Chapter 259

Yakushi Nono, trained by Danzo from a young age, had become one of Konoha's top spies under his tutelage.

Her espionage missions were exemplary, and in less than two years, she earned the title of "Wandering Miko."

However, she never shared Danzo's ideology.

When the Second Shinobi War ended prematurely due to Orochimaru's intervention, Nono resigned from Danzo's Root division without hesitation.

She moved to the western border of the Land of Fire and established this orphanage to care for war orphans.

Running an orphanage was no small feat. Raising children, even during times of war, required significant resources for food, clothing, and shelter.

While Orochimaru had given her 10 million ryo, Nono viewed that money as a last resort and refrained from using it unless absolutely necessary.

As a result, most of the orphanage's funding came from Konoha.

---

Danzo, hearing Nono's blunt refusal, didn't show anger. Instead, he spoke with measured calm.

"You were once the top elite of the Intelligence Department, Nono. After you left Root, did you stop keeping up with the world? I'm not here just to talk about aid money!"

Standing behind Danzo, Aburame Ryoma, a Root ninja took over the explanation.

"We've received intelligence that Suna may be preparing to attack Konoha. We need you to infiltrate Suna Village again to confirm whether this information is accurate. If it is, you're to gather details on the time, location, and nature of the attack."

Nono's expression remained firm. "You've come to the wrong person. I already—"

Before she could finish, the older woman and bespectacled man standing behind her spoke up, their voices filled with anger.

"You can't be serious!" the older woman snapped. "The director has dedicated everything to this orphanage and the children! She worked tirelessly to raise funds and build this place from the ground up."

"Surely, you have plenty of people in Root who can handle such dangerous missions," the bespectacled man added furiously. "Why does it have to be her?"

Danzo ignored their protests entirely and continued, his tone low and authoritative.

"Nono is the only one qualified for such a long-term infiltration mission. There is no better spy in Root. Sending an inexperienced or average agent will only result in failure, they'll either mentally break or defect to the enemy. But Nono… I know she won't betray Konoha."

Nono's eyes wavered slightly at Danzo's words.

She wouldn't betray Konoha, of course not. Her commitment to the orphanage and the children she raised wouldn't allow her to.

Danzo smirked faintly, sensing the shift in her demeanor. "It seems you understand, Nono. If you refuse, the orphanage will lose all future funding."

"What?! That's impossible!" the older woman exclaimed, horrified. "The Third Hokage himself approved the funding! He would never allow such a thing to happen!"

Danzo's voice grew colder. "This orphanage doesn't seem particularly secure. Thieves could easily break in. Perhaps you should hire some bodyguards, though you'd need money for that."

Aburame Ryoma added pointedly, "Be careful, though. Money isn't the only thing thieves might target. Children of unknown origins… they might find value elsewhere."

The thinly veiled threat sent a chill through the room.

The bespectacled man slammed his hand on the table, his voice trembling with rage. "You call yourselves Konoha shinobi?! How dare you speak of stealing children!"

Danzo's lone visible eye narrowed as he barked back, "You ignorant fools don't understand what it means to protect Konoha! Sacrifices must be made!"

Nono took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions. "I understand," she said quietly.

"Dean, no!" the older woman pleaded, panicked.

Danzo cut her off sharply, his tone colder than ever. "You've always lacked the ruthlessness required, Nono. That's why you were never truly suited for Root."

"You're shameless!" the bespectacled man shouted, his hands trembling in anger.

Danzo ignored him and turned back to Nono. "Good. Now that you've decided—"

Before he could finish, a voice interrupted him, calm yet cutting.

"She isn't going anywhere."

The sudden intrusion startled everyone in the room. Aburame Ryoma and another Root operative named Aoi instinctively tensed, their eyes darting toward the entrance. Even Danzo's face briefly showed surprise before his composure returned.

"How… how did someone get so close without us noticing?" Aoi muttered under his breath, his voice laced with unease.

The door curtain was pushed aside, revealing the last person any of them expected to see.

"Orochimaru?"

"Lord Orochimaru?!"

"Long time no see, Danzo-sama," Orochimaru greeted casually, his presence immediately dominating the room.

---

The reactions in the room were mixed.

For Aoi and Aburame Ryoma, Orochimaru was both a figure of admiration and caution. Though one was his senior and the other his junior, neither could deny his overwhelming strength.

However, as members of Root, they had no idea why Orochimaru had defected. Seeing him now, their instincts kicked in, and both assumed defensive postures.

Nono, on the other hand, was more surprised than anything. Though she had been quietly helping Orochimaru, she hadn't expected him to appear at this moment.

Danzo, however, quickly recovered from his initial shock.

"Orochimaru, why are you here?" he asked, his tone steady but wary.

Orochimaru smirked faintly, stepping further into the room. "Do I need to explain myself, Danzo-sama? I wasn't aware I had to report my movements to you."

His words carried a mocking edge, reminding everyone present of his current status as a rogue ninja.

Though Danzo and Orochimaru had worked well together in the past, the events that led to Orochimaru's defection had irreparably severed their relationship.

Danzo's visible eye narrowed. "That decision wasn't mine alone, it was made by Konoha's leadership. There was nothing I could do to stop it."

Despite his calm exterior, Danzo's feelings toward Orochimaru were complicated.

In the past, it had been Danzo who encouraged Orochimaru's research, and the two had benefited greatly from their partnership. Danzo often felt that he gained far more from the collaboration than Orochimaru did, though he was always careful to hide his guilt.

That guilt vanished, however, during the Battle of the Land of Frost.

Witnessing Orochimaru's true power had left Danzo shaken. It was then he realized just how much Orochimaru had hidden from him over the years.

The man he thought he had controlled had, in fact, been far beyond his reach all along.

Still, Danzo couldn't entirely suppress a sense of unease when facing Orochimaru.

Orochimaru, however, seemed entirely unbothered. Taking a seat on a nearby stool, he smiled mockingly. "That? I've long since forgotten about it. Let's focus on Nono instead."

He crossed one leg over the other, his demeanor relaxed yet commanding.

"Nono is mine now," he said, his voice soft but resolute. "She won't be undertaking this mission."

Danzo frowned. "Is that so? If she doesn't go, Konoha—"

"What happens to Konoha is no longer my concern," Orochimaru interrupted, raising a hand to silence him. "What matters is that she isn't going. Find someone else."

***

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