Shanks Template. Conqueror Haki.

Kirito walked out of the Root base as if nothing had happened.

A small, dark snake, barely visible to the naked eye, slithered quietly through the forest, making its way toward the woods where Orochimaru waited.

While Kirito had been engaged in battle with Danzo at the Root, his Observation Haki had picked up on the faint presence of this little snake. He couldn't help but wonder who had sent it.

As the black snake passed by, Kirito stepped forward and eliminated it with a swift, deliberate motion. His cold gaze then shifted to a large tree in the distance, where Orochimaru was leisurely enjoying the moonlight.

Orochimaru was startled as Kirito's sudden kick interrupted the peace of the night, his cold eyes sending a shiver through the Sannin. At that moment, Orochimaru realized that the man named Kirito had planted a seed of fear in his heart.

Whether it was Kirito's overwhelming combat prowess that forced Orochimaru to fight helplessly, or the chaos he had caused tonight, Orochimaru couldn't ignore the fact that Kirito had firmly established himself as a force not to be provoked.

Orochimaru already understood that Kirito's strength was at least on par with the Hokage of any village. Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, wouldn't stand a chance against him. Despite his own reputation as the "Ninja Doctor," Orochimaru could feel that Kirito's abilities far surpassed his own.

However, one thing did bring Orochimaru some relief—he had a growing suspicion about Kirito's true allegiance. It seemed that Kirito didn't feel much loyalty to Konoha, and even seemed to disdain the Hokage. Orochimaru saw this as an opportunity.

He considered the possibility of recruiting such a powerful individual to join his plans to destroy Konoha.

While lost in these thoughts, Kirito's cold voice cut through the air.

"Aren't you coming out?"

Orochimaru snapped out of his musings, quickly leaping down from the tree to face Kirito. The awkwardness of the moment was palpable, and he gave a forced laugh.

"Hehe…"

Kirito glanced at him, his piercing gaze silencing Orochimaru's attempt at humor.

"I'll let you off this time, but next time, you'll have to pay to watch the show."

Orochimaru's face twisted back into a more sinister smile. His expression softened as he attempted to sway Kirito.

"Kirito, don't you think that someone like Danzo, a dark figure, shouldn't be allowed to speak?"

"This Root organization represents the hidden darkness beneath Konoha. You must be aware of the inhumane methods employed in the shadows."

Kirito raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. Orochimaru, having watched the scene unfold, was now making a compelling case, as though he had experienced the injustice firsthand.

"You know… do you know who allowed all of this darkness to persist?"

"Yes, it was the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was hailed as amiable by all of Konoha's citizens."

"Sarutobi Hiruzen looked the other way while Danzo and his Root organization did as they pleased."

Orochimaru's voice grew more intense. His words began to take on the tone of a preacher, painting a picture of the deep corruption of Konoha.

"It wasn't just acquiescence, it was a conspiracy. You saw the Sharingan on Danzo's arm. Those are the eyes of Uchiha Sasuke's clan. The Uchiha were wiped out because of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo's schemes."

"Such a man is hardly fit to be Hokage, don't you think?"

At this, Kirito's calm expression shifted, and he couldn't help but smile.

Orochimaru was attempting to slander Konoha, but Kirito already knew the depth of the darkness behind Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo. He didn't need Orochimaru to explain it to him.

Noticing the change in Kirito's demeanor, Orochimaru pressed on.

"You've seen it, haven't you? The Sharingan on Danzo's arm. That's from Uchiha Sasuke's clan. The Uchiha were wiped out because of Hiruzen's and Danzo's schemes."

"Furthermore, your other disciple, Uzumaki Naruto, is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."

"For the village's safety, Minato sealed the Nine-Tails inside Naruto, sacrificing his life. Yet, Sarutobi Hiruzen never told Naruto the truth, and allowed the villagers to insult him."

"Isn't that infuriating, Kirito?"

Kirito's expression grew more amused as Orochimaru continued to elaborate.

Ah, so this little snake is trying to recruit me by brainwashing me with his version of events, he thought.

Orochimaru, lost in his speech, went on.

"Even I, a traitor, feel the injustice towards your two disciples."

"If you were their teacher, wouldn't you want to do something for them?"

Kirito, now amused by Orochimaru's theatrics, slowly nodded, playing along with the narrative.

"Yes, I've been thinking about it," Kirito said, his tone calm but laced with a hint of sarcasm. "I do have a plan to eliminate the darkness in Konoha."

"Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen… they'll both be dealt with. Their deaths will bring justice to your two disciples and light to Konoha. What do you think? Want to join me?"

Orochimaru's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"You can become Hokage after killing Sarutobi Hiruzen. All I want are a few secret techniques from Konoha. Together, we can save the village and destroy its enemies. What do you say, Kirito?"

But Kirito's response was swift and dismissive.

"I'm not interested. Your feud with Konoha has nothing to do with me."

"You can destroy Konoha if you like, Orochimaru. Kill Sarutobi Hiruzen, eliminate Danzo, but don't expect me to get involved."

"As long as you don't disturb me or my disciples, do whatever you want."

"Otherwise…"

Before he finished speaking, Kirito disappeared in a flash of light, leaving only the eerie stillness of the forest behind.

Orochimaru was left stunned, but his smile returned soon after. Though he had failed to recruit Kirito, he now understood the man's stance. Kirito had no intention of meddling in his plans.

Orochimaru turned away and disappeared into the night, heading toward the Sand Village to continue his own schemes. Meanwhile, Konoha remained unaware of the storm about to hit them, as Kirito settled into his idle routine, waiting for the future to unfold.

A month later, Kirito received a notification from his system.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host, Kirito, for reaching 50% in role-playing!]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for unlocking the third gate of the Eight Gates!]

[Ding! The system has extracted a new template!]

[Ding! The character template of Red-Haired Shanks has been drawn, with an initial role-playing degree of 30%.]

Kirito smiled to himself. The system had granted him the powers of Shanks, a powerful figure whose Conqueror's Haki could now allow him to counter even Danzo's Kotoamatsukami. With this newfound strength, he was more than ready to settle the score with the old manipulator.

Now, the time had come.