Chapter 181:
In Konoha, most missions involving hired help came from the ordinary villagers. It was rare for ninjas, especially Jonin, to post tasks for lower-ranked shinobi. Jonin hiring Chunin? That sort of thing was highly unusual.
Mikoto couldn't help but feel puzzled by this. Still, she adhered to the basic conduct expected of a shinobi. It wasn't her place to question Orochimaru's motives. In her mind, she simply reasoned that Orochimaru must be busy enough with other matters that he didn't have time to take care of such mundane tasks as cleaning.
The thought that Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, might just be lazy never even crossed her mind.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru strolled through the streets of Konoha. The bustling, lively energy of the village invigorated him. There was something refreshing about seeing the people go about their daily lives after the harshness of the battlefield. Knowing that his contributions to scientific development had tipped the scales in their favor during the war filled him with a sense of accomplishment.
Could a single person's influence change the outcome of a war?
Sometimes, it could.
Take Namikaze Minato, who shifted the tide of battle in the Third Great Ninja War with a single decisive victory. Or Naruto and Sasuke, who became the saviors during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
But in Orochimaru's eyes, no matter how powerful a single person was, they were still just one person. Relying on personal strength alone to change the world was an exhausting path.
Instead of altering wars by his own power, Orochimaru preferred to cultivate talent and orchestrate events from behind the scenes, just as he had in his past life. He believed that finding and nurturing talent was the key. Once the right people were in place, he could entrust them with missions and battles, reserving his own energy for more crucial matters.