Only I can make Konoha Village great again.

Shimura Danzo stared in disbelief at Yamanaka Hatsukyu and Orochimaru.

"How dare you kill me?"

"Unforgivable!"

"Orochimaru! Hiruzen trusted you so much and relied on you so much, yet you dared to kill me?"

Orochimaru laughed: "Shimura Danzo, where did you get this deeply ingrained rule that 'I can't be killed by a Konoha ninja' from?"

Yamanaka Hatsukyu looked at Danzo with disdain: "Can't I kill you?"

"Danzo, think about it yourself. In your pursuit of power, how many innocent Konoha ninja did you kill, and how many people who trusted you did you betray?"

"How many ninjas have died in the Root organization you created?"

Even if you were a master strategist, you wouldn't waste your troops like this.

"And despite the immense sacrifices made by Root, has it ever resolved even a single crisis for Konoha?"

"No! Not even once!"

"You yourself treat human life like dirt, regarding the lives of Konoha ninja as worthless. Why do you think you are above being killed when it's your turn to die?"

"How can that be the same?"

"I am the Hokage's assistant, an elder of Konoha Village!"

Danzo was so angry that he trembled all over. He slammed his cane heavily on the sea, stirring up a wave.

He glared fiercely at Yamanaka Chu Jiu, his killing intent almost overwhelming Chu Jiu: "Whether they're Konoha ninjas or Root ninjas, ninjas are just tools. How can they be compared to an elder like me?"

Orochimaru scoffed, "Danzo, Konoha doesn't have the position of elder."

"If ninjas are tools, then you yourself are a ninja and a tool. To prevent Konoha from falling into civil war, you should obediently die."

Danzo roared, "I am not a tool! I am Shimura Danzo, destined to become Hokage, to lead Konoha to become a great Hokage once again!"

Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils flashed with mockery: "What a childish idea, what a feeble argument. No wonder the Second Hokage didn't choose you as Hokage."

"Although my teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi has many flaws, you, with your immaturity, absolutely cannot become Hokage, otherwise it will inevitably lead to the destruction of Konoha Village."

Danzo Shimura's weak point was struck, and he jumped up and roared, "You're talking nonsense! I'm the most suitable candidate for Hokage! I was just a step too slow, just one step too late!"

Yamanaka Chukyu suddenly burst into laughter: "No way, you still don't know why you lost to the Third Hokage?"

"Foolish Danzo, don't you understand? If you had been the first to step forward, the Second Hokage would have taken you with him to intercept the pursuers, allowing Hiruzen Sarutobi to inherit the Hokage position!"

Danzo Shimura's one eye widened: "Impossible! What makes you say that?"

Yamanaka Chujiu sneered, "Explaining things to idiots is such a hassle... Huh?"

Orochimaru suddenly punched Yamanaka Hatsuyu on the head and said coldly, "I don't know why either. Give me a proper explanation."

"Oh." Yamanaka Hatsukyu explained, "At that time, the ninja clans of Konoha were still powerful. In order to secure the position of Hokage, it was necessary to unite the future Kage-level ninjas to the greatest extent possible and suppress the Kage-level ninjas of the Hyuga, Uchiha and other ninja clans."

"Back then, there weren't many Konoha ninjas with the potential to become Kage-level ninjas and who could command the respect of their clans."

Orochimaru understood and continued, "I see, Sakumo Hatake-senpai, it's me, Jiraiya, and Tsunade."

"Moreover, Tsunade is the most special. She is the granddaughter of the First Hokage and Lady Mito Uzumaki, the granddaughter of the Daimyo, a symbolic figure of the Senju clan, and someone that Jiraiya and I would risk our lives to protect."

Yamanaka Chukyu said, "Orochimaru-sensei, you finally understand. Everyone says that the Hokage and the Daimyo are the twin jewels of the Land of Fire, but in reality, Lady Tsunade is the jewel of Konoha."

"Whoever can control Lady Tsunade will directly control three Kage-level ninjas, the Senju clan who have been integrated into Konoha, geniuses among commoner ninjas, and the full support of the Daimyo himself."

"So when the Second Hokage was in danger and couldn't wait for the Legendary Sannin of Konoha to grow up, the Third Hokage could only be Hiruzen Sarutobi."

"Shimura Danzo, your hesitation at that time actually saved your own life; otherwise, you would have become a name on a memorial stone long ago."

Danzo Shimura finally understood, but he was also utterly desperate.

"So, Tobirama-sensei had already chosen Hiruzen, which is why he arranged for Tsunade to be his disciple..."

"So I've already been abandoned..."

"So I was never the teacher's chosen candidate for Hokage?"

Shan Zhongchu chuckled and said, "Isn't that just common sense?"

"Or, why don't you ask your teacher, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, for yourself?"

Danzo Shimura's eyes flashed with unusual ferocity: "I will go to the Pure Land to ask my teacher, but not now!"

"I refuse to accept this. I will become Hokage, die as Hokage, and then go to the Pure Land to inquire."

"Now, I'll send you two to the Pure Land first!"

Yamanaka Chujiu shook his head in disappointment: "I've explained myself so clearly, yet you still don't understand."

"After the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice, Hiruzen Sarutobi could coax you into supporting his restoration, but he wouldn't even give you a chance to become Hokage. What right do you have to challenge him?"

"Danzo, you're so stupid I almost pity you..."

Meanwhile, Orochimaru was already forming hand seals, then slammed his hand onto the water's surface: "Summoning Jutsu: Impure World Reincarnation!"

A coffin rose from the water, with the number "two" clearly written on its lid, exuding an unsettling, foul odor.

Orochimaru chuckled, "Chu Jiu, did your teacher guess correctly?"

Yamanaka Chuku gave a thumbs-up: "Well done, Orochimaru-sensei!"

"Truly worthy of being the great Konoha ninja who is about to become the Fifth Hokage!"

Amidst the creaking sound of wood rubbing together, a voice asked, "Fifth Hokage? Konoha is about to have a Fifth Hokage?"

The person who emerged from the coffin was clad in armor from the Warring States period, possessed beautiful white hair, had a cold and stern face, and sharp, piercing eyes.

He exuded an aura of authority cultivated through years of political maneuvering and wielding the power of life and death.

He glanced indifferently at the ninjas present, his calm and sharp gaze causing all of them to instinctively hold their breath.

Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage of Konoha.

It's not alive.

The moment Danzo saw the Second Hokage, his face turned deathly pale, his whole body trembled uncontrollably, and his eyes were filled with fear and resentment.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

After several attempts, Shimura Danzo finally calmed down and asked the question that made him uneasy: "Tobirama-sensei, they say you lied to me."

"They said that even if I had expressed my willingness to follow you and fight alongside you against the enemy before Hiruzen did, you would not have let me succeed as the Third Hokage."

"They said you would make Hiruzen the Third Hokage, and that you would take me with you to fight against Kinkaku and Ginkaku, and that you would guarantee I would die in battle."

"Teacher...did you really lie to me?"