"Teacher, Elder Danzo isn't planning to..." Amemiya Kenichi drew a line across his throat with his finger.
Danzo had been eyeing the Hokage position for years. If the Third Hokage hadn't kept him in check for so long, he would have made his move long ago. Now, the opportunity was perfect.
Kenichi couldn't understand why Danzo was holding back.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen lost his arm for the village, and he has no intention of leaving," Orochimaru sneered. "My teacher is truly cautious."
Kenichi nodded in understanding. That made sense. The Third Hokage's reputation in the village was still strong. His impassioned speech about the Will of Fire at the funeral had won him widespread acclaim.
Any incident within the village now would be a direct slap in the face. The only safe way would be to assassinate the Third Hokage outside the village.
But the Third Hokage clearly had no intention of leaving. He was determined to resolve his arm issue quickly and reclaim his position as Hokage.
"The reward for this mission is quite generous," Orochimaru said, his mood brightening at the thought. "Helping out won't be a loss."
Amemiya Kenichi nodded knowingly. No wonder his teacher had agreed to help.
But it seemed Teacher Orochimaru didn't harbor a strong desire to kill the Third Hokage right now. Had something changed?
"Alright, you proposed the concept of rejection. Now you need to help. Let's go. Sarutobi is getting impatient." Orochimaru waved his hand. His teacher was clearly in a hurry.
Everyone in Konoha knew they couldn't directly attack Sarutobi in the village. But this opportunity was too rare to pass up.
Even if Danzo didn't strike against Sarutobi Hiruzen, he might push for his own appointment as the Fifth Hokage.
If that happened, all of Teacher Orochimaru's efforts would be for nothing.
And knowing Danzo's nature, he'd likely set his plan in motion soon.
In the past, Orochimaru would have been intrigued. But now he saw through it all. He had no desire to get entangled in this rotten political vortex that made him want to vomit.
Konoha needed new life, and new life often sprang from the ashes of destruction.
"My help?" Amemiya Kenichi was taken aback for a moment, but then he realized his teacher had probably just brought him along as an afterthought.
After all, he had already explained the issue of rejection in detail, and his teacher understood it well. Theoretically, there was no reason for him to need Kenichi's assistance.
But once they entered the building, Kenichi finally understood why his teacher had brought him here.
The hall was filled with ninjas, some excited, some terrified, some anxious—a kaleidoscope of human emotions.
"Teacher, what is this?" Kenichi asked, remembering his teacher's earlier mention of arm transplantation.
Was this how the procedure would be done?
"Yesterday's dead and wounded ninjas have been buried, but decomposition has already begun," Orochimaru said calmly, though Kenichi could sense a coldness in his eyes.
"The Sarutobi Clan has issued a call. The ninja who ultimately provides the Third Hokage with an arm will receive a substantial pension and a position at the mission assembly hall." Hearing this, Kenichi understood.
As Amemiya Kenichi had suspected, these people were all here for compatibility testing. The one with the highest compatibility would have their arm transplanted to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Some were likely motivated by financial reasons. After all, the generous pension and a job at the Mission Assembly Hall were tempting, even at the cost of their left arm.
Others were driven by the Will of Fire, believing it an honor to sacrifice for a hero like the Third Hokage.
"This is practically brainwashing," Amemiya Kenichi muttered, shaking his head. Still, he kept his thoughts to himself and focused on his work.
Despite the large number of participants, the process moved swiftly thanks to the Anbu maintaining order and the Third Hokage's frequent appearances to express his gratitude.
Watching the lucky candidate who had been selected early on, Amemiya Kenichi wiped his hands.
The medical ninjutsu in the Naruto World was truly bizarre. Procedures that would be incredibly difficult in his previous life were easily performed here.
Seeing the Third Hokage's sincere gratitude and the ninja's proud, beaming face, Amemiya Kenichi couldn't help but feel this world was utterly surreal.
"Let's go. Our business here is done." Orochimaru turned and left without hesitation. If he hadn't needed to stay and observe, searching for a suitable target, he would have left long ago. Now, he was finally free to go.
As Amemiya Kenichi departed, he couldn't resist glancing back. The Third Hokage happened to be looking in their direction, and their eyes met.
The Third Hokage stood bathed in sunlight, surrounded by jubilant ninja.
Kenichi turned away and followed his teacher into the dim corridor. It was empty except for the distant cheers.
But when they pushed open the door, sunlight streamed in.
"Want to get some barbecue, Kenichi?" Orochimaru smiled at his disciple. Kenichi paused, startled.
For a moment, he involuntarily superimposed the image of that girl—the suspected Immortality Reincarnation subject—onto his teacher.
If Teacher looked like that girl...
"Sure, Teacher," Kenichi replied, his smile radiant.
It was the familiar Akimichi Family Barbecue Restaurant, but this time Teacher Orochimaru had unexpectedly invited Anko Mitarashi. Amemiya Kenichi was a little surprised, but not overly so.
However, as he watched his teacher occasionally check on Anko at the table, Kenichi's expression turned peculiar.
The scene felt like someone settling their affairs before leaving.
Of course, Orochimaru would never die, so this couldn't be about settling affairs. That left only one possibility: his teacher was planning to leave Konoha Village. This seemed highly likely.
That's why he'd invited Anko and said some things to her—things that others might not see as caring.
But for Kenichi, who knew his teacher well, this was an unprecedented display of concern.
"Are you leaving Konoha?" Kenichi asked, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Conducting experiments in Konoha was fraught with obstacles. Leaving might be troublesome at first, but it would grant him far greater freedom later on, allowing him to pursue all his research without restraint.
Amemiya Kenichi glanced at his teacher, a strange idea forming in his mind.