Chapter 62: I Will Be the Hokage  

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The Third Hokage was dead.

In his final moments, he had sacrificed the last remnants of his life force to take Orochimaru's hands.

Orochimaru, still seething with rage, cursed, "Wouldn't it have been better if you had done this sooner?"

"If you had died for the Fourth Hokage during the Nine-Tails' attack, wouldn't so many things have turned out differently?" Orochimaru tried to move his fingers, even if only slightly.

But it was in vain. The Shinigami had taken not only Orochimaru's hands but also his ability to perform ninjutsu. For Orochimaru, this was a fate worse than death.

With the Third Hokage gone, Konoha would not allow Orochimaru to escape so easily.

The barrier surrounding them was on the brink of collapse, a testament to the fierce battle that had raged within it.

Orochimaru chuckled bitterly as he looked at the Konoha shinobi outside the barrier: Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi, Might Guy, and Kurenai Yuhi. These shinobi were now his enemies.

Death was not what he feared; what he feared was dying without purpose. But now, with his ninjutsu stripped away, Orochimaru had no means of escape.

The purple barrier shattered like glass in an instant. Kakashi was the first to charge at Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru! This ends now!" he shouted, his voice filled with resolve as he unleashed his Raikiri.

Kakashi moved with blinding speed, faster than even lightning itself. But just as he was about to strike, a figure appeared before Orochimaru.

Clad in a yellow mask and navy-blue attire, the figure caused Kakashi to stop dead in his tracks, his instincts screaming that advancing further would lead to certain death.

Kakashi stared at the masked man, a strange sense of familiarity gnawing at him.

"Goodbye, Kakashi. We will meet again," the figure said slowly. It was Obito.

He placed a hand on Orochimaru's shoulder, and in an instant, the space around them distorted, causing both Orochimaru and Obito to vanish.

Kabuto Yakushi, standing amidst the chaos, also disappeared.

"Lord Orochimaru, even without your ninjutsu, I will always follow you! Even if you cannot fulfill your dream, I will carry it forward!" Kabuto declared passionately as he vanished, his gaze lingering on Sasuke—the vessel of Orochimaru's cherished ambition.

Meanwhile, outside Konoha, in the Land of Grass, Orochimaru and Obito reappeared. Orochimaru turned to Obito, his eyes narrowed. "Why did you help me?"

"You were not meant to die in Konoha; that was not your fate," Obito replied, his voice emotionless.

Orochimaru smirked darkly. "Heh, you remind me of someone... an old friend."

"Who?" Obito asked, his tone flat.

"Uchiha Madara—or rather, the man who claims to be him, the leader of the Akatsuki," Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with intrigue.

"I am not him; you are mistaken," Obito said, his voice betraying no emotion.

Orochimaru's smile widened as he replied, "Perhaps I am."

He then turned and walked deeper into the Land of Grass, leaving Obito behind, feeling a twinge of loneliness as the snake-like man disappeared into the shadows.

Orochimaru's heart raced with a twisted excitement. As a former member of the Akatsuki, he knew its members were powerful beyond measure.

Pain, in particular, was an enigma, a force even Orochimaru could not contend with.

Having once been a part of Akatsuki, Orochimaru had encountered the mysterious masked man who now commanded such terrifying power with ease.

This made Orochimaru wary, for he had not only defected from Konoha but also from the Akatsuki. Though resurrection was possible, it was a formidable challenge.

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Back in Konoha, the death of the Third Hokage brought the Chunin Exams to an early and abrupt end.

Shinobi from the Hidden Rain, Stone, and Sand Villages were swiftly escorted back to their homelands. Only three shinobi from the Land of Grass remained, trembling with fear.

Originally, there had been seven from the Land of Grass: one instructor, five shinobi, and one medical-nin.

But now, the medical-nin was gone, and the instructor had vanished. Konoha had detained the remaining three, leaving them in a state of sheer panic.

Konoha offered an explanation: due to the Uchiha clan's negligence, two elite shinobi from the Land of Grass had perished in Konoha.

Consequently, Uchiha Fugaku, head of the Uchiha clan, led Uchiha Itachi and other high-ranking Uchiha officials to the Land of Grass to make amends.

In the Hokage Building, the heads of the major clans exchanged uneasy glances. The only surviving high-ranking official from Konoha was Utatane Koharu.

Faced with the vacant Hokage position, Koharu hesitated, uncertain of what to do.

After a long, tense silence, Nara Shikaku broke the standoff. "The death of the Third Hokage is a tragedy that fills us all with sorrow! But the village cannot be without a Hokage for even a day. We must elect a new Fifth Hokage. If anyone has a suitable candidate, please speak up now!"

The room remained silent, no one daring to respond. Finally, a voice broke the silence. "I propose Uchiha Fugaku as the candidate. He is the most obvious choice!" The room fell into shocked silence at the unexpected source of the suggestion—Uchiha Fugaku himself.

With a slight smile, Fugaku continued, "Since no one else seems willing to take on the role of Hokage, I, Uchiha Fugaku, shall step up. Let us not forget that Konoha still owes the Uchiha clan a Hokage!"

As Fugaku finished speaking, the room remained deathly quiet. After a moment, he pressed on, "Why is no one speaking? Who agrees or disagrees? I need a clear answer!"

Nara Shikaku cleared his throat and replied, "While it is true that the Uchiha clan is powerful, Konoha belongs to everyone, not just the Uchiha. Therefore, we cannot support your claim to the Hokage position."

Fugaku's face twisted in frustration. "Why not?! In terms of strength, I have the Uchiha clan behind me, and I have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan! As for qualifications, I am the captain of the Konoha Police Force and have dedicated years to Konoha's security. During the Third Shinobi World War, over fifty adult Uchiha sacrificed their lives!"

Shikaku calmly countered, "Strength alone does not define a Hokage. Your clan has produced a traitor, which disqualifies you from the position."

Fugaku's anger flared, his teeth clenched in fury. "I am not a traitor!"

"But the traitor's name is Uchiha!" someone shot back.

Tension thickened in the room as everyone braced for Fugaku's reaction.

Just then, the door creaked open, and a middle-aged man with unkempt white hair entered, a forehead protector bearing the kanji for "oil" tied around his head.

It was Jiraiya.

"I have a candidate for Hokage!" he announced, his voice cutting through the tension.

Fugaku glared at him. "Who?!"

Jiraiya replied confidently, "Tsunade-hime!"

Tsunade, granddaughter of Senju Hashirama, possessed both Senju and Uzumaki blood.

As one of Konoha's legendary Sannin, if she could be convinced to return, she would be a formidable candidate for Hokage.

Nara Shikaku asked cautiously, "Jiraiya, do you know where Tsunade is?"

Jiraiya nodded. "I don't know her exact location, but I'm confident I can find her within three days!"

Fugaku, desperate to seize the position, insisted, "I demand a vote! Those who support my claim to the Hokage position, raise your hands!"

He scanned the room, but no one raised their hand—not even Hyuga Hiashi.

Hiashi grappled with his decision, if he didn't support Fugaku, it could deepen the divide between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans.

After a moment of hesitation, he raised his hand, aligning himself with the Uchiha.

Seeing Hiashi's support, Fugaku felt a surge of satisfaction.

Even if he couldn't become Hokage today, the backing of the Hyuga clan ensured that the Uchiha clan would not be easily intimidated by any future Hokage.

After Fugaku departed, someone asked Hiashi, "Why did you support Uchiha Fugaku as Hokage?"

Hiashi responded calmly, "The Uchiha clan is ambitious. Their desires won't cease until they achieve ultimate power. If they produce another figure like Uchiha Madara, the consequences could be dire."

Yamanaka Inoichi interjected, "Are you suggesting a Fourth Shinobi World War?!"

Hiashi replied, his voice steady, "If the shinobi world can be unified, so be it. The sins of today may lead to benefits in the future."

His words left the room in stunned silence, but Hiashi remained resolute.

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Meanwhile, in the Land of Grass, Tsunade was gambling in a casino, her mood sour. Suddenly, Shizune burst in, her eyes red from crying.

"Lady Tsunade, the Third Hokage... he's dead!" Shizune exclaimed, her voice trembling.

Tsunade froze, her heart sinking like a stone. "What did you say?"

"The Third Hokage has passed away!" Shizune repeated, her voice breaking.

Tears welled up in Tsunade's eyes as she whispered, "The old man... he's gone? The old man is really gone?!"

A nearby burly man noticed her distress and approached. "Are you alright?"

In a fit of rage, Tsunade grabbed his arm and slammed it onto the table, embedding it into the wood. "Leave me alone!" she snapped.

Turning to Shizune, she commanded, "We're going back to Konoha!"

As they hurried back, Tsunade asked, "How did he die?"

Shizune explained, "Orochimaru disguised himself as the Kazekage and used the Impure World Reincarnation to summon the First and Second Hokage, leading to the Third's death!"

Tsunade's heart filled with a mix of anger and grief. Orochimaru, her former comrade, had used her grandfathers to kill her beloved mentor.

With fierce determination, Tsunade's chakra flared, and the ground cracked beneath her feet. She could sense Orochimaru's presence nearby, and her rage ignited.

Without hesitation, Tsunade charged toward the source of the chakra.

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On the other side, Orochimaru attempted to use ninjutsu despite his missing hands, but he could only manage the most basic techniques.

Powerful jutsu required hand seals, which he could no longer perform.

Suddenly, he sensed a familiar chakra and looked up just in time to see a figure descending upon him.

Tsunade, filled with fury, landed with a crash, creating a massive crater. "Orochimaru! You monster! Why did you kill the Third Hokage?!" she demanded, her voice shaking with anger.

Orochimaru retorted, "He was no longer fit to be my teacher or Hokage. The shinobi world has stagnated for too long; his death was necessary to ignite the flames of change!"

Tsunade was incensed by his twisted justification. "You're insane!"

At that moment, Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses and urged, "Lord Orochimaru, we need to leave now!"

Orochimaru, taken aback, asked, "Why are you here?!"

Kabuto declared passionately, "I will always follow Lord Orochimaru's path!" He summoned blue chakra scalpels into his hands, ready to defend his master with his life.

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