Cold, damp, the stench of rotting flesh, and the mingled scent of soil and plants.
Sarutobi Hiruzen furrowed his brow and forcibly suppressed the tension in his heart.
By now, he could already smell the scent given off by serpentine creatures in the air. That meant they were not far from Orochimaru.
Click! With a crisp flick of a switch, an extremely faint flame sprang up behind them.
Hiruzen: "..."
He took a deep breath, turned to Danzo, who was using a lighter for illumination, and said helplessly, "Danzo, we can find Orochimaru without a light source."
"Though the flame is weak, it puts This Old One at ease." Danzo answered expressionlessly. He then avoided the other man's gaze and began inspecting the cave.
As far as the eye could see, both sides of the cave bore marks of artificial excavation. Torches that were nearly burned out had even been fixed to the walls. Judging by the thickness of the dust, this place had likely been abandoned for decades.
Danzo also spotted a trail of footprints on the ground, leading straight into the depths of the cave.
Drip!
A bead of condensed water fell from the ceiling of the cave, landing right on the tiny flame. In an instant, darkness swallowed the entire cave once more.
"Actually, we needn't be so cautious." Danzo's hoarse voice slowly echoed through the pitch-black cave.
Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at him. As he turned and walked deeper into the cave, he said, "Firelight can be distracting. At a critical moment that will decide the fate of the Ninja World, we cannot afford even the slightest carelessness."
"Heh. Fine if you want to lie to me, but don't lie to yourself as well." Danzo looked around, then finally closed his eyes and spoke as he walked.