Kuro and Danzo

As Danzo finished speaking, the Root ninjas surrounding Orochimaru were all stunned for a moment.

However, this surprise lasted for less than a moment before being suppressed by the discipline ingrained in their bones.

They refocused their attention on Orochimaru, but gripped their swords with even greater force than before.

The atmosphere fell silent at that moment.

Deep within the base, the sound of dripping water from the drainage pipes could be heard; each drop seemed to tap on the taut nerves of the Root ninjas.

Orochimaru Danzo his golden snake eyes, scrutinizing Danzo with curiosity, and said in a calm, low voice:

Why... why do you say that?

Seeing that the mastermind behind the scenes still showed no sign of revealing himself, Danzo snorted coldly:

"Hmph, I've been underestimated too."

He slowly took half a step forward, staring directly into Orochimaru's golden pupils, as if trying to pierce through them and strike the person watching him from behind the scenes:

"The Mangekyō Sharingan is the final form of the Sharingan's evolution, and also the product of the Three Tomoe Sharingan advancing to a higher level."

Its advanced principle is intense emotional stimulation.

When Uchiha experience extreme negative emotional shocks, their brains secrete a special kind of Chakra that prompts the evolution of the Three Tomoe Sharingan, resulting in a qualitative leap.

Among the many triggering conditions, witnessing the death of a close relative is particularly effective.

At this point, Danzo, his single eye still fixed on Orochimaru's pupils, and spoke in a hoarse voice:

"In addition to a significant increase in ocular power, Chakra reserves, and mental strength, Uchiha who awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan will also develop a powerful, unknown Dōjutsu in each of their eyes."

Once fully familiar with this power, one can even activate "Susanoo," considered the supreme power of the Uchiha Clan.

--Using eye power to construct a massive Chakra entity, combining offense and defense, its power is comparable to that of Tailed Beast.

Among them, those with powerful Mangekyo eyes can even forcibly control Tailed Beast using their eye power.

"And... a powerful ninja who has problems with resistance to Genjutsu."

Orochimaru's usual smile slowly faded away at that moment.

Danzo intently at Orochimaru, seemingly noticing a subtle change deep within his snake-like eyes, and continued in a low voice:

"The Chakra within a person controlled by the Mangekyō Sharingan will be interfered with by the user's eye power."

Without the aid of Kekkei Genkai like the Byakugan that can see through Chakra pathways, or special Sensory Ninjutsu, this change is almost undetectable.

However... there are other ways to distinguish them.

At this point, Danzo, his left eye gleaming with an almost cold, metallic light in the dim light:

According to the research notes on the Mangekyō Sharingan left by the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju:

The rhythm of pupil contraction and expansion when receiving commands from the user in a person controlled by the Mangekyō Sharingan deviates slightly from their natural state.

At the same time, although the daily actions of the controlled individuals are no different from those of ordinary people, there will be millisecond-level delays when dealing with emergencies that require a high degree of independent judgment.

This is because the caster's will needs to be transmitted through the pupils, and then transformed into action commands by the controlled person's brain. The time lag in this transmission cannot be eliminated.

Danzo ignored Orochimaru's increasingly cold gaze and spoke calmly:

These differences would be extremely difficult to detect in an ordinary person.

But you... seem to have misjudged one thing.

He stared at Orochimaru before him and said coldly:

"Let's not even talk about the decades of research I've conducted on the Uchiha Clan and the Sharingan."

For an old man like me who has known Orochimaru for decades, seeing through the abnormality in Orochimaru is not a difficult task at all.

Having said that, Danzo stared directly into those golden snake eyes and asked, word by word:

"Who... are you?"

"Clap, clap, clap."

As Danzo finished speaking, a slow, deliberate clapping sound slowly emerged from the shadows behind Danzo.

Almost the instant the sound rang out, Danzo whirled around, his gaze fixed on the thick darkness behind him.

Several Root ninjas also instinctively changed the direction of their blades.

Under the solemn gazes of Danzo and the Root ninjas, Koko's figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

The hem of his Black Cloak with Red Clouds swayed slightly with his steps, and his handsome and unrestrained face gradually became clear in the dim light.

A faint, ambiguous smile played at the corners of his mouth, but his eyes held a chilling coldness that was entirely different from any smile.

He looked at Danzo with slight surprise, and slowly spoke, feigning astonishment:

"I didn't expect you to be able to see through it... I underestimated you, you old bastard."

Kou slightly tilted his head, the smile on his lips deepening slightly.

Well, it makes sense, though.

After all, even though you're a stupid and wicked old bastard, you wouldn't have done so many terrible things like giving birth to children without an anus if you weren't capable.

Hearing Koko's mocking words, the Root ninjas who had been surrounding Orochimaru almost simultaneously moved the Kunai in their hands toward Koko.

Their formation began to adjust silently, and several ninjas standing on the outermost edge had already slightly turned their toes, ready to launch an attack on the suddenly appearing black-haired youth at any moment.

"Don't move!"

Danzo's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable command:

"Continue to surround Orochimaru... This man is not someone you can handle."

Almost immediately upon receiving the order, the Root ninjas ceased all unnecessary movements and refocused all their attention on Orochimaru.

Danzo did not look at his subordinates who had stood back in their positions.

From the moment Kou appeared, his gaze never left Kou:

"Uchiha... knock."

He looked at the black-haired youth before him, whose lips curled into a smile but whose eyes held no trace of it, and spoke in a low voice:

"I never imagined that the person pulling Orochimaru behind the scenes... would be you."

Kou coldly stared at Danzo before him.

He detected a subtle hint of surprise in Danzo, and his brow furrowed slightly.

"Did this incident surprise you?"

Danzo felt the undisguised, bone-chilling killing intent emanating from Kokoro, but showed no fear whatsoever.

He simply nodded calmly and said in a deep voice:

"Your ability to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan truly surprised me."

Danzo looked at the man before him, who was more mature and stronger than he had been five years ago, and the light in his single eye became even deeper.

He stared directly into the pair of eyes that glowed a faint, scarlet light in the dim light, and murmured in a low, hoarse voice:

"After all, in my opinion, someone who always wears a mask in front of everyone... should absolutely not be able to activate the Mangekyo."