Naruto: True Darkness

Danzo and Hiruzen arrived at a base that was far from the Village, with it housing the single most dangerous individual in the Shinobi World, at least in Danzo's perspective.

While some could claim that the title belonged to Zetsu, Obito, or even Jigen, he knew that those three weren't at the level in which they could be terrifying, at least not in the same vain as Orochimaru.

No, the Orochimaru in this world stood as the single being capable of terrifying Danzo, and it was all due to his intellect, mind, and mad genius.

Danzo had realized quickly that their were a few slight details that were different if his new world was compared to the anime, with some being minor while others were major.

A minor change was the fact that the Substitution Jutsu was no longer a semi-teleportation Jutsu like it was in the manga, with it merely using a slight Genjutsu to make it appear as if you disappeared in an instant.

But a major change was the sheer power that the Sannin weilded. 

Unlike in the anime, where it seemed as though the Sannin were just three powerful Shinobi at the same level as other S-Class Ninja, in this world, it seems to have taken the obscure statement that 'Only a Sannin can take down a Sannin' literally.

The Sannin each achieved a level of power that included mastery over at least the second step of each Chakra Nature, understanding of Fuinjutsu that surpassed the vast majority of people who lack the last name Uzumaki, a plethora of Ninjutsu, and individual skills that set them apart from each other.

Tsunade Senju, The Slug Sannin, stood as the only member of the trio who was unable to use the conventional variation of Sage Mode, yet she created a seal on her forehead that stored both her excess Chakra that she had everyday (Which if you're a Senju, means that you have Chakra Reserves that rival the Tailed Beasts) and Senjutsu Chakra that she created with the assistance of the Great Slug Katsuyu.

This seal created her ability to use the Art of Mitotic Regeneration, which used the Senjutsu Chakra from Nature to heal her wounds, giving her the power to literally be nigh-immortal when activated. When combined with her Medical Ninjutsu (Which stood at the pinnacle of the world), this turned the Slug Princess into an immortal monster that could outlast any opponent in battle.

Jiraiya, The Toad Sannin, became the first of the trio to master Sage Mode, with him becoming the only member of the three who could imbue their Senjutsu Chakra into their normal Jutsu, creating an exponential change in the power of it. His physical body seemed to become saturated due to him becoming a Sage at a young age, with it transforming his body into perhaps the person with the highest physical ability of any Shinobi in the Elemental Nations, making him a tank that could send supercharged Ninjutsu at his opponents.

However, by summoning two of the Elders from Mount Myoboku, he no longer has to worry about gathering Senjutsu Chakra, giving him unlimited access to Sage Mode. But his most threatning fact, was that in this new state, he gained the ability to use the secret arts of Mount Myoboku, with those ranging from Unblockable Genjutsu to Ninjutsu that altered the very structure of their surroundings, down to a cellular level.

And finally, the arguable strongest of the three, Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin.

What made his the strongest of the three was the fact that he learned the Third Level of Wind Release, had the ability to enter Sage Mode instantly due to the Senjutsu Chakra of Ryuchi Cave being imbedded into his body, possessed swordsmanship that rivalled the White Fang, and could use unorthodox Jutsu like Auditory Genjutsu. His understanding of Kinjutsu was unparallelled, and his knowledge of Juinjutsu was second only to Danzo, a man who learned directly from an Uzumaki. 

But, the genetic modifications he made to his body over the past decade was what made him the strongest, as everytime he was seen, the Danzo in his memories felt as if the monster was more dangerous than the last time he saw him. And the fact he didn't know all of Orochimaru's abilities, made him more dangerous than both of the other two Sannin, as nothing is more terrifying than the unknown.

Truthfully, Danzo would have been apprehensive about dealing with Orochimaru if he only possessed his prior strength, as Orochimaru was pretty much a better version of himself.

But with the vast power that he had gained due to his transmigration, he was confident in dealing with Orochimaru, and that was due entirely to a simple, yet extremely useful spell that his other life had knowledge of.

Dispel.

Add on the Monkey named Hiruzen that was beside him, a man who had defeated all three of his students at the same time before (Don't ask him how it occurred), he wasn't afraid to step into the Devil's Lair.

But, even though the Sannin should be the absolute pride of the Leaf, their negative traits led them all to a downfall due to their own minds.

Tsunade, faced with the horror of seeing both her lover and her brother die before her, unable to save them due to the ongoing war and her battling S Class Shinobi from other Villages, ultimately lost faith in the Will of Fire. 

She inevitably fell to the various mental ailments that would impair her, such as Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia. Even if she lacked the Hemophobia she had in her original life, the way she drowned her pain in alcohol for over a decade left her a broken woman, one that only had a surrogate daughter that she adopted after Dan's death as the only person able to be close to her. She later left the Village right before the end of the Second War, with her not returning since.

Orochimaru, gradually lost himself in his desire to learn all Jutsu, with the sole reasoning originally being that he saw death at every step of his life and wished to stop it.

From his parents dying during the First War, to all three of his students (Including Nawaki) dying during the Second War, to many of his childhood friends dying during the Third. He eventually began to become consummed by his grief, yet due to the nature of the Shinobi World and his own personality, he viewed that the reason it happened was because of his own weakness rather than a result of their way of life. This resulted in him isolating himself in his labs, with him having very little outside interaction other than Hiruzen, Biwako, and occasionaly Jiraiya.

But even now, Danzo was unsure if the man had been acclimating power due to a wish to grow stronger or if he had gradually began to become consummed by his desire to become immortal, yet in either situation, he had a way to go about the following conversation.

And speaking of the last Sannin, he stood as the sole member of the trio who still went on missions, with him having perhaps the second best spy network of the Shinobi World (Only behind him) and full devotion to the Village.

However, his loss of his two closest friends, as well as him not agreeing with policies that Hiruzen passed led to him distancing himself from the Village, with him only returning more often now due to his student coming into power. He ended up hoping to hide his pain of losing the woman he loved to another with his debauchary, with it only growing worse after she later lost the man and became a shell of her former self.

Now, all three Sannin stood more like broken people rather than individuals who were country level threats, but Danzo needed to know if Orochimaru would stay loyal to the Village, or if he needed to eliminate the threat now before it could fully form.

Hiruzen and Danzo made their approach, with Hiruzen inputting his Chakra into the seal protected the base, with both of the elderly men entering.

A futuristic sight was seen, as it showcased the exemplary development Orochimaru had been able to make in his scientific endeavors.

"Sensei? Danzo? I didn't expect a visit from you two today." 

Danzo turned on his cane while narrowing his sole eye, with him looking at the pale skinned man that was before him.

"We know. But I felt that it was best for us to have this conversation sooner rather than later, unless we be far too late from stopping certain events from happening." Danzo said, making Orochimaru narrow his eyes back towards him.

"And what might that conversation entail, Lord Danzo?" Orochimaru asked.

"I'll keep my words short and simple. We have no issue with the experimenation that you do, since no citizens of Konoha or the Land of Fire have been harmed by the aftermaths of it. We are the ones who greenlit your research into the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai. But, if your will as a scientist begins to endanger the safety of this Village, I can guarantee you that I will do my best to kill you in the most excruciating way possible, Hiruzen be damned.

You are one of the Leaf's greatest Shinobi ever produced, the Snake Sannin, and a student and surrogate son of The Third Hokage. You are without a doubt one of the pillars that hold up our Village. And we need all the power we have if we wish to withstand the might of the world. 

But, do not think that you are irreplaceable. Because even if Hiruzen refuses to stop you before you go to far, I can ensure you that I will. You can do with that information whatever you like." Danzo finished and turned around, not sparing the snake another glance.

Hiruzen merely looked at the two, unable to speak a single word as he didn't quite understand what his old friend was saying, or more likely, did not want to understand it.

After the death of Orochimaru's parents, Hiruzen had adopted him and taught him to the best of his ability.

He even lived with Hiruzen at one point, with Biwako taking the place of a mother figure in the heart of Orochimaru while Hiruzen became somewhat like his Father.

And due to that, even after the war, when Orochimaru expressed interest in gaining control over the Research and Development Department, Hiruzen held no objections to him and allowed it.

So now, hearing from Danzo that his own son may be going astray, he was unsure of how he should respond.

"I somewhat believe you are looking down on me, Lord Danzo. While I have no doubt that Sensei or my Teammates could contend with me, aren't you looking down on me a bit too much if you think I'm so weak as to easily be tgaken out by you?" Orochimaru asked as his Chakra began to seep out his body like a cold venom.

Orochimaru couldn't quite understand why Danzo had spoken down to him so much, as his experiments had not done anything that could go towards the level of being a crime against the Village.

But, to be told that he would be killed while the person he viewed as the closest to his father stood by and said nothing, it made him slightly frustrated.

He was a Sannin of the Leaf, a Sage that could easily be viewed by the Shinobi World as an invincible monster, one that could only be defeated by merely a handful of individuals.

This was an Orochimaru who had yet to begin splitting his soul in the search for immortality, as his current concern was only enhancing his body or doing experiments for the Leaf.

This was not the Orochimaru whose Chakra had been weakened due to an inbalance of his Yin and Yang Energies in the first part of Naruto.

This was not the Orochimaru who had his hands sealed away and stood in a weakened state.

This was not the Orochimaru who could easily be killed by the likes of Sasuke Uchiha, a shell of his former self.

This was a man who was closest in the Shinobi World to mastering every Chakra Nature, and had investigated and learned knowledge all across the world.

He was the Snake Sannin, and he felt that Danzo should speak to him with far more respect, as he was the one closest to reaching the level of his Father in his prime.

And though he was hurt by not gaining the position of Fourth Hokage, though that was merely due to politics outside of his own hands, he still would protect the Village that both he, his siblings in all but blood, and his Father held dear.

The walls in the labaratory began to tremble due to the sheer pressure of Orochimaru's Chakra, as it seemed akin to a thick sludge, one that was gradually melting and dissipating everything that was around him.

Hiruzen was about to release his own Chakra, yet someone beat him to it.

In contrast to the sludge like Chakra, one that seemed to hold a unique type of duality suddenly surged forward, with it completely overwhelming the sludge.

One part of the Chakra felt like the deepest pits of Hell, with it seeming to be akin to darkness that even Nyx would feel proud about.

Yet another part felt like a light, like a warm flame that would comfort and protect those it viewed as needing it's protection.

The Chakra pushed back Orochimaru's Chakra, with Danzo glancing back at Orochimaru with his sole showing eye.

"The reason I have not acted currently, is because I still see the Will of Fire shining in your soul. I still see the man that my closest friend raised and taught to become his greatest student. Do not make me regret my decision today." Danzo said as he then left, leaving the Father and Son to look at one another, with him not staying to hear their conversation.

Danzo arrived outside the building and tapped his cane on the ground, with both Ryu and Kai kneeling before him in an instant.

"Send a message to the Fourth Hokage that I'll be heading over to meet with him in around thirty minutes. Ensure that he clears his schedule for it." Danzo said as he continued his walk while planning for his next step of events.

 ~

'I truly did not expect that Orochimaru was not evil yet. I thought Hiruzen and I would need to eliminate him now, but it seems that I lucked up. I wonder if the Nine Tails Attack was what eventually led to his change in this world? No matter, it is irrelevant now. If Hiruzen acts as I expect him to, then he will likely be able to change the doubts in Orochimaru's heart. 

With that being the case, it is time to recall Tsunade and Jiraiya. Tsunade will return otherwise she will face the possibility of being a Rouge Shinobi. A threat is the only plausible way to force her to return, though I will know directly when I meet her.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, needs to be present in the Village as much as possible, because as integral as his spy network is, I need to take as many precautions against Obito as possible. He is an absolute danger, and without a minimum four S Class Shinobi present in the Village, I can never be sure of the safety for the Village.

Now, with me teaching Shisui, I should likely take up a few more students to balance it out. And I believe that I have the perfect candidates for it.' Danzo thought to himself with a slight smile, preparing the next stage of his plan.

~

Ryu could only lament his luck of being the one who delivered the message to the Fourth Hokage.

As he burst into the office, he was forced with the face of being stared at by the cold eyes of a huge man with white hair, with him knowing exactly who the man was.

"Lord Danzo said that he will be meeting with you shortly, Lord Hokage." Ryu reported before immediately leaving, already feeling intimidated by the man.

Minato simply stared at his Sensei, as he saw Jiraiya's eyes narrow as if thinking about something.

"I'll stay for this meeting as well. I don't think I need to reiterate my stance on him." Jiraiya said while Minato simply nodded.

The meeting between the Darkness of Shinobi and the Toad Sannin was inevitable.