"Danzo, it's you!?"
"Danzo, what are you doing here!"
"Danzo, hadn't you already left Konoha!?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura were all astonished as they watched the figure slowly emerge from a dark corner.
After all, Shimura Danzō was now a bona fide S-rank rogue ninja of Konoha!
Every ninja in Konoha was hunting him.
Yet at such a critical moment, Danzo had actually slipped back into Konoha undetected and even brazenly entered this heavily guarded prison for serious offenders!
How could they not be astonished!
Leaning on his cane, Danzo looked at the three behind the iron bars, a look of undisguised mockery curling his lips.
"Although that brat Uchiha Gengetsu made some changes to Konoha's defensive barrier after taking power, I've spent so many years building my operations in Konoha that getting in is hardly difficult."
Danzo sneered, then turned his gaze to Hiruzen Sarutobi and said with undisguised gloating, "But you three... it's been so long, and you've actually ended up like this."
Back in Konoha, Danzo had frequently struggled against Hiruzen Sarutobi, openly and covertly, for the Hokage position.
But nearly every political confrontation had ended in Danzo's defeat, leaving him no choice but to obediently hide underground in Root and serve as the "Darkness of Konoha."
Thus, seeing the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi imprisoned in a dark, damp cell filled Danzo with utter delight, and he couldn't help laughing mockingly aloud.
Listening to Danzo's grating laughter, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned livid as he said gravely:
"Danzo, you didn't sneak into Konoha just to mock me, did you!"
Danzo stopped smiling. A sharp glint flashed through his single eye as he said coldly, "I'm here to rescue you."
"Rescue us!?"
Hearing Danzo's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura exchanged bewildered looks.
Since