After Shiraha left, Orochimaru remained in the laboratory for several more hours. Only after night had fully fallen did he leave.
However, instead of returning to the village, he traveled in the opposite direction under cover of darkness, stopping about twenty li away from the underground laboratory.
Whoosh!
An Anbu Ninja wearing a mask and emanating a cold aura appeared on a tree trunk before Orochimaru.
He leaped down in front of Orochimaru and bowed.
"Lord Orochimaru, Lord Danzo has been waiting for quite some time. Please follow me."
Orochimaru nodded slightly and followed the Anbu into the depths of the forest. They then entered the underground through a secret passage.
Compared to Orochimaru's "crude" underground laboratory, this underground space was enormous. It contained an entire complex of buildings, practically a large base with complete facilities.
No one would have imagined that Root's headquarters had been established outside Konoha.
The environment here was just like Danzo's way of doing things—mysterious and sinister.
This was clearly not Orochimaru's first visit. Following the Anbu Ninja, he calmly arrived at a room on the lowest level.
"Lord Danzo, Lord Orochimaru has arrived." The Anbu Ninja respectfully bowed outside the door.
"Mm." Danzo's deep voice came from inside the room.
The Anbu Ninja opened the wooden door, then withdrew.
Orochimaru entered the room and saw Danzo sitting cross-legged. A teacup rested on the wooden table before him, and he wore an unhurried, composed expression.
"Danzo, what do you want from me this time?"
Orochimaru had no mood for tea and idle chatter as he spoke coldly.
"Orochimaru, mind your attitude." Danzo frowned slightly. "Without my support, do you think you can defeat Sakumo and Tsunade and become the Fourth Hokage?"
"Even if you do not care about becoming the Fourth Hokage, you care about