Chapter 4: Root

"What the hell…" I cursed, instantly, I activated the Byakugan.

The veins around my eyes bulged as my vision expanded, showing me every corner of the laboratory and the adjacent hallways.

Through the walls, I could see masked figures moving quickly toward my position.

"Anbu.. No, it's Root!" I whispered, recognizing the masks and traits of the Root division.

This operation is Danzo's work, they wouldn't have come this far without that bastard's consent, although Danzo has allowed my research until now, this incursion means our "alliance" is over.

"I don't know why he decided to attack me now, but it doesn't matter, I can only attribute it to the butterfly effect." there's no time to think, they're too close.

Without waiting any longer, I headed straight for a hidden compartment where I kept several scrolls and documents of my experiments.

I took a storage scroll from my waist, slid the documents inside it, and stored it once more.

I can't let Root get their hands on this, for various reasons, I'd rather destroy them, whether it's to keep Hiruzen in the dark or to prevent them from falling into Danzo's hands, I can't leave them here.

"A sword? I'll keep it, it might be useful." I quickly grabbed the short sword and tied it to my waist.

Then I formed hand signs and channeled the newly acquired energy "Mokuton: Root Growth."

Thick roots burst from the ground, blocking the hallways and creating a natural barrier to slow the intruders, it wouldn't hold them for long, but it would buy me enough time.

After blocking the hallway, I summoned four shadow clones, which immediately dispersed.

...

Outside the Hokage's office, Danzo Shimura calmly walked through the hallways, a sinister smile adorning his face.

"Hiruzen, you are so naive.." Danzo muttered, opening the Hokage's office door without knocking.

Seeing the Third Hokage, his former teammate, glaring at him with a frown, Danzo recalled last night's meeting.

Flashback no Jutsu ~

"Orochimaru has matured significantly, though he doesn't show it, he is concerned about Konoha's interests." Hiruzen commented with a satisfied smile after everyone had left the office, except Danzo, of course.

"Hum." Danzo nodded with a neutral expression, though he felt a slight unease within.

"His methods may be questionable, but there is dedication in him, he is capable, intelligent, and, as we know, extraordinarily talented." Hiruzen spoke, praising his disciple, proud of himself as a teacher.

"He could become a great pillar for the village in the future, the truth is we aren't getting any younger, I still hope the new generation can take over and allow me to retire in peace." Hiruzen set the pipe aside and said while looking at nothing in particular, soon, nostalgia overtook him.

Danzo frowned and gripped his cane tightly but remained silent, letting Hiruzen continue.

"I can't deny that both Jiraiya and Tsunade have potential, however, they have both made it clear they have no interest in the position of Hokage." Hiruzen said with regret.

"Jiraiya is free and cannot be tied to this office, while Tsunade.., still deals with her own wounds, Orochimaru, on the other hand…" Hiruzen paused, looking at Danzo, "Could be the most solid choice."

The words fell like a stone on Danzo, echoing in his mind.

Orochimaru… as the next Hokage? To him, it was inconceivable that Hiruzen would seriously consider someone so malevolent and dangerous to lead the village.

In his opinion, Orochimaru was far from someone to be trusted, more like a ticking time bomb.

"Hiruzen." Danzo finally said, his voice restrained. "Are you sure you can trust Orochimaru? You know as well as I do that he has explored dark paths, even dabbling in forbidden techniques over the years."

"I trust his potential, Danzo." Hiruzen replied, interrupting him with a firm tone.

"With the right guidance, I am sure Orochimaru can become a strong and just Hokage, I've seen him grow; I can see something in him that perhaps others fail to see, like you."

Hiruzen's words only deepened Danzo's mistrust, to him, Hiruzen's vision was too naive, not comprehending the real danger someone like Orochimaru posed.

But most importantly, if someone had to be Hokage, it should be him, Danzo Shimura, the darkness of Konoha, it seemed time for the darkness to become light and roles to reverse.

'You forced me to do this, Hiruzen, let me show you the harsh reality.' Danzo thought, to him, exposing Orochimaru's true face was not difficult.

He recalled the experiment he had initiated a year ago, an experiment to replicate the spirit of the First Hokage, which so far had been a complete failure, and he had already lost expectations in it.

However, both he and Orochimaru were aware of the cruelty of the experiment, if this became public, not even he could come out unscathed, let alone Orochimaru, a sinister smile adorned his face.

Flashback End ~

Now, back in the present, Danzo watched Hiruzen from the office entrance with his usual serene demeanor, though a feeling of satisfaction filled him internally.

"Hiruzen." Danzo said calmly, approaching slowly. "I fear your expectations in Orochimaru may be.., gravely misplaced."

The Third Hokage looked at him with a distrustful expression, raising an eyebrow slightly. "What do you mean, Danzo?"

"I have found something that, I fear, shows Orochimaru has been hiding more from you than you imagine." Danzo responded, pausing to observe Hiruzen's reaction, which was just as he expected.

"Get to the point!" Hiruzen urged, irritated.

"My mens discovered a secret base deep in the Forest of Death, Orochimaru has been conducting experiments that violate Konoha's laws and infringe upon the ethics of our clans."

"Forbidden techniques, human experimentation, and there may even be a conspiracy behind it, undoubtedly something that risks the stability and honor of the village."

Hiruzen's face darkened, and for a moment, his expression revealed surprise and disappointment.

"Are you saying Orochimaru has been experimenting on humans?" Hiruzen asked.

"Exactly, and these are not rumors, Hiruzen, I have concrete evidence, my Root team has confirmed the existence of that base, I have already sent a team after him to prevent his escape."

The Third Hokage's face turned grim, Orochimaru was one of his disciples, if what Danzo said was true, then his reputation as Hokage would be severely affected, besides possibly losing another pillar for Konoha.

Danzo took a step forward, getting close enough for his words to sink into his old comrade. "Tell me, Hiruzen, is this the type of Hokage you consider suitable for Konoha?" Danzo whispered like a demon.

"Enough, Danzo!" Hiruzen roared, standing up.

"I will order a thorough investigation, if what you say is true, then the situation will be handled according to Konoha's laws." Hiruzen declared firmly, trying to maintain his composure.

Danzo nodded, hiding a triumphant smile behind his serious demeanor. "I understand, Hiruzen, I only hope you make the right decision for the village, Orochimaru may be extraordinarily talented, but if he has strayed as much as I fear, then Konoha cannot afford to ignore him."

Hiruzen took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of pain and betrayal.

He knew Orochimaru had an unusual interest in forbidden arts, but he had wanted to believe his disciple was merely seeking knowledge, not falling into an abyss with no return.

However, he could not allow the interests of a single ninja to jeopardize the safety of the entire village.

"Danzo, suspend your team." Hiruzen ordered firmly, looking at his old friend with authority.

"I will send a trusted Anbu team to investigate this immediately, if it is true Orochimaru has committed unacceptable acts, he will be brought before the council and face the consequences."

Danzo remained silent but internally cursed Hiruzen's decision.

He knew an impartial investigation meant risk for his own involvement in the experiments.

Nonetheless, he nodded with apparent obedience. "As you say, Hokage-sama." Danzo nodded with a slight bow, hiding his cunning smile.

Hiruzen signaled, and two Anbu appeared in front of them, after giving them instructions, he put on his combat uniform and left with Danzo leading the way.

...

Meanwhile, in the depths of the Forest of Death, Root ninjas moved in coordination, covering all flanks while disarming traps along the way.

"Futon: Wind Blades!" The captain, an elite Jounin, formed hand signs to unleash a wind-style jutsu, not daring to use fire in an enclosed environment.

The wind blades spun toward the root barrier Orochimaru had created, cutting through the wood instantly.

"Advance, cover all exits and capture Orochimaru, we cannot let him escape!" The Jounin rushed through the cloud of sawdust while giving orders, but before receiving an affirmative response, a cold sweat ran down his back.

"Kenjutsu: Lightning Slash!" A chilling, crackling glow suddenly appeared.

"Fall back!" He shouted, but it was already too late.

"Ahhh!" A Root ninja beside him screamed in pain as his chest and arm were pierced by a lightning-imbued sword.

The ninja rolled backward as blood gushed from the wound, his right arm landing a few meters away, the immense pain caused him to lose consciousness, closing his eyes forever.

"One down, eleven to go…" The voice awakened the Jounin, who quickly began forming hand signs as he retreated.

"Futon: Wind Blades!" A dense barrage of wind blades rushed toward Orochimaru.

Seeing the wind blades, Orochimaru also began forming hand signs. "Doton: Earth Wall!" An earthen wall rose before him, blocking the attack, as dust filled the corridor, hindering visibility.

"Phantom Dance!" Orochimaru moved at high speed, leaving an afterimage behind him, the dust making it harder for the enemy ninjas to see him clearly.

"Closed circle formation!" The team captain cursed internally and quickly gave orders. The ninjas followed the instructions, forming a back-to-back circle with their comrades.

"Agh!" A painful groan echoed, signaling the death of another.

The dust cloud settled slowly, but now only Root ninjas remained, with no trace of Orochimaru. One of the Root ninjas, a member of the Aburame clan, raised his hand and released a swarm of insects.

He released two types of insects: destructive bugs and tracking bugs. The former are known for their ability to drain chakra from enemies until they become mummified.

The latter can detect chakra, useful for avoiding ambushes and tracking enemies.

"I found him!" The Aburame ninja declared, pointing to a spot on the wall.

"Kuro!" The speaker was a ninja from the Inuzuka clan, addressing his ninja dog. "Fang Over Fang!"

"Bark!"

The ninja and his dog began spinning, forming a sort of whirlwind, a loud crash echoed in the corridor as the Inuzuka ninja drilled through the wall like a spinning drill, leaving a massive crater.

Boom!

A cloud of smoke erupted from the hole in the wall.

"Shadow clone, be careful!" The Inuzuka ninja swallowed his words after glancing at his team.

He saw the Root ninja from the Nara clan stabbing the Aburame ninja from behind, piercing his heart, the sword twisted slowly, causing more damage, and a pained expression spread across the Aburame ninja's face.

"Genjutsu?" This was the team's first reaction; it was the only explanation, there was no way a simple transformation jutsu could fool them, so it could only be Genjutsu.

"Kai!" One by one, they performed the release seal, disrupting their chakra flow.

After ensuring they weren't under Genjutsu, they could only focus on freeing their companion from the illusion.

As a sensory ninja, the captain, a member of the Shimura clan, realized he could no longer sense Orochimaru's chakra only a fading presence in the distance.

"You three stay and release him from the Genjutsu, the rest follow me, we cannot let him escape." The Jounin captain quickly gave orders and advanced deeper into the base.

The Nara didn't stop them, after a while, only the Inuzuka Jounin and two support ninjas remained one from the Akimichi clan and the other a civilian with advanced sensory abilities.

As the captain and the rest of the team ventured deeper into the base in pursuit of Orochimaru, the three ninjas got into formation to release their companion from the Genjutsu.

"Hehehe, it's time to end the show…" The Nara ninja spoke in an eerie voice.

The Root ninjas looked at him expressionlessly, as tools of Lord Danzo, they existed solely to serve the village, even if they had to kill their comrade now, they wouldn't hesitate.

"Futon: Wind Blades!" The Nara decided to use the same trick as the Jounin captain, and as expected, they defended with an earth wall.

As the earth wall crumbled, the Nara ninja continued forming hand signs. "Katon: Dragon Fire Missile!"

Boom!

The Root ninjas barely managed to dodge the flames in the narrow space, but before they could react, roots erupted from the walls, wrapping around them.

"Mokuton: Wooden Coffin!" After completing the seal, the wooden prison enclosing them compressed, blood seeping through the cracks.

"Kuro!" Shouted the usually stoic Inuzuka ninja, who managed to escape using his dog as bait.

Though he evaded the attack, the sacrifice of his dog was worse than he had anticipated. The blood of his loyal companion stained the ground, and his rage turned into a murderous fury.

"Scum… I'll make you pay for this!" The bond between an Inuzuka and their canine partner was unmatched, and his rage overflowed.

He channeled all his chakra into one final attack against the bastard before him. "Wolf Fang!"

The Inuzuka ninja began spinning rapidly, his speed spiraling upward until he became a whirlwind.

When the Inuzuka ninja was only a few meters away, the Nara extended his arms, performing a series of quick seals. "Mind Paralysis." A Yamanaka clan ability he had obtained minutes earlier.

Instantly, the Inuzuka ninja felt as though his body turned to lead, his spinning slowed abruptly, and his attack fell apart, leaving him completely vulnerable.

Confusion and panic filled his eyes, unable to move a single muscle as his own technique betrayed him, leaving him suspended in an attack posture with no strength to complete it.

Orochimaru calmly approached, observing the paralyzed ninja. "Sorry about your dog, pick a cat next time." After saying this, the Nara ninja wielded the sword, cutting off his head.

"Byakugan!" After dispelling the transformation, Orochimaru activated the Byakugan, he see that the team of ninjas ahead had already entered the secret room where he had been minutes earlier, but he didn't panic.

Orochimaru increased his chakra flow to observe the base's exterior, where a large group of ninjas was approaching at high speed.

He first sheathed the sword at his waist before using Predator on the four corpses on the ground.

"Doton: Hiding Like a Mole!" The earth beneath his feet softened, and he sank into it, moving underground, Orochimaru reached the secret exit he had prepared for such situations.

After getting far enough away, Orochimaru climbed a tree and looked back at his base. "What a shame, now I'll have to find a new one." He sighed regretfully.

...

"Hiruzen, this is the intelligence we received." Danzo said, handing over a scroll.

The Third Hokage took it and glanced at it without slowing down, after reading a few lines, his face darkened even further.

He set the scroll aside, looked at Danzo, and asked with a frown. "How is it that I didn't know about this?"

"Well… as the darkness of Konoha, I believed that Root should handle it, I informed you after tracing the clues back to Orochimaru, your student." Danzo explained, almost slipping for a moment.

Danzo's answer did not satisfy him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but despite his mistrust, he quickened his pace alongside the Anbu squad.

Kaboom!

As Hiruzen remained lost in thought, a terrifying explosion echoed through the forest, a mushroom-shaped cloud rising into the air.

Hiruzen held tightly to the tree he was standing on, preventing himself from being blown away by the shockwave. However, some Anbu ninjas behind him were not so fortunate and were sent flying through the air.