Early the next morning, all of Konoha's higher-ups received a joint notice from the Anbu and Root, urgently summoning them to a secret experimental base belonging to Konoha's Research Department!
Although Konoha's higher-ups found it strange that this notice had not been issued by the Hokage, considering the special authority of those two departments, everyone still chose to go.
When the higher-ups arrived outside the remote experimental base, they discovered that the atmosphere was extremely unusual!
The entire perimeter of the base had been tightly sealed off by a large number of Root and Anbu members. Even stranger, the two sides clearly occupied half the area each. They did not look as though they were carrying out a joint mission at all, but rather as if they were confronting one another, as though a violent clash could break out at any moment. Though there was no small amount of bad blood between the two departments, they usually only fought in secret. This was the first time they had openly come into conflict like this.
Combined with the rumors that Nawaki and Orochimaru had frequently been entering and leaving this experimental base recently, all the higher-ups present faintly sensed an approaching storm. Something major was bound to happen this time!
With solemn expressions, the higher-ups passed through the blockade and entered the research base, arriving before a laboratory at its very center.
Three people had already been waiting for them at the entrance: Anbu Minister Nawaki, Root leader Danzo, and Research Department head Orochimaru!
Danzo's expression was as grim as ever, while Orochimaru wore his usual sinister smile. Only Nawaki lacked his usual confidence and composure; a trace of worry lingered faintly between his brows.
Seeing the expressions of the three men, Konoha's higher-ups found the situation even stranger, and their