Chapter 61: An Observer
Hokage Office, Hidden Leaf Village
The soft rustle of parchment echoed through the quiet Hokage office. Candlelight flickered beside a steadily growing stack of mission reports and intelligence updates. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, leaned over his desk, brush in hand, as he signed off on scroll after scroll—some routine, others more urgent.
His eyes moved with practiced efficiency… until one particular scroll caught his attention.
He paused.
It was a mission assignment—border surveillance, minimal risk on paper. But what made his brow furrow was the name stamped at the top.
Team Kenshiro.
He sat back slightly, studying the document more carefully. The details seemed ordinary enough. The rationale provided: "Team Kenshiro was the closest available unit near the border." A sensible decision. Logical, even.
But then he glanced at the signature authorizing the deployment.
A name he didn't recognize.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
A coincidence? he wondered.
The explanation was sound. The location made strategic sense. And with Danzo's recent maneuvers stirring quiet unrest, keeping trustworthy eyes near the edge of the village's reach wasn't a bad move.
Still…
Hiruzen's gaze lingered on the name a moment longer.
Then, with a slow exhale, he rolled the scroll back up and set it aside.
A knock echoed through the quiet of the office—sharp, deliberate.
Hiruzen didn't look up right away. "Enter."
The door opened with a soft creak, and in stepped a tall, pale figure draped in black and grey. The flame of the single candle cast long shadows behind him, stretching like serpents along the walls.
It was none other than Orochimaru, Sarutobi Hiruzen's favourite student... currently.
"Orochimaru," Hiruzen said, setting his brush down. "You're early."
"I don't like being late," Orochimaru replied smoothly, his voice low and dry. "Besides, I sensed you'd be… occupied."
Hiruzen offered a small, tired smile. "It's the job."
He gestured for Orochimaru to sit. The younger man declined, instead stepping toward the window, looking out over the village.
"For someone with the title of 'Hokage,' you do spend an awful lot of time staring at paper," Orochimaru murmured.
"Paper shapes the world more often than kunai," Hiruzen said. "Especially now."
A beat of silence passed between them.
Then Orochimaru spoke, still facing away. "You wanted to see me. Not just to exchange pleasantries, I imagine."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. "You're right. I have something I want you to do. Off the books."
Orochimaru finally turned, his golden eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
"You've heard the rumors. You've seen Danzo's recent movements. Assignments routed through back channels. Operatives being pulled from active teams and reassigned without explanation."
"Yes," Orochimaru said, folding his arms. "The air around him reeks of ambition."
"Exactly." Hiruzen's voice had lost all pretense of lightness now. "He's expanding Root again. Quietly. Beyond the parameters we agreed on."
"I thought Root was supposed to be under restrictions after the last review," Orochimaru said, though his tone suggested he never believed it for a moment.
"So did I," Hiruzen replied, rubbing his temples. "But Danzo always finds a way to hide behind necessity. He'll claim it's for the good of the village. That his methods are ugly, but necessary."
"And you?" Orochimaru asked, his voice unreadable.
"I disagree," Hiruzen said simply. "But I can't act without proof. Not yet. Which is why I'm placing someone I trust… inside."
Orochimaru arched an eyebrow. "You want me to join Root."
"Officially," Hiruzen said. "Temporarily. He's already shown interest in recruiting you. I plan to… approve it. On paper."
A flicker of something passed through Orochimaru's eyes. Not quite surprise. Something closer to amusement.
"You're using me as a spy."
Hiruzen didn't flinch. "I prefer 'observer.' But yes. You'll report directly to me. Quietly. If Danzo is crossing lines—or grooming operatives for purposes that serve him more than the village—I need to know. Before it's too late."
A pause.
Then Orochimaru chuckled softly. "How ironic," he murmured. "The teacher asking his student to spy on his old friend."
"I've known Danzo since we were boys," Hiruzen said quietly. "That's exactly why I can't ignore the signs anymore."
Orochimaru stepped away from the window and toward the desk, his expression unreadable. "And if I find nothing?"
"Then I'll be glad to be wrong," Hiruzen said. "Truly."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed in the candlelight. "And if I find something?"
Hiruzen didn't speak right away. Then:
"Then you come to me first. And I'll handle the rest."
Another long pause followed, the silence heavy with unspoken tension.
Then Orochimaru gave a small, shallow bow. "Very well. I'll play your game, sensei. But remember—snakes don't just slither into the dark. They thrive there."
He turned to leave.
At the door, he stopped. "One more thing," he said, not looking back. "What if Danzo already knows what you're doing?"
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "Then it's already too late to pretend we're playing by the old rules."
The door shut with a soft click behind Orochimaru.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, the candlelight flickering against the deep lines of his face. The fire outside the window danced in the wind, distant and small.
"Let's hope," he murmured to no one, "this fire still knows how to guide its own flames."
Outside, the village slept under the watchful eye of the Hokage monument. But far away, on a quiet border cloaked in wind and shadow…
The fire was already burning.
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