radicalducati Chapter 174 As expected of you!
Chapter 174 As expected of you!
Chapter 174 As expected of you!
in the audience.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Torifu Akimichi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado stared wide-eyed at the giant screen.
The scene displayed on the screen left these seasoned ninjas speechless with shock.
This absurd and outrageous scene made several high-ranking officials in Konoha almost doubt their own eyesight.
"This is truly indecent! Danzo, that shameless old man!"
Xiaochun, who was switching dorm rooms, immediately turned her head away, her face flushed with anger, unable to bear looking at the unbearable scene on the screen any longer.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Koharu in the next dorm have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
She adjusted her reading glasses on the bridge of her nose and couldn't help but mutter a few complaints under her breath.
In contrast, Hiruzen Sarutobi, though he also glanced at the messy bed, remained much calmer.
He had witnessed Danzo's absurdity in his dream before; he could father more than ten children and probably had more than two female companions.
This completely changed Hiruzen Sarutobi's perception of his old friend.
Fortunately, Danzo's cold, angry voice quickly came from the screen: "Get out!"
Immediately, the two naked women, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly fled the room with their two crying babies, not even bothering to put on their clothes.
The door slammed shut with a bang, and the bedroom finally returned to silence.
However, before the audience could even breathe a sigh of relief...
Suddenly, Danzo in the scene threw his head back and burst into laughter: "Hahaha! As expected of me! As expected of me!"
"What's wrong with Danzo? Has he suddenly gone mad?!"
Mitokado Yan couldn't help but rub her eyes, staring at the screen in disbelief, wondering if she was still half asleep.
The surrounding audience members were also completely baffled.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had maintained his composure throughout, frowned slightly, revealing a look of confusion.
Soon, the screen changed.
After calming his agitated emotions, Danzo quickly tidied his clothes and then solemnly pushed open the door and walked out of the bedroom.
As soon as he stepped out of the bedroom, the maniacal smile on his face vanished, replaced by his shrewd and calculating expression.
Danzo carefully followed the subtle coded signals and made his way there.
He hadn't gone far when he was surprised to find that the sound was coming from a corner of his own yard.
"Is it here?" Danzo followed the sound and quietly crept to a secluded corner of his own courtyard, but after looking around, he did not find any figure.
He muttered something to himself, and then, following the usual practice of the Root organization, he lifted his toes and lightly tapped the ground twice.
"Whoosh!" With a whooshing sound, the air in front of Danzo suddenly blurred, and a dark figure appeared abruptly in front of him!
It was a ninja dressed in an ANBU uniform and wearing a patterned mask, moving silently yet with astonishing speed.
The man knelt on one knee, bowing his head with utmost respect, and said, "Lord Danzo! I have important news to report!"
The voice was firm and solemn, and one could tell at a glance that the person who came was no ordinary person.
"What is it?"
Danzo remained outwardly calm and asked a question casually, but a hint of joy inadvertently flashed in his eyes.
Even with his extremely discerning eye, the aura of this subordinate in front of him was quite high, already reaching the level of an elite Jonin!
It's important to understand that even within the real-world Root organization, there are very few subordinates with this level of strength; usually, only elites at the squad leader level possess such power.
However, judging from the insignia on the other person's mask, this was not a squad leader at all, but just an ordinary member.
This shows that the root organization in the dream world is much more powerful than in reality!
Danzo was overjoyed, but he maintained a reserved expression and nodded slightly.
That's so true to me!
He secretly praised himself, a smug smile subtly curving his lips.
After years of lying low, patiently enduring hardship and biding their time, they secretly developed and expanded their power.
Now it seems that all these efforts were not in vain!
If all members of Root are this strong, he might be able to confront Minato Namikaze head-on in the future!
Although Kakashi had reported that Minato Namikaze was incredibly powerful in the dream, Danzo was not convinced since he had never seen him in person. No matter how powerful he was, could he be stronger than the strongest Hokage?
As for Minato Namikaze's confidants—the Uchiha clan—Danzo was even more disdainful: a mere thirteen-year-old boy could slaughter the traitorous Uchiha clan to the last man, so what did he, Shimura Danzo, have to fear!
If he could kill the Uchiha clan once, he could kill them a second time!
The only person he feared was his only rival—Yitsu-chan!
Thinking of this, Danzo was in a great mood and almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.
However, being a shrewd and calculating man, he knew he needed to maintain his authority in front of his subordinates. At this moment, he merely narrowed his eyes and adopted a calm and composed demeanor: "What is it?"
The Root ninja respectfully replied, "Reporting to Lord Danzo, Orochimaru has arrived!"
"What?" Danzo was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and his one eye suddenly narrowed.
This news was truly unexpected for Danzo—he had actually been connected to Orochimaru in his dream.
In fact, Danzo did not have any particular aversion to Orochimaru.
Even though Orochimaru was a rogue ninja who was expelled from Konoha, in Shimura Danzo's eyes, that identity was nothing special. As long as he could use him and make Konoha shine, what did it matter if he was a rogue ninja?
Moreover, he and Orochimaru have collaborated quite a few times in real life.
Ultimately, what Danzo truly envied were Orochimaru's astonishing research achievements!
In reality, he had worked closely with Orochimaru on many occasions and obtained many benefits from him, such as the experimental subject "Tenzo" (Yamato) who mastered the power of Wood Release, and the First Hokage's cells and the power of the Sharingan transplanted into his right arm—all of which were inseparable from Orochimaru's research results.
Danzo had always coveted the forbidden techniques Orochimaru possessed. If he could fully master those research results, the strength of the Root organization could increase several times over!
Therefore, Danzo still harbors deep resentment and grudges over Orochimaru's escape today.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi had handed Orochimaru over to him earlier, he might have already taken all of Orochimaru's achievements for himself!
But then Danzo thought about it again and a cold smile appeared on his lips—this was a golden opportunity!
Orochimaru—he delivered himself right to our doorstep!
At this thought, a burning glint flashed in Danzo's eyes, and his excitement intensified.
However, he maintained a calm and calculating demeanor, nodding slightly and saying in a low voice, "Lead the way!"
"Yes!" The Root member accepted the order and stood up.
He swayed and walked to a large tree in the courtyard, where he gently pressed a spot on the trunk.
A faint rumbling sound came from the ground, causing the grass beneath their feet to tremble slightly.
Immediately afterward, in Danzo's unusual gaze, the originally unremarkable grassland slowly cracked open, revealing the entrance to a deep underground secret passage!
Inside was a row of pitch-black staircases extending straight downwards.
A cold, damp aura emanated from the depths of the tunnel, mixed with the smell of soil and decay, sending chills down one's spine.
Upon seeing this, Danzo's expression changed slightly, filled with both surprise and delight: "Impressive! As expected of me, you even set up a secret passage in a place like this."
He nodded to himself, never expecting that in such an inconspicuous corner of his own courtyard, he could have set up such a hidden underground passage in his dream!
The darkest place is right under the lamp; the most dangerous place is often the safest!
Minato Namikaze probably couldn't have imagined, even if he racked his brains, that there was a secret passage here.
Such methods and cunning!
That's right!
This is in line with the style of Shimura Danzo.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Shimura Danzo have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
The Root Ninja was the first to jump into the tunnel without a word and disappear into the shadows.
Danzo hesitated for a moment, then quickly mustered his strength and followed closely behind, leaping into the dark underground passage without hesitation.
in the audience.
Several high-ranking officials of Konoha witnessed this scene and couldn't help but exchange glances.
Mitokado Homura's face turned ashen. He slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair in anger: "That Danzo! He's still got the same wolfish ambitions!"
"That's right." Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement, then sighed, "After reading Kakashi's report, I felt sorry for Danzo, thinking it was truly tragic that he ended up like that in the dream. I never imagined it was all a facade!"
Akimichi Torifu shook his head. "I can only say, as expected of Danzo—but, could Danzo possibly have some connection with that rogue ninja Orochimaru?"
"Hmph, nothing is impossible." Koharu Utatane suddenly snorted coldly, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes. She crossed her arms and said rather rudely, "That old bastard Danzo has always been audacious and reckless. I'm afraid he's done plenty of these kinds of underhanded things in real life!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent with a sullen face, his expression shifting between light and dark.
In fact, he was not entirely unaware of the underhanded dealings between Danzo and Orochimaru.
However, he always believed in Danzo's loyalty to Konoha and thought that his close friend would never do anything to harm Konoha's interests. So even if he sensed something was amiss, he selectively turned a blind eye and pretended to be oblivious.
Even when Danzo plotted to assassinate him, he did not investigate further.
But now, witnessing the scenes from his dream with his own eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi's conviction began to waver.
In the dream, Konoha was peaceful and prosperous under the rule of Minato Namikaze, and the villagers lived a happy and peaceful life.
Even in such a peaceful and prosperous era, Danzo still couldn't resist stirring up trouble in secret, and it seems he was quite successful!
What does this mean?
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply. Had he ultimately misjudged his old friend of many years?
So, was Danzo in real life also secretly plotting some kind of conspiracy that was detrimental to Konoha?
Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt extremely heavy-hearted, and his face grew increasingly gloomy.
[Ding! An emotional fluctuation from Hiruzen Sarutobi has been detected! Emotional value +500!]
For a moment, the atmosphere in the audience became somewhat solemn.
Danzo followed closely behind his men, hurrying down the steps.
The deep tunnel twisted and turned, stretching for an unknown distance. Only the flickering light of torches illuminated the damp stone walls, revealing streaks of water.
Footsteps and heartbeats echoed in the cramped underground passage. Danzo roughly estimated that he had walked at least four or five hundred meters deep, but he had only reached the bottom when a heavy iron door appeared in front of him.
The iron gate slowly opened as the Root ninja pushed it open, emitting a dull, grinding sound.
Danzo stepped inside, and a bright and clear view suddenly appeared before him.
This is an incredibly large underground base!
The dim light illuminated the spacious area, revealing numerous side passages and rooms, with glimpses of an open area resembling a training ground and a corner of a laboratory filled with instruments.
More than ten members of the Root organization, dressed in uniforms, were busy with their own tasks, moving back and forth.
Upon hearing the sound of the iron gate opening, they all stopped what they were doing and looked towards the entrance.
When they recognized the visitor as Danzo, the men were startled, immediately stood up straight, and bowed in unison, saying, "Lord Danzo!"
The loud voice echoed throughout the base, making Danzo feel very happy.
He stood with his hands behind his back, nodded authoritatively, gave a satisfied "hmm," and loudly praised, "Good! Very good!"
He walked slowly forward, and everywhere he looked, there was a thriving scene—the "root" of this world was far more powerful than he had imagined!
Danzo was overjoyed as he looked at it, and a smile almost broke out on his face.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Shimura Danzo have been detected! Emotional value +600!]
However, he quickly composed himself and continued to follow his men deeper into the base.
After winding their way through several turns, the group arrived at a peculiar metal door.
The door was covered with intricate sealing runes, making it appear heavily guarded.
Pushing open the door, one finds a separate, sealed laboratory inside.
The laboratory was lit by incandescent lights, casting a stark white glow inside.
In the center of the room was a long iron table with a stretcher-like device fixed to it.
A large object covered by a white sheet lay quietly on the stretcher, the outline of a human body vaguely visible.
A figure was sitting at the other end of the long table, legs crossed, seemingly waiting leisurely for a long time.
"Orochimaru!" Danzo recognized the sinister figure at a glance, and his pupils contracted involuntarily.
Hearing the noise, the man with long, black hair slowly raised his head.
It was Orochimaru.
A sinister smile crept across his pale face, his golden, snake-like eyes narrowing as he stared intently at Danzo who had stepped through the door: "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Lord Danzo."
He chuckled strangely and asked in a sarcastic tone, "How many babies did you make today?"
Upon hearing this, Danzo's facial muscles twitched violently, and his face immediately turned sour.
The anger and embarrassment that had been suppressed surged up again in an instant. Damn it!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Shimura Danzo have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
Although he now knows that the absurd behavior in his previous dream was just a disguise he used to deceive others.
But at this moment, being moved and lifted up by Orochimaru, Danzo still felt his face burning with embarrassment, and was extremely angry and humiliated.
"Hmph!" He suppressed his displeasure and snorted coldly, "Enough nonsense! What do you want?"
Seeing this, Orochimaru exaggeratedly spread his hands, making two "spit" sounds, and said in a strange, insincere voice, "Spit, Danzo-sama, why are you so angry? Don't tell me you're trying to renege on our agreed cooperation?"
Danzo felt a chill run down his spine, his pupils contracted sharply, and he involuntarily paused for a moment.
In my dream, I actually had an alliance with Orochimaru?!
His mind raced, but he maintained a calm demeanor, narrowing his single eye as he said in a deep voice, "Of course I haven't forgotten. How come you finished so quickly?"
"Hehe—of course, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"
Orochimaru licked his lips, looked at Danzo with a half-smile, and said this in a sinister tone. Then he slowly stood up, grabbed the white cloth covering the stretcher on the long table, and forcefully ripped it off.
"With a swish, a white sheet fell down, revealing the human figure on the stretcher under the blinding light!"
"hiss!"
Danzo gasped, involuntarily taking half a step forward, staring intently at the strange humanoid figure on the stretcher.
A slender, humanoid creature was lying flat on the stretcher.
It is called a "living thing" because at first glance, it doesn't look like a normal human at all!
The creature was completely naked, its skin a frighteningly pale white, almost devoid of any color, as if cast from white wax.
The surface of his skin was covered with strange textures, resembling the rings of a tree.
Danzo frowned, and even his breathing became slightly lighter.
He could sense that this thing had no trace of human life within it—it was neither like a living person nor like an ordinary corpse.
Although it was deathly pale and stiff, it lacked the putrid smell of a corpse; instead, it emitted a faint scent of earth and plants.
It looked as if it had just been pulled out of a damp swamp.
"This is—"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Shimura Danzo have been detected! Emotional value +500!]