In an underground base not far from the Hokage building, the secret headquarters of the Root, Orochimaru was in one of the labs, immersed in his scientific experiments.
For someone as cunning as Hiruzen, it was impossible for him to fully entrust such a critical force as the Root entirely to Shimura Danzō.
Orochimaru had become one of Hiruzen's key counterbalances to Danzō's influence.
However, Hiruzen could never have imagined that one day, his own prized disciple, whom he had once considered family, would betray Konoha entirely.
That betrayal would leave the Root solely in Danzō's control.
But back to the present.
At this moment, Orochimaru served as the vice-captain of Root, a position that had been directly appointed by Hiruzen himself. Even Danzō had no authority over him.
Though technically second-in-command, in reality, Orochimaru stood as an equal to Danzō in terms of power within the organization.
"Haha... the condition of the experimental subject looks promising. A few more trials to confirm the final data, and I'll be able to apply this soft-body transformation technique to myself!" Orochimaru muttered excitedly.
He stared at the culture jar, where a formless, writhing mass of unknown tissue struggled, desperately attempting to hold together.
Orochimaru's pale face lit up with excitement, a wild, almost maniacal gleam in his snake-like eyes.
Transforming his body into the soft, malleable tissue of a snake would elevate his serpent-based ninjutsu to unparalleled heights. With that power, he would ascend to become one of the true titans of the Kage-level!
"Uh... so you're planning to turn yourself into... this stuff? Uh, I mean, that's... um... quite a unique idea, isn't it?"
A mocking voice suddenly cut through the dimly lit room, catching Orochimaru off guard.
"Who's there?!" Orochimaru hissed, instantly on alert, his snake-like eyes darting around the room.
A bead of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
The tone of the voice had been insulting, even taunting. But Orochimaru's primary concern wasn't the words—it was the fact that someone had approached him without him noticing.
Orochimaru, a verifiable Kage-level shinobi, should never have been caught off guard like this. His instincts screamed that whoever had infiltrated his lab had considerable skill, far beyond the average shinobi.
Moreover, Orochimaru's experiments weren't exactly sanctioned. Many of the subjects he used were "disappeared" villagers and ninjas from Konoha. If word of this ever leaked, it wouldn't just be his ambitions that were destroyed—he'd lose everything. Konoha would have no place for him.
His golden eyes flashed with murderous intent as he scanned the room.
"Oh? Feeling defensive, Orochimaru? That's not like you," the voice teased again, smooth and calculated.
From a dark corner of the lab, a familiar figure stepped forward, wearing a cold, enigmatic smile.
"Aizen?!"
After seeing Aizen, Orochimaru's pupils contracted in shock. Despite recognizing him, Orochimaru kept his guard up, his eyes darting left and right, searching for any other potential threats.
"Don't worry, I'm alone," Aizen said calmly, sensing Orochimaru's apprehension, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint smile.
"Just you?" Orochimaru asked in disbelief.
How could Aizen, by himself, slip into the heavily fortified Root base and enter this secret lab without Orochimaru even noticing? It didn't seem possible, and Orochimaru was convinced there had to be more to it.
The room fell into an eerie silence as Orochimaru waited, eyes scanning for any signs of others. After some time passed and no one else appeared, Orochimaru finally accepted that Aizen was telling the truth—he had come alone.
"Hmph, it must be that Aizen learned some secret Senju ninjutsu from the remnants of his clan," Orochimaru thought to himself. "That's how he managed to sneak in here without me noticing."
Orochimaru pieced together his theory, concluding that Aizen's arrival was likely due to some traces of his recent experiments being discovered. Perhaps, Orochimaru mused, Aizen, with his reputation for kindness, had come to confront him personally rather than report him to Konoha's higher-ups.
He quickly convinced himself of this narrative and allowed a subtle feeling of relief to settle in. Things weren't as dire as he had feared.
However, as Orochimaru's initial tension eased, his mind shifted. His eyes darkened with a hint of malice as he considered his next move. Regardless of what Aizen wanted, Orochimaru's pursuit of immortality was unwavering. No one—especially not Aizen—could stand in his way.
Aizen, perceptive as ever, noticed the shift in Orochimaru's demeanor. A faint, knowing smile appeared on his face, though Orochimaru was too preoccupied to notice.
Orochimaru's thoughts were now consumed by one idea: 'I must eliminate Aizen to protect my secrets.'
Without warning, Orochimaru launched a surprise attack.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands: Multiple Strikes!" he hissed.
From the sleeves of Orochimaru's robe, dozens of serpents shot forward, their venomous fangs bared as they lunged at Aizen, surrounding him from all directions. This was an upgraded version of Orochimaru's signature move, and with his Kage-level power behind it, even elite shinobi would struggle to defend against such a lethal strike.
Yet Aizen remained perfectly still, not even attempting to dodge.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. 'Why isn't he moving?'
Aizen wasn't a fool. He was regarded as one of Konoha's greatest geniuses, second only to Namikaze Minato. Orochimaru had used the Multiple Strikes technique to force Aizen into revealing a weakness, expecting him to counter or evade. But now, as his attack neared, Aizen hadn't budged.
Just as the serpents were within striking distance, a white light flickered in Aizen's eyes, and a faint smile spread across his lips.
Reiatsu Barrier.
A pulse of energy erupted from Aizen, and in an instant, transparent walls of energy formed around him. The serpents collided with the barrier, only to disintegrate upon impact. Their bodies shattered into dust, a violent crackling sound echoing through the lab.
"What?!" Orochimaru gasped in disbelief.
The invisible energy surged along the length of the serpents, rapidly annihilating their entire forms. Within moments, all of Orochimaru's snakes were reduced to ash.
And the energy didn't stop there.
The strange, destructive force began advancing toward Orochimaru himself, moving swiftly up the path where his snakes had been summoned.
"This… This is impossible!" Orochimaru shouted, watching as his signature attack—something he had taken pride in—was effortlessly neutralized. Aizen, unmoved and calm, had countered his technique with terrifying ease.