When Danzō saw the scene before him, a cold premonition surged in his chest. His expression twisted as he roared,
"Separate them! Don't let them escape!"
But he was still a step too late—Tsunade and Jiraiya had already vanished from sight in a flash of light.
"Damn it!"
Danzō's eyes burned with fury, his face dark and unwilling. Yet there was nothing he could do. Grinding his teeth, he turned his focus to the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
"Everyone, attack!"
He knew that as long as Tobirama was neutralized, even if Tsunade escaped, this mission would still count as a success.
Smoke and dust filled the air, swallowing the battlefield. The once-proud Hokage Building was reduced to ruins—only a small section still stood, protected by a lingering barrier.
After the death of the Third Hokage, Danzō had relocated the Scroll of Seals to the depths of Root, leaving the Hokage Building nothing more than a symbol of the village's former glory.
Now, Root operatives and shinobi loyal to Danzō surrounded Tobirama on all sides. Despite being outnumbered hundreds to one, the legendary Second Hokage fought with the same cold precision and ruthless efficiency that had once made enemies across the Shinobi World tremble.
Corpses piled at his feet.
Danzō narrowed his eyes and gestured for his Root shinobi to begin a death charge.
After an unknown span of time—minutes, maybe hours—Danzō finally made his move. Seizing a brief moment when Tobirama diverted his attention to deflect a barrage of Ninjutsu, Danzō unleashed his attack.
"Fūton: Shinkū Renpa!" (Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!)
Razor-sharp wind blades sliced through Tobirama's reanimated body. Danzō immediately followed up, forming a series of seals and slamming his palm onto the ground.
"Fūinjutsu!" (Sealing Technique!)
The hastily formed seal flared with light, binding Tobirama's movements—but it was incomplete. The Edo Tensei body began to regenerate even as the seal tried to suppress it.
"Reinforce the seal!" Danzō barked.
A squad of sealing specialists rushed forward, weaving complex hand signs. Together, they chanted and pressed their palms against the ground. The sealing formula expanded, spreading around Tobirama like dark ink.
This time, the Second Hokage did not resist. He simply looked at Danzō—eyes like ice, deep and ancient, filled with quiet contempt. That gaze alone sent a chill through Danzō's heart before the final seal covered Tobirama's face, locking him away completely.
Danzō exhaled slowly, suppressing the thrill of victory in his chest. "Clear the battlefield," he ordered coldly.
Though over a thousand shinobi had died, the operation was successful. To Danzō, their deaths were a small price to pay for his greater goal—ascending to the seat of Hokage.
As the last traces of smoke faded, the shattered landscape of Konoha came into view: collapsed towers, smoldering debris, and silent streets. None of it dampened Danzō's mood.
Leaving several teams to handle the cleanup, Danzō turned and walked away.
The battle had ended abruptly, leaving only an eerie quiet.
From the shadows, Hatake Kakashi observed the scene in silence. He and Might Guy had both refused to participate in Danzō's campaign.
Kakashi's single visible eye flickered as he watched Danzō disappear into the haze. The faint scent of blood and ash lingered in the air—yet beneath it, he caught another odor: decay.
The village… was rotting.
Kakashi could feel it in his bones. The Konoha he once loved—the village his father had given his life to protect—was gone, replaced by something darker, colder.
He let out a low, bitter laugh. "This… is what we've become."
Then he turned away and vanished into the mist.
Tsunade and Jiraiya reappeared in a flash of light, the distortion of the teleportation jutsu fading behind them.
Tsunade's body trembled, her amber eyes blazing with fury. "Danzō… I'll make him pay!"
She clenched her fists, glaring at the forest around them. Towering trees stretched high into the sky; birds called faintly in the distance.
The familiar scent of damp earth told her they were still somewhere within the Land of Fire. But exactly where, she couldn't tell.
With a sudden snarl, Tsunade slammed her fist into the trunk of a massive tree.
BOOM!
The tree cracked and toppled, startling flocks of birds into flight. Their cries echoed through the forest, briefly breaking the heavy silence.
"I wonder… how Nidaime-sama is doing now," she said softly, worry flickering in her eyes.
"Tsunade," Jiraiya said gently, "you don't need to worry. Nidaime-sama was revived through Edo Tensei. Even if Danzō managed to seal him, that's the only way he could be stopped. He can't truly be harmed."
He paused, his tone steady but serious.
"Besides… Tobirama-sama already died once. When this Edo Tensei period ends, we'll find Orochimaru. You can see him again then."
Tsunade exhaled deeply, her anger slowly cooling. Both she and Jiraiya knew Edo Tensei was Orochimaru's forbidden jutsu—meaning he was their only lead.
But finding him would be another battle entirely.
"…Hmph. Then let him rest for now," Tsunade said at last, her voice low and cold.
"But Danzō… I'll never forgive him."
Tsunade's fists clenched tightly, the ground beneath her feet cracking faintly.
At that moment, Jiraiya remembered what he'd seen earlier — that strange technique Tsunade had used in battle.
Curiosity got the better of him. "Tsunade… when did you obtain that martial arts cultivation method?"
"Hm?"
Tsunade's golden eyes turned sharp, carrying a dangerous glint. "How did you notice that I—?"
But before she could finish, realization struck her. "Wait… don't tell me—you're with Umbrella too?"
Her expression froze, and Jiraiya's widened in surprise.
"I knew it!" he exclaimed. "Tsunade, I can't believe you're part of the Umbrella Organization too! You must've joined earlier than I did!"
Jiraiya's voice carried genuine emotion. He should have realized sooner — for Tsunade to possess the martial arts cultivation method, she must have joined Umbrella. Yet he hadn't dared assume it without confirmation.
Tsunade studied him carefully. From Jiraiya's tone, it was clear he was telling the truth. But why hadn't she heard of his involvement before?
Ever since Naruto had revealed the truth to her, she had learned nearly everything about Umbrella. If Jiraiya had been a member of the higher ranks, there was no way she wouldn't know.
That left only one possibility — Jiraiya was still a low-ranking member.
"Jiraiya," Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow, "what's your current position within the organization?"
Jiraiya grinned proudly. "I'm the organization's ace pilot!"
Tsunade blinked.
Ace pilot? That title sounds familiar… Wait—doesn't my personal driver have that same title?
Suppressing the urge to laugh, Tsunade managed a polite, "Impressive, impressive!"
Inwardly, she could barely keep a straight face. At the higher levels of Umbrella, most senior members used the Wind Riding Technique—a flight-based ninjutsu superior to any aircraft. Clearly, Jiraiya hadn't reached that stage yet.
If she hadn't been so focused on defeating Danzō—and with Nidaime-sama still in Konoha—she would have used Wind Riding Technique to escape long ago. Thinking about it now only gave her a headache.
Taking a deep breath, Tsunade began walking away with determined strides.
"Tsunade, where are you going?" Jiraiya called after her.
"Where?" Tsunade bit her lip, her voice cold and resolute.
"To gather allies… and come back to kill Danzō."
Her words made Jiraiya's blood boil with excitement. He nodded fiercely and followed without hesitation.
A day later, the chaos in Konoha had spread like wildfire across the entire Shinobi World.
One shocking event after another — it seemed as though the Hidden Leaf had plunged into endless turmoil.
And for many outside the village… this was excellent news.
Kumogakure Office
"Hahahaha! That Danzō—he did a splendid job!"
The Fourth Raikage, Ay, roared with laughter, slamming his massive hand onto the table so hard that cracks splintered across its surface. His secretary winced, giving him a resentful look, but Ay didn't care. His booming laughter echoed through the office.
Iwagakure
Ōnoki leaned back in his chair, reading the latest intelligence report. A rare smile crept across his aged face.
"So… Konoha has fallen into Danzō's hands, has it?" He chuckled, stroking his beard. "Heh… this is better than I could've planned."
Across the Great Shinobi Villages, every Kage who heard the news reacted with similar amusement.
Those of the older generation knew exactly what kind of men Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura were.
Danzō taking power?
For them, it was a cause not for concern—but for celebration.
...
TN:
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