As Aizen in Naruto and Joined a Chat Group

Chapter 42 - 42: A Plan with No Loose Ends  

Were Danzo and Orochimaru really dead?

Kisame’s question made Konan’s expression turn a little strange.

Amegakure Village’s Angel: They probably... aren’t dead yet.

Doujin Artist: ”Probably”?

Amegakure Village’s Angel: Yeah, right before I left, I saw a flash of golden light. According to Aizen, the person who released that light is the one who saved them.

That person is really strong. Maybe even stronger than me right now.

Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Stronger than you?

This was pretty shocking.

After all, Konan had been strengthened by the power of the Shinigami and was even carrying Hyorinmaru, which could already be released. Even the Six Paths of Pain might not be her match anymore.

Curly-haired Guy: Whoa, is there really someone this strong in the ninja world? Could it be Uchiha Madara?

Amegakure Village’s Angel: I don’t know. Aizen didn’t tell me.

Shark-Faced Guy: If someone could snatch them away from Aizen, that means they must be really terrifying.

Amegakure Village’s Angel: No, I think the truly terrifying one is still Aizen. It’s like he knew this person was coming to save Danzo and Orochimaru, but he still just let them do it.

Curly-haired Guy: So, this mysterious person showing up was also part of Aizen’s plan?

Amegakure Village’s Angel: I’m sure of it.

Doujin Artist: Who could it be? I’m dying of curiosity.

Scarlet Lotus Fairy: A mysterious figure even stronger than Konan, who also seems to know Aizen’s true nature... If you think about it, the only possibility is Uchiha Madara, right?

Doujin Artist: No way, wasn’t that guy already dead?

Curly-haired Guy: Did you forget Aizen can turn dead people into Arrancar?

Doujin Artist: Ah, this...

Amegakure Village’s Angel: But what’s the goal? Aizen rarely does things without a plan. If he really turned Uchiha Madara into an Arrancar, then that means he should still be under Aizen’s control. So why would Aizen let Madara rescue Danzo and Orochimaru? There’s no reason for it.

Curly-haired Guy: No, with how scheming Aizen is, I wouldn’t put it past him! Maybe he thinks Danzo and Orochimaru are still useful, so he’s keeping them around!

Uchiha Madara? Now that was a ridiculous theory.

Aizen let out a small sigh but didn’t join in on their discussion. These people always managed to guess in the complete wrong direction, coming up with wild ideas that didn’t even follow basic logic.

Oh well.

Aizen turned his attention back to the monitor in front of him, which was displaying the Root headquarters.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shisui stood in the main hall, their expressions dark as they looked around.

Corpses.

The entire hall was filled with bodies. Most of them were wearing the uniforms of Root ninjas, and their dried blood had turned a dark red-black.

”Did Danzo do this?” Shisui took a deep breath. ”I can’t believe he actually went this far.”

The faces of the dead were calm, expressionless. There was no sign of regret or struggle. It was as if they had expected this outcome from the start.

Clearly.

The only person who could make them willingly face death like this was the leader of Root, Danzo.

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn’t say a word, his face darker than ever. He really didn’t want to believe that his old friend could do something like this. But the truth was right in front of him.

The expressions of the dead couldn’t be faked.

”Hokage-sama, we found two more bodies in the underground lab.”

A few ANBU carrying stretchers quickly stepped forward. Their voices trembled slightly as they reported, ”After checking, we confirmed that they are Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, the two advisors...”

What?!

Hearing this, even Sarutobi Hiruzen froze on the spot.

Before coming here, he had sent people to inform Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu about the investigation. The response he got was that Danzo had taken them away earlier that morning, and they hadn’t returned since.

At that time, Sarutobi Hiruzen had already felt uneasy.

But he never expected Danzo to be this insane!

They had fought side by side, survived countless battles together. How could he do this?

Grief and pain overwhelmed Sarutobi Hiruzen as he turned his gaze toward the two bodies on the stretchers. He wanted to take one last look at his old friends, but what he saw completely shattered his understanding.

”This... how is this possible?”

On the stretchers, the bodies indeed looked like his old comrades.

But parts of their foreheads, chins, and faces were covered in white bone-like material. Not only that, but their bodies had swollen and twisted into grotesque shapes, with long tails extending from their backs.

Monsters.

Anyone who saw this scene would think they were looking at monsters.

One of the ANBU took a deep breath and said, ”Based on the documents we found in the lab, this should be a mutation caused by Hollowfication.”

Hollowfication?

Shisui suddenly realized something, and his pupils shrank.

”Experiment?”

Sarutobi Hiruzen, unaware of the change in Shisui’s expression, was already seeing red. He didn’t know what ”hollowfication” was, but he knew exactly what Danzo had done.

Using his own old friend as an experiment subject—this was something Sarutobi Hiruzen could never tolerate.

”Danzo, you deserve to die!”

Killing intent surged within him.

At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen no longer saw Danzo as a human being.

”Hokage-sama, please calm down.” Shisui snapped out of his thoughts and quickly spoke to de-escalate the situation. ”Right now, our top priority is figuring out how to deal with the joint attack from Kumogakure and Sunagakure!”

Damn it, Danzo, you bastard!

Sarutobi Hiruzen clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging on his forehead and hands.

According to the intel Aizen left behind, Kirigakure’s attack on Konoha was a trap set by Danzo—a setup, a trigger.

The real finishing blow was the joint assault from Kumogakure and Sunagakure.

And once Konoha was exhausted from dealing with them, Danzo would take the opportunity to unseal the Nine-Tails and deliver the final strike.

The plan was seamless, leaving no room for escape.

At first, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been skeptical. He had believed that, while Danzo’s actions sometimes went too far, his loyalty to Konoha had never wavered.

But now, looking at the harsh reality before him, it was like a slap to the face.

And it hurt.

It hurt deep inside his heart.

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