The Uchiha Clan's Blind Swordsman

At this moment, Danzo appeared in the office, though no one knew when he had arrived.

Seeing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned, looking somewhat displeased.

Danzo seemed to want a hand in everything.

"Shisui is my subordinate; why can't he be fully trusted?"

"But in the end, he is still a member of the Uchiha clan."

Danzo spoke coldly.

"Reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship? Even Hatake Sakumo in his day wouldn't dare make such a boast. To apply such an assessment to a five-year-old blind boy—if that isn't nonsense, what is?"

"As for Uchiha Chiba, he still requires observation."

"What's more important right now is Itachi Uchiha!"

Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Not now!"

"Konoha has no spare capacity to concern itself with the Mist."

"It is best if the Uchiha clan can hold the Mist back!"

"There is no benefit in provoking Uchiha Fugaku at a time like this."

Sarutobi Hiruzen offered his explanation.

Yet, Danzo appeared somewhat aggressive.

"Uchiha Fugaku doesn't have the guts!"

"Besides, he trusts you deeply!"

"He always naively believes that the Uchiha can hold a place for themselves in Konoha."

Sarutobi Hiruzen found such aggression very strange.

Under normal circumstances, Danzo should have been more cautious and prudent.

However, considering Danzo's attitude toward the Uchiha clan, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't think too much of it.

Still, whether intentional or not, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Danzo and said calmly, "Danzo, lately... is your Root short on people?"

Danzo was furious.

He should have sent Orochimaru to observe Chiba last time.

However, the reports he received were all trivialities, completely different from the reports provided by Uchiha Shisui.

Between the reports from Orochimaru and Shisui, Danzo preferred to believe Uchiha Shisui.

Even if Shisui was Sarutobi Hiruzen's subordinate, and even if Shisui belonged to the Uchiha clan.

Because, as for Orochimaru, Danzo still did not trust him.

If Danzo had known earlier that Chiba was this heaven-defyingly strong, he would have dragged Chiba into his Root long ago.

The reason he had acted so aggressively just now was precisely to make Sarutobi Hiruzen shift his attention away from Chiba and onto Itachi Uchiha.

After all, to Sarutobi Hiruzen, Itachi's importance far exceeded Chiba's.

Yet, Sarutobi Hiruzen's final, offhand remark—"Is your Root short on people?"—left Danzo feeling uneasy.

Had that old man seen through his intentions?

Danzo wasn't sure.

But he knew he could not sit idly by.

Since Chiba had demonstrated such powerful strength, it was necessary for him to pull the boy into the Root.

Danzo held no hope for Itachi Uchiha.

Sarutobi Hiruzen would never let him go, and Chiba's existence was Danzo's best alternative.

No one would ever complain about having too many capable people under their command.

Carrying a trace of anger, Danzo arrived at Orochimaru's laboratory.

A laboratory that absolutely could not be made public.

Before Danzo even entered, the screams echoing from within were enough to make one's scalp tingle.

Danzo frowned slightly.

Orochimaru had been getting more and more reckless lately.

Stepping into the laboratory and looking at the corpse lying on the operating table, even Danzo felt a wave of nausea.

"Orochimaru, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Don't you think you've been too arrogant lately?"

"The number of missing persons in the village is increasing!"

"I should have told you to keep a low profile, shouldn't I?"

However, Orochimaru didn't even look up, speaking only with calm indifference.

"You provide the channels for my materials, and I research the Senju Hashirama cells for you!"

"That was the agreement from the very beginning, wasn't it?"

"All the missing persons were taken according to your list."

"These people can all be blamed on the war, can't they?"

Danzo's brow furrowed even tighter.

He had indeed said such things.

Occasional disappearances could indeed be attributed to the war.

However, the quantity Orochimaru required was simply too high.

"Regardless, you need to keep a low profile recently."

"There are already rumors in the village, and Sarutobi Hiruzen has started to take notice!"

"Soon, the Anbu will begin an investigation!"

Hearing this, Orochimaru finally put down the work in his hands.

His research was at a critical stage.

Now was not the time to be discovered by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

However, his current research was not what Danzo expected.

Danzo only wanted to obtain the power of the Senju Hashirama cells.

But Orochimaru—

He craved immortality.

Danzo's desires were simple and pure.

Power and authority.

Yet, it seemed fate was not on his side; he possessed neither.

In terms of strength, the Shimura Clan had nothing special, and he himself lacked the talent to stand out from the crowd.

He had reached his current position as a high-ranking official in Konoha purely because Senju Tobirama had taken him on as a student back then.

Nothing more.

In terms of authority, Sarutobi Hiruzen was always one rank above him, and in Konoha, a higher rank could crush you.

He would always remain beneath Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Danzo was not satisfied with the status quo.

And in his view, the only thing that could change his situation was power.

In his youth, he had barely reached the Kage level, and now, with age, his strength had long since declined.

No matter how much he struggled or trained, his strength remained his greatest limitation.

Although Sarutobi Hiruzen faced the same situation, he had already reached the pinnacle of power.

Therefore—

He set his sights on the First Hokage, the man who had quelled the chaotic era and suppressed the entire ninja world—Senju Hashirama.

The Senju Clan possessed overwhelming physical capabilities and vast chakra.

Physical ability and chakra were the foundations of all ninjutsu.

And all of this converged on a single point.

The cells left behind by Senju Hashirama.

This was where his hope for becoming stronger lay.

For this, he would stop at nothing.

And Orochimaru had become his greatest reliance.

Yet, even so, Orochimaru's actions this time still left him dissatisfied.

"Orochimaru, regarding the observation of Uchiha Chiba, have you been hiding something?"

Orochimaru paused, then extended his tongue to lick his lips.

"As for the report on Chiba-kun, I believe I have written everything down."

"No research value—is that your answer?"

Danzo suppressed his rage as he glared at Orochimaru.

"Your report and the intelligence Sarutobi Hiruzen received are two completely different concepts."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"In my view, once the Uchiha clan loses the Sharingan, they have no research value!"

"Even if he has taken an unorthodox path and achieved some mastery in swordsmanship, it still cannot change the fact that he lacks the Sharingan!"

Hearing this, Danzo furrowed his brows.

Orochimaru hadn't said it like that before.

However, Danzo was already accustomed to Orochimaru's tendency to contradict himself.

This guy—perhaps his brain had been ruined by his own research.

"Is that so?"

"In that case, you don't need to worry about Uchiha Chiba anymore!"

"Even if you have determined that he has no value."