Inside the crossroads passage of the Root Base.
Danzo stood leaning on his cane, gazing at the pitch-black sky without expression.
A figure landed before Danzo and dropped to one knee, reporting, "Lord Danzo, we encountered the missing-nin Orochimaru while carrying out a mission."
Danzo turned around and asked, "Orochimaru? What does he want?"
The Root ninja shook his head, took out a letter, and replied, "Orochimaru asked us to give this to you, Lord Danzo."
Danzo narrowed his eye, took the letter, and opened it immediately.
Even though Orochimaru had defected several years ago, the two still maintained lingering ties.
After reading it carefully, Danzo's expression shifted before understanding dawned on him.
He had been wondering how Kakashi's team had survived their encounter with Orochimaru and Sasori of the Red Sands. So Shisui Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
As a student of the Second, he had long since learned through constant exposure just how powerful the Mangekyō Sharingan was.
With those eyes, it was no wonder the team had escaped unharmed. The ANBU he had dispatched must have died in that battle as well.
The Mangekyō Sharingan... Orochimaru must be coveting those eyes too.
But Shisui Uchiha actually concealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, and Kakashi and the others helped him. Could they be deliberately hiding this to move against the village?
Reining in his wandering thoughts, he shredded the letter into scraps with Wind Release.
Danzo vanished in a flash, heading toward the Hokage Building.
Before long, Danzo pushed open the office door, his lone eye exposed outside his bandages fixed on the Third, who was working at his desk.
At the sight of Danzo, the Third's expression instantly grew serious. He waved a hand, signaling the ANBU to withdraw.
Once the ANBU lurking in the shadows had left,