As reports on the affairs of the Land of Rivers and the Higashikawa Trading Company trickled in, even Danzo—who had been focused on adapting to his newfound strength—found himself with a headache.
The scope of his operations was expanding rapidly, yet the number of people truly capable of handling things independently remained unchanged. Even Yakushi Nono had been stationed in the Land of Rivers, leaving Danzo with fewer capable hands.
The increasingly complex matters of Root meant that Danzo's personal time was shrinking. He couldn't help but reminisce about the past—when Nono used to follow him around in her nun's habit.
Now, as he read the letter she had personally written, carrying a faint trace of her familiar scent, he absorbed the details about the company's operations and growing profits. She pointed out that the Higashikawa Trading Company's expanding size made it harder to conceal, recommending that it be split into smaller entities.
Danzo had already considered this, but the issue remained—there were only a handful of people who could manage such things. He could rely on them for assassinations, but restructuring a trading company? That wasn't their specialty.
Yakushi Kabuto might have been a suitable candidate, but he was only eleven years old and still in training at Root's academy. Uchiha Shisui and Hatake Kakashi weren't suitable for this task either.
Recalling the events of the Hokage's storyline, Danzo noted that this world placed more emphasis on combat, while individuals skilled in internal affairs and commerce were few and far between.
In the end, he had no choice but to send Aburame Maro, who had been assisting him with administrative duties, to personally oversee the restructuring of the Higashikawa Trading Company within its current framework.
With Root's responsibilities falling squarely on Danzo's shoulders, he reviewed the latest roster and evaluation reports from the Root training base. Among the 653 recruits, Yakushi Kabuto stood out—his skills were exemplary, reaching A-rank across the board. His instructors held him in high regard, believing that he could one day become an indispensable member of Root.
Several other promising recruits also caught Danzo's attention—familiar names from his knowledge of the future: Fu Yamanaka, Aburame Torune, Uzuki…
As expected, those who left a mark on history were never ordinary.
Just as Danzo was preparing to juggle his political duties while continuing to adjust to his new strength, an Anbu messenger arrived with a direct order from the Hokage.
The sudden command shattered the temporary calm.
Danzo led ten elite Root jonin, swiftly traversing the dense forests outside the village.
As he moved, he weighed the pros and cons of the situation.
Orochimaru had finally been discarded—earlier than Danzo had anticipated.
The war had only just ended, and Konoha had yet to fully stabilize. Orochimaru, a prime candidate for the position of Hokage, defecting at this moment would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the village.
"Lord Danzo, there's a battle up ahead… several Anbu corpses have been found."
"…Move."
Danzo's team quickly shifted formation, advancing toward the battle site.
Even before arriving, the furious shouts of Jiraiya and the roaring of Fire ninjutsu filled the air.
"Orochimaru, you bastard—!"
"Jiraiya, someone like you, bound by emotions, could never defeat me," Orochimaru's eerie voice carried his usual calm, almost conversational tone.
"Even if I have to break every bone in your body, I'm dragging you back to the village… Summoning Jutsu—!"
Boom!
A massive toad emerged, visible from miles away.
Orochimaru glanced toward the forest's edge. "It seems we have more company."
Danzo stepped onto the battlefield, his gaze locking onto the two figures before him.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with intrigue, his hands pausing mid-seal.
"Oh? Lord Danzo?"
Jiraiya also noticed the change and immediately called out, "Elder Danzo, help me take Orochimaru back!"
Ignoring Jiraiya, Danzo focused on Orochimaru, his brows knitting together.
Did Hiruzen raid his laboratory?
Orochimaru's presence was even more sinister and unsettling than it had been half a month ago. His chakra felt erratic, his demeanor increasingly unhinged.
"There's no need for this, Orochimaru," Danzo said.
"Are you here to bring me back as well?" Orochimaru's lips curled into a wicked grin.
"I want you to stay in Konoha. You can remain with Root." Danzo's voice was steady.
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle. "I never thought even you would be shackled by such trivial sentiments." His gaze briefly flickered toward Jiraiya before he continued, "Such things only make people weak."
"I thought we were alike… but it seems I was mistaken." Orochimaru's voice carried a strange sort of self-satisfaction, as if he had found clarity.
Danzo's frown deepened.
What had happened to him? Half a month ago, he still held some attachment to Konoha. Now, his gaze toward Jiraiya was devoid of anything but cold calculation—as if he saw him as nothing more than an obstacle.
"I don't know what pushed you to this point, but if you continue down this path, you'll end up with nothing." Danzo exhaled. "It seems I'll have to make you see reason."
Orochimaru's grin widened as he licked his lips. "I've been waiting for this."
His body twisted unnaturally, lunging toward Danzo like a serpent.
Danzo blocked Jiraiya's attempt to intervene. "Leave this to me."
His Vacuum Blade clashed against Orochimaru's fangs.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands—!"
Danzo severed several snake heads, but a massive serpent burst from the ground to assist Orochimaru.
The earth below was shredded into fine pieces, carving up everything in its path.
Clang!
Screech—!
Their blades clashed at dizzying speeds, their movements a blur even to the elite Root members watching from the shadows.
Orochimaru's attacks came from bizarre angles, his tactics ever-evolving.
Danzo, however, found himself adapting swiftly—his mind and body forced to their limits.
This was more exhilarating than any training session in Root.
Snap—!
A severed arm fell to the ground.
Both men retreated, eyes locked in cautious calculation.
"Orochimaru…!" Jiraiya's shocked voice rang out.
But Orochimaru only laughed. "Yes… this is it… this is exactly what I wanted."
Then, in one grotesque motion, he shed his own skin, emerging whole once more. Even his severed arm was restored.
Danzo grimaced.
"Come back to Root. You belong there."
Jiraiya started to protest, but Orochimaru cut him off—
Summoning Jutsu!
Danzo cursed internally.
Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!
Like a massive grinder, the technique shredded countless venomous snakes, but they kept coming.
"He's trying to escape—!"
Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!
A near-invisible air current sliced through trees and serpents alike.
A massive python was split in two, revealing Orochimaru hiding within—his legs now severed.
Yet, despite this, he continued slithering forward, unimpeded.
Wind Release: Rasengan!
Jiraiya, who had been watching for an opening, struck him head-on.
Splurt!
Blood splattered, but Orochimaru merely sneered.
"…Still too soft, Jiraiya."
A flash of white light—
Jiraiya staggered and collapsed.
Orochimaru glanced down at him.
Summoning Jutsu!
Dozens of snakes scattered in every direction.
Danzo narrowed his eyes. Each one felt like the real Orochimaru.
If he couldn't tell which was the original… he'd just have to kill them all.
Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves—!
A storm of slicing wind tore through the battlefield.
By the time the technique ended, nothing remained of the serpents—only the eerie silence of the blood-soaked forest.
Yet, there was no trace of Orochimaru's chakra.
Danzo had to admit it—Orochimaru's escape skills were second to none.
With Jiraiya poisoned and unconscious, he had no choice but to carry him back to Konoha.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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