Transmigrating as the Third Hokage: Make Konoha Great Again!

The 'reincarnation' technique he researched could indeed seize another person's body, and he had actually fantasized about it in the dead of night…

If one day I part ways with Konoha, I can try switching genders; it might be quite interesting.

But now...

Orochimaru glanced at his teacher and smiled slightly.

There's probably no need for that.

Tsunade ate heartily.

For her, after the tragic deaths of her lover and younger brother, the few important people in her heart, besides Mito Uzumaki, were the people sitting on the table.

Seeing that the Sarutobi crew was gradually drifting away and the atmosphere of the past was gone, Tsunade originally planned to leave the village in a few days to clear her head.

Out of sight, out of mind.

But now... this plan has to be temporarily cancelled.

Her teacher is implementing reforms, and it seems she's somehow reconciled with Orochimaru...

We must stay and help the teachers and the village!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's speech today was particularly inspiring to the three of them.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Hiruzen Sarutobi clinked glasses with his beloved students and drank them down.

"Did I do alright today?" Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and lit his pipe. "What do you guys think of their reactions?"

"That's really impressive!" Jiraiya gave a thumbs up. "I think today's emergency drill was very meaningful!"

“My apprentice, Minato, told me that the village's security is a bit lax; sometimes he can spot the Anbu, but the Anbu can't spot him…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow, pondering the name.

He rescued Kushina; she was a commoner ninja and Jiraiya's newly accepted apprentice.

"The Anbu couldn't find him?" Tsunade frowned. "The Anbu's performance today was alright. Could they actually be that lax?"

"You can't say that... Minato is a first-rate genius!" Jiraiya exclaimed excitedly, gesturing wildly. "I think he will become a very powerful ninja!"

"My disciple Minato has the potential to become Hokage!"

Tsunade chuckled: "A fresh graduate, already a potential Hokage? You really are something, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya immediately retorted, "You don't understand, Tsunade! She's a true genius!"

Tsunade gestured towards Orochimaru with her chin: "Look, there's another genius over there whom you've known since childhood. Ask him for his opinion..."

Jiraiya was speechless, but still stubbornly retorted, "What's so great about that stinky snake? Minato is much stronger than he was when he was a kid!"

"A true genius can develop in three to five years, and might even be able to compete with that stinky snake!"

Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, as if swatting a fly: "I can't be bothered with you."

Tsunade could only say "This is ridiculous!" in response to Jiraiya's remarks.

Unless Orochimaru gives up on himself, Tsunade doesn't think anyone else has a chance of taking over the Hokage position from Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Orochimaru sipped his sake, not taking Minato Namikaze to heart, only thinking that Jiraiya was being stubborn.

That's interesting. Who isn't a genius?

"How pathetic, Jiraiya, have you placed all your hopes on your apprentice?"

"So be it. To be an enemy of this genius, this is the inevitable outcome."

"Damn stinking snake? What stinking nonsense!" Jiraiya yelled, "You don't understand Minato!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took in the entire scene.

In this cruel ninja world, the bonds cultivated from childhood are extremely different... When the three of them are together, the genuine relaxation and happiness they feel cannot be faked.

And he also understood why, despite growing up together, Jiraiya couldn't win Tsunade's heart.

That person is incredibly stubborn and has incredibly low emotional intelligence!

"You only talk about your apprentices, why don't you think about doing a good job and becoming the Fourth Hokage?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi flicked a peanut at Jiraiya's forehead: "My grand-disciple was just a Chunin, wasn't he?"

Jiraiya waved his hands repeatedly: "Oh dear, I'm willing to work for the village! But I really can't be Hokage, you should do this job, old man... it's too mentally taxing!"

"Useless thing." Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed and cursed, then took out a scroll and handed it to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru took it: "Sensei, what is this?"

"This is Danzo's report against you, concerning your unauthorized research into forbidden Wood Release experiments, theft of important village ninjutsu, embezzlement of Konoha research funds, and the formation of cliques..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said softly.

The harmonious atmosphere froze instantly.

Orochimaru's snake eyes involuntarily narrowed as he took the materials, his emotions fluctuating wildly like a rollercoaster!

"hehe…"

Orochimaru quickly flipped through the scroll, inwardly cursing a bad feeling, but trying his best to remain calm on the surface.

Although Danzo embellished the story considerably, he did not make any major mistakes.

He did indeed do those things.

Orochimaru's mind raced. Why would Danzo betray him?

He was involved in these things, and by dragging himself into this mess, how can he possibly escape unscathed?

"Teacher, you don't actually believe this is true, do you?" Orochimaru's voice involuntarily became hoarse.

"Let me see!" Tsunade leaned forward and took the scroll.

Jiraiya watched as well, and the expressions of both of them gradually became complicated.

Oh no, this is really well-structured; the chain of evidence is detailed enough to withstand scrutiny…

"Based on my understanding of you, it's nine parts truth and one part falsehood, right?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi silently lit his pipe and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke: "Danzo must have put his own affairs on your shoulders as well, especially when it comes to funding."

"You've probably tricked him out of his research funding quite a bit, haven't you? I think he's harboring a lot of resentment..."

Orochimaru's eyes flashed.

He couldn't figure out his teacher's intentions anymore.

Is this tone meant to reprimand him? It seems like he doesn't want to punish him severely?

"You stinky snake, what exactly do you want?" Jiraiya rubbed his forehead, his eyes filled with doubt: "Are you going to betray the village?"

Is he really a genius?

According to Danzo Shimura, Konoha already has a small group of Orochimaru's loyal followers who have money and ninjutsu resources.

If things continue like this, it's entirely possible that one day we'll form our own hidden village!

"Teacher, Orochimaru may have gone too far, but he certainly didn't do it on purpose. There must be some misunderstanding!" Jiraiya quickly explained for his friend.

"You can't believe everything Danzo says!"

Tsunade chimed in, "Sensei, we must not listen to Danzo's side of the story. Orochimaru might have been murdered!"

Orochimaru felt a warmth in his heart.

Although they bicker with each other on a daily basis, Jiraiya and Tsunade are still willing to speak up for him when something really happens.

"Alright, Orochimaru didn't make any fundamental mistakes."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up, setting the tone for the matter: "Our master and I have gradually drifted apart since the Second Shinobi World War."

Exhaustion was evident on his face.

The performance then began.

"After the Kushina incident, I started to think about this issue that I didn't want to face."

"It's wrong of you to keep what you've done from me, the Hokage, but the general direction is correct."

"You think I'm too conservative and inflexible, so you do it on your own, right?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a sip of his drink: "Since the three of you are here today, let's talk behind closed doors."

Why was I so conservative in the past?

Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya exchanged glances with Hiruzen Sarutobi and gently shook their heads.

"Because change always comes at a price, and change is not always a good thing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag on his cigarette: "I am of average appearance, but I was fortunate enough to take on the responsibility of the third Hokage, so I am very confused, ever since the day I became Hokage."

“I still feel fear. I worry that I won’t be a good Hokage… I have neither the strength of the First Hokage nor the wisdom of the Second Hokage, but I still became Hokage.”

"Therefore, I am unwilling to adjust the policy framework for the second generation, so I can only work hard and do everything personally, for fear of failing the will of the previous generation."

"But the village is not developing well."

"During the Second Shinobi World War, I even thought about running away... I wished I could be a charging Jonin, taking away one Konoha enemy after another, dying on the battlefield as a hero, so I wouldn't have to bear this pressure."

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled self-deprecatingly:

"Actually, some people have noticed, right? When I was young, I was a strong young man with the same build as Jiraiya. After serving as Hokage for a few years, even my height started to shrink. Even though I'm still middle-aged, I look like an old man."

Tsunade's expression gradually turned serious. As a more emotional person, she could better feel the suffocating pressure in her teacher's words.

Jiraiya felt the same way; disgusted with politics, he found it hard to breathe just listening to this narration.

Orochimaru listened silently, his eyes fixed on his teacher, and the resentment buried in his heart gradually began to dissipate.

The teacher also has his difficulties.

"After the incident in Kumogakure, I dreamed of the Second Hokage, and in the dream he scolded me severely."

He said, 'Monkey, how can you be so cowardly! If each generation of Konoha doesn't have more confidence than the last, the village will be destroyed sooner or later!'

"After I woke up, I thought about it for a long time... Rather than saying it was a second-generation apparition, it was probably my subconscious."

"It's not too late to make amends! I will start changing Konoha from now on. I will do whatever is beneficial to the village, and I will eliminate whatever stands in my way!"