The explosion caused an immense commotion.
All of Black Zetsu's seals and arrangements couldn't conceal such a massive blast and uproar, and this was exactly the effect Danzō needed!
Using a massive explosion to shatter Black Zetsu's blockade in the Hokage Building, drawing the attention of the entire village, and most importantly, drawing Tobirama's attention.
Sure enough.
From the moment the explosion occurred.
Three…
Two…
One…
*WHOOSH!*
In less than three seconds.
A sound of breaking through the air rang out. Tobirama, with his Tenseigan, activated Hiraishin no Jutsu and instantly returned to the Hokage Building.
Even the most absurd "blind spot" couldn't withstand the anomaly when the bulb itself exploded!
Moreover, Tobirama wasn't foolish. As soon as he noticed the massive commotion at the Hokage Building, he knew he might have been played and immediately returned.
A moment later, Tobirama raised his hand and unleashed a Water Release Ninjutsu.
Dark clouds gathered, pouring down heavy rain, quickly extinguishing the flames raging across the building.
At the same time, he sensed Danzō's extremely faint chakra aura.
Even before the flames were fully doused, Tobirama charged into the ruined building. His extreme speed, like a sharp blade, sliced through the remaining flames and the curtain of rain, arriving at the side of the dying Danzō.
At this moment, Danzō lay sprawled on the shattered debris. His face had melted from the fire, his lidless eyes staring blankly at the sky. Half of his body was gone, his remaining chest exposing charred ribs, like burned roof beams, with even his horrifying lung bubbles visible. Each weak breath leaked from his damaged lungs, producing a sound like air mixed with blood.
Clearly, this explosion had nearly taken Danzō's life, leaving him with only his final breaths.
The White Zetsu possessing Danzō had died completely.
Or rather, if it weren't for the White Zetsu fully enveloping him and absorbing most of the damage during the explosion, Danzō might have been blown to pieces, leaving no last breath at all.
"Danzō!"
Tobirama was shocked by the sight. He immediately flashed to Danzō's side, hurriedly injecting Yang Release chakra, trying to save Danzō's life.
He also activated a Soul Binding Technique to slow Danzō's death.
"Sen… sei…"
Danzō, with his heart protected by chakra, seemed to experience a final surge of vitality. A flicker of life sparked, allowing him to speak with great effort.
Though his remaining eye was destroyed, he could still sense that Tobirama had arrived!
Clearly, his plan had succeeded.
He had successfully saved Hiruzen and Chiyo and created a massive explosion, drawing Tobirama back to help.
Of course, the cost was the destruction of the Rinnegan and his own life!
"Why are you so gravely injured? Who did this? Was it that bastard Black Zetsu?"
"I'm sorry! I destroyed the Rinnegan…"
Danzō regretted and blamed himself. This was the only thing he felt he had let Tobirama down on, failing to protect the crucial Rinnegan.
Hearing this, Tobirama used the Tenseigan's Thought Beads to quickly learn everything that had just happened from Danzō.
"It doesn't matter!"
"Wait for me, I'll find a medical ninja for you right away…"
Danzō could no longer hear Tobirama's words. He only muttered to himself.
"Sensei… I did it! I didn't… disgrace you. I didn't betray the village. I didn't lose to Hiruzen, I…"
Danzō's faint mutterings grew quieter until they finally stopped, and he took his last breath, truly dying in that place.
Medical ninjutsu wasn't omnipotent, especially since Tobirama himself wasn't skilled in it. He only used Yang Release chakra and the Soul Binding Technique, which merely delayed Danzō's death for a moment.
But for fatal injuries that caused the loss of over sixty percent of his body, let alone medical ninjutsu, even if Senju Hashirama were there, he couldn't have saved Danzō's life.
"Danzō…"
"My good disciple, you did your best."
Intense pain surged in Tobirama's heart, like stomach acid rising to his throat, making his breath feel raw and painful.
This was his first direct disciple with a close bond after his brother's passing, dying before his eyes.
Though Tobirama knew Danzō might stray in the future, that didn't change the fact that right now, he was his disciple!
And at this moment, he hadn't done anything to harm the village; he had even sacrificed himself to save Hiruzen and Chiyo!
Without a doubt.
Danzō was a great hero of Konoha and his beloved disciple!
The pain of losing his cherished disciple made Tobirama's entire being boil with rage.
"Black Zetsu!"
"I will kill you!"
Tobirama roared in anger. His killing intent surged like never before. A torrent of chakra formed a visible blue airflow, soaring upward like a pillar of light piercing Konoha's dark night.
A large number of Konoha ninja who had just arrived collapsed, forcefully pressed to the ground by this furious and terrifying pressure.
This was the first time the Second Hokage had shown such anger and loss of control in front of everyone.
The sharp and terrifying killing intent sent chills down the spines of every Konoha ninja nearby.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At the same time.
One figure withstood the terrifying chakra pressure and rushed from the Konoha Ninja Academy toward Tobirama's side.
"Sensei!"
Kagami hurriedly called out. He had just been working with Mito to suppress the Uchiha traitors and was calming Tsunade and the others.
He suddenly saw the massive explosion at the Hokage Building and immediately rushed to the scene.
Unfortunately, he was too late.
All he saw was a furious Tobirama and the half-charred, destroyed body beside him.
"That…"
"Danzō!!!"
Though Danzō's corpse was unrecognizable, through the familiar bond, Kagami instantly recognized him!
How could this happen?
How could Danzō be here?
How did he die? Who killed him?
This couldn't be possible!
"Sensei! What happened to Danzō?"
Hearing Kagami's call, Tobirama slowly restrained the spreading chakra pressure, holding back his aura, but the anger in his heart didn't diminish in the slightest.
"Kagami…"
"Danzō is dead."
"He sacrificed himself by triggering an explosion to save Hiruzen and Chiyo, who were held hostage by Black Zetsu."
Tobirama had learned the entire process and explained briefly.
"Black Zetsu! That bastard! Damn it, where is he? I'll avenge Danzō!"
Kagami was also furious. He immediately activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, his entire chakra boiling.
"He probably escaped. An explosion like this wouldn't kill him…"
"Then I…"
"Leave it to me! I won't let that bastard live, no matter what it takes!"
The coldness in Tobirama's eyes sent shivers down Kagami's spine. This was also the first time he saw his teacher this angry.
"Sensei, what about Hiruzen? He…"
"They're here."
Tobirama took out a scroll from behind his cloak.
This was the scroll Danzō had given him earlier, containing his summoning technique and blood.
He had stated that if anything happened to him, the real Rinnegan could be retrieved through the Baku summoning.
Though the Rinnegan was now destroyed, at least he could retrieve Hiruzen and Chiyo, who had been taken away by the young Baku.
*BUM!*
Tobirama activated the summoning scroll. The young Baku reappeared, successfully bringing back Hiruzen and Chiyo.
Hiruzen and Chiyo, who returned, still had their hands and feet bound, their mouths gagged, and were unable to move.
Tobirama controlled two Tenseigan Truth-Seeking Balls to sweep over their bodies, releasing their bindings and clearing the hidden Hōshi no Jutsu from their bodies.
"Hiruzen, are you okay?"
Kagami rushed to Hiruzen's side, asking anxiously.
"Tobirama-sensei? Kagami? I'm fine… Wait! Danzō? He just saved us, he's still being held hostage by the enemy… Where is this…?"
Hiruzen woke up and immediately worried about Danzō's safety.
He quickly noticed the ruined Hokage Building around him, sensing something was wrong.
Kagami didn't answer, only glancing at Danzō's corpse in the distance with eyes full of anger and reluctance…
"That…? Danzō? He…"
Hiruzen's pupils suddenly contracted, his entire body trembling slightly. He seemed to have guessed the truth.
Kagami nodded slightly, confirming the suspicion.
Hiruzen looked incredulous. He immediately struggled to stand, and with Kagami's help, rushed over.
But someone was faster and more frantic than him.
"Danzō!"
Compared to the injured Hiruzen, Chiyo, whose bindings had been released, was the first to crawl toward Danzō's corpse.
"How could this be?"
"How could you die? You promised to return to the village with me!"
"You can't die!"
"Forget that you deceived me, I don't blame you anymore. Wake up!"
"Shimura Danzō!"
"Wake up!"
The despairing Chiyo clung to Danzō's charred corpse, sobbing uncontrollably.
Everything that happened before paled in significance before Danzō's corpse.
At this moment, she only wanted Danzō to come back to life!
Even if she had to trade her own life!
Unfortunately, the young Chiyo was far from comprehending the terror of death, and she hadn't yet developed the forbidden Kinjutsu, Kishō Tensei (Reanimation Technique), capable of reviving the dead.
At this moment, she was utterly powerless to save Danzō.
She could only helplessly clutch Danzō's corpse, crying hoarsely.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The Water Release ninjutsu hadn't stopped. Light rain continued to drizzle from the sky.
The light rain mixed with thick smoke dripped down, staining everyone's faces at the scene with a mournful dark gray.
Torifu, Koharu, and Homura, who arrived late, all witnessed this tragic scene.
Some shouted, some cried, some refused to believe, and some prayed silently…
A group of people gathered around Danzō's corpse.
But most were considerate, not disturbing Chiyo, who was crying the loudest, or Hiruzen, who was suffering and regretting the most…
Tobirama couldn't bear to watch any longer. He approached Kagami and whispered:
"Kagami, take care of them. You're in charge here for now."
"Sensei, where are you going…?"
"I'm going to take revenge!"
After saying that, Tobirama activated Hiraishin no Jutsu and flew off instantly.
He would take revenge!
Even if he had to give everything, sacrificing all he had.
As a teacher, Tobirama had to find that bastard Black Zetsu and avenge his beloved disciple, Danzō!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
A few minutes later.
Parallel World 2 Tobirama, having flashed across all of Konoha and its surroundings, finally found the Tenshou Sennin at the Hokage Rock.
Tobirama knew full well his plan had failed.
Now the Rinnegan was destroyed too. Finding the injured and escaped Black Zetsu was nearly impossible with his own power alone.
To find Black Zetsu as quickly as possible and avenge Danzō, he could only seek the help of the Tenshou Sennin.
Every second Black Zetsu lived longer, Tobirama felt a burning pain in his heart and boundless shame as a teacher…
Fortunately, the Tenshou Sennin didn't refuse him, or else Tobirama wouldn't have been able to find the Sennin at all.
*WHOOSH!*
Tobirama landed on the head of his own Hokage Rock statue. Lux, at this moment, was gazing over all of Konoha. He knew Tobirama would come looking for him, so he waited here.
"Lord…"
"Tobirama, you lost."
Lux said calmly.
Regardless of the process, the result was that Tobirama and Konoha's side had lost.
They lost the Rinnegan and failed to kill Black Zetsu.
Though the defeat wasn't as severe as Parallel World 1 Tobirama's, for Parallel World 2 Tobirama with the Tenseigan, this defeat was truly humiliating.
"I know, I lost!"
Tobirama admitted honestly. There was nothing to dispute.
Despite having an absolute advantage in power and setting a trap with the crucial Rinnegan as bait, he was outmaneuvered by Black Zetsu, who nearly seized the Rinnegan and even sacrificed his disciple, Danzō.
This was indeed a deeply humiliating defeat!
He had tried his utmost to overestimate Black Zetsu's cunning, but it turned out he still underestimated his cruelty and madness.
Willing to sacrifice most of his clone and still retaliate by seizing the Rinnegan.
No wonder he was a monster who had lived for thousands of years!
His defeat wasn't in vain.
However, admitting defeat didn't mean giving up on revenge. Tobirama now desperately wanted to tear Black Zetsu to pieces!
"You're still too arrogant about your own intelligence."
Intelligent people often carry a bit of arrogance. The young Parallel World 1 Tobirama was like that, and the experienced Parallel World 2 Tobirama was no different.
After gaining immense power from the Tenseigan, Tobirama had, in the end, become a bit more arrogant and less cautious.
This defeat in the strategic battle, for him and for the unification and peace of Parallel World 2 in the future, might also be a good thing.
This was why Lux hadn't intervened at all earlier.
"I understand, thank you for the warning, Lord."
"But…"
"Lord, you once said there seems to be another way to find that bastard Black Zetsu?"
Tobirama thanked him while asking shamelessly.
He knew repeatedly asking for the Tenshou Sennin's help might be shameless, but to kill Black Zetsu even a second faster, he no longer cared about honor.
What honor could be more humiliating and important than watching his own disciple die before him?
"There is indeed a way."
"Please, Lord, teach me or help me. I'm willing to pay any price!"
"Any price?"
"Yes! As long as I can take down that bastard Black Zetsu!"
"Unifying the entire world as quickly as possible is the best repayment. Also, you need to figure out how to explain this to Madara. Destroying his Rinnegan—he won't let you off easily."
Lux's words sent a chill down Tobirama's scalp, and he instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
If Uchiha Madara found out he had accidentally destroyed the Rinnegan lent to him, that man might strangle him to death!
But Tobirama had no time to think about Madara's future retaliation.
He only wanted to kill Black Zetsu before Madara killed him!
"Then, Lord, Black Zetsu's location…?"
"Someone will tell you."
"Who?"
"Uzumaki Naruto from the future!"
Lux waved his hand, activating World Teleportation, and instantly pulled the Sage of the Six Paths Naruto, at the peak of his power, from Parallel World 7.