The cruel truth of the Root was revealed by Orochimaru in a few words, and the Clan leaders present felt a chill in their hearts.
Even the two Consultant Elders, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, were no exception, their expressions becoming very complicated.
A ninja battle is not just a fight on the front lines, because there is no absolute power to crush the enemy. So, in order to ensure victory, you need information. And beneath that, hidden in the dark corners, is a bloody game of deception.
Therefore, these expendable spies are needed.
Most of the people present actually knew that there was such a dark place existing in the corners they couldn't see.
But normally, they pretend not to see it.
After all, someone has to do the dirty work.
You can stand in the sunlight and ignore it, or you can object and then replace them, doing the dirty work yourself.
Obviously, no one wants to do the latter. In the ninja world, there is no place for naive people or armchair generals.
The ordinary ninja of Konoha, including those from the powerful clans, have a sense of awe for the Root because they know very well that they are not from the same world.
Retreating is not just about fearing power and influence, but more about a moral intuition – that the other party is 'unclean'.
In Konoha, the Root is dirty, evil, ruthless, and vicious... these are actually common knowledge, but because it must exist, its existence is accepted by default.
But even though it exists with their tacit approval, when all of this is brought to the forefront and everyone is forced to look at this filth, there is still disgust and rejection.
People sympathize with those of their kind. No one would want their most precious treasures to be used to control and blackmail them, to ensure they don't betray.
So, when Orochimaru talked about this, there was something different in the gazes focused on Danzo.
Danzo was well aware of this.
Yakushi Kabuto's background was a double-edged sword. When he used it to stab Orochimaru, he would also be hurt by it.
But this was just the extent of it, and it didn't exceed his expectations.
"Yakushi Kabuto was a child adopted by an orphanage. I just wanted to have some insurance."
Danzo's face didn't change as he separated Yakushi Kabuto's position from that of the ninjas present. His eyes were stern as he scanned the room.
"He is the best kind of spy, and he knows too many secrets. If he leaked them, who could bear the responsibility?"
It has to be said, the village is a great shield, and it's not without reason that Danzo can rely on it to be so successful.
For example, right now, after hearing his explanation, the atmosphere that Orochimaru had just reversed was immediately pushed back down.
Clap clap clap...
Orochimaru clapped his hands, a look of mockery on his face.
"Danzo is truly amazing. Does that mean you can just sacrifice others at will if you do it for the sake of protecting the village?"
He continued to tell the story.
Yakushi Kabuto worked hard and transmitted intelligence for the village, but from the beginning, Danzo didn't trust him.
The photos and information sent to Yakushi Nonou were switched. Under the manipulation of the Root, Nonou, who could only learn about Kabuto's growth through photos, could no longer recognize the real Kabuto.
And as the great battle between Iwagakure Village and the Third Raikage came to an end, the threat of Iwagakure Ninja was greatly reduced, and Iwagakure Village began to reorganize. These two spies began to become an eyesore.
So, the choice was made to have the two kill each other, and Orochimaru would finish the job.
It's already cruel enough to personally kill the person you love the most, but what's even crueler is that because someone was secretly manipulating things, the person you love the most forgot who you were when they died in your arms.
The Clan leaders and Hokage Consultants present, even the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, changed their expressions when they heard this.
He had always known that Danzo was secretly doing a lot of dirty things, but he didn't expect it to be to this extent.
Although his position didn't allow him to openly express his opinion, at this moment, he actually felt that Yakushi Kabuto's revenge was reasonable.
Even the Hokage thought so, so you can imagine what the others thought.
Objectively speaking, Yakushi Kabuto was indeed very miserable, to the point that even these ninjas, who had killed countless people on the battlefield, felt some sympathy.
After all, to kill a person, you only need a kunai or an exploding tag... To go to such lengths was really a bit much.
In Konoha, only someone like Kakashi, who lost his parents when he was young and his friend in his teens... could compare.
But Kakashi lost his teacher and his friend, and could still lose Guy or something... He still had a lot.
However, Yakushi Kabuto was different. He lost the only and most precious thing he had, and his life was now empty.
The ninjas present were not particularly empathetic people. They came here today to understand why Yakushi Kabuto had become so strong, and to see Orochimaru make a fool of himself. Who would have thought that they would be made to feel so heavy by a story?
Judging from Danzo's attitude, Yakushi Kabuto was not an isolated case. The more powerful the Root's intelligence organization was, the more sacrifices there were behind the scenes.
Logically, those who came before should be a lesson for those who come after, and such things should be prevented in the future.
But what made them feel troubled was that this was simply impossible.
The Root had already spread out, and its roots had already taken hold deep underground. To mess with it would require major surgery.
Although the current situation in the ninja world has stabilized, and Konoha is not weak, it is not yet wealthy enough to make this kind of cut.
In other words, even if the Root did such dirty things, they could only turn a blind eye and let it pass.
Jiraiya finally understood why Yakushi Kabuto had said at the time that even with Orochimaru's support, the village would not give him justice.
Indeed, if Orochimaru were to forcibly push this issue for Yakushi Kabuto, the enemy he would have to face would be the entire village, including the Root.
Those who stand in the sunlight, since they cannot make the sunlight brighter, can only turn a blind eye and deaf ear, and comfortably enjoy the sacrifices made in the shadows.
I wish I hadn't come here, I wish I hadn't heard this meeting...
The Clan leaders, who wanted to cover their ears and shield their eyes, felt this way in their hearts.
It's like eating fatty intestines.
Before knowing and seeing what used to be in the intestines, it doesn't matter. But after witnessing the process with your own eyes, you can no longer enjoy the tender and smooth texture in your mouth with peace of mind.
What's more, this thing had been handled by Danzo, and it was covered in poop.
Not only had they eaten it before, but they would have to continue eating it in the future.
So, without even discussing it with each other, everyone looked at Danzo, who was feeding them shit and forcing them to face a moral dilemma. The disgust in their eyes was undisguised, and even the 'greater good of the village' could no longer help.
"I have a clear conscience. This is all for the sake of the village."
Danzo was still trying to defend himself. "At that time, the war was critical and there were not enough people in the village. To eliminate two spies who could potentially be exposed was the most reasonable method."
In fact, everyone knew that Danzo was right, but right now, it was no longer a question of right or wrong.
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