"Betraying Orochimaru, huh?"
Shimura Danzo thought for a second before agreeing with Akihara Kagura's suggestion: "That's fine too. Once we remove that monkey, that guy is of no use anymore..."
Betraying an ally...
Shimura Danzo naturally felt no psychological pressure.
Besides, after this Chunin Exam, Shimura Danzo believed that he and Akihara Kagura had joined forces to take control of Konoha's power, so keeping Orochimaru was unnecessary.
Orochimaru's only value lay in biological science and technology.
Even if Shimura Danzo wanted to obtain Wood Release and the Sharingan, there were suitable test subjects within Konoha Village, and perhaps Sarutobi Hiruzen had left complete experimental records.
Even though Shimura Danzo had long known the outcome, he felt somewhat stifled: "I've spent so much time, and in the end, it's you, this little brat, who will become the Hokage of the village, while I remain a Root guarding Konoha in the shadows..."
After so many years of working in Konoha Village and becoming a traitorous ninja for so long, I still ended up as the leader of Root, while this kid is about to become the Hokage...
"Isn't this what we agreed on?"
Akihara Kagura extended his hand, inviting Shimura Danzo to enter the corridor of the base, and turned his head to instruct Karin: "Go call everyone out to welcome Lord Danzo home."
"Yes."
Karin lowered her head and agreed with a nod.
"Hmm..."
Shimura Danzo snorted disdainfully, yet he was somewhat satisfied with Akihara Kagura's arrangement.
After several years.
He finally returned to Konoha and reclaimed power over Root; the only change might be that the Hokage of the village was transitioning from Sarutobi Hiruzen to Akihara Kagura.
While walking deeper into the Root Base, Shimura Danzo slowly said, "Kagura, over these years, it seems that Root hasn't developed well. You've always been suppressed by the monkey, unable to grasp the power of Root. I've always said, don't reform the Root I established..."
"This reform is beneficial."
Akihara Kagura shook his head and, with a light smile, said to Shimura Danzo, "At least under my control, the number and strength of Root have significantly increased compared to the past..."
"Can these people be trusted?"
Shimura Danzo glanced at Akihara Kagura and continued to speak on his own: "Even if there're people planted by the monkey, it doesn't matter. After all, the monkey will die today, and I'll gradually remove those unfit for Root..."
"Rest assured."
"After today, they will all be reliable."
Akihara Kagura chuckled softly, spreading open his palm and said, "I originally wanted to change Root, but I found out that Lord Danzo's method of gathering people for Root is correct..."
"The current Root..."
"Is made up of people from the Ninja World who have no home."
As Akihara Kagura spoke, he glanced at a group of people emerging from deep within the Root Base. There were men and women, both young and old, all wearing masks.
"This many people?"
Shimura Danzo felt there were a few too many people in Root and was somewhat dissatisfied: "Root is made up of ninjas walking in darkness; it doesn't need this many useless people..."
Especially since some people's hair was gray.
Even with the masks, Shimura Danzo could tell the others' aged appearance, and he coldly snorted, "Root doesn't need useless waste. Dispose of some of them when it's appropriate..."
"Even a scrap of paper can have its use sometimes..."
Akihara Kagura smiled as he spoke, turning to the assembled crowd: "Everyone here, introduce yourselves to Lord Danzo. Your names have all appeared on the list on Lord Danzo's desk, yet you might have rarely had the chance to meet..."
"Take this opportunity..."
Stepping to the side, Akihara Kagura could hardly contain the smile curling at his lips: "Let Lord Danzo meet you all, and let's get acquainted!"
"I've seen their names?"
Shimura Danzo's brow furrowed, narrowing his eyes in some confusion at the group of people.
The next moment!
A glaring red eye flashed!
"Sharingan..."
Shimura Danzo immediately recognized those eyes!
However, before Shimura Danzo could fathom what was happening, he was met with vision upon vision of red eyes rising before him!
Among the dense crowd of people, they all possessed a pair of red Sharingan. The eyes shone eerily in the dark, casting an uncanny atmosphere in this gloomy base, as if these individuals could devour anyone at any moment like monsters!
But...
That wasn't the scariest part!
The most terrifying aspect was that these weren't transplanted eyes; their eyes had transformed from normal ones into Sharingan, indicating all these people bore the Uchiha bloodline!
These individuals...
Were all from the Uchiha Clan!
Shimura Danzo's heart shuddered!
What kind of joke was this? Wasn't the Uchiha Clan of Konoha annihilated during the Night of the Massacre? How were there still so many Uchiha alive!
Why were these surviving Uchiha in Root!
Shimura Danzo's heart constricted as he turned in disbelief to Akihara Kagura, glaring into the playful smile on Akihara Kagura's face!
"Not happy?"
Akihara Kagura beamed at Shimura Danzo's shocked expression as if seeking praise: "Lord Danzo, didn't you always fancied the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan? So I cleared out all your people in Root and replaced them entirely with Uchiha Clan..."
"You!"
Shimura Danzo was caught between rage and shock, his pupils dilating in an instant, heart pounding so swiftly that he could feel his blood surging to his brain, nerves tensing as if they might burst, rendering him incapable of forming coherent speech!
"Logistics class... training class... combat class..."
Akihara Kagura extended his fingers one by one while enumerating: "If you count carefully, even those cleaning the base are Uchiha..."
"What exactly..."
"Is going on!"
Shimura Danzo bit his teeth, struggling to remain standing through his shock to ask for the truth: "Tell me, what on earth is happening! Wasn't the Uchiha Clan wiped out!"
"The Uchiha Clan was wiped out..."
Akihara Kagura shrugged, his casual demeanor as if conveying something trivial: "These Uchiha who survived the Night of the Massacre were homeless, so I could only settle them in the Root that Lord Danzo created, providing them a haven..."
"..."
Shimura Danzo's heart pounded even faster.
His life was dedicated to ridding Konoha of the Uchiha clan, who threatened its peace and stability, never imagining his self-established Root could become overrun with Uchiha!
"Lord Danzo, please remain calm."
Akihara Kagura gazed at Shimura Danzo, smiling warmly as he continued: "Although, I constantly worried about Lord Danzo inadvertently unable to accept it psychologically..."
"Thankfully."
"On the night of the massacre, I guessed the Third Hokage might strip you of your power, so I volunteered to take over Root actively, preventing its dissolution, and leaving a home for these surviving Uchiha..."
"To make sure the entire Root consisted solely of the Uchiha Clan, and to give you a surprise, I had to find ways to clear out your personnel from Root..."
"However..."
"Lord Danzo would undoubtedly be monitoring the situation of Root..."
As Akihara Kagura watched Shimura Danzo, his expression was sincerely earnest: "To prevent Lord Danzo from frequently visiting Root and discovering my painstakingly arranged surprise prematurely, I could only enlist their help, and together we worked to drive Lord Danzo out of Konoha..."