Hiruzen, You'll Regret This

It was because it read:

Orochimaru, you've developed a mysterious cursed seal that can amplify Chakra, haven't you?!

How did that bastard Danzo know I was researching Sage Mode and cursed seals?!

And that I had even developed the Earth Cursed Seal?!

Thinking this, Orochimaru raised his head to glance at Jugo in the laboratory. Then, after cautiously sweeping the room with his snake-like eyes, he secretly thought:

Could it be that Danzo has been monitoring me?

No... impossible. If Danzo had Root ninja hidden so deeply that even one of the Sannin like me couldn't detect them, they wouldn't be used to monitor me. They'd be used to monitor Sensei!

In other words, Danzo learned through some other channel that I had developed cursed seals?

As Orochimaru considered this, he continued reading the intelligence with a serious expression. Then his face grew even stranger.

The reason was simple. The latter half of this intelligence report from Root, from Danzo, was completely wrong. Not a single thing in it was correct:

He had never returned to Konoha. He had never captured Hinata in the Forest of Death, much less planted the Earth Cursed Seal on her... Even the Earth Cursed Seal was still a precious experimental specimen in Orochimaru's hands. He couldn't casually use it on some Hyuga Clan member.

If he truly had to plant it... he would at least find a genius ninja from the Uchiha Clan!

The claim that he had planted a cursed seal on Hinata was wrong.

The intelligence claiming that he had taught Hinata the Rasengan and helped her improve Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm was wrong as well.

Orochimaru had seen information about the A-rank handseal-less ninjutsu, the Rasengan, in the Scroll of Seals, but he had not learned it... Of course, it wasn't because he couldn't. It was because he knew that this ninjutsu worked best when paired with the Flying Thunder God.

Unfortunately, Orochimaru's talent in Space-Time Ninjutsu was somewhat lacking. He had not mastered the Flying Thunder God, and without it... the value of the A-rank handseal-less ninjutsu, the Rasengan, dropped drastically.

After all, Orochimaru's ninjutsu system had long since taken shape.

In short, Orochimaru still did not know the Rasengan at this moment, so there was no way he would travel all the way back to Konoha to teach ninjutsu to Hinata Hyuga!

Likewise, Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm was a body technique unique to the Hyuga Clan. Moreover, because the Hyuga Clan had very few long-range Nintaijutsu techniques, this Nintaijutsu was even a closely guarded secret, with no record of it even in the Scroll of Seals.

There was no way Orochimaru had a means of obtaining and learning this technique, much less improving it...

After all, Orochimaru was no longer interested in Nintaijutsu. What interested him now was researching ninjutsu for immortality. Other than eternal life, he had no desire to research any other ninjutsu.

Orochimaru thought through many, many things. In the end, considering that Danzo had once been his collaborator and had helped him conceal many major undertakings from their teacher, he wrote all the information concerning the cursed seals... and so on onto a scroll and stuffed it into the mouth of a white snake.

Bang!

The white snake that swallowed the scroll expanded by a full circle. After flicking its tongue, seemingly letting out a satisfied burp, it turned into white smoke and disappeared.

At the same time, Danzo, who had been waiting for something in the Root office, opened his cloudy eyes and silently thought:

It's here!

Hand seals!

In an instant, the white snake was summoned.

Danzo's hand also plunged into the white snake's mouth in an instant. As the snake rolled its eyes, he pulled out the soggy scroll, opened it, and examined it carefully. He directly ignored Orochimaru's long-winded explanations afterward and focused instead on the description of the Earth Cursed Seal:

The Earth Cursed Seal can strengthen Chakra, and even the physical body!!

If this thing can raise Hinata's Chakra to the level of a Kage, then if I, Danzo, use it...

As Danzo thought this, a fiery gleam flashed through his eyes:

I want it so badly. Only when this power is in my, Danzo's, hands will it be at its best, the power that can do the most good for Konoha!!

As for Orochimaru writing on the scroll that he had nothing to do with kidnapping Hinata, that he had not taught her the Rasengan, and that he had neither taught nor improved Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm?

He even said that Orochimaru had no chance of obtaining the secret technique of the Hyuga Main Family. Heh heh...

Back then, even though Orochimaru was Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciple, he had not obtained the Scroll of Seals, had he? Yet he still read it, learned even Impure World Reincarnation, and had even stolen the corpse of my teacher, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!!

Thinking this, Danzo sneered twice, becoming increasingly certain that Orochimaru had done everything.

Then he set off.

Hokage's Office.

After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished reading the intelligence Danzo had just handed over, he was first stunned and looked at Danzo as though asking, Are you kidding me?

Then, seeing the seriousness written all over Danzo's face, he frowned deeply, took a puff from his pipe, and continued reading.

More than ten minutes later, after finishing the intelligence, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally could not help asking:

"Danzo, are you certain this intelligence is real?"

"One hundred percent authentic!!"

"You want me, the Hokage, to issue an order for the Hyuga Clan to hand over Hinata Hyuga so you can perform a physical examination on her? And you'll help Hinata remove Orochimaru's cursed seal?"

"That's right."

"..."

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally said, "I don't think the Hyuga Clan would be willing to hand her over for your examination. After all, Danzo, you should know that your reputation in the village isn't very good..."

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

"Precisely because I am the Hokage, I cannot issue such an order." Hiruzen Sarutobi stared seriously at Danzo. "Hinata Hyuga is a new leaf of Konoha. I will not allow you to lay a hand on Hinata."

"I'm not trying to conduct human experimentation on Hinata Hyuga. Hiruzen, your misunderstanding of me is far too great."

"Whether that's true, you know in your own heart."

Upon hearing this, Danzo's face darkened as he snapped angrily, "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

"Danzo." Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze sharpened. He slammed the table and roared, "I am the Hokage!!"

"Hmph."

Danzo snorted angrily and strode away with a sweep of his sleeve.

Bang!

The door of the Hokage Office slammed into its frame.

The impact created a tremendous noise.

After leaving, Danzo remained furious inside, but he no longer set his sights on Hinata Hyuga. After all, the current Hokage was still the Third Hokage, still Hiruzen Sarutobi.

More importantly, according to the report from the Hyuga Branch Family spy, Hyuga Akira, after the Forest of Death incident, it was not only Hinata who had displayed abnormal Chakra. Roman, who had originally been an ordinary Konoha civilian, had also developed abnormal symptoms. His body had become far stronger than that of others his age, and he had even defeated Neji Hyuga, the son of the Hyuga Branch Family head!

This was an incredibly unbelievable matter. After all, according to the records of Root and even the Anbu, the son of Hizashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga Branch Family, already possessed the strength of a Genin!

Neji possessed Genin-level strength, yet was beaten by an ordinary person. Under normal circumstances, such a thing would never happen... unless Orochimaru had not only placed a cursed seal on Hinata, but had also placed one on Roman!

In other words, he only needed to kidnap Roman and conduct human experiments on him!!

All that remained was to wait for an opportunity... the opportunity for Roman to leave the Hyuga Main Family. That would be the moment Root ninja made their move!

Danzo quietly made his decision in his heart.