After Orochimaru's defection, Kakashi and the rest of the ANBU were assigned the mission to track him down.
During that mission, Kakashi encountered a young boy from the Root (Foundation) who wielded Wood Release techniques—the very same Yamato who now serves under him.
So even back then, Orochimaru had already colluded with Danzo, Kakashi recalled.
Kushina, observing the two figures below, sensed something was amiss. She remembered that during the selection for the Fourth Hokage, Danzo had nominated Orochimaru.
Considering Orochimaru's past affiliation with the Root, their private dealings weren't surprising. However, Kushina was curious about their late-night rendezvous.
"Orochimaru, did you bring the item?" Danzo asked in a low voice.
"I did. But what do you have to offer me in return?" Orochimaru replied with a sly smile that exuded malice.
"An item? Could it be information?" Kakashi, watching from the shadows, took mental notes.
"Offer? Hmph. You, a rogue ninja, dare to ask for terms?" Danzo scoffed.
"Danzo, please don't speak to me in that tone. I'm no longer your subordinate; I'm the rogue ninja you speak of."
"If you don't want mutual destruction, you'd better complete this transaction. Surely, you wouldn't want the truth about your use of the Mangekyō Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails to come to light?" Orochimaru threatened ominously.
"Using the Mangekyō Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails? Could this be related to the Nine-Tails' attack?" Kakashi was stunned, his face filled with shock. He never imagined Danzo could be behind it.
"What? Danzo was responsible for the Nine-Tails' attack?" Kushina was equally shocked. Why would Danzo do such a thing?
"How did you find out?" Danzo's expression darkened.
"How did I find out? Heh."
"Danzo, you seem to have a selective memory. Back then, you provided me with Sharingan from the Uchiha clan and the First Hokage's corpse. In return, I gave you Izanagi and Hashirama's cells for transplantation."
"When you asked me to implant Hashirama's cells into your right arm to enhance your physical energy, I suspected your right eye housed a Mangekyō Sharingan."
"After all, only the Mangekyō Sharingan requires Hashirama's cells to suppress its power. I couldn't think of any other reason."
"Moreover, during the Nine-Tails' attack, not a single member of the Root intervened. I suspected it was your doing."
"Who else but you would know the location of Kushina's delivery room and the barrier setup?"
"You've always coveted the Hokage position. After Minato took office, he began to diminish the power of advisors like you and aimed to disband the Root and the role of Hokage's assistant."
"To maintain your power and conceal your human experimentation, eliminating Minato was your only option."
"Once Minato was dead, who else but you could claim the Hokage title?"
"Unfortunately for you, you didn't anticipate the old man shamelessly returning to power to stabilize the situation. Must have been quite a blow to your ambitions," Orochimaru mocked.
Upon hearing Orochimaru's claim that Danzo aimed for the Hokage position, Kakashi recalled an incident. After the Nine-Tails' attack, Danzo attempted to seize control of the village by using Kakashi to gather information on the Third Hokage's journey to the Land of Fire's capital, intending to assassinate him en route. However, Kakashi betrayed Danzo midway, allowing the Third Hokage to survive.
Considering everything Orochimaru said, even a fool could deduce that Danzo orchestrated the Nine-Tails' attack.
Who else but the Hokage and his assistant would know the exact location of Kushina's delivery?
Who else but an insider could bypass the barrier and silently eliminate the ANBU guards?
"I can't believe Sensei was killed by Danzo." Kakashi's eyes burned with fury, yearning to avenge Minato and Kushina.
But Kakashi knew that both Danzo and Orochimaru were beyond his ability to confront alone.
If he exposed himself now, he wouldn't even know how he died.
In the end, reason triumphed over emotion, and Kakashi chose to remain hidden.
Kushina was equally stunned by this revelation. She never imagined Danzo would target them for power. Recalling the Root's treatment of Naruto, Kushina nearly erupted in rage, but the constraints of the Reanimation Jutsu held her back. She could only glare at Danzo with burning hatred, wishing she could tear him apart.
Danzo coldly stared at Orochimaru and said, "Orochimaru, sometimes being too clever isn't a good thing."
"Have you heard the saying, 'ignorance is bliss'?"
Danzo removed the bandages from his head, revealing a crimson Sharingan, and unwrapped his arm to expose a pale limb adorned with a face-like pattern.
Kakashi's eyes widened in shock upon seeing the pattern identical to the First Hokage Hashirama Senju's face on the Hokage Monument.
So this is the legendary Hashirama's cells? Danzo actually succeeded!
No wonder Danzo was so composed when handing over Yamato, who possessed Wood Release, to the Third Hokage. He had a better option all along!
He could use Wood Release himself!
Danzo's secrets run deep indeed!
Truly deserving of the title "The Darkness of the Shinobi"!
"Hashirama's cells combined with the Mangekyō Sharingan—no wonder he could control the Nine-Tails within me." Kushina gritted her teeth, her hatred for Danzo intensifying.
...
"Heh, Danzo, are you angry because I've exposed you?" Orochimaru licked his lips mockingly.
"Don't forget, your arm was created through the abduction of sixty infants from the village and surrounding areas for Hashirama cell transplantation experiments. Are you sure you want to attack me? Aren't you afraid I'll expose this information to the old man?"
"What? The human experiments weren't conducted by Orochimaru but by Danzo?" Kakashi and Kushina, hidden in the shadows, were shocked.
It was the exposure of these experiments that led to Orochimaru's departure from the village.
They never imagined Danzo was the mastermind!
"Heh, who would believe you? Once you're dead, I'm still the Hokage's assistant, and you're still a rogue ninja," Danzo sneered.
"Danzo, you should know that you alone can't kill me," Orochimaru replied.
Danzo sneered without responding.
As Danzo approached, Orochimaru warned, "Danzo, I advise you to be kind."
"If you come any closer, I'll reveal your use of the Sharingan to control the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, and implement the 'Bloody Mist' policy in Kirigakure."
"Then you'll not only face a bounty from the Mist but also risk a war between Kirigakure and Konoha. At that point, you'll be the village's greatest criminal. Forget about becoming Hokage; surviving would be a challenge!"
"What? The 'Bloody Mist' policy in Kirigakure was also Danzo's doing?" Kakashi was stunned.
"Danzo not only used the Mangekyō Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails and destroy Konoha but also ruined Kirigakure," Kushina was equally shocked.
"Careful, Orochimaru." Danzo's voice was low, clipped, laced with danger. "You're crossing a line you won't come back from."
Kakashi, watching from the shadows, could feel it — the sharp edge of Danzo's killing intent. He understood. To Danzo, secrets were safest when the people who knew them were dead.
And frankly, Kakashi had to admit: Orochimaru wasn't walking away from this unless someone died.
But then Orochimaru smiled — that twisted, snake-like smirk of his.
"Then do it," he said, voice calm, almost amused. "If you think you can."