In the year 41 of Konoha, Uchiha Ying Yue was the Uchiha Clan Head. His presence was both a powerful pillar of Konoha and a potential threat in the eyes of certain high-ranking officials.
While Uchiha Ying Yue was busy with his duties as Uchiha Clan Head, the undercurrents in Konoha never stopped.
Shimura Danzō, the Hokage's aide, had always been wary of the Uchiha Clan. He was especially uneasy about Uchiha Ying Yue's formidable strength.
Ying Yue was not only the leader of the Uchiha Clan but also a master of Wood Release.
Danzō knew that Wood Release had once been the unique ability of the First, Senju Hashirama, and that its power was unmatched.
Danzō believed Ying Yue's existence had upset the balance of power within Konoha. If left unchecked, he would become difficult to control in the future.
He believed much of Ying Yue's strength came from his mastery of Wood Release, and that if this power was left unchecked, it might one day become a grave threat to Konoha.
Thus, Shimura Danzō's obsession with Wood Release grew ever stronger.
He believed Konoha needed to cultivate more Wood Release shinobi to counterbalance Ying Yue and ensure the village's safety and stability.
After Sarutobi Hiruzen rejected his repeated proposals to suppress the Uchiha Clan, Danzō pinned his hopes on researching Wood Release.
He began putting frequent pressure on Orochimaru, demanding that he accelerate his Wood Release experiments.
Orochimaru himself was quite interested in Wood Release, but Uchiha Ying Yue had already told him that the experiments were extremely risky and had almost no chance of success.
Thus, Orochimaru neither actively agreed to nor refused Danzō's proposal. He simply carried out some research as a matter of routine.
But Danzō's obsession deepened under the spur of Ying Yue's formidable