"Senior Danzo, the evidence is conclusive. Please stop trying to deny it."
Orochimaru slowly stood up and clapped his hands.
At once, two ninja wearing Root masks entered through the door.
"Kinoe! You traitor! And Bug!"
"Senior Danzo, there is no one named Kinoe here. There is only a member of the Senju Clan, Yamato Senju."
"Um..."
The head of a shinobi clan raised his hand.
Orochimaru arched an eyebrow. He suddenly remembered that this ninja's family name was Chuan...
And the members of that clan were named Kinoe, Yi, Bing, Ding, and so on in sequence, much like Kumogakure's A, B, C, and so forth.
This clan was renowned for its hereditary secret Earth Release techniques. It had also produced quite a few famous shinobi spies and had once been fairly close to Danzo. Now, however, the entire clan had firmly thrown its support behind Orochimaru.
"Lord Fourth Hokage, I have no intention of excusing Danzo's crimes. It's just... my name really is Kinoe, too, so there actually is someone named Kinoe here... Of course, if Lord Hokage finds that objectionable, I can change my name!"
The Pangolin Clan Leader had a powerful survival instinct. The moment he opened his mouth, he made it clear that he was not some elite double agent who had served Danzo before switching to Orochimaru.
"My apologies... Clan Head Chuan, my statement was indeed inaccurate. Now, does Senior Danzo have any more excuses to offer?"
"Hmph! Orochimaru, what do you mean, excuses? If you want to purge your opponents, just do it. There is no need to slander me like this! Everything I have done has been for Konohagakure!"
Thud!
Shimura Danzō slammed his cane against the floor, but his lone eye involuntarily turned toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Whenever he claimed he was acting