MM Racing Chapter 182 Danzo has his eye on the Rinnegan, is that right?
Chapter 182 Danzo has his eye on the Rinnegan, is that right?
Chapter 182 Danzo has his eye on the Rinnegan, is that right?
on the screen.
The base was in complete disarray.
Several Root ninjas were cleaning up the scene, with the bodies of several ninjas wearing headbands lying on the ground, a rather horrifying sight.
The commotion attracted quite a few people.
The leader was Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He glanced around at the chaotic scene, and his heart sank: "The experiment failed?"
As he spoke, he stared intently at Orochimaru, the experiment's host.
Orochimaru dusted off his white lab coat, shook his head helplessly, and his golden eyes appeared particularly cold in the dim light: "Yes! They all failed!"
Upon hearing this answer, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed drastically.
He strode forward two steps, his voice suddenly rising: "What about the ninjas who participated in the experiment? Were they seriously injured?"
He remembered that those who volunteered to participate in the experiment were all elite ninjas from the village. He thought they would only suffer minor injuries at most, but he did not expect the experiment to cause such a big commotion.
Orochimaru's eyes were icy, and his voice remained terrifyingly calm: "Their strength was too weak to withstand the power of Hashirama's cells! They died."
These few words, though brief, are like sharp blades piercing the heart.
"They're all dead?!" Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a sudden "memory" in his mind, his pupils contracted sharply, and he stared at Orochimaru in disbelief.
"That's right!" Orochimaru nodded in confirmation, his expression still indifferent.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there, his mind blank.
Not far from his feet, the arm of a sacrificed ninja hung limply on the ground. Where it should have been an arm, there was now a charred tree branch—a remnant of Wood Release from the experiment.
His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and he felt a tightness and pain in his chest.
After a moment of silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head, his fists clenching involuntarily. He was both heartbroken by the sacrifice of these Konoha ninjas and shocked by Orochimaru's indifference towards it.
Danzo stood quietly in the shadows, leaning on his cane with one hand. His single eye, hidden under bandages, was slightly narrowed, and a hint of mockery flashed in its depths.
He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's shocked and angry expression, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
Hmph, that old bastard Hiruzen Sarutobi wants to obtain the Wood Release power of the First Hokage, but he's too proud to risk failure and infamy!
Now that someone has died, who are you trying to impress with this act of shock and remorse?
Danzo inwardly scoffed, but outwardly remained calm, merely shaking his head slightly.
Looking back at this past event, his assessment of Sarutobi can be summed up in just four words: indecisive!
Hesitant and timid, does this kind of person deserve to sit in the position of Hokage?
Danzo's gaze was icy, and he sneered inwardly.
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was lost in thought, Orochimaru, who had been observing his expression, suddenly licked his lips, revealing an excited yet strange smile, breaking the silence: "But one—"
A fanatical glint flashed in his vertical pupils. "The experiment wasn't entirely fruitless. I discovered that the younger the subject, the higher the compatibility with the interstitial cells. If we used children for the experiments, the progress might be much faster!"
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up abruptly as if struck by lightning, staring at Orochimaru in disbelief: "You still want to use children for experiments?!"
His voice changed, filled with shock and anger, almost doubting whether this person was still the disciple he once valued.
Orochimaru, seemingly oblivious, spread his hands and said matter-of-factly, "This is the conclusion I've drawn from so much experimental data! There's absolutely no problem! Using children for testing will greatly increase the success rate! Konoha will soon regain the power of Wood Release!"
His voice was low and hoarse, filled with barely suppressed excitement, as if the cold bodies before him were merely a trivial price to pay.
"Shut up!" Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer suppress his anger and interrupted Orochimaru with a loud shout.
"This experiment must be stopped immediately!"
The thought that Orochimaru intended to harm the child sent a chill down Sarutobi's spine, and his anger intensified.
Hearing the Hokage's furious rebuke, Orochimaru's initially excited expression froze for a moment, then his brows furrowed deeply as he retorted unwillingly, "Old man, if we stop the research now, all those people who died before will have sacrificed themselves in vain!"
"I said stop the research!" Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted sharply, waving his hand and glaring at Orochimaru with piercing eyes. "This is the Hokage's order!"
A short sentence, yet it carries weight and reveals absolute authority.
He immediately turned around and ordered the several secret agents behind him, "Seal off all the data and samples here! From now on..."
This research is taboo; no one is allowed to continue it!
After saying that, he turned and left, clearly very angry.
Orochimaru's face was gloomy, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but in the end he stood there without saying a word, only able to watch helplessly as the Hokage left in anger.
Seeing this, Danzo silently took a step back, a cold smile appearing on his face hidden in the darkness.
He remained silent throughout, neither agreeing with Orochimaru's suggestion nor opposing the Hokage's decision on the spot. Jumping out now would only make him look foolish, and he had no intention of provoking Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The atmosphere became somewhat tense as three high-ranking members of Konoha remained silent in the audience.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked quite unwell, his aged face filled with guilt and regret.
He was silent for a moment, then sighed heavily, his voice hoarse, and said, "It's my fault!"
It was filled with deep self-reproach.
After all, Hashirama Senju's Wood Release was incredibly powerful. In the past, the only way to subdue a Tailed Beast was with the Sharingan or Wood Release.
It was under his leadership that Konoha mobilized the entire village's resources to research and recreate the First Hokage's Wood Release techniques.
However, he never expected that this seemingly simple interstitial cell transplantation experiment would lead to such tragic sacrifices.
Seeing the Hokage's expression, Akimichi Torika frowned and quickly comforted him, "Hiruzen, don't blame yourself too much. Our higher-ups unanimously agreed to this plan to regain control of Wood Release; no one anticipated something like this would happen."
He patted Sarutobi on the shoulder gruffly, trying to comfort his friend.
"That's right," Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses and nodded slowly. "You weren't aware of it at the time and thought it was just a routine cell transplant experiment. Besides, regaining control of Wood Release was a decision we all made together, not just your responsibility."
The two advisors spoke in unison, their tone carrying a hint of comfort.
However, these words of comfort did not make Sarutobi feel much better.
He looked up, and the image of those cold, lifeless bodies in the laboratory seemed to reappear before his eyes.
He was extremely distressed and filled with regret: "At first, I thought it was just a matter of transplanting interstitial cells, and even if it failed, it wouldn't cause much harm to the participants."
[Ding! An emotional fluctuation from Hiruzen Sarutobi has been detected! Emotional value +400!]
Silence fell upon everyone again.
Hiruzen Sarutobi is right.
After all, there are precedents for bloodline limit transplantation.
Eye transplants like the Sharingan and Byakugan generally do not have any particularly serious side effects.
No one expected that the consequences of the transplant failure would be so severe.
Orochimaru, who had been listening quietly to their conversation, suddenly chuckled and said in a mocking tone, "Heh - how can you gain power without making sacrifices?"
He crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, his golden eyes filled with disdain for Hiruzen Sarutobi's naivety. "How ridiculous, old man. Back then, you were the ones who couldn't wait to get the power of the First Hokage."
"Shut up, Orochimaru!" Hiruzen Sarutobi was furious upon hearing this and turned sharply to glare at Orochimaru, who was leisurely chuckling to the side.
His face turned ashen, and he slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair in anger. "Stop with the sarcastic remarks! Who else could have created that white monster with Wood Release if not you?! Besides you, who else has researched Hashirama cells?!"
Mitokado Homura was also enraged, coldly snorting and echoing, "That's right! Who else has this ability besides you? Can just anyone have the cells of the First Hokage?"
"Other villages would need the necessary conditions to research Wood Release!"
Faced with three pairs of hostile and questioning gazes, Orochimaru merely narrowed his eyes slightly.
He did not answer immediately, or rather, he could not find any compelling rebuttal at the moment.
Even he himself was puzzled by the existence of White Zetsu—that white humanoid monster could use Wood Release, and looked exactly like a creation of Hashirama's cells.
And in the entire ninja world, besides Orochimaru, there really wasn't another person capable of completing the research on this forbidden technique.
on the screen.
Inside the Wood Release laboratory, Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stormed off, and several Anbu ninjas were ordered to clean up the scene and seal the experimental data.
The young Orochimaru stood there, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
He gritted his teeth, watching helplessly as his research was halted, with no way to stop it.
Several medical staff began moving the bodies of the fallen. Orochimaru's eye twitched, but he ultimately said nothing more.
Orochimaru slowly withdrew his gaze and stared at Danzo, who remained silent in the corner, wondering why Danzo didn't say a word.
Among the Konoha leadership, Danzo was undoubtedly the most dedicated to the study of Wood Release.
Danzo actively promoted this plan on a regular basis.
There's been absolutely no reaction today.
To Orochimaru's disappointment, Danzo remained calm, leaning on his cane in the shadows, showing no interest in getting involved.
"Lord Danzo—" Orochimaru frowned and pondered for a moment, then finally lowered his voice and called out to him, his eyes indicating that the other should say something now.
However, Danzo merely turned his head slightly and gave Orochimaru a faint, warning look, his eyes carrying a hint of impatience.
In reality, he once argued his case and tried to persuade Hiruzen Sarutobi.
However, it had no effect, and he was even reprimanded by the furious Hiruzen Sarutobi in front of his subordinates, losing face completely.
The experiment was halted, sealed off, and considered a forbidden technique, prohibiting further research.
This forced Orochimaru to conduct his research in secret, and he also secretly paid a considerable price to support Orochimaru.
Although it wasn't entirely fruitless.
However...
Danzo still feels somewhat disdainful when he thinks about this experiment.
Tenzo's meager Wood Release technique was utterly insignificant compared to Hashirama Senju's.
He even had high hopes for that good-for-nothing.
Therefore, Danzo had absolutely no intention of provoking Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Danzo turned around and waved to the Root ninjas present: "You guys, come over here and clean up this mess! Take all the data back, don't leave any trace."
Several Root subordinates immediately obeyed the order and, after Danzo finished giving instructions, walked out step by step with his cane.
His figure was hidden from the flickering firelight, his wide hem trailing on the ground, giving him a cold and resolute appearance.
Orochimaru stood there watching Danzo leave, his expression a mixture of emotions.
Danzo returned to his office, stood in front of his desk, leaning on his cane with one hand, and gave a cold smile.
Rather than wasting time on this doomed Wood Release experiment, it would be better to focus on something more important. Danzo's eyes flashed with a brilliant idea.
At this point in time, there is a powerful force that has not yet been truly grasped by anyone, and I happen to have heard of it before!
The power of the Sage of Six Paths... the Rinnegan!
Danzo stood up straight, his eyes burning with an almost fanatical intensity.
The legendary eyes mentioned in the dream shocked everyone else, but for Danzo, they were no secret.
Hmph, those frogs in a well like Hiruzen Sarutobi only learned of the Rinnegan's existence through dreams, while I, Danzo Shimura, heard about this power more than a decade ago!
Danzo narrowed his one eye, a sharp glint flashing in it, if he remembered correctly!
The Rinnegan is probably in the hands of a small organization in Amegakure right now!
Rinnegan!
The power of the Six Paths!
Danzo's face revealed an ambitious, cold smile.
This power can only be of its greatest value if it is in my hands, Shimura Danzo!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Shimura Danzo have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
As the night passed, darkness faded.
At the same time, a system notification suddenly sounded in Shi Yu's mind: [Dream Master System Upgrade Successfully!]
[Congratulations, host, you have reached level 14!]
Please select one of the following enhancement effects:
[1. Dream Goal +1]
[2 VIP Box Seats +1]
[3. Audience size +3]
"Huh, it's upgraded again?" Shi Yu opened her eyes and was immediately invigorated when she saw the semi-transparent system interface in front of her.
He sat cross-legged on the bed: Are there any noteworthy rewards for this upgrade?
The three enhancement effects flashed past his eyes quickly.
After a moment's thought, Shi Yu clicked the option "Dream Goal +1" without hesitation.
The newly added target for fulfilling the dream was Nagato. Nagato's dream last time had a pretty good effect, and the emotional value gained was no less than that of Danzo.
The first light of dawn was appearing on the horizon, and a new day was quietly dawning.
At dawn, a thin mist hangs over the depths of the forests of the Grass Country.
Two simple tents were pitched in a clearing in the woods, with dew dripping down the tent fabric.
Suddenly, the curtain of one of the tents was lifted, and a figure emerged—Orochimaru, who had awakened from his dream.
Orochimaru slowly stretched, the various fragments of his dream from last night replaying in his mind, making him momentarily lost in thought.
He lowered his eyes and thoughtfully licked his lips.
Meanwhile, wisps of smoke were rising from another tent.
Dou had already gotten up and was squatting by the fire, intently preparing breakfast.
Seeing his master emerge from the tent, Kabuto raised his righteous expression and greeted him, "Lord Orochimaru, good morning."
Orochimaru nodded slightly and walked calmly to the fire, but his mind was not on breakfast.
He glanced at Dou Mangzhao's figure out of the corner of his eye, and details of his dream from last night flashed through his mind.
He clearly remembered the scene in his dream where Hiruzen Sarutobi and Homura Mitokado, those two old geezers, were taking turns criticizing him.
Even the usually composed Orochimaru couldn't help but frown as he recalled the events: Could it be that those white monsters were actually something I unintentionally developed?
All the reasons those two stubborn old men gave last night were so compelling that he couldn't find any way to refute them.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, staring at the flickering flames, a deeply unsettling feeling rising within him.
Yes, he began to wonder if the origins of the White Zetsu were related to him.
Bi Chou has conducted far too many forbidden experiments over the years, and he doesn't care about the fate of most of the experimental subjects after they die.
It's not entirely impossible that something went wrong in one of the steps, resulting in something he hadn't noticed.
Last night, Sarutobi and Momoko's interrogation made him uneasy. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the White Zetsu might actually be related to his research—or perhaps it was related to those strange white creatures with Wood Release abilities.
In the firelight, Orochimaru's expression shifted between light and shadow.
He slowly raised his eyes and looked at Dou, who was busy adding firewood not far away.
If there is anyone in this world who knows all the details of his experiments, besides himself, it would probably be Kabuto.
Dou had followed him for many years and was shrewd and meticulous; he was responsible for organizing and storing a lot of experimental data.
Thinking of this, Orochimaru's eyes flashed, and he immediately called out, "Kabuto."
"Why are you covering it up, Lord Orochimaru?" Upon hearing the call, Kabuto immediately put down the firewood in his hand, respectfully got up and walked to his side.
Orochimaru stared directly at Kabuto, the latter's face reflected in his golden snake eyes: "Kabuto, do you know about a creature called White Zetsu?"
"White Zetsu?" Kabuto paused for a moment upon hearing this, then pushed up his round-framed glasses, looking puzzled.
The question was clearly a bit sudden. He thought for a few seconds before tentatively answering, "Lord Orochimaru, are you referring to 'Zetsu' from the Akatsuki group?"
"The ultimate move of the Akatsuki group—"
Orochimaru repeated it in a low voice, his pupils suddenly contracting as a strange figure instantly appeared in his mind: half of the guy's body was pitch black, while the other half was pale, and there were several strange green bud-like things growing on his shoulder!