Marvel: Trading with Worlds

The Hokage succession ceremony was held as scheduled, with the Fire Country daimyo also in attendance to support the event. It was a grand ceremony.

Sarutobi Hiruzen handed the Hokage hat to Orochimaru with a blank expression, symbolizing the transfer of power. 

However, this was a brand-new hat because Kain had asked Orochimaru one question: "Will you continue to wear the bamboo hat that the old man wore for more than ten years?"

After hearing this, Orochimaru requested a new Hokage hat. Sarutobi Hiruzen, however, believed it was a provocation to his teacher.

Thousands of people cheered as the streets near the Hokage building were filled with citizens from Konoha Village, all gathered to witness the succession ceremony. 

The event was brief, and soon, the security team quickly evacuated the crowd to prevent any accidents.

Once the ceremony concluded, Orochimaru officially became the Fourth Hokage.

Returning to the Hokage office, Orochimaru didn't show any signs of excitement. To him, everything felt like a natural progression. 

What occupied his thoughts now was finding the best place to relocate his laboratory outside the village. He also planned to continue cultivating fire dragons and other magical creatures, building a team in an aboveboard manner.

Boom!

The door to the Hokage's office was suddenly pushed open, and Orochimaru saw Tsunade walking toward him with determination.

"Orochimaru, Jiraiya has left the village."

"Yes, I see."

Orochimaru responded calmly, as though he had expected this. He then retrieved a file from the side, knocked on the table, and called for a member of Anbu who was waiting outside. "Send these wanted warrants to the Fire Nation and other allied ninja villages."

Before the Anbu member could take the wanted warrants, Tsunade snatched them away.

"Master Tsunade," the Anbu member reminded weakly. According to regulations, this document shouldn't be shown to others, but no one would stop Tsunade, not even the Hokage, who was sitting right next to her with a neutral expression.

Tsunade glanced at the wanted notice. After reading the information, she handed it back to the Anbu member, disbelief in her voice. "Orochimaru, do you really plan to designate Jiraiya as a traitor?"

Orochimaru shook his head. "Leaving the village without the Hokage's permission is enough to qualify as rebellion. Tsunade, my request to Jiraiya was for him to stay in the village and await help from the battlefield. He insisted on fulfilling the prophecy of Mount Myōboku. Meanwhile, Kirigakure is still invading..."

"But he's been with us for more than 20 years."

Before Tsunade could finish, Orochimaru interrupted, "This is Jiraiya's choice. He knew that leaving Konoha would make him a traitor, but he still chose to leave. Tsunade, didn't you try to persuade him?"

Tsunade thought angrily, of course, she had tried to persuade him. She'd even threatened him with her fist, but it had been useless. 

Jiraiya was well-acquainted with Konoha's enchantments and could leave without a trace.

"It's so troublesome! I don't care anymore!"

Tsunade, holding back her frustration, left the Hokage building.

The relationship and reputation of the Sannin were now shattered. Once word spread of Jiraiya's defection from Konoha, many villages would likely enjoy watching Konoha's misfortune. Tsunade felt she should have been more decisive.

After Tsunade left, Orochimaru continued to handle Konoha's administrative affairs, but it didn't take long before he realized he needed to finalize the matter of Hokage's assistance as soon as possible. With so many tasks pending, he knew it would waste a lot of his time otherwise.

But before that, Orochimaru decided to deal with the Kirigakure situation first. He felt that the Third Mizukage was a bit crazy—participating in the war when every other ninja village was preparing to end it, and even facing off against three villages at once.

Although there are obstacles in the sea, and it's difficult to negotiate a large-scale war with Mist Shinobi among the three ninja villages, if they're forced to use the tailed beast Jinchūriki, even if Kirigakure resides in the sea, it would be wiped out by a Tailed Beast Bomb.

"What a troublesome bunch. Just as we're about to start reaping the benefits of the war, what the hell is Mist Shinobi trying to do?"

On Hokage's desk was a request for help from the coastal battlefield, which called for medical ninjas and a group of assassination squads. 

Orochimaru thought for a moment, then selected a group of ninjas for support, instructing Anbu to assemble them.

In the past, when sending support to the battlefield, a Jōnin meeting would be held. But Orochimaru felt this was a waste of time, so he issued the orders directly. As long as the ninjas followed orders, nothing else mattered.

As Anbu and the task force ninjas received the summons, many of them went straight to the Hokage building.

….

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