https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-341-Confrontation-and-Passing-the-Buck-/12932717/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-343-Sarutobi-Hiruzen-It-Hurts-It-Hurts-So-Much-/12932719/
Chapter 342: The Alliance of Danzo and New Tailed Monkey!
Chapter 342: The Alliance of Danzo and New Tailed Monkey!
"Hokage-sama, we've found the last known location of the missing villagers..." The ANBU member paused, unsure if he should continue.
He didn't know if he should reveal the rest.
"Go on!" Hari signaled for him to continue the report.
If it were any other matter, he could have reported it privately.
But regarding the missing villagers, it wouldn't be right to let the others leave.
After all, several clan leaders of the Shinzo Clan were present in the office, and their clans had missing members too.
Finding a clue and then letting them leave would be like asking for more trouble.
"It's... Orochimaru-sama's residence!" The ANBU member lowered his head and delivered the report without daring to look up.
They had been tracking down the culprit without any leads, but as the suspect's activities became more noticeable, they naturally discovered a clue.
Following this clue, they uncovered a terrifying fact.
Orochimaru's residence!
The missing villagers and ninjas had been taken to this place.
And who was Orochimaru?
One of the Sanin!
And more importantly, a disciple of the Third Hokage.
Given this connection, it was no wonder the ANBU member was surprised and decided to report directly.
Normally, he would have reported to the ANBU leader, New Tailed Monkey, but since he was in the Hokage's office, the report had to be made directly.
'But this is too much of a coincidence...' Dong Ping's face mirrored the shock of the others, but his mind harbored doubts.
He couldn't help but suspect Danzo, as he was well aware of his involvement in this incident.
Although Danzo controlled the Root, the ANBU had no opportunity to interfere, making it impossible for such a 'coincidence' to happen so publicly in front of so many people, directly bringing the matter to the Hokage's attention.
If it were reported privately, it might have been dismissed with a mere 'three cups of penalty wine, and no further action.'
Hari was known for his soft-heartedness, even forgiving a pot-stirrer like Danzo countless times.
So, it was no surprise that he would be even more forgiving towards his favorite disciple.
In other words, only in this situation would Hari be unable to 'forgive' Orochimaru.
It was too much of a coincidence, Dong Ping's mind raced, but when he glanced at New Tailed Monkey, he instantly understood the key to the situation.
Danzo and New Tailed Monkey had joined forces.
Only through their alliance could they manipulate Orochimaru, leaving Hari no choice but to act.
With this alliance, Orochimaru's chances of ascending to the Hokage position were completely shattered.
Indeed, Orochimaru had been schemed against precisely because of his aspirations for the Hokage position.
And it was Danzo and New Tailed Monkey who had joined hands.
As for how Danzo convinced New Tailed Monkey, it was surprisingly simple.
After all, New Tailed Monkey had always harbored ambitions for the Hokage position, a fact that was an 'open secret.'
The reason for this was none other than Hari himself, the Third Hokage, who was unaware of this.
In fact, the strongest opposition to his eldest son becoming the Hokage came from the Third Hokage himself.
Putting aside other considerations, Hari was meticulous in selecting the next Hokage. His criteria were simple: loyalty to the Will of Fire was non-negotiable.
Next, the candidate must be from the Hokage Clan, eliminating any outsiders.
Lastly, the candidate's strength must meet the Kage Rank, at the very least.
Among these three conditions, New Tailed Monkey only fulfilled the first two.
His strength was the issue; he was merely an Elite Jonin, not even close to the Kage Rank.
While Elite Jonin status could be achieved through resource accumulation, the Kage Rank couldn't be bought.
With insufficient strength and a desire for power, it was only natural for New Tailed Monkey to feel anxious. If Danzo exploited this weakness and proposed an alliance, he wouldn't refuse.
By eliminating Orochimaru, their biggest 'competitor,' they shared a common goal, and thus, they joined forces to set up Orochimaru.
It must be said that Dong Ping, having witnessed countless schemes and possessing extensive information, immediately guessed the truth.
But he also realized that Orochimaru had intentionally allowed himself to be set up.
What a spectacle! Dong Ping couldn't help but marvel at the intriguing scene before him, finding it thoroughly enjoyable to witness their scheming and intrigue.
Bang!!
After a long silence, Hari finally snapped out of his daze and slammed his fist on the table. "ANBU, surround Orochimaru's laboratory immediately! I want to see for myself what's going on!"
Even now, Hari couldn't bring himself to believe that his own disciple could do such a thing.
Yes, he knew Orochimaru enjoyed his research, but other hidden villages also had similar practices. As long as they didn't harm their own people, no one would find it unusual.
However, harming their own was crossing the line, and it was unforgivable.
Indeed, ninjas were known for their double standards.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
The ANBU leader acknowledged the order and withdrew.
"Everyone, shall we go and bear witness together?" Hari scanned the office and finally extended an invitation.
If they weren't here, he would have chosen to keep the news under wraps and handle it privately.
But since they were all present, not inviting them would undoubtedly arouse suspicion and jealousy. It was best to invite them along.
After all, even without an invitation, they would find a way to investigate, which would make it harder to control the situation.
Step, step!
None of them dared to refuse the invitation.
They were deeply concerned about the matter as well.
After all, with villagers continuously disappearing, they had been worried sick. Now that they knew where the missing villagers were and that it involved Orochimaru, one of the Sanin, they needed to get to the bottom of it or they might not even be able to sleep at night.
After leaving the Hokage's office, everyone used the Teleportation Jutsu to head towards Orochimaru's residence.
"He sure changed into his combat gear quickly!" Dong Ping observed as he saw Hari ahead of them, already dressed in his combat uniform with a long headband fluttering atop his head. It seemed almost unnatural.
In just a few minutes, Hari had geared up for battle.
However, Hari's combat readiness also indicated something else.
It meant he had prior knowledge that this matter might be true.
Orochimaru's Mansion!
Located on the outskirts of the village, his laboratory was also situated there.
Due to his personality, no one usually visited him, making the place seem rather desolate.
Inside the mansion, two figures, one large and one small, sat facing each other.
"Red Bean, if I were to leave the village, would you come with me?" Orochimaru, with his black shoulder-length hair and a delicate demeanor, suddenly asked the girl sitting opposite him, who was slouching without any regard for posture and had her hair tied up in a pineapple-like style.
"Of course not! There's nothing good to eat outside the village, and I don't want to miss out on red bean dumplings. Where are you going for your mission, Teacher?" The girl, Red Bean, asked bluntly.
She genuinely didn't want to leave the village because there were no red bean dumplings to be found outside.
Orochimaru stared at his disciple.
Although he had many subordinates, she was his only disciple.
'It's better this way. Let the last bloodline of the Purple Clan stay in the village. The cruel outside world isn't suitable for her!'
Red Bean fainted.
Orochimaru silently stood up, preparing to leave.
But before departing, he turned back.
"Here's a gift for you!" He said, and his head quickly elongated like a snake, biting into Red Bean's neck and leaving behind a seal that emanated an evil aura. (The plot has been altered, refer to the original book for details)
Indeed, it was the seal Orochimaru had recently developed.
Celestial Seal!
It even contained fragments of Orochimaru's soul.
Once he died, he could use the Celestial Seal to resurrect himself.
It could be said that in the entire ninja world, Orochimaru might not be the strongest, but he was undoubtedly the hardest to kill.
Leaving the living room, Orochimaru slowly made his way to the laboratory.
The laboratory was underground—a common practice in the ninja world.
During this time, he seemed oblivious to the ANBU agents hidden in the shadows around the mansion.
After several minutes, Orochimaru's mansion welcomed a group of uninvited guests.
(End of Chapter)
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