To be honest, the codename Serpent was originally intended for Orochimaru. After all, no matter how you looked at it, Orochimaru was a far better fit for the name.
Unfortunately, he ultimately chose to defect, forcing Danzo to shift his attention to Hiruko
Although Hiruko's current performance paled in comparison to Orochimaru's, if he could complete the five kekkei genkai required for his *Chimera* technique with Danzo's help, his potential might not be far behind Orochimaru's.
Besides, under Obito's control, Kirigakure was already showing signs of transforming into the "Bloody Mist." When the time came, it wouldn't be difficult to capture a few kekkei genkai users for Hiruko.
After considering all these factors, Danzo decided to grant Hiruko a spot in the Earth Branch Squad.
After dealing with Orochimaru's body and Hiruko's matters, Danzo's Byakugan shifted its gaze to another location.
In the Root's medical ward, a brown-haired boy slowly opened his eyes.
"Where... am I?" He looked at the ceiling above him, then with some effort, turned his head.
The white sheets and simple room, though ordinary to most, were rare sights for this boy. From the moment he could remember, the world he saw had always been tinged with green.
He had only ever observed the world through the green liquid of the cultivation tanks.
"Oh, you're awake," a gentle female voice sounded as Nonō, dressed in shrine maiden attire, entered the room.
"Are you feeling better?" She walked up to the boy and gently touched his forehead. Then, using medical ninjutsu, she checked his condition before finally smiling. "It seems you're fine now."
Seeing the maternal warmth in Nonō's smile, the boy felt a strange emotion welling up inside him.
"Um... did you... save me from that place?" the boy asked cautiously, looking at Nonō.
Nonō immediately shook her head and smiled. "I don't have the ability to rescue you from Orochimaru's research base. It was Lord Danzo who brought you out of that hell."
"Lord... Danzo?" the boy murmured.
At Nonō's reminder, a figure flashed through his mind. A man who descended like a god, wielding a long sword, slicing through the "green" before his eyes.
But before he could fully remember the man's face, he had passed out.
Thinking of this, the boy's head began to ache. Nonō quickly placed her hand on his head and used medical ninjutsu to ease his pain.
"Don't force yourself to remember if it hurts,"
Suddenly, Danzo's hoarse voice came from the doorway. He leaned on his cane, carefully observing the boy.
This boy, who had been named "Tenzo," "Yamato," was the sole survivor of Orochimaru's Wood Release experiments.
As Danzo observed the boy, the boy also looked at Danzo. In just one glance, the figure in his memory overlapped with the old man before him.
"It's you..." the boy said softly.
Seeing that the boy recognized him, Danzo smiled faintly. "Yes, it's me. My name is Danzo."
Hearing Danzo's introduction, the boy instinctively wanted to tell Danzo his name.
But after thinking for a while, he realized... he didn't have one.
Danzo noticed the boy's embarrassment and asked, "You don't have a name?"
The boy shook his head and lowered his eyes in disappointment.
"In that case, how about I give you a name?" Danzo offered.
The boy's eyes lit up with hope. "Really?"
It was clear that he desperately wanted a name of his own.
"Of course," Danzo said matter-of-factly. After a brief moment of hesitation, he chose the name that Tsunade had given him in the original timeline: "From now on, your name will be Yamato. How does that sound?"
"Yamato... Yamato! My name is Yamato!" The boy sat up in bed, excited by his new name.
At this point, Yamato clearly lacked the composure he would later develop in the original timeline.
He still had a long way to go before he could fulfill his potential and become an outstanding ninja.
After giving a few more instructions, Danzo left the ward, with Nonō following closely behind.
"Lord Danzo, is there something special about that child?" Nonō asked.
She didn't believe that the busy "Darkness of the Shinobi" would personally visit an ordinary child.
Danzo didn't hide the truth. "He's the sole survivor of Orochimaru's Wood Release experiments, and the only successful subject."
Nonō's pupils contracted slightly in surprise. "You mean... this child is like you..."
Danzo nodded. "Yes, he is also a Wood Release user." He then smiled at Nonō. "Take good care of him these next few days. Who knows? He might become a great ninja like the First Hokage one day."
Of course, Danzo was just speaking casually.
While Wood Release was indeed a powerful kekkei genkai, not everyone could reach the level of Hashirama Senju.
At least for now, Yamato didn't seem to have that potential.
Based on his abilities in the original timeline, he would likely reach the level of an elite jonin or low Kage-level ninja.
Still, as a Wood Release user, he had a natural advantage against tailed beasts, making him worth cultivating.
Over the next few days, Yamato recovered under Nonō's care.
To help him better understand the world, Danzo brought out his trump card—Kabuto!
Under Danzo's orders, the young disciple of the "Darkness of the Shinobi" became Yamato's guide, taking him around the village.
The goal was to help Yamato familiarize himself with Konoha and develop a natural sense of belonging.
This approach proved highly effective for Yamato, who was new to the world.
After all, for the past ten years, Yamato's life had been monotonous.
Orochimaru had subjected him to nothing but experiments and pain.
In pursuit of perfect data, Orochimaru had continuously injected Hashirama's cells into Yamato's body, pushing him to his limits.
This meant Yamato had endured constant pain and the erosion of Hashirama's cells.
Just as his body adapted to the cells, a new round of experiments would begin.
He had endured this hellish existence for ten years.
Thus, everything Kabuto showed him during these days felt incredibly beautiful—like a dream!
This unimaginable beauty also gave rise to a thought in Yamato's mind: he would never allow anyone to destroy this beauty.
To protect this beauty, Yamato resolutely sought out Danzo.
"Lord Danzo, I want to join the Root!"
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