Neither Hiruzen nor Orochimaru paid any mind to the scattered experimental materials on the floor.
"Hiruzen-sensei, are you truly going to strike me down?"
Orochimaru, his voice hoarse, walked step by step towards Hiruzen.
At this moment, Orochimaru knew well that if Hiruzen were to truly attack without restraint now, he would absolutely not escape. The man before him was known as the "Professor of Shinobi," and his power was far superior to his own.
"Orochimaru..."
A complex look flickered in Hiruzen's eyes, anger mixed with reluctance and a heavy heart.
In Hiruzen's view, Orochimaru was his most talented disciple, on whom he had poured countless efforts over the years, who carried his dreams, and to whom he even intended to pass on the Hokage title.
However, Orochimaru's actions had caught Hiruzen completely off guard. The deeper the love, the more intense the hate!
If he were truly to deliver a fatal blow at this moment, Hiruzen...
His heart was in turmoil. It wasn't that he couldn't do it, but that he couldn't bear to, couldn't bring himself to destroy his most cherished disciple.
"Hiruzen, you've grown old!"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly, then leaped up and darted towards the main door.
Hiruzen's reaction had always been within his expectations. When it came to understanding human nature, Orochimaru was no less skilled than Hiruzen, perhaps even surpassing him.
"Lord Third?"
The surrounding Anbu ninja tensed, wanting to intercept Orochimaru.
But without Hiruzen's command, they dared not make a move.
"Hiruzen, if you let Orochimaru go today, you'll regret it someday!"
Enma, the Monkey King, Hiruzen's summoned beast, said in a deep voice from beside him.
"....."
Hiruzen remained silent, the profound pain in his eyes unseen by others.
Watching Orochimaru's receding back, Hiruzen was the one whose heart ached the most, but...
What could he do?
Only after Orochimaru's figure completely vanished from sight did Hiruzen, looking utterly exhausted, finally speak:
"Clean this place up, then seal it off!"
"Yes!"
The Anbu ninja behind Hiruzen responded swiftly.
"Orochimaru, sigh..."
Hiruzen sighed and returned to the Hokage Residence with his Anbu guards.
Hiruzen sat at his desk, reminiscing about Orochimaru's growth from childhood. Without any preparation or notification, the main door was violently pushed open.
"Hiruzen, you actually let Orochimaru leave? Do you have any idea what he's done?"
Danzō strode towards Hiruzen, his voice filled with reproach.
Of course, reprimanding Hiruzen wasn't Danzō's sole objective.
"..."
Facing the accusation, Hiruzen remained silent.
Orochimaru's act of harming comrades, even if it didn't warrant execution, should have him imprisoned in Konohagakure's jail.
However, Hiruzen, out of sentiment for their master-student bond, had let Orochimaru go. This was indeed his fault.
Orochimaru's departure from Konohagakure was also a huge loss for Danzō. When he was plotting against Orochimaru, he also seized Hiruzen's weakness, knowing that Hiruzen would certainly not kill Orochimaru, at most, he would imprison Orochimaru in Konohagakure's jail.
However, despite all his calculations, Danzō never expected that Hiruzen would actually allow Orochimaru to leave.
Upon learning of this situation, Danzō couldn't help but curse loudly.
Orochimaru's research capabilities were extremely important to Danzō. Now, Orochimaru's departure was a great loss to him.
If Orochimaru had been imprisoned in Konohagakure's jail, he would have countless ways to make Orochimaru continue his research for him, and he could also keep Orochimaru firmly under his control.
"Hmph!"
Seeing Hiruzen's silence, Danzō let out a cold snort, then continued:
"Orochimaru carries a large amount of intelligence. To prevent information leaks, I suggest dispatching Anbu ninja to hunt him down."
"And, this task should be given to Root."
Danzō said in a low voice, his words filled with killing intent.
Danzō volunteering for this mission was merely a pretext to find Orochimaru and continue their collaboration.
As for actually killing Orochimaru, Danzō had no desire to, nor could he bear to.
Finding someone with research capabilities as outstanding as Orochimaru was no easy feat.
"I've already issued a kill order. Orochimaru has been listed as an S-rank missing-nin."
Hiruzen sighed softly.
He had let Orochimaru leave out of old sentiment, and he knew that this matter required an explanation.
Therefore, even before Danzō arrived, he had issued the order to list Orochimaru as an S-rank missing-nin.
"That's for the best."
Having achieved the desired outcome, Danzō nodded, then said:
"Orochimaru's subordinates who are still in Konohagakure... they must also be purged."
Danzō's primary objective in making this suggestion was Veigar, who was nominally one of Orochimaru's subordinates.
At this point, Danzō, having transplanted Hashirama's cells and Sharingan, possessed an almost delusional confidence in his own strength.
"This..."
Hiruzen hesitated.
Orochimaru was one of the Sannin, with extremely high prestige in the village. Naturally, he had many subordinates, and their strength was not weak.
If he issued a purge order, Konohagakure would definitely fall into turmoil, especially since the war had just ended and personnel were in short supply.
To eliminate all these people at this time made Hiruzen fall into indecision.
"Hiruzen, what are you hesitating about?"
"Orochimaru's defection has already had a huge impact on Konohagakure. If Orochimaru's subordinates also defect, Konohagakure will become the laughing stock of the entire shinobi world."
Danzō gnashed his teeth with hatred for Hiruzen sitting on the Hokage's seat. Without Hiruzen's command, in the current situation, he wouldn't dare to act openly and take the opportunity to intimidate the various ninja clans in Konohagakure.
For the position of Fourth Hokage, Danzō had calculated everything.
Hiruzen was silent for a while, then he looked up and stared at Danzō, saying:
"This matter cannot be done!"
"First, instruct your Root members to monitor them. If there are any signs of defection, kill them immediately."
Danzō's words weren't entirely unreasonable in Hiruzen's view, but for the sake of Konohagakure's stability, he adopted a compromise.
"Hmph! Hiruzen, you're old."
"You've become indecisive. The Fourth Hokage position, you should just hand it over to me!"
Having said that, Danzō had already turned his back, but the curve of his lips betrayed his inner thoughts.
He had been with Hiruzen for decades, knowing Hiruzen's personality and way of handling things like the back of his hand.
The decision Hiruzen made now was completely within his expectations.
However, Danzō never thought that the reverse might also be true.
Danzō believed Hiruzen was only on the fourth layer, while he was on the fifth, unaware that Hiruzen was on the atmospheric layer.
What would happen if Root ninja were to carry out this mission was also within Hiruzen's expectations.
On the Hokage Rock, Veigar stood quietly, looking at Konohagakure under the night sky, lost in thought.
Orochimaru defected from Konohagakure; the winds should begin to swirl.
Glancing at the figures occasionally flashing across Konohagakure's streets, rapidly approaching, Veigar remained completely unmoved.
"Koshima Veigar, Danzō-sama requests your presence!"
Soon after, several ghostly figures surrounded Veigar. The leading Root ninja spoke in a deep voice.
Looking at the familiar black combat uniforms and animal masks worn by these Root ninja, Veigar couldn't help but recall the days when Danzō had placed the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on him.
Veigar pondered how he should seek his revenge next.
What goes around, comes around.
"I have nothing to say to Danzō-sama. If he wants to see me, he should come himself!"
With that, Veigar made to leave.
However, Veigar, having also been in Root, knew very well that these people wouldn't give up so easily.
"Have you considered the consequences of doing this?"
He stopped, looking back.
Seeing the surrounding Root ninja with their hands already on the blades on their backs, steadily closing in on him, Veigar spoke calmly.
"Danzō-sama's orders cannot be defied."
"Attack."
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.
As the leading Root ninja's voice fell, five figures, including himself, instantly blurred into motion. Sharp blades cut bright white streaks through the night.
"Why are you doing these meaningless things?"
"Are you forcing me to kill you?"
"Then I'll grant your wish."
Based on Veigar's understanding of Danzō, these five Root ninja were likely pawns meant to entrap him.
Veigar, having figured this out, didn't show it. Instead, he flashed an extremely gentle, harmless smile.
A brilliant white flash crossed, and Veigar's figure vanished from his spot.
Before these Root ninja could react, a smiling Veigar appeared beside one of them.
Fast, incredibly fast.
His smile was a smile of extreme coldness.
"One."
A chilling voice lightly exploded.
The Shinigami Blade held in Veigar's palm sliced through the air, cutting horizontally across the neck of the Root ninja beside him.
Sizzle~~
A subtle cutting sound rang out.
Clean, swift movements ensured the Root ninja didn't suffer much pain. He lost consciousness in an instant, a large wound appearing on his throat, blood gushing out like a fountain.
Having landed the blow, Veigar didn't spare a second glance.
It wasn't worth it, nor was it necessary.
Anyway, he was a dead man.
Then, under the horrified gazes of the other four Root ninja, Veigar tapped his foot, and his figure flickered again, vanishing.
Sizzle~~
Another subtle cutting sound exploded.
The second Root ninja was also killed instantly before he could react.
"Retreat, create distance."
The leading Root ninja, seeing Veigar's strength, had cold sweat dripping down his forehead. He finally understood that Veigar was not someone they could handle.
"Is Danzō-sama sending us to our deaths?"
At this moment, he also guessed Danzō's intentions.
However, the Hokage Rock was only so large; where could they retreat to?
Swish, swish!
Veigar gave them no chance to create distance. The Shinigami Blade swept past, and two more Root ninja were killed.
In just an instant, only the leader remained out of the five Root ninja, and his mask had been sliced open by Veigar's blade.
The sharp tip of the blade rested against his forehead as the two halves of his mask fell to the ground.
"I'll give you a chance to live. Take a message to Danzō for me."
"Koshima Veigar, are you planning to betray Konohagakure?"
Hearing the stern voice, Veigar scoffed dismissively.
"Heh~~"
"Tell him I'll come find him."
As his voice fell, Veigar's figure vanished.
"Hm?"
The surviving Root ninja was startled, shaking his head and searching for Veigar's trace. But aside from the four Root ninja with their throats slit, Veigar's figure was nowhere to be seen.
Swish, swish, swish.
Three more figures wearing animal masks appeared, but they were not Danzō's Root ninja; they were Hiruzen's subordinates, from the Anbu.
"Shūtarō, what are you doing here?"
"What happened here just now?"
Among the newly arrived Anbu ninja, the Anbu from the Gekkō clan loudly questioned the Root ninja Veigar had spared.
Shūtarō Gekkō recognized the Anbu ninja's voice and identified his identity.
"I..."
Veigar didn't care what happened on the Hokage Rock after he returned home. He only knew that Danzō was getting desperate.
Shūtarō returned to the Root base and immediately knelt before Danzō.
"Danzō-sama, the mission failed. Only I returned alive out of the five of us."
Danzō's eyes, as he looked at Shūtarō, held no emotion, only extreme coldness.
"Tell me what happened during the mission."
"Yes."
Through Shūtarō's account, Danzō understood what had transpired.
"Danzō-sama, he also asked me to deliver a message to you."
"Speak."
Ultimately, Veigar's message for Danzō was delivered to Danzō by Shūtarō.
"Go and receive your punishment!"
Danzō waved his hand.
"Yes!"
Shūtarō retreated to receive his punishment.
"Veigar..."
"Hmph!"
Danzō uttered Veigar's name, letting out a cold snort.
With Hiruzen's Anbu interfering, his plot against Veigar had fallen through.
Late at night, Hiruzen was still in the Hokage Residence.
He was waiting for the Anbu ninja's report. Due to Orochimaru's actions, Hiruzen was in no mood to sleep.
After waiting for several hours, Hiruzen finally received what he was waiting for.
An Anbu ninja, holding an unconscious Anko in his arms, knelt before Hiruzen. In his hand, he held a scroll.
"Lord Third, Orochimaru's laboratory has been cleared. This child was found in the laboratory, and we also found a research log."
Hiruzen looked at the young girl before the Anbu ninja and immediately recognized her.
When Veigar had left Konohagakure to train in Mount Myōboku, Orochimaru had taken on a new subordinate named Anko Mitarashi.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]