Chapter 176: Human Experiments and the Death of White Fang

"Ten Sins?"

Tobirama Senju frowned, casting a sidelong glance at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Numerous thoughts flickered through his mind in an instant.

Hashirama, however, plopped down cross-legged onto the ground with his usual carefree demeanor.

"Tobirama, overthinking won't help. Let's hear what this is about."

Seeing the group settle down, Orochimaru resumed speaking. His voice remained hoarse, yet it was clear and carried to everyone present.

"I was once a member of Root, operating under the orders of Danzo Shimura."

"Due to my status as a disciple of the Hokage, I wasn't branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal..."

Hashirama tilted his head in confusion. "Orochimaru, what technique are you talking about? And what exactly is this 'Root'?"

"It's not a technique but a sealing jutsu," Orochimaru clarified. "The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal is used to prevent members of Root from leaking secrets."

"As for Root..." Orochimaru let out a derisive chuckle. "It's an organization established by Danzo Shimura with the tacit approval of my teacher."

"The organization's original purpose was to act as the roots of a great tree, hidden in the shadows to handle unspeakable tasks."

"Assassinating fellow villagers, secretly executing perceived threats..."

"Every member of Root was a carefully selected elite. Once inducted, they were brainwashed into becoming mindless tools that followed orders unconditionally. Those who failed the selection process were mercilessly discarded as failures."

Hearing this, Hashirama couldn't contain his fury. He stood abruptly, clenching his fists.

"Unforgivable! The village is supposed to be a sanctuary that protects its people. How could such things happen here?!"

As he took a step forward, the overwhelming surge of chakra and sheer force of his presence sent chills through everyone in the room.

"Brother, calm down," Tobirama urged. "Don't unleash your chakra so recklessly."

At his words, Hashirama grunted and restrained his aura.

"Orochimaru, continue."

Orochimaru steadied himself, a hint of shock lingering in his heart.

The power of Hashirama Senju was simply monstrous. Despite the advancements he had made to the Jutsu, the technique could only restore about 60% of the original's strength.

Even at this diminished state, Hashirama was this terrifying. Just how formidable was he in his prime?

"Orochimaru?"

The voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Orochimaru continued, "Under Danzo Shimura's orders, I began delving into human experimentation."

"From cultivating cells to performing human transplants, the subjects evolved from death row prisoners and spies to orphans, civilians, and even shinobi."

"What began as research into Wood Release expanded into the study of kekkei genkai and various secret techniques."

"Teacher, don't tell me that after decades of ruling Konoha and consolidating all the power in your hands, you knew nothing of these experiments!"

"Without your tacit approval, Danzo could never have acquired such advanced equipment and rare materials for his experiments."

"This is the first sin!"

The ordinary shinobi present were struck dumb with disbelief, especially those from Konoha.

They could never have imagined that their revered Hokage might be complicit in such atrocities.

"This is outrageous! How could Lord Hokage stoop to such actions?!"

"When the scandal about Danzo Shimura first broke, I always wondered how a mere advisor could subjugate the great clans and secretly operate so many human experimentation facilities. But if the Hokage himself was involved, it all makes sense!"

"Unbelievable. Isn't the Hokage supposed to protect us?!"

The more ordinary the shinobi, the harder it was for them to stomach this grim reality. Most of the experimental subjects likely came from their ranks.

For the first time, the shining image of Hiruzen Sarutobi as the benevolent protector of Konoha began to crack.

Meanwhile, the Raikage, Tsuchikage, and others remained unmoved. From their vantage points, such schemes were hardly surprising.

Within the barrier, Tobirama's frown deepened.

He wasn't opposed to human experimentation. After all, he had continued experiments on Wood Release after his brother's death in pursuit of power.

But using villagers as test subjects? That crossed the line.

No matter what, the Hokage's foremost duty was to protect the village and its people!

Sensing the growing unease, Hiruzen Sarutobi declared in a grave tone, "Everything I've done was for the sake of the village!"

"If we didn't pursue greater strength, how could Konoha defend itself against the enemies lurking on all sides?!"

Orochimaru's voice turned cold. "That brings us to your second sin."

"Does anyone here still remember Sakumo Hatake?"

Orochimaru paused, as if to ensure that everyone, especially Hashirama, Tobirama, and the younger shinobi, was following. He continued, "Sakumo Hatake, with his unparalleled mastery of kenjutsu, struck fear into the hearts of shinobi from other villages."

"His exploits earned him the title 'Konoha's White Fang,' forcing other villages to issue orders to abandon missions rather than confront him."

"But in the end, he met a tragic demise, ensnared by the schemes of the Hokage and Danzo Shimura."

Hiruzen's voice rose in anger. "That's a baseless accusation!"

Unperturbed, Orochimaru pressed on. "Sakumo Hatake's achievements once earned him the right to wear the Hokage's half-sleeve robes."

"As time went on, calls for him to become the next Hokage grew louder."

"Later, he was assigned a classified mission. During the mission, he chose to save a comrade at the cost of abandoning the objective."

"But upon returning to the village, the details of his decision spread like wildfire overnight."

"Everyone condemned him as a disgrace for failing the mission. Despite the uproar, the village's leadership remained silent for days."

"A hero, once revered by all, was reduced to a pariah overnight..."

"Eventually, in despair, Sakumo Hatake took his own life."

Orochimaru turned a pointed gaze at Hiruzen. "Let me ask you, teacher. That mission was classified. How did the details leak so quickly?"

Hiruzen's expression darkened. "I was deeply saddened by Sakumo's death, but that was Danzo's doing!"

Orochimaru sneered. "Do you believe that yourself?"

"As I recall, by that time, only you had the authority to issue orders to Sakumo Hatake, the then-commander of the ANBU."

"If it wasn't you, how could Danzo have known the mission details?"

"Furthermore, the comrade Sakumo saved—who later turned on him—was from the Sarutobi clan, wasn't he?"

Orochimaru's unrelenting questions left Hiruzen speechless, while the crowd erupted in outrage.

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

Read more than +80 chapters and support me on Patreon

Patreon(.)com/Jixo