"Advisor Zenshu has passed away?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused what he was doing, looking up in astonishment at the ANBU ninja reporting the news.
"Yes. Gojo Satoru came to report it personally. He's right outside."
Hiruzen couldn't care about the work at hand anymore. He stood up and quickly went outside, spotting Gojo Satoru at a glance.
"What exactly happened? How could he suddenly pass away when he was just fine?"
Although Hiruzen said this, he actually breathed a massive sigh of relief internally.
Some power could finally be taken back.
After all, Zenshu was already severely injured a year ago and was said to not have long to live. Dying now wasn't extremely surprising.
Gojo Satoru led the way. The two quickly arrived at the courtyard.
Zenji had already arranged a pile of wood. Zenshu's corpse lay on top.
Seeing this scene, Hiruzen hurriedly stepped forward. He observed while speaking with some confusion.
"What is this for?"
"The Clan Head's dying wish: to be cremated directly after death. Leave no remains." Zenji spoke softly, his back facing Hiruzen.
"Why is that?"
"The Clan Head said, if Lord Hokage asks, tell him that he has read the catalog of forbidden techniques."
Hearing this, Hiruzen's expression stiffened slightly.
Obviously, he also thought of the forbidden technique—Impure World Reincarnation.
The other party didn't want his peace disturbed after death.
With this reason, Hiruzen couldn't very well stop it.
Without obstruction, Zenji formed hand seals and spat out white-yellow flames.
The flames landed on the firewood pile and immediately burned fiercely.
Under the power of chakra, Zenshu's body was completely incinerated. Even his bones burned to ash.
Hiruzen looked at the fire pit—which ultimately left only a pile of ashes—and pretended to be sad.
The power of the Forbidden Jutsu Laboratory must be taken back as soon as possible. And I need to find out exactly what kind of experiments Zenshu conducted.
I wonder if there will be information about Idle Transfiguration inside.
Hiruzen turned his gaze to Zenji. He was currently the only person who mastered Idle Transfiguration.
This mysterious and powerful secret technique had long caught the attention of some people in the village.
Now that Advisor Zenshu was dead, some people would probably start having ideas.
"Zenji, you don't need to accept any missions from anyone other than me for the time being. Rest well after the funeral."
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Zenji spoke with lowered eyes.
This demeanor made Hiruzen nod in satisfaction. He began to arrange the subsequent matters.
After all, Zenshu was a hero of Konoha. The funeral certainly wouldn't be so simple.
"That old thing is dead?"
Danzo Shimura's consistently gloomy expression revealed excited joy.
"Good. Immediately send people to surround the Forbidden Jutsu Laboratory—especially that old thing's independent laboratory."
Before Danzo finished speaking, he thought of Hiruzen Sarutobi. After frowning slightly, a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.
It's time.
A cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Have Shin make a move."
"Yes!"
On the other side, Fugaku Uchiha had just returned home. His face was full of disbelief.
"Dead?"
"Yes, Clan Head." The Uchiha reporting the news looked somewhat excited.
"Now that Zenji has lost his backing, should we directly take him—"
"Do not act rashly."
Fugaku hurriedly cut him off, staring fixedly at this clansman.
"Advisor Zenshu saved over a thousand people during the Nine-Tails incident. He is revered as a hero by the entire village. Taking action against his brother right after his death will only further enrage everyone."
This was exactly it.
His subordinates were always prone to using extreme methods—completely regardless of the consequences.
He was deeply afraid that if he took the lead, the situation would spiral out of control. Leave no room for recovery.
At that time, instead of gaining their rightful status and respect through resistance, it would evolve into a point-of-no-return slaughter. Ultimately destroying everything.
"Yes." This Uchiha slowly lowered his head, feeling somewhat resentful internally.
The news gradually spread throughout the entire village.
A massive number of people came on the first day of the funeral.
The turnout completely exceeded Hiruzen's expectations. Not only did those who were saved come, but also many villagers who arrived spontaneously. Even ninjas.
Finally, Zenshu was buried in the cemetery. The civilians slowly dispersed.
In the cemetery illuminated by dusk, a figure stood in the distance.
Orochimaru stood in the cold wind, arms crossed, face cold.
"Old thing. Are you really dead?"
He was somewhat unbelieving. Others might not know, but from the various research materials and ideas he had obtained, Orochimaru had long had his suspicions.
The other party also had his own immortality experiments.
After watching for a while, Orochimaru turned and left.
When he returned to the underground laboratory, Ryomen Sukuna was researching a piece of snake meat.
Orochimaru could tell at a glance that it was a piece of snake meat that had absorbed natural energy.
"Sukuna-kun. Your Clan Head is dead. Aren't you going to pay your respects?"
Orochimaru's eerie, practiced smile echoed in the laboratory.
Ryomen Sukuna expressionlessly snorted coldly and spoke flatly.
"I'd rather believe you died than believe that old thing would die."
"Oh?"
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. Even though they had collaborated for a year or two, he could still get unknown intelligence from Ryomen Sukuna.
"I wonder why that is."
Sukuna turned his head. He cast a glance at Orochimaru as if looking at an idiot, then completely ignored him. He began cooking the snake meat in his hands.
Orochimaru didn't mind. He had roughly figured out Sukuna's personality by now.
A purely beast-like personality. As long as you didn't provoke him and didn't accept his provocations, you could coexist peacefully.
Of course, the prerequisite was being able to defeat Sukuna—or at least fight him to a draw.
"Pack up. Get ready to transfer the base."
Orochimaru glanced around and suddenly spoke.
Seeing that Sukuna ignored him, he didn't waste any more words.
Having lived in Konoha for so many years, it wasn't as if Orochimaru hadn't cultivated his own forces.
Although Danzo's goal hadn't been ascertained, the other party's actions already showed a tendency.
He was very likely being abandoned.
Sensei. How will you choose? Will it be the same as two years ago?
Orochimaru's slowly narrowing eyes were filled with coldness.
On the other side.
"Hiruzen, how much longer are you going to consider? This evidence is already enough to prove what crimes Orochimaru has committed!"
Koharu Utatane's tone was cold and hard.
It was simply lawless. Even ANBU ninjas had fallen victim to him.
Koharu cast a glance at the composed Danzo nearby. Anger rose in her eyes.
ANBU ninjas were an important component of the Hokage's authority. Such actions were simply unacceptable.
"Danzo, Orochimaru has always been under your command. Did you assist him in this?"
Danzo cast a flat glance at the other three and spoke unhurriedly.
"Get it straight. Orochimaru is not my subordinate. I merely had some collaboration with him."
"Moreover, the collaboration ended over a year ago. If you don't believe me, you can check the funding records."
These words didn't dispel the three's suspicions. Instead, they made them certain that Danzo had prepared in advance.
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