.
Orochimaru would still walk the sa path in the end.
It didn’t matter anymore.
Kiyosuke had already secured his place in Konoha. Even if he tried to stop Orochimaru from working with Danzō, it would be pointless. Orochimaru would conduct ninja experints no matter what.
His pursuit of truth would never end.
He was a solitary seeker of knowledge.
No one could walk that road with him.
But the road was steep—and it required resources.
Danzō just happened to be the shortcut Orochimaru needed.
Both of them had their own agendas, but that only made them more compatible.
Eventually, Orochimaru would defect.
But it wouldn’t affect Kiyosuke too much.
At most, his reputation in Konoha would take a hit.
But that didn’t matter to him—he’d never cared about reputation in the first place.
He didn’t even believe in the Will of Fire—what did reputation matter?
And if things really went south...
He could always move to Kirigakure and cling to that rich lady Terumi i’s long legs!
...
Yawning, he left.
On his way ho, he ran into soone he hadn’t seen in a while—Hyūga Hizashi.
For once, Hizashi’s usually gloomy face showed a hint of joy.
"Kiyosuke, I was just looking for you. I sent soone to find you this morning, but they said you weren’t around, so I ca myself. The day after tomorrow is my son’s hundred-day celebration—you have to co!"
He handed Kiyosuke an invitation.
Kiyosuke took it.
"You have a son?"
"Yeah!" Hizashi nodded.
"He was born just as the war was ending. Honestly, I have to thank you—if not for your victory in the Kirigakure battle, I might not have made it back in ti to host this."
"Oh, I’ll be there."
Back on the battlefield, Hizashi had looked out for him—and besides, this was the hundred-day banquet for Hyūga Neji, one of the future "Konoha 12."
He had to attend.
Still... I’m only twelve, and I already have to give out envelopes?
There’ll be more of these events in the future too...
Yeah, no. I need to grind so missions.
Otherwise, just the gift money alone is gonna bankrupt .
...
After saying goodbye to Hizashi, he went ho, slept through the night, and the next morning, set out with Anko to take a C-rank mission.
Ti to grind missions and make so cash!
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