Chapter 10: Vile Snake

Danzo Shimura, the most dangerous person in the room and quite possibly the entire village, sat in the guest seat facing Yuki. His face was a stoic mask, devoid of any emotion, with his singular eye tightly shut. The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to cut with a kunai. Ryu's heart pounded so loudly in his chest that he was certain it echoed through the room as he concealed himself behind the bookshelf.

One of Danzo's masked subordinates silently handed him a scroll containing vital information. Yuki's expression shifted, her shoulders slumping in despair and fear as Danzo's eye meticulously scanned the contents of the scroll.

After opening his only eye and examining the scroll's contents, Danzo exclaimed, "Twenty-eight children. I hope you did not hide anything if you know what is best for you." 

""As much as I wish I could, I know I can't deceive you," Dr. Yuki admitted with a bitter tone of resignation.

Danzo replied, "You were always smart. You were always skilled at research and medicine-making, but you were never a good shinobi or spy and were only a mediocre healer, but the poisons that you created are still in use to this day."

Yuki's eyes filled with contempt as she retorted, "Our ideals were different. That was not how things were back then, under your father's leadership at Root Division. He was similar to you, but not quite as extreme. Not to this extent. He had his limits that he wouldn't cross. He wouldn't stoop so low, no matter what, until the day he crossed those limits. I don't know what changed in him. I decided to cut myself off from the Root that day your father decided to cut off his humanity."

There was anger in her voice, but there was sadness in her voice as well, a complex mixture of emotions that spoke of a shared history and deep-seated regrets.

Danzo heard her talk about his father, and he closed his eyes and thought about him for a moment. He knew what changed him and why. But there was no point in telling.

Yuki added, "I am well aware of the experiments conducted in the shadows of the root. I choose to keep my conscience clear."

Afterwards, a figure who had been silent prior to this moment began speaking, "Well, well, well. You know, as a researcher, I used to really admire you. For such things, you had a knack and insight," it said as it pulled off the cloak that concealed his face.

As the figure pulled off the cloak concealing his face, Dr. Yuki's eyes widened in shock. "Orochimaru," she said in shock.

The name hung in the air like a death sentence. Ryu felt his blood run cold, his mind racing with all he knew about this infamous shinobi.

Ryu was overwhelmed with fear when Orochimaru's name was mentioned. Seeing Danzo enter the room, who was already sweating profusely, along with Orochimaru, was too overwhelming for him. Ryu began praying that they wouldn't discover him hiding. 

Orochimaru's lips curled into his signature unsettling grin. "It was a shame to lose such a valuable researcher. I was almost sad that day."

"So, you're both working together," Dr. Yuki stated. "No surprises there."

With a menacing smile, he said, "No one knows outside the Root. If you knew what was best for you, you would prefer it that way. I doubt sensei is already aware of this, but still."

Orochimaru's words carried a thinly veiled threat. The room went silent as Orochimaru finished speaking. Yuki was already under pressure when she had to deal with Danzo. Danzo was dangerous, but so was Orochimaru. 

She felt ensnared between two ruthless predators, each exuding a more menacing aura than the other. Her eyes darted frantically between them, desperately seeking a lifeline to shield the vulnerable children under her charge.

Danzo was going through the list that his subordinate had provided as Orochimaru and Yuki were conversing. He went over the qualities of each child listed on the list.

Danzo turned to his subordinate and asked, "Is the kid hiding behind the bookshelf on the list too?".

Ryu felt as though his very soul had abandoned him at that precise moment due to an intense sense of dread. His mind raced, desperately searching for a way out of this situation. But he knew, deep down, that there was no escaping the notice of these shinobi.

At the moment, the subordinate thought, 'This kid is skilled at hiding. I didn't even notice him.'

Orochimaru's gaze slid to the bookshelf, a predatory glint in his eyes. "Come out, kid. Playtime's over."

Ryu knew that he had been found, and he couldn't escape from these individuals. He slowly came out. Orochimaru looked at Ryu and smiled; the already-tense Ryu shivered in response. 

As Ryu stepped into view, he felt the weight of their gazes upon him. Danzo's single eye seemed to pierce through him, while Orochimaru's gaze made him feel like a specimen under a microscope.

The subordinate remembered the kid. He had looked into this kid more intensely than other kids for some reason. The subordinate looked at Danzo and replied, "The kid is useless, Lord Danzo."

Danzo glanced over at Ryu and then said, "He doesn't seem useless to me. The chakra is already activated; it is less than average, but the quality is better than average. Apart from his eyes and hair, his presence is also appropriate for spies."

The subordinate looked at Ryu and said, "Lord Danzo, his chakra was not active when I tested him. Besides, this kid is terminally ill." He paused and continued, "This kid has pneumonia and several other infections; he also has peptic ulcers."

Danzo looked at Yuki and said, "Are you faking it?". 

From years of experience, he could tell that she was not faking it. Without waiting for her reply, Danzo turned to face his subordinate. The ninja answered, "I have confirmed it with Leaf Central Hospital."

Danzo looked at Dr. Yuki and said, "Sure, those are some serious illnesses, but not untreatable. Someone as capable as you surely would have treated him by now. I am disappointed."

Dr. Yuki replied, "Are you sure that I haven't tried?"

Danzos looked at his subordinate again for an explanation. His organisation was short on staff. He was not ready to lose any talent, however minor it was.

His subordinate explained, "All the diseases the boy has contracted can be treated with immunity boosters. They can afford it, despite having a limited budget. However, the boy's body is not strong enough for it. The side effects are too severe, and his body is rejecting other treatment methods as well. If his ulcers were not regularly healed, he would be on a strictly liquid diet, even though his diet is mostly simple. Even if he lived past the initial estimates, constant healing may lead to cancerous development. He might not make it past six months."

The Root ANBU has now confirmed what Ryu already suspected. This made things easier for him.

Danzo remained silent the entire time his ANBU was explaining Ryu's situation to him. If it were someone else, he would have felt some emotion like concern or pity. However, this was Danzo.

On the other hand, Orochimaru was the one who responded to it. He said, "That's an unfortunate kid. You really have very awful luck. It's as if the gods themselves want you to die."

With a menacing grin that terrified Ryu, Orochimaru suggested, "We could thoroughly record your medical condition and involve you in research during your final days. What do you think, young man?"

Ryu felt a chill run down his spine at Orochimaru's words. The idea of being a research subject for this man was terrifying.

Dr. Yuki suddenly got angry and said, "Don't even think about it. The boy has enough trouble."

Orochimaru replied, "My, my, aren't you too protective?". He looked at Ryu and mockingly said, "Hey, chin up! Maybe a miracle cure will pop up in the next few months. He he he. One can always dream, right? Good Luck.". He then turned to Dr. Yuki and said, "Don't worry; a few months go by fast. It will be over soon for him."

Ryu's stomach churned violently in response to the callous cruelty laced within Orochimaru's words. At this moment, Dr. Yuki's anger rose and was about to reach its limits. She looked at Danzo and said, "Go about your business and leave."

Her voice dripped with icy coldness, masking the seething anger that lay just beneath the surface.

Danzo stood up and started to leave. Outside, near the door, he stopped for a moment and said, "Make preparations."

With the closing of the door, a heavy silence settled in the room, the weight of the encounter still palpable in the air. Ryu looked at Dr. Yuki, unsure of what to say or do.