Although these Sharingan were not Mangekyō Sharingan—most of them being One Tomoe or Two Tomoe Sharingan—they were the defective remnants of Danzo's failed transplants.
However, for Bai Ye, they were more than enough to experiment with integrating different powers into his current template.
Danzo's secret base was hidden underground, southeast of Konoha Village. At Bai Ye's speed, it would take mere moments to reach it.
With that in mind, he activated Shunpo and disappeared from his location.
Meanwhile, Shizune, doing her best to avoid Anbu surveillance, was investigating the "handsome black-haired man" that Lady Tsunade had mentioned. She had no idea that the target she was searching for had already left Konoha unnoticed.
After a short while, Bai Ye arrived at his destination—a secluded forest on the outskirts of the Land of Fire, bordering the Land of Lightning.
Relying on his Reiatsu perception, he confirmed that there were no lifeforms within a hundred-mile radius.
It was undeniable that Danzo had chosen his secret bases well. Hidden at least 30 meters underground, ordinary ninja scouts wouldn't be able to detect them using chakra alone.
But for Bai Ye, the secrets buried beneath his feet were about to be exposed—and erased.
"They call themselves the 'Roots' of Konoha. And like roots, they bury themselves underground, feeding on rot and decay to nourish the village. How ridiculous."
Bai Ye recalled the memories he had extracted from the Anbu he eliminated.
Danzo's experiments with the First Hokage's cells had led to the capture of an unknown number of test subjects, taken from all over the land.
Bai Ye scoffed at Danzo's methods.
Whether in his past life or his current one, the more he learned about Danzo, the more he saw similarities between him and the World Government from One Piece—both thriving in hypocrisy and secrecy.
Arriving at the hidden entrance of Danzo's base, Bai Ye gazed at the underground passage before him.
Using his perception, he identified only five or six Anbu stationed inside, overseeing research and transplantation experiments.
Without hesitation, Bai Ye exerted force on the backup entrance, stepping forward and collapsing the passageway.
Naturally, the Anbu inside immediately noticed.
Inside the underground base…
"What was that?!"
"Did something happen outside?"
"Could it be an earthquake?!"
Within the research facility, filled with various experimental equipment, the on-duty Anbu felt the tremors and exchanged uneasy glances.
Soon, a ninja rushed in, his expression grim.
"The backup passage has collapsed."
"What? How is that possible?"
"There are no fault lines in this region! Why else would Lord Danzo choose this location?"
The researcher's face darkened at the realization.
"Wait… Could this be an enemy attack?!"
"Impossible. This base is as classified as S-rank and above documents. Only Lord Danzo's most trusted subordinates even know it exists!"
The tension in the room grew thick.
One of the senior Anbu, a middle-aged man, clenched his fists as he scanned the facility—his gaze lingering on the liquid-filled containers and the piles of failed test subjects.
"If this base is truly under attack, we must erase all traces. We cannot allow any evidence to leak, nor can we let the other ninja villages discover what has been happening here."
His voice was grave.
Reaching for a shuriken, he prepared himself. If necessary, he would activate the pre-placed detonating tags, ensuring the entire base was destroyed—along with himself.
The experiments here had long surpassed the use of mere rogue ninjas. To further their research on Hashirama's cells and Sharingan transplantation, they had secretly abducted villagers from major ninja villages.
If their crimes were exposed, the consequences would be devastating.
Even Danzo, who had just secured support from Konoha's higher-ups, would be stripped of his position as acting Hokage.
The Anbu commander focused all his attention on the entrance corridor.
But then, something felt… off.
Seconds passed, yet there was no sound from his men outside.
"Too quiet…"
His pupils shrank.
Something was terribly wrong.
Realizing this, he swiftly prepared to activate the detonating tags.
But before he could move—
A crushing, invisible pressure filled the room.
The entire underground base, buried 30 meters below the surface, seemed to groan under the weight of an overwhelming force.
The Anbu commander felt his body freeze, as though an immovable mountain was pressing down on him.
Even raising a finger required unimaginable effort.
"W-What… is this…?"
Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.
Despite his Jōnin-level strength—an elite among Danzo's forces—he was utterly powerless under this terrifying pressure.
Lifting his head with great difficulty, he finally saw the source of his fear.
A young man with black hair and black eyes.
Bai Ye had entered the base without opposition.
And he had done so without moving.
With just his presence, he had rendered a seasoned Jōnin completely immobile.
The Anbu commander's mind reeled.
Danzo himself had never exuded a fraction of this suffocating pressure.
In fact, no one in Konoha—no, in the entire ninja world—could compare to this monstrous aura.
"What… kind of… monster…?"
Terror gripped him.
He struggled to call out, to alert the others, but his throat refused to cooperate.
At that moment, he finally understood why the base had been so eerily silent.
"D-Damn it…!"
Desperate, he tried to hurl the shuriken and detonate the base.
But Bai Ye's Reiatsu flared, tightening its grip.
The next moment, the Anbu commander—one of Danzo's strongest operatives—died without resistance.
Bai Ye exhaled lightly.
Having already extracted the memories of the Anbu stationed here, he ensured none survived to raise an alarm.
With the final obstacle removed, he turned his attention to the cultivation chambers.
Within them…