The Snake in the Shadows

As the words fell, the three tomoe Sharingan in Mo's eyes suddenly constricted, and an extreme, chilling aura abruptly drifted out from his body.

Danzō Shimura was startled inwardly, his hand trembling as he pulled his cane back.

This fellow... his ocular power is actually not much inferior to this right eye of mine! Is he really only ten years old? It seems quietly abducting Shisui is no longer very possible...

Having made up his mind, Danzo turned around and replied in a flat voice:

"This old man merely wanted to witness the measure of the village's young generation of geniuses. Now it seems you truly live up to the name of 'Blood Ninja'..."

Since he had no certainty of taking Shisui away without alarming the Third Hokage, an old fox like Danzo naturally could not make a move lightly again.

Mo tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade, looking at Danzo's back with an unchanged expression, yet the three tomoe in his eyes spun at high speed, his ocular power climbing rapidly.

At that exact moment, however, Mo suddenly felt a pulling force coming from the clothes on his back. Looking back, he saw Shisui gazing at him with a serious expression, shaking his head slightly.

Clatter—click!

Uchiha Mo turned back and released his palm. Futsunomitama slid down of its own accord and was sheathed, the tsuba and scabbard locking together to produce a crisp, unusual sound. Mo glanced at Danzo and, taking Shisui with him, strode once more toward the depths of the clan district.

"If roots are rotten, honestly bury yourself in the dark sludge and struggle, stop coming out to make a fool of yourself!"

As the words fell, the figures of the two completely pulled away from Danzo.

Danzo's temples twitched violently. He turned his head, his brow furrowed, staring dead at that conspicuous Blazing War Fan on Uchiha Mo's back...

"Uchiha... Teacher was right, and I am right too. The Uchiha are naturally evil, and they are indeed a clan that needs to be purged! Hiruzen is simply too soft! But it doesn't matter, this old man will help the Hidden Leaf clear away all obstacles!"

With that, Danzo withdrew his gaze from Uchiha Mo and then flashed away from the spot.

Hiss—

On the branch of a cherry blossom tree in front of the Uchiha Clan District, a small white snake flicked its scarlet tongue in the moonlight.

It watched the spot where Danzo had vanished, then turned and made its way down the trunk to the ground, quickly and agilely disappearing into the bushes...

Mo and Shisui, two brothers, returned home in silence. Until they were back inside the living room, Shisui finally could not hold it in anymore, asking with a puzzled expression:

"Nii-san, who exactly was that person... I saw you seemed to really hate him."

Hearing this, Mo lowered his head, looking at Shisui's youthful face in silence for a moment.

"Since we have already been targeted, I will tell you some things in advance."

With that, Mo hung his robe on the coat rack and came over to sit at the living room table. Seeing this, Shisui hurriedly sat down opposite Mo, striking a pose of obediently listening to a lecture.

"That man is called Shimura Danzō. He is a disciple of Second Tobirama Senju, and also a teammate of our grandfather Kagami Uchiha."

"Grandfather..." Shisui's face showed bewilderment.

Without expanding on that topic, Mo continued:

"The Second died far too suddenly, so Hiruzen Sarutobi's succession as the Third Hokage did not go through a jonin vote. Instead, his position was established by the Hokage's will brought back by the Hokage Guard Team. Naturally, such a result could not win public support."

"Therefore, several members of the Hokage Guard Team huddled together at the time for the sake of Hiruzen Sarutobi's position as Hokage, surviving that turbulent period together. And the final outcome was that the Third secured his seat, while three advisory elders were added to the Hokage's side."

"Among these three advisors, Danzo is the most special existence. He controls the Root, and the so-called Root is nominally a subordinate training organization of the ANBU, but in reality, it is responsible for handling some unspeakable matters in the dark. In terms of real power, it is not much smaller than the ANBU."

Hearing this, Shisui became even more puzzled. "Then in that case, did Danzo today actually just want to recruit us to serve the village?"

As the words fell, Mo looked into Shisui's eyes in silence for a moment before saying:

"Back then, the Second and the Hokage Guard Team fell into an encirclement by Kinkaku and Ginkaku's elite forces in Cloud Village. He claimed that to survive, someone had to stay behind to cover the rear. Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward without the slightest hesitation, and that is how he became the Third."

"This matter has always been an unresolved knot in Danzo's heart. He felt that back then he was merely half a beat slower, and his resolve was no whit inferior to Hiruzen Sarutobi's."

"Danzo considers himself more suited for the position of Hokage than Hiruzen Sarutobi, harboring a massive obsession with the Hokage's seat deep in his heart. He believes that he himself is the inheritor of Tobirama Senju's will, and this, in turn, has led to a single result..."

"That is, Shimura Danzō harbors a hatred for the Uchiha that can only be called paranoid."

"This..."

Shisui recalled his own elder brother's reaction when facing Danzo at the time. He gripped his ninja sword tightly, his fingers tapping continuously against the hilt. Shisui understood that this was an instinctive action of his elder brother considering how to kill someone.

"No wonder Nii-san reacted so strongly when he saw Danzo make a move back then..."

Shisui muttered inwardly, then suddenly enlightened, thought: So older brother feels that Danzo wanting to pull us into the Root must harbor evil intentions?

"This is an inevitable outcome." Mo did not deny it.

"And in fact, Danzo has not inherited a single fraction of Tobirama Senju's will and methods, nor is it possible for him to do better than Hiruzen Sarutobi. He is merely a clown dancing ugly dances on an unattended stage while imagining his technique to be exquisite."

Following that, Shisui heard Uchiha Mo unsparingly begin to attack the village's advisory elder.

"That Tobirama Senju loathed the Uchiha is an unquestionable fact. Yet, however much one might wish to deny it, in reality, Tobirama Senju did not hold an excessive amount of bias toward the Uchiha. Or rather, the 'bias' he bestowed upon the Uchiha was corresponding precaution based on an objective fact."

"The old Senju ghost did achieve a form of equality in a certain sense, and moreover, he did not fear the Uchiha like tigers. For a ruler, an existence like the Uchiha is clearly a double-edged sword; as long as one can master it, it is an incomparably sharp divine weapon."

"The old Senju ghost considered himself capable of keeping a grip on the Uchiha, so life during the early founding stage of the Hidden Leaf was not particularly difficult for them. While mediocrities like Danzo and the Third only know how to seal the divine weapon inside its scabbard, hastily taking it out to brandish a couple of times only when it is needed, and then hurrying to seal it away again for fear of harming themselves."

This was the first time Shisui had heard his elder brother speak this way. Judging by Mo's usual demeanor, Shisui had thought he was also one of the "old-school Uchiha" who deeply detested the Second.

Chapter 40: The Snake in the Shadows

"Lord Danzo!"

A man draped in a black cloak and wearing black sunglasses knelt on one knee, respectfully calling out in a deferential tone.

"Ryoma, go call Orochimaru over."

Danzo stood with his back to Aburame Ryoma, his facial expression impossible to see.

Ryoma responded in a deep voice, "Yes!"

As the words fell, he quickly rose and departed.

Danzo stood alone in the gloomy underground dark room, his right hand continuously rubbing the cane in his grip.

Orochimaru... This fellow is dangerous. Although we have only just reached a cooperative relationship, wanting to utilize him will probably require ceding some benefits...

Shimura Danzō narrowed his eyes, the fingers of his right hand tapping sequentially upon the top of his cane.

"Uchiha Mo..."

"If roots are rotten, honestly bury yourself in the dark sludge and struggle, stop coming out to make a fool of yourself!"

A cold taunt vaguely echoed in his mind. Danzo abruptly tightened his grip on the cane, with a force so great it even produced a "creak-creak" strange noise.

"Merely losing some benefits. If it can eliminate this calamity for the Hidden Leaf, it can be considered worthwhile."

As if a self-soothing utterance fell, the sound of footsteps faintly drifted from the corridor outside the dark room.

Tap, tap, tap...

As the footsteps grew closer and closer, a pale-faced man appeared at the doorway. He wore long black hair, and beneath golden slit pupils, a long, narrow purple eye shadow extended all the way to the sides of his nose.

This man was handsome yet dangerous, resembling a bewitching equinox flower on the road to Yomi...

Orochimaru looked ahead. Danzo stood with his back to him, his overall posture somewhat rigid and his back held straight as a board, clearly in a less-than-pleasant mood.

He narrowed his golden slit pupils, the intelligence he had just acquired surfacing in his mind.

How very interesting.

Orochimaru came to a halt in front of Danzo, speaking in that uniquely hoarse voice:

"Danzo, I have come. You should know I was conducting experiments at this hour, right? The reward for calling me over to handle business right now is very expensive."

As he spoke, Orochimaru's lips curved, his eyes harboring undisguised greed.

This venomous snake!

Danzo cursed inwardly, turning around to say with a calm expression:

"I have a new project, and I think you will definitely be interested in it."

Even though Orochimaru had already guessed what it was in his heart, he still cooperatively displayed a hint of expectant expression.

"Let's hear it."

"The Sharingan, a power sufficient to contend with Wood Release. How about that?"

"Heh~"

Orochimaru let out a cold chuckle. "I have no desire to be targeted by those Uchiha lunatics."

"It doesn't matter. I will prepare the timing and cover for the strike. With your strength combined with my cooperation, not a single person will get the slightest wind of it."

As Danzo spoke, his gaze looked straight into Orochimaru's eyes, dodging nothing, his demeanor serene.

"And the benefits?"

Orochimaru seemed moved, his hoarse tone rising a few notches.

"As the beginning of our cooperation, this first pair of Sharingan belongs to you, and I will provide new experimental funding. But when research results are achieved, the first copy must be mine."

As a seasoned old fox, Danzo deeply understood that at a time like this, he must not appear overly eager, otherwise he was bound to expose his true intentions and suffer heavy losses. Yet no matter how he calculated, he could not possibly have imagined that Orochimaru himself had come to see him bearing the answer.

"Heh heh~"

Orochimaru stuck out his slender tongue to lick his upper lip. "No rush. First tell me who your target is."

Three gazes met, and the air suddenly grew quiet.

A long while later, Danzo calmly spat out four words.

"Uchiha Mo."

"Danzo, are you joking with me?" The smile instantly vanished from Orochimaru's sickly pale face. A pair of snake pupils constricted, and a chilling aura spread through the underground dark room.

"This is a genius currently riding a wave of immense popularity within the Uchiha. Choosing him as a target at a time like this... Danzo... could you be utilizing me to eliminate an obstacle?"

Danzo's eyelids twitched, and he gripped his cane tightly.

"I can increase the experimental funding."

"Heh heh~"

Hearing this, Orochimaru hooked the corners of his lips, once more sticking out his slender tongue to lick his lips.

"Build me another laboratory of the same grade as a reserve for Sharingan-related experiments."

"Orochimaru! Do not be insatiably greedy!" Danzo narrowed his single eye, tapping the floor with his cane.

"Heh..."

Gazes intersected in the air. A cruel smile curled the corners of Orochimaru's mouth, and within his golden pupils burned undisguised greed, yielding not an inch.

"High-precision experimental instruments are not so easily acquired. You must provide the channels, and I will find a way."

"Very well."

Orochimaru glanced briefly at Danzo's bandaged eye, then chuckled lightly and turned to walk toward the door.

"Happy cooperation, Danzo."

Departing from the doorway, the smile faded from Orochimaru's face, and his mind suddenly recalled the scene previously witnessed before the Uchiha Clan District.

Uchiha Mo... His killing intent toward Danzo was genuine at the time. Why would a ten-year-old child be certain he could kill the Darkness of the Shinobi who has dominated the ninja world for decades? Is it ignorance, stupidity, arrogance, or could it be...

"How very interesting..."

Accompanied by steady footsteps, Orochimaru's body completely melted into the darkness, leaving no trace.

So that's how it is... Orochimaru, eh? It seems things really are a bit troublesome...