Danzo stood in the dark Root base, his face carrying its usual arrogance and coldness.
He stared at Orochimaru before him, his voice hard and domineering, yet strangely bewitching.
"Orochimaru, the Shinobi World will soon face an unprecedented disaster. But as you know, for Konoha, this may well be an excellent opportunity..."
Orochimaru watched Danzo silently and did not respond at once.
He had always been especially sensitive to the power of souls. At that moment, he vaguely sensed that Danzo's tone, expression, and even his gaze carried an eerie quality that made him deeply uncomfortable.
It seemed that every word Danzo spoke carried some indescribable power of temptation.
Seeing that Orochimaru remained silent, Danzo raised his head and said coldly...
"As long as I successfully become Konoha's Hokage, I will not only officially restore your status as a Konoha shinobi, but also grant you access to all of the village's forbidden technique archives."
Hearing that, Orochimaru asked probingy, "Does 'all' include forbidden techniques such as Impure World Reincarnation?"
Danzo looked at him expressionlessly. "Of course. It includes techniques like Impure World Reincarnation."
Orochimaru had long since stolen and learned Impure World Reincarnation...
What Danzo meant by opening everything up included human experimentation.
Hearing that answer, Orochimaru became even more wary.
Something was wrong with Danzo. This unprecedented madness and strangeness were not traits of the Danzo he had known in the past.
Orochimaru...
Was a natural expert on souls...
Though he had no evidence, he possessed an instinct that came closest to the truth...
Yet outwardly, Orochimaru retained his usual calm and composure. "If that is the case, Lord Danzo, what do you need me to do?"
Danzo directly raised a hand and removed the outer robe covering his body, revealing a torso whose right half had already been violently eroded by First Hokage Cells.
Originally, only one arm had been altered by the cells. Now, those terrifying Wood Release Cells had spread like vines across half his torso and had even faintly reached his chest.
At the sight of such a shocking scene, Orochimaru's heart tightened. What shocked him even more was that Danzo's body could still completely suppress the First Hokage Cells without being wholly devoured by them.
"I need more Sharingan transplants..."
Danzo repeated those words in an abnormally calm and gloomy tone.
As Danzo's words fell, several Root shinobi swiftly stepped forward and placed dozens of special containers holding Sharingan before Orochimaru.
These Sharingan were spoils obtained on the night of the Uchiha clan massacre.
Watching pairs of crimson eyes float in nutrient fluid, flickering with eerie light, Orochimaru fell silent for several seconds before finally nodding slowly. "Since it is Lord Danzo's request... of course."
For Orochimaru, transplanting Sharingan had long become routine.
He swiftly began the operation, carrying out a far larger-scale Sharingan transplantation for Danzo.
As Danzo lay quietly on the operating table, he suddenly spoke. "Orochimaru, your heart does not seem very calm. Is something troubling you?"
Orochimaru paused slightly, then replied indifferently, "No... I merely thought that if the Shinobi World truly is about to face destruction, we may need the aid of stronger shinobi. For instance, the former Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."
When Orochimaru mentioned using Impure World Reincarnation to revive Senju Tobirama, hesitation visibly flashed through Danzo's eyes. Yet he immediately revealed a cold, disdainful smile.
"If Teacher Tobirama truly returned to Konoha, the first thing he would likely do would be to strip Hiruzen Sarutobi and me of all our power."
"Reviving him now would not help our situation in the slightest. It would even leave us in a more passive position."
There were only two possible purposes in reviving Senju Tobirama. One was to control him completely, but that would be meaningless;
The other was to gain his genuine assistance, but that carried the enormous risk of losing all their power.
A schemer like Danzo would naturally never allow such a situation to arise.
A moment later, Danzo suddenly sensed something. He locked onto Orochimaru, his tone turning cold. "Orochimaru, are you testing me?"
Orochimaru shook his head without changing expression. "No..."
Danzo sneered and raised a hand to remove the bandage covering his right eye, revealing a Mangekyō Sharingan.
It was Uchiha Shisui's eye, radiating a terrifying aura that made one's heart tremble.
"Hmph. Before the ocular power of this Sharingan, none of your little tricks can remain hidden. Let me advise you: do not entertain any unnecessary thoughts again."
A terrifying spiritual pressure swept through the laboratory in an instant, making even the surrounding air feel heavy.
Suppressing the disgust deep within his heart, Orochimaru forced a faint smile. "Rest assured, Lord Danzo, I have no other intentions. The only thing I wish to know now is exactly how many pairs of Sharingan you intend to transplant."
"All of them."
Danzo's tone was exceptionally resolute.
Hearing that unexpected answer, Orochimaru froze for a moment, then revealed an unmistakably strange smile. "All of them... how unexpected."
"For Konoha's future, I must possess absolute power... No one can stop me from becoming Hokage."
Danzo's voice became cold and dangerous, and the air seemed to freeze in an instant.
Before anyone could react, he suddenly struck. The Mangekyō Sharingan that belonged to Shisui erupted with powerful, terrifying ocular power, shooting straight at Orochimaru like a blade.
In that flash of lightning, Orochimaru's heart jolted. An intense sense of danger surged over him, and relying almost entirely on instincts honed over many years—
He abruptly flipped backward and retreated, barely avoiding that hidden, deadly mental assault.
Cold sweat slid down his temple. He knew that if he had been even slightly slower, he would likely have lost his life.
The instant he steadied himself, a flash of cold light tore through the air.
A sharp longsword stabbed from nowhere like Death's scythe, piercing his throat with perfect accuracy.
Agonizing pain flooded his nerves. Orochimaru's pupils constricted as he prepared to counterattack, but everything around him twisted and reassembled in an instant.
The scene before him rippled like water, then gradually settled...
The room remained dim and silent. There was no trace of killing intent in the air, as though none of what had just happened had ever occurred.
He stood there in a daze, then understood the next second.
"Genjutsu..."
He murmured the word, his gaze darkening.
A genjutsu released through the Uchiha Sharingan had actually slipped silently past his mental defenses, trapping him in an illusion without his even realizing it.
This made Orochimaru's expression grow several shades darker.
"What was that just now?"
"Only a small warning. I hope you will not harbor any improper thoughts from here on."
Danzo sneered, his voice as piercingly cold as ice. "I warned you long ago. Before the Sharingan, all your thoughts are exposed."
Hearing that, a smile curled at Orochimaru's lips, though amusement hid beneath his gaze.
You are not even an Uchiha...
And you dare say that in front of me!?
Still, Danzo's oppressive presence made Orochimaru feel a measure of pressure.
Before you continue