Hiruzen, You'll Regret This

Chapter 47: Sarutobi, You'll Regret This

Because it read:

Orochimaru, you developed a mysterious Cursed Seal that can amplify Chakra, didn't you?!

How did Danzō know I was researching Sage Mode, researching Cursed Seals?!

And that I developed the Earth Cursed Seal?!

Orochimaru thought this, then looked up at Jugo in the lab, before cautiously sweeping his snake eyes around the room. He mused to himself, Could it be that Danzō is monitoring me?

No… that's impossible. If Danzō's subordinates were hidden so well that even a Sannin like me couldn't detect them, he wouldn't use them to monitor me. He'd use them to monitor my teacher!

This means Danzō learned about my Cursed Seal research through other channels?

Orochimaru continued to read the intelligence, a serious expression on his face, and then his expression grew even stranger.

The reason was simple: the latter half of the intelligence, supposedly from Root and Danzō, was completely wrong. Not a single detail was correct.

He had never returned to Konoha, had never captured Hinata in the Forest of Death, and certainly hadn't placed an Earth Cursed Seal on her… In fact, the Earth Cursed Seal was still a rare experimental item to him, Orochimaru, and couldn't just be given to any member of the Hyuga Clan.

If he were to place it on someone… he'd at least choose a talented Uchiha clan ninja!

Not only was the part about placing a Cursed Seal on Hinata wrong.

The intelligence about teaching Hinata the Rasengan, and helping her improve the Eight Trigrams: Air Palm, were also false.

Although he, Orochimaru, had seen intelligence about the A-rank Ninjutsu, Rasengan, in the Scroll of Seals, he hadn't bothered to learn it… Of course, it wasn't that he couldn't learn it, but rather that he knew this Ninjutsu was best used in conjunction with the Flying Thunder God Technique.

But unfortunately, his talent in Space-Time Ninjutsu was a bit weak, and he hadn't learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. Without it… the value of the A-rank Ninjutsu, Rasengan, significantly decreased.

— After all, his, Orochimaru's, Ninjutsu system was already complete.

In short, at this moment, Orochimaru still didn't know the Rasengan Ninjutsu, so it was impossible for him to travel all the way back to Konoha to teach Hinata Hyuga Ninjutsu!

Similarly, the Eight Trigrams: Air Palm was a secret technique of the Hyuga Clan, and because the Hyuga Clan had very few long-range Nintaijutsu, this Nintaijutsu was even a closely guarded secret, not even recorded in the Scroll of Seals.

It was impossible for him, Orochimaru, to have access to this Ninjutsu and learn it, let alone improve it…

After all, he, Orochimaru, was not interested in Nintaijutsu right now, but rather in researching immortality Ninjutsu. Besides achieving eternal life, he had no desire to research any other Ninjutsu.

Orochimaru thought long and hard. Ultimately, considering Danzō had been his collaborator and had helped him conceal many major undertakings from his teacher, he wrote down the Cursed Seal… and other intelligence on a scroll, and fed it into the white snake's mouth.

Bang!

The white snake, having swallowed the scroll, grew noticeably larger. After flicking its tongue and seemingly letting out a satisfied burp, it vanished in a puff of white smoke.

At the same time, Danzō, who had been waiting in the Root office, opened his cloudy eyes and thought to himself, It's here!

He formed a hand sign!

In an instant, the white snake was summoned.

Danzō's hand immediately plunged into the white snake's mouth. As the snake's eyes rolled back, he pulled out the damp scroll, opened it, and meticulously examined it. He completely ignored Orochimaru's rambling explanations that followed, focusing instead on the description of the Earth Cursed Seal:

The Earth Cursed Seal can amplify Chakra, and even physical strength!!

If this thing can elevate Hinata's Chakra to Kage-level, then on me, Danzō, could it also…

As Danzō considered this, a flicker of ambition appeared in his eyes:

I want it so badly! This power is best in my hands; it's the power that will do the most good for Konoha!!

As for Orochimaru writing on the scroll that he hadn't kidnapped Hinata, that he hadn't taught her the Rasengan, and that he hadn't taught or improved the Eight Trigrams: Air Palm?

And that he, Orochimaru, had no way of obtaining the Hyuga Main Family's secret techniques? Heh heh…

Even when Orochimaru was Hiruzen Sarutobi's student, he hadn't yet obtained the Scroll of Seals, yet he still managed to read it and even learned Impure World Reincarnation, even stealing the corpse of my master, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!!

Danzō sneered twice at this thought, becoming even more convinced that Orochimaru was behind everything.

Then he set off.

Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi finished reading the intelligence Danzō had just submitted. He first looked at Danzō with a surprised, Are you kidding me? expression.

Then, seeing the serious look on Danzō's face, he frowned, picked up his pipe, took a puff, and continued reading.

Ten minutes later, after finishing the intelligence, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally couldn't help but ask:

"Danzō, are you sure this intelligence of yours is real?"

"One hundred percent genuine!!"

"And you want me, the Hokage, to issue an order for the Hyuga Clan to hand over Hinata Hyuga to you for a physical examination, so you can help Hinata remove Orochimaru's Cursed Seal?"

"That's right."

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was silent for a long time before saying, "I doubt the Hyuga Clan would be willing to hand her over to you for an examination. After all, Danzō, you should know your reputation isn't exactly good in the village…"

"Reputation? What does that have to do with my reputation?" Danzo Shimura frowned. "You are the Hokage. As long as you issue the order, given the personalities of the Hyuga Clan elders, they will definitely agree!"

"Precisely because I am the Hokage, I cannot issue such an order." Hiruzen Sarutobi fixed his gaze on Danzō and said, "Hinata Hyuga is a new leaf of Konoha, and I will not allow you to lay a hand on her."

"I'm not looking to perform human experiments on Hinata Hyuga, Hiruzen, you're misunderstanding me greatly."

"You know what you're thinking."

Hearing this, Danzō's face darkened with anger. "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

"Danzō." Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes sharpened. He slammed his hand on the desk with a roar. "I am the Hokage!!"

"Hmph."

Danzō let out an angry huff and stormed out.

Bang!

The door of the Hokage Office collided with its frame.

It made a huge noise.

After leaving, Danzō, though still furious, no longer set his sights on Hinata Hyuga. After all, the current Hokage was still the Third, still Hiruzen Sarutobi.

More importantly, according to the report from Hyuga Branch Family spy, Hyuga Akira, after the Forest of Death, it wasn't just Hinata who exhibited abnormal Chakra; even Roman, who was originally just an ordinary Konoha villager, showed unusual symptoms. His physical body became abnormally strong for someone his age, even capable of defeating Neji Hyuga, the son of the Hyuga Branch Family head!

This was an incredible development, especially since Root, and even Anbu, records indicated that Neji, the son of Hizashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga Branch Family, already possessed Genin-level strength!

Neji, with Genin strength, being beaten by an ordinary person—under normal circumstances, this shouldn't happen... unless Orochimaru not only placed a Cursed Seal on Hinata but also on Roman!

This meant that all they needed to do was abduct Roman and conduct human experiments on him!

Next, they just needed to wait for an opportunity... the moment Roman emerged from the Hyuga Main Family would be the time for the Root ninja to act!

Danzō silently made his decision.