Konoha Root Base.
At this moment, a number of people had gathered, all watching the entrance to the Root laboratory cautiously, but not a single one dared to go inside.
They were all members of the Sarutobi Police Force.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you going down?"
At that moment, a cold voice sounded from behind the crowd.
It carried a tone of anger.
Now, the Root laboratory had been attacked, and the Sarutobi Police Force hesitated, unwilling to go in. This infuriated Danzo.
The Root and the Sarutobi clan were tightly linked. If the experimental subjects or researchers inside were killed, the losses would be tremendous.
These researchers were geniuses in various fields, some even highly accomplished.
That was why Danzo was furious.
"Huh?"
Eisuke Sarutobi quickly turned around and saw Hiruzen Sarutobi's angry face.
"Lord Danzo, it's not that we don't want to go in. Several of our people have already been killed inside!"
"Killed?"
Danzo froze for a moment, then narrowed his eyes.
"You mean the people inside haven't come out yet?"
"Yes, they haven't come out!" Eisuke nodded. "We've been guarding here the whole time."
"Hmph. Then follow me!"
Danzo nodded, his gaze sharpening.
"Follow me!"
At his command, the Root ninjas behind him immediately readied themselves, preparing to attack as they followed Danzo toward the laboratory.
"Lord Danzo is very strong. But still, should we wait for the Hokage to arrive before going in?"
Eisuke spoke quickly and quietly, looking at Danzo.
"The people I brought in were attacked immediately. I was injured too."
He was afraid that if Danzo went in, he might be defeated in an instant. That would be hard to explain to the Hokage.
"No need. When Hiruzen arrives, just let him come inside."
Danzo said this, yet he still touched his wrist.
In the past, the remaining Uchiha eyes had been preserved for emergencies, ready to use the Uchiha clan's forbidden technique—Izanagi.
Tread, tread, tread.
With the sound of footsteps, Danzo and the Root ninjas entered.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
As they descended the stairs, a dozen shuriken flew toward them.
But they were prepared.
Only two Root ninjas were injured in the shoulders.
Pfft, pfft, pfft.
Before he could even react, a masked figure appeared in front of them, a cold light sweeping across the room.
The Root ninja present were instantly wiped out, and even Danzo's neck showed a fine crack from which blood poured out.
Wuwu wuwu.
Danzo quickly covered it with his hands, his expression shocked as he looked at the masked Genya. "You're the Konoha Assassin?"
He could tell immediately. The black flames in the eyes, the monkey mask… except the height looked slightly taller than in the files.
"You got it right, but there's no reward!" Genya said slowly, his tone teasing as he looked at them dying in despair.
Danzo closed his eyes.
But,
As Danzo shut his eyes, his body began to vanish. Then, he reappeared beside Genya as if normal, a kunai suddenly in his hand… attempting a sneak attack!
Bang.
Before he could even get within a foot of Genya, he was instantly flung back, crashing into the wall.
"Heh. Izanagi… truly an interesting ability!" Genya looked at Danzo with a hint of curiosity in his tone. "You should feel lucky that you're still alive and useful, otherwise today you would have died."
Letting Danzo die so simply would be far too easy.
He wanted Danzo to fall alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi, disgraced and nailed to the pillar of Konoha humiliation.
With that, Genya disappeared again, one hand on Kakashi, the other gripping the rope.
A spatial ripple followed.
Then, everyone vanished from the laboratory.
"Danzo, tell Hiruzen I'll be back for you!" Only Genya's hoarse voice echoed, making Danzo shiver in both body and mind.
This…
That man was too strong. Killing him would have been effortless, yet… he didn't.
Was he holding back?
Thoughts raced through his mind as he finally turned his gaze around the laboratory.
The room was filled with the corpses of researchers, yet the man had not killed them all. Danzo frowned.
He thought hard. What's going on? Konoha Assassin leaving people alive… if it were him, not a single soul would survive.
Then,
He fixed his gaze on a trembling researcher, his voice growing cold. "Speak. What's happening? Why did he leave you alive?"
"T-this…" The trembling researcher stammered, his voice broken. "It's… it's like this… He said we are to take care of the test subjects… and he will come back!"
"Damn it!"
Hearing this, Danzo slammed a hand against the wall in anger, his face full of unrestrained fury. "Does this man really think Root is something you can just walk into?"
But…
Shimura Danzo could only stew in powerless rage now. He could do nothing at all.
Konoha Assassin… I will find you no matter what.
Outside.
"What happened?" Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived late with a few ANBU he trusted. But instead of going down, he first looked toward Sarutobi Eisuke outside.
Seeing the brutal scene in front of him, Hiruzen's expression darkened instantly.
This was a terrible outcome. Someone had dared to attack the Root base inside Konoha. This was already a grave issue.
They no longer placed Konoha in their eyes.
Some people needed to be taught a lesson. If necessary… everyone involved in the assault must be captured.
Root's secrets could not be allowed to leak out.
"Lord Hokage, the Root base has been attacked." Eisuke took a deep breath and quickly summarized what happened. Then he added, "Lord Danzo has already gone down."
"Danzo went in?" Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and tried to sense what was happening below.
But…
There seemed to be no signs of battle at all. That immediately made his heart tense with alertness.
There were only two possible outcomes now. Either Danzo had already killed the intruder… or the intruder had killed Danzo's entire group.
But after thinking for a moment, Hiruzen shook his head. He refused to believe Danzo would die here. Danzo valued his life too much. And he also had Izanagi, that forbidden technique.
He did not believe Danzo would let himself die inside that place.
At the very least, Danzo should have had a chance to escape and report the situation.
However, Hiruzen might have been wrong. If Genya truly intended to kill Danzo, then… Danzo would not have had any chance to escape or send word. Even if he had countless opportunities to use Izanagi, he still would not get away.
After a short moment of thought, Hiruzen selected a few ANBU he trusted. "Follow me in. Everyone else stays outside and keeps watch."
****
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