At the edge of Konoha's urban area, by the barrier next to the two large trees, the clan heads of Konoha's major clans gathered.
"Advisor Zenshu's laboratory? I wonder what's inside."
Choza Akimichi stood to the side, speaking with some curiosity.
Shikaku Nara felt somewhat helpless and immediately gave him a look, telling him to be quiet.
The tacit understanding of friends for many years made Choza immediately comprehend. He dispelled the thought of speaking.
Not far beside them stood two or three ninjas with white pupils. The Hyuga clan.
Leading them was the current head of the Hyuga clan—Hiashi Hyuga.
His gaze was not fixed on the barrier. Rather, he was looking toward the other side.
Gojo Satoru floated lazily. He cast a glance at the Hyuga clan members and yawned without a care in the world.
He didn't stay beside Zenji. Instead, he moved close to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Recently, he was trying to figure out a way to graduate early—so he kept hovering around the Hokage.
And this scene made the expressions of the Byakugan clan members even more severe.
"Since when did Gojo Satoru's relationship with the Hokage become so close?"
A gloomy tone was revealed in the voice of an elder behind Hiashi.
"Don't forget. Hiruzen is the principal of the Ninja Academy."
Another elderly member of the Hyuga clan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Then what do we do? Zenshu just died. We thought we had a chance, but now it's probably going to be hard to make a move again."
"This is difficult."
"Even if it's difficult, we cannot give up. Those so-called Six Eyes are absolutely a variation of the Byakugan. We must find a way to master this method."
Listening to the secret conversation of the two elders behind him, Hiashi's eyes were also somewhat complex.
During these past two years, they had not given up. It was just that because Minato Namikaze had just become Hokage, they didn't want to stick their necks out.
It was also because of Zenshu's strength—especially after facing the Nine-Tails, which was displayed to the fullest.
Although the Hyuga clan as a whole was strong, no single ninja possessed that kind of power.
Therefore, they could only wait.
Finally, after waiting for Zenshu's death, before they even had time to strike, they saw this scene.
"The previous methods can only be discarded. But we absolutely cannot give up on Gojo Satoru. Cannot give up on the Six Eyes."
That elder's gaze was sharp. His face serious.
"Even if we can't get the Six Eyes, we must get the Limitless Technique. That is clearly a technique imitating the Revolving Heaven."
The voices of their conversation were very low. Coupled with the fact that the people around didn't actively pry, almost no one heard them.
But as it happened, Gojo Satoru was not among them.
He forcefully suppressed the urge to laugh. He didn't even want to look straight at this bunch of fools.
And similar to the Hyuga clan, there was also the Uchiha clan.
Fugaku Uchiha stood on the other side. His attention entirely focused on Zenji.
Zenshu hasn't been dead for long, yet they are blatantly targeting Zenji like this. Is it because of the Sharingan?
Zenji is not from the Uchiha clan—is he?
He had long made plans in his heart. With the academy and the training class, Zenji's influence on the villagers and ninjas was approaching that of the Uchiha clan.
Most importantly, this was not a negative influence. But a positive one.
If it could be combined with the Uchiha clan—relying on the positive influence plus the powerful strength of the Uchiha clan—
The current predicament could be easily solved.
I originally didn't know how to rope him in. But now the Hokage faction's coercion is right in front of him. This makes things completely easier.
Although the specific situation was explained by the ANBU, the major clan heads had their own judgments about what was actually going on.
People's hearts were beginning to change.
Orochimaru dared to capture even ANBU ninjas for experiments. And after the matter was exposed, he even ran away.
Orochimaru—one of the Sannin—was indeed very strong. But to be able to escape from under the hands of the Professor of Ninjutsu?
Who would believe that?
Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi with his robust aura, the crowd believed it even less in their hearts.
Now Zenshu merely set up a personal laboratory, and the Hokage faction couldn't wait to snatch it away.
That was a hero of Konoha. Yet this was the treatment he received after death.
"Everyone has arrived. Open the barrier."
Seeing that Hiruzen hadn't spoken for a long time, Danzo Shimura directly took the lead.
He had done this kind of thing many times. So he naturally stepped forward.
Zenji took out a very special key. Looking a bit like a miniature version of the Inverted Spear of Heaven.
"You can cut open the barrier using this."
Hiruzen and Danzo exchanged a glance. The latter stepped forward and directly took this special small knife.
Danzo walked up to the barrier. He looked at the indestructible shield and slashed forward with the knife.
The moment the blade touched the barrier, it sliced it open.
The next instant, the key dissipated like light. The barrier also rapidly opened up, then completely vanished.
A peculiar aura emanated from the pitch-black cave entrance.
The aura of Dark Chakra distorted the air inside the cave. Making it impossible for people to see clearly inside.
Hiruzen and Danzo, being the closest, could even more clearly feel that highly aggressive, evil presence.
"Use Shadow Clones."
As the voices fell, the two immediately formed the technique.
Poof.
The two Shadow Clones walked toward the pitch-black cave entrance. Their faces full of vigilance upon entering.
Following the downward passage, they encountered absolutely no danger.
Soon, a faint glow appeared before their eyes.
A moderately sized laboratory appeared before them.
Scattered books and some materials were arrayed on the walls on both sides. The most eye-catching thing was still the cultivation pod right in the middle—and a wall of masks next to it.
The dark aura was emanating exactly from the masks.
The two immediately walked over and clearly saw these nine masks resembling ghosts and monsters.
"Shinigami Masks?"
"Since when did he research Sealing Techniques?"
Both of them had studied Sealing Techniques and were also aware of the Uzumaki clan's Shinigami Masks.
Danzo looked over the nine masks and suddenly discovered a passage of text next to the wall.
"There are words here."
The two looked over. The next moment, they were greatly shocked.
"Splitting the negative emotions of the Tailed Beasts..."
"Sealing them away to only retain the most positive emotions..."
"Thereby being able to perfectly control the Tailed Beasts. Allowing the Jinchuriki to exert their strongest power?"
The hearts of the two were filled with astonishment. They turned to exchange a glance.
They knew very well what kind of strength Tailed Beasts possessed. And also knew how great a disaster an uncontrolled Tailed Beast would bring to the village.
If Tailed Beasts could be perfectly controlled, Konoha's strength would greatly increase.
And the immortal Tailed Beasts would become the stabilizing force to suppress everything.
Thinking of this, the expressions of the two changed slightly. Because not only Konoha had Tailed Beasts—but other hidden villages did too.
Most importantly, other hidden villages had more than one.
"This thing..."
Hiruzen's face was serious. Before he could finish his sentence, his expression immediately changed.
In the final moments of his peak's terminal lucidity, Hiruzen was not only extremely strong but also extremely sharp.
"Watch out!"
After Hiruzen said this, he immediately released the technique.
Poof.
His entire person vanished.
The hand reaching out from behind grabbed empty air.
Danzo turned his head and saw this scene. He took out a kunai and was about to stab over.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen outside immediately received the memories of the Shadow Clone. Leaving behind a sentence, he rushed toward the laboratory.
"Surround this place!"
The next second, Danzo's face also turned ugly. He closely followed and rushed in.
"Do not let a single person escape!"
The ANBU and Root immediately sprang into action.
"What happened?"
"There's a battle inside!"
"Open."
Hiashi immediately activated his Byakugan. Standing at the cave entrance, he saw the battle inside.
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