Land of Fire, Konoha.
In Hokage Tower, Anbu Commander, Eagle is reporting to Minato at the moment.
"Hokage-sama, the medical department has indeed found experimental data related to the transplantation of Shodaime-sama's cells among the research materials obtained from Orochimaru's laboratory. This is the specific data after the summary." Eagle put the two documents on the desk.
Minato picked up a document and looked at it seriously. After a while, he smiled: "The transplantation experiment recorded in this document happened just after the batch of kids disappeared a few years ago. And regardless of the time, the number and the age of the test subjects, it all determined that Orochimaru is the culprit responsible for the missing kids! His purpose should be to try to make these children inherit Wood Release by transplanting Shodaime-sama's cells!"
Eagle nodded and continued: "However, a few years later, a certain survivor of these kids appeared as Root's Shinobi, so the relationship between Advisor Danzo and Orochimaru is absolutely extraordinary!"
"This close relationship doesn't mean anything, because…"
Minato shaking his head slightly, "The experimental data does not show that Advisor Danzo also participated in the human experiment, it can only prove that he obtained the experimental results."
If the conviction is based solely on close relationships alone, then when Obito defected, wouldn't he, the teacher, would have to apologize?
And judging from the previous higher-ups meeting, if he only took these experimental materials to find Danzo, he would definitely say the same thing again. That Wood Release's youngster was given to him by Orochimaru as a 'gift', considering that Orochimaru was Konoha's Sannin when he was 'giving the gift', although he doubted the source of the 'gift', but because he needed to give face to Hiruzen, he could only 'reluctantly' accept the gift and teach the Wood Release youngster with all his heart, train him the best he can to make him into an excellent Shinobi of Konoha...
If this happens then, although Danzo is wrong, he can just say that he mistrusted Orochimaru, and Minato couldn't win Danzo with just this.
Eagle then came up with an idea: "If we can find the research data of transplanting Shodaime-sama's cells from the Root…"
Minato ponderedfor a while, but still shook his head. The taboo experiment of transplanting Hashirama's cells was first done by Sandaime and Danzo together. And although Sandaime sealed all Anbu's research data, Danzo had the final say on the Root's side.
Furthermore, with Danzo's character, after suffering from the higher-ups meeting, all the taboo experimental data must have already been transferred away.
"What is Advisor Danzo doing these days?" Minato suddenly asked.
Eagle said: "He has always been in the village to handle official duties, but some time ago, nearly half of Root's people left the village and their whereabouts are unknown."
"Nearly half of the Root's people?"
Minato got up and walked to the window, looked at the snow outside the window, and said thoughtfully, "Sending so many subordinates at this time, could it be that he found Orochimaru?"
"To kill him?"
Eagle asked, "Hokage-sama, are we going to take action? Orochimaru is a Missing-nin who has a lot of village's secrets after all."
Minato shook his head: "It's better to leave Orochimaru's matter to Jiraiya, we shouldn't intervene. However, in order to prevent Orochimaru from leaking the information about the village and causing losses, we must make some changes as soon as possible."
For example, change all the barriers outside the village.
For example, changing the way Anbu transmits information.
Another example, change the timing of inspections and handovers of Anbu and Military Police Force.
In short, all information that might be used by Orochimaru must be changed.
As for those secret incidents, even if they are leaked out, they can only affect Konoha's reputation. With Orochimaru's personality, he would not do such trivial things.
"Hokage-sama, what do you plan to do with Advisor Danzo?" Eagle asked.
Minato pondered and said: "Take these materials to Advisor Danzo for negotiation and ask him to hand over the Wood Release Shinobi!"
"What if Advisor Danzo disagrees?" Eagle was a little worried.
Minato smiled: "Danzo has sent half of his Root, so right now, his strength is weak and he will not choose to confront us head-on. As long as we pretend to be tougher, he will hand the youngster over."
Looking at Minato's smile, Eagle's heart shivered with cold: 'Yondaime is going to make trouble Advisor Danzo again.'
'The young man with a sunny face in the past, now that he became Hokage, has also become such dangerous figure…?
Eagle picked up the document on the table, turned and left.
Minato then opened the second document.
The above is also about the research materials of cultivation and transplantation of cells, but the object has changed from Hashirama to Kinoe.
'Kinoe should be the Wood Release youngster.'
Minato's heart skipped a beat: 'The danger of transplanting Shodaime-sama's cells is self-evident, so… Danzo wants to transplant Kinoe's cells to inherit Wood Release?
Minato thought of Danzo's right hand that had been slung in the kimono.
'Has it been transplanted?'
'Can this incident be used to attack Danzo?'
Minato pondered, then shook his head and rejected it.
Because Kinoe is still alive, if he voluntarily donates blood for Orochimaru's research, even if Danzo participates in this experiment, it would be reasonable and fair.
Because Anbu's medical department also initiates free blood donations internally for research from time to time, this matter cannot be used to attack Danzo.
Minato sat back at his desk, and suddenly smiled wryly and shook his head: 'Although Danzo's methods of doing things are a bit extreme, it may also be related to the cruel situation of Shinobi World he was in before. If he can make a change…
…
Root's Headquarters.
Danzo's private office.
Eagle sat on the sofa with a blank expression on his face. On the opposite side, Danzo, whose right hand was tucked under the kimono, looked at him emotionally.
Eagle did not look at Danzo, but instead set his eyes on a young Shinobi, who had been following behind Danzo.
"Eagle, as Anbu Commander, what is your purpose of coming here this time?" Danzo saw that Eagle had been staring at his treasure, and was suddenly upset.
Eagle retracted his gaze, took out a document and placed it on the low table between the two, and said: "Back then, Orochimaru kidnapped dozens of kids for the human experiments, and the child behind you must be the survivor at that time."
Danzo's complexion changed slightly: 'That bastard Orochimaru really left the experimental materials, damn it!'
"I don't know what you are talking about." Danzo closed his one eye, intending to become shameless again.
"As the survivor of Shodaime-sama's cells' transplantation, he should have inherited the Wood Release."
Eagle said, "The Wood Release is the evidence! Advisor Danzo, do you know what Orochimaru did back then?"
Danzo's face twitched, and he shook his head decisively: "I don't know what you are talking about! I found Kinoe, who lost his memory, in an abandoned laboratory and brought him back. I didn't know anything that happened to him before!"
"In that case, I will take Kinoe away." Eagle stood up and said.
Danzo was furious, so he stood up from the sofa, and said coldly: "Kinoe is a Root's member!!"
"No, he is a civilian of the village, a victim from Orochimaru's incident, so he must be handed over to Hokage-sama!" Eagle said coldly.
"What if I disagree?" Danzo's face was gloomy.
"This is Hokage-sama's order!"
Eagle recalled Minato's instructions and said coldly, "Advisor Danzo, there are still many doubts about your relationship with Orochimaru. First, it's the Sharingan, and now, there is Wood Release Shinobi. Right now, there are more and more doubts on you and the Root. If you do not hand over Kinoe, we can only suspect that there is collusion between you and Orochimaru. At that time, Hokage-sama will take compulsory measures and investigate the Root thoroughly!!!"
Danzo's expression changed drastically when he heard this: "How dare Yondaime?!"
"Advisor Danzo, please remove the cursed seal on Kinoe and let him free!" Eagle stared at Danzo fiercely.
"Danzo-sama…"
Standing behind Danzo, Kinoe was a little confused. He didn't know about Orochimaru or Hashirama's cells, he was just a child.
Danzo clenched his left hand tightly. He closed his eye and considered the gains and losses.
'If Namikaze Minato is given the chance to investigate the Root thoroughly…'
As the darkness of Konoha, it is unknown how many shameful deeds the Root has done. When Hiruzen is in charge, he didn't do anything against the Root, so the Root is getting stronger and stronger, 'But now, Minato is in power…'
'Considering the current situation, Namikaze Minato really has the intention to disband the Root.'
'Therefore, no matter what, I let Namikaze Minato thoroughly investigate the Root!'
'Damn it!'
Danzo took a deep breath. He slowly touched his right hand, which is tucked in his kimono, with his left hand, and thought in his heart: 'Although that bastard Orochimaru transplanted Kinoe's cells on me before defecting, I have not awakened Wood Release…'
'In other words, Kinoe's cells can't make me get Wood Release. In that case, it doesn't matter if Kinoe is handed over to Minato…'
'How could it not matter!'
'This is Wood Release Shinobi!'
'Even if his Wood Release's power is only 20% of Shodaime Hokage, that is still Wood Release!'
Danzo was bleeding from heartache, but in the end, he could only grit his teeth, and then… nodded!
After removing the cursed seal on Kinoe, Eagle took Kinoe's thin body with one hand and quickly left the Root.
"Namikaze Minato…you bastard!!!"
Danzo roared and began to destroy his office again.
...
At the same time.
The battle in the Land of the River is gradually coming to an end.
In the Four Violet Flames Formation, continuous explosions directly sink the huge laboratory. Dozens of Root's Shinobi, who were originally hovering underground, also drilled out quickly and at the same time, detonated the underground's Explosive Tags, making the explosion even more violent!
"It's really wonderful, but can this really kill Orochimaru?" Standing on the branch, Hyōketsu coldly looked at Danzo outside the barrier, and murderous intent filled his eyes.
"Yuki Aoi, let's make a deal." Danzo suddenly said, shifting his gaze from the explosion in the barrier to Hyōketsu.
"Deal? Tell me." Hyōketsu grinned, 'Does he want me to take action against Orochimaru?'
But the truth is… he thought too much.
"I want to get a piece of information from you."
Danzo said directly, "Back then on the Crescent Moon Island, why did you help Gekko Kanpū and kill your companions?"
Hyōketsu almost laughed out loud, but fortunately, he is a Shinobi, he has no feelings!
"Compared to this, you… should be concerned about the safety of your subordinates." Hyōketsu sneered coldly.
Danzo subconsciously turned his head to look at the barrier, and then he heard a hoarse, low, and gloomy laughter slowly coming from the soaring flames and thick smoke: "Danzo, you don't know anything about my strength! Hehehehe..."
Roar!!
With the roar of anger, surprise and fury, the bloated and huge purple-scaled serpent descended again.