Chapter 234: Driven by Shapeless Things

Such an obvious large-scale operation could not be concealed from Gen's spy.

The two divided forces have the same purpose. They both exist to protect Konoha, but their methods are different.

Seeing Sarutobi leading many Jonin to find Orochimaru without any warning, Danzo's first reaction was not to inform Orochimaru, but to think about how to cut off the relationship with Orochimaru. He knew very well that Sarutobi must know about him. and Orochimaru, but he also knew very well that Sarutobi would not bring this matter to the table easily.

He is a root planted deep in the leaves of trees. His roots are strong and have many branches. They exist for the sake of trees and cannot be easily uprooted.

Even so, the moment Sarutobi led the team to set off, he had to show that he had nothing to do with Orochimaru, even if it was just a small and insignificant thing, he had to show it.

"Go and destroy all the traces left by Orochimaru without leaving a single trace behind." Danzo said calmly, looking at the empty front.

Behind him, three ANBU wearing masks were half-kneeling. After receiving the order, they turned into black shadows and disappeared.

"If it was you, you shouldn't be captured like this. Don't blame me, Orochimaru." Danzo raised his right arm and showed a cold smile.

He did not feel it was a pity to lose Orochimaru, an ally who existed with profit as a bridge, because basically what he wanted was already available, and Orochimaru also left behind a very important boy, a boy who could control the wood escape... You know, Wood Release can be used to restrain tailed beasts, and it is also an indispensable trump card for him to become Hokage in the future.

The work on his right arm has been completed. The reason why he has maintained an interest relationship with Orochimaru is because he saw the possibility of the extension of Orochimaru's research institute. However, since the situation has evolved to this point, it should stop here.

In the dense forest, insects chirped silently.

The sound of heavy objects falling on tree trunks spreads in the night sky.

Many Konoha ninjas came to a simple entrance made of stone. The stone pillars were wrapped with tree roots. In the middle was a stone door covered with green moss. Above the stone door was a big tree.

About forty ninjas were scattered on the surrounding trees and underground in an instant, forming an encirclement formation facing the location of the stone door.

Sarutobi was on the tree directly in front, looking at the entrance with a solemn expression.

"Finally the moment has come..."

He stared at the stone gate covered with green moss and ordered to the Konoha ninjas around him: "Use this as the center point and spread out in units of five kilometers. This is a secret stronghold. , the exit is by no means just one.”

"Yes!" After receiving the order, many ninjas did not hesitate to distance themselves from this intersection. According to what the Third Hokage said, in order to prevent other hidden exits from the stronghold, they had to expand the encirclement to ensure that they would not be Orochimaru escapes.

Tsunade and Jiraiya did not leave, but came to Sarutobi's side.

"Old man..." Jiraiya started but was interrupted by Sarutobi, saying: "You guys go too."

Jiraiya frowned and did not move, but asked: "Do you want to bear it alone?"

Sarutobi glanced at him and said calmly: "Aren't there still guards?"

The guards he was referring to were the two direct ANBU members beside him. They had always been his capable subordinates, and their strength was not weak.

"It's best for me to stay by your side." Jiraiya didn't look down on these two ANBU members, he just thought it would be better for him to stay by Sarutobi's side.

Sarutobi decisively refused: "You also know Orochimaru's ability. If he wants to escape, I can't keep him at all, so in order to ensure nothing goes wrong, the strength of the encirclement must be guaranteed, so you and Tsunade serve as reinforcements to strengthen the encirclement." One of our important combat forces cannot stay here."

After saying this, Sarutobi sounded slightly disappointed and said, "Although I am old, I am not old enough to worry you."

Hearing this, Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at each other with hesitation in their eyes, but the two of them were not at all reassured.

"Go." Sarutobi's tone this time was very firm.

Jiraiya and Tsunade were startled, and then both left silently.

After the two left, Sarutobi's figure flashed and came to the stone door. He put his hand on the stone door and felt the moist green moss on his palm. He did not open the door immediately, but looked at the stone door in silence.

"The Third Hokage," the ANBU wearing a bird mask shouted in confusion.

Sarutobi took a deep breath and pushed the stone door open.

With a slight rumble, the stone door gradually opened, and there was a sound of springs snapping in the passage, and a bunch of hidden weapons shot out from the darkness.

Sarutobi didn't react at all. The two Anbu next to him flashed in front of him with swords and knocked down all the flying hidden weapons.

"Is it a trap... It seems you are prepared." Sarutobi looked at the hidden weapons on the ground and rushed into the passage first, followed closely by the two Anbu.

When Sarutobi entered Orochimaru's stronghold with only two Anbu, other jounin were already in place at various locations, encircling Orochimaru's escape route from all directions, and the expansion of the encirclement also made Kotonoha Forced to retreat far away, they could only move around the periphery of the encirclement.

After entering the stronghold, Sarutobi avoided many traps set by Orochimaru until he suddenly stopped in front of a wooden door. He could hear a slight noise coming from inside the door.

Sarutobi silently stared at the wooden door with a very serious expression. He and the two Anbu came to the door. He stood directly in front of the door, while the two Anbu stood on the left and right sides of the door.

The two Anbu held their swords tightly and waited for Sarutobi's instructions.

Sarutobi put his middle fingers together and pointed forward. After receiving the order, one of the two people kicked open the wooden door, and the other quickly entered and took the position on the right.

The expected attack never came.

With two ANBU guarding on both sides, Sarutobi walked in and looked at the scene in the room, his eyes narrowed sharply, like pinpoints.

In the room, there was a workbench. Orochimaru was standing in front of the workbench, with his back to the three of them. His arms were moving. Since he was not facing him, he could not see clearly.

The strong smell of blood floated into the noses of the three of them. Looking at the many corpses in the room, the three of them looked solemn.

On the wall, there are wooden boards lined up side by side, and on each wooden board is a lifeless person hanging, either with his hands raised and tied up, or tied around his neck with a rope, or his hands are tied as if stretched out. In addition, in the corner on the other side, there were numerous corpses lying, each covered with a white cloth soaked in blood.

This is not comparable to the Shura Hell, but it is still a very cruel scene, and it is ironclad evidence of human experimentation.

"Orochimaru, what on earth is...!" Sarutobi gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with deep disappointment.

"snort."

A cold snort sounded in the room. Orochimaru looked back at Sarutobi who was standing in front of the door. His eyes were cold and he said coldly: "I have set up many traps. I didn't expect you to take action yourself."

"Orochimaru!"

Sarutobi suppressed his anger and said, "The genin, chuunin, and even ANBU people who have disappeared in the village recently are all your fault, right?"

Orochimaru put down the instrument in his hand, let out a hoarse laugh, and said lightly: "Isn't this exactly what you are seeing now?"

The ANBU wearing a bird mask asked in an extremely puzzled tone: "Lord Orochimaru, why would a ninja like you..."

Before he finished speaking, Orochimaru interrupted: "Do you want to be killed by me?"

The cold snake eyes looked at the dark part of the bird mask with a piercing murderous intent. The latter was startled and made a defensive posture reflexively.

Sarutobi stared at Orochimaru and asked, "Why are you conducting human experiments?"

Hearing Sarutobi's question, Orochimaru retracted his gaze from the bird-masked ANBU, smiled coldly, turned around, stretched out his hands, and said calmly: "Of course it is to develop ninjutsu!"

The ANBU, wearing a dog mask, was slightly angry when he heard this: "You are actually conducting human experiments for such a thing, and you are still a member of the village!"

Hearing this, Orochimaru let out a low, hoarse laugh again.

"You are indeed developing forbidden techniques. What exactly do you want to achieve?" The disappointment in Sarutobi's eyes was too thick to disappear.

"Everything!"

Orochimaru put down his hands, raised his head slightly, and looked at the lamp above, with a light called 'longing' in his eyes.

Humans are animals driven by something shapeless.

Or a belief, or a goal, or….

In order to get what you want, in order to reach the end point you want to reach, you will work hard for it.

Seeing the malice and ambition in Orochimaru's eyes, Sarutobi couldn't help but feel confused.