The Third Great Ninja War continued, and no matter how intense the external conflict, there were always Konoha geniuses willing to dedicate everything to this land.
Even if it meant burning their lives away, they would not hesitate!
Perhaps, it is precisely because of the sacrifices of such people that Konoha holds its current position.
But one undeniable fact is that even in the brightest places, darkness can fester. Beneath the soil filled with laughter, perhaps, countless blood-soaked bones lie buried!
If the Hokage represents the will of fire, the light and beauty that all of Konoha aspires to, then Root is its complete opposite.
Because at least ninety percent of Konoha's evil and darkness converge here!
Perhaps Root once served to protect Konoha's interests and facilitate its development, but now, under Danzo's leadership, Root has completely transformed into a parasite sucking blood from Konoha, this great tree!
Unbeknownst to many, Root had become Danzo's personal domain; his will dictated Root's direction.
Even if he ordered his Root Ninja to assassinate Konoha's Ninja, they would not hesitate in the slightest.
And in fact, such incidents were not uncommon; on the contrary, they occurred quite frequently.
For his own benefit, to acquire the secret techniques and resources he desired, Danzo, under Hiruzen Sarutobi's protection, had extracted countless advantages from Konoha over the years!
Of course, Danzo would never consider his actions to be for personal gain. At any time, he could whitewash his behavior as 'necessary sacrifices to protect Konoha'!
It must be said, Danzo was quite thick-skinned!
Over the years, the number of Konoha Ninja secretly harmed by Root had reached an astonishing figure. Even the great Ninja clans would change their expressions when hearing Danzo's name or Root's reputation.
And there's even less to say about the ordinary Ninja at the bottom!
Generally speaking, no Konoha Ninja wished to be associated with Root or Danzo. But today, Orochimaru, one of Konoha's Sannin, a disciple of the Third Hokage, and a true-blooded member of the Hokage lineage—
had entered Root's base, accompanied by several Root Ninja!
In the narrow, cramped corridor, only a few scattered lights flickered. Even with a Ninja's eyesight, it was difficult to move quickly in such an environment.
Moreover, in such a place, there were an unknown number of traps in unknown locations. One wrong step, and you could be riddled with holes like a beehive or turned into a small hedgehog!
Of course, with Root personnel leading the way, it was a different scene entirely.
Guided by several Root Ninja, Orochimaru followed them through a winding path for a long stretch before safely passing through the corridor.
He successfully entered the Root base, but Orochimaru did not lower his guard, for he could feel numerous gazes fixed on him from various dark corners!
And the owners of these gazes were clearly not amateurs, as Orochimaru could sense a hint of danger!
Habitually licking his lips, Orochimaru remained outwardly calm, but his mind harbored other thoughts.
"Is this the Root base? It truly is built like an impregnable fortress!
This Danzo fellow has, without realizing it, amassed a terrifying power!
Those guys hidden in the shadows are probably much stronger than the old man's Anbu elites, aren't they?
I wonder if the old man will continue to tolerate his old friend if he knew Root had become so powerful?
But, he probably would, right? After all, they are the best 'partners'!"
Orochimaru couldn't help but think. Not yet having completely parted ways with Hiruzen Sarutobi, he always liked to consider things from Hiruzen Sarutobi's perspective as a disciple.
But this line of thought didn't last. Orochimaru suddenly remembered his identity and current predicament, and immediately shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Forget it. What does Danzo's situation have to do with me? These are all matters for the Hokage to consider!
My goal, Orochimaru, is now only one: to escape this frail body and achieve true immortality!"
Thinking this, Orochimaru calmed down considerably, and he no longer felt as wary of the Root Ninja beside him.
The Root base was not small. Even with a dedicated guide, Orochimaru walked for about half an hour before meeting Danzo in a secret room.
The lighting in the secret room was dim, and the temperature was relatively low. Due to the lack of sunlight year-round, the room was filled with a faint smell of decay!
If he were a normal person, he would absolutely not like to stay in such an environment, but unfortunately, Danzo was not a normal person.
As soon as they met, Danzo's sinister voice reached Orochimaru's ears: "Orochimaru, you really are hard to find!
In Konoha, you managed to hide from me for so long right under my nose. That's quite remarkable!"
Hearing Danzo's clearly accusatory tone, Orochimaru remained unfazed: "Hehehe, Danzo, if you called me here to spout such nonsense, then I think my arrival today might be a mistake!"
"Don't waste time. Just say it, Danzo, what will it take for you to continue supporting my research?"
Yes, Orochimaru had originally been avoiding Danzo, but as a Konoha scientist, Orochimaru could not abandon his research on immortality.
But since it was "scientific research," it naturally required funding, manpower, and other support. Unfortunately, Orochimaru lacked both. Confined to Konoha, he could only seek out patrons.
And in Konoha, the number of such patrons was limited, only a few. Besides a few high-ranking Konoha officials, there were only the top few great clans.
However, Orochimaru's research and experiments were simply too dangerous. Most patrons would likely be scared to death just hearing about his experimental projects; how could they possibly support him?
Only Danzo was not deterred by these things; in fact, he was very eager to see what results Orochimaru could achieve.
So, after much circling, Orochimaru eventually returned to Danzo's "embrace."
But because he had gone a bit too far last time, if he wanted to continue receiving Danzo's support this time, he might really have to produce some results.
Otherwise, this damned old man would not be satisfied!
Sure enough, Danzo's words immediately confirmed his conjecture: "Hmph, Orochimaru, how dare you even say that? In our last cooperation, you suddenly eliminated all my men. It's already my benevolence that I didn't hunt you down as a rogue Ninja!
Now you still want me to support you? Are you taking me for a fool?"
As an experienced schemer, Danzo was quite skilled at negotiation. First, he presented the facts to put the other party at a disadvantage, and then he made his demands, which would certainly go much smoother.
"So, what are your conditions?"
"I am no fool. If the losses from last time cannot be compensated, I will absolutely not add any more weight to your side!"
The implication was that Orochimaru had to show him results first, and then he would continue the discussion.
Orochimaru naturally understood, but he was well-prepared. With a cold sneer, he summoned a white snake. The white snake opened its mouth and spat out a tube of emerald green reagent, which appeared before everyone's eyes.
"This is my achievement. I call it hashirama no. 1 (cell sample). There is no danger. With just an injection, you might gain the power of the First Hokage!"
"Well, Danzo, are you satisfied with this achievement?"
Orochimaru shook the hashirama no. 1 (cell sample) in his hand, his face full of amusement.
Indeed, upon hearing Orochimaru's explanation, Danzo's breathing visibly quickened. Although he had anticipated Orochimaru making a breakthrough in the hashirama cells fusion experiment, he had never imagined that Orochimaru had already produced a finished product!
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