Danzo was sealed inside the Heavenly Pillar.
Yako drew a kunai, gathered strength, lunged forward, and stabbed it viciously into the pillar.
Clang!
The kunai snapped.
"What a powerful ocular jutsu!"
Four Root ninjas appeared in a flash. The one leading them had Sharingan visible through his mask.
Uchiha Suigiku glanced at the broken kunai in Yako's hand and said, "This is a dojutsu. Only the Sharingan can undo it. A kunai is useless."
Yako immediately went along with it. "Then I'll leave it to you."
In truth, he could have used the Wood Dragon Technique to absorb the chakra of the Heavenly Pillar.
But if he did that…
Where would Danzo's dignity go?
Being saved by Fox?
That wasn't acceptable.
With Madara's wood clone Susanoo gone, this Heavenly Pillar likely wouldn't last long anyway.
Yako vanished in a flicker, heading straight out of the village.
As for Danzo—
He could wait until Spiral Zetsu got far enough away and the chakra dissipated.
From the collapsed walls of Konoha outward, several massive craters marked where the Five Release Barrages had struck.
Outside the village, the forest had been reduced to wasteland.
Yako arrived at the main battlefield.
From afar, he saw two figures standing—
And one lying on the ground.
His heart sank.
Tsunade had the Hundred Healings—she wouldn't die easily.
Hiruzen could shout about the Will of Fire all day—he wouldn't die easily either.
Which meant…
Hatake Sakumo was dead.
Yako sped up, appearing behind Hiruzen in an instant.
He looked at Sakumo's body—
The chest completely collapsed.
Blood clotted at the mouth.
His heart sank deeper.
He had spent two or three years planning around Sakumo.
Even used the Full Moon Arc system for him.
And yet—
Sakumo still died.
This man…
Too idealistic.
Too willing to sacrifice himself.
Why couldn't he be a little more selfish?
Yako suppressed his grief and spoke in a steady tone.
"Hokage-sama, after you defeated Uchiha Madara, Spiral Zetsu also retreated."
Tsunade's eyelid twitched slightly.
If she didn't know the truth—
She would've despised Fox right now.
Sakumo had given his life to defeat Madara—
Yet this man casually credited Hiruzen.
She glanced at Hiruzen.
He looked… satisfied.
Yako continued.
"However… Advisor Torifu also fell in battle against the Susanoo."
Hiruzen's expression shifted instantly—from relief to shock.
"Torifu? Torifu also died?"
He asked with difficulty, "What about Danzo? Advisor Danzo?"
"Danzo-sama encountered some trouble," Yako replied, "but nothing serious."
He glanced at Tsunade—there were things better left unsaid.
Then leaned in and whispered.
"Danzo-sama handled the Susanoo cleverly, avoiding direct confrontation."
"Later, he encountered Spiral Zetsu and attempted to seize the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Unfortunately, he was trapped in the Heavenly Pillar… which I saved him from."
"Root's operative 'B' are currently trying to break the technique."
Hiruzen frowned. "Can a three-tomoe Sharingan handle the Heavenly Pillar?"
"I… don't know," Yako replied.
Hiruzen sighed.
"Leave Danzo for now. Fox, arrange for Sakumo's remains. I'll go to Torifu."
After Hiruzen left—
Only Tsunade and Fox remained.
Yako took out a scroll and unsealed a body bag.
"You know how it is, Tsunade-sama. ANBU deals with bodies often. Carrying a dozen body bags isn't excessive."
"No need to explain," Tsunade said. "It's reasonable."
Yako sighed internally.
Great.
Now he probably looked like a full-on executioner in her eyes.
Tsunade asked, "What are your plans next, Fox?"
"No need to hide it. Sakumo mentioned your name before he died."
"He seemed to believe… if something went wrong, I could turn to you."
So Sakumo told her everything.
He wanted Tsunade to inherit his role.
Yako nodded slightly.
"Sakumo and I were allies. We tried to change Konoha."
"But instead of changing it… he chose to save it."
"Tonight, three major figures have fallen—Koharu, Torifu, and Sakumo."
"The village is heading toward transformation."
"Tsunade-sama… would you consider becoming an advisor?"
"No," she replied immediately. "I have no interest."
"Don't reject it so quickly."
Yako felt a headache coming on.
Tsunade wasn't like Naruto—
He couldn't talk about dreams and ideals.
So he chose something else.
The truth.
Bloody, unavoidable truth.
"It's time you knew certain things."
"Whether you want it or not… you need to step forward."
Tsunade studied him.
"You feel like a puppet master."
"You pushed Sakumo into becoming an advisor."
"And now you're pushing me?"
Yako shrugged.
"Hardly. The Hokage decides everything internally, and outside we have violent rogue ninjas."
"How much can I really influence?"
"Tonight is chaos. Handle the aftermath first."
"Then meet me at the Uzumaki Mask Hall."
"Meet one person… and I believe you'll agree."
Yako left with Sakumo's body.
Tsunade returned to the Senju compound.
Even with the warning—
The damage was severe.
Over eighty buildings destroyed.
More than thirty dead.
The already dwindling Senju clan—
Was hit hard again.
"Kushina?" Tsunade asked. "Is she in the shelter?"
"She left with Fox," someone replied. "Went to the southeast wall to fight."
"That man is reckless! Why take her into danger instead of protecting her?"
Tsunade thought differently.
Fox had done exactly what she wanted—
Break Kushina's cage.
"Don't worry," Tsunade said. "Kushina is strong. Fox wouldn't misjudge."
Yamanaka Ino'en arrived urgently.
"The Jinchūriki has left the Nine-Tails barrier! She must be retrieved!"
Tsunade waved it off.
"Fox took her. That means the village took her."
"If she's to be retrieved, that's the village's responsibility—not mine."
Ino'en was speechless.
Then—
Another group arrived.
Kushina.
Minato.
Escorted by Jonin Guyo.
"Fox-sama brought them to me," Guyo said.
"Kushina has a unique sensing ability. She identified the disguised enemies."
"And Minato—his speed is beyond what I can see. His wind blade technique is devastating."
Ino'en stared.
These two…
When did they become this strong?
Tsunade turned to Minato.
"Go. Return to your teacher's home."
Minato frowned slightly.
"Sakumo… succeeded in severely wounding Madara."
"But he… died."
Silence.
Even someone like the White Fang—
Had fallen.
Minato's eyes filled with disbelief.
Kushina grabbed his arm.
"Go," Tsunade said. "Fox should be there, returning his body."
She added deliberately.
"Near Fox, you'll be safe."
Ino'en wanted to object—
But couldn't.
Minato and Kushina rushed off.
At Sakumo's home—
Yamashiro was already there.
Kakashi knelt beside the body bag.
Empty.
Like a shell.
Fox spoke calmly.
"Sakumo pierced Madara's chest."
"Forcing him to sacrifice an eye."
"He drove Madara away."
"He is Konoha's hero."
"The greatest contributor to ending the Susanoo calamity."
"The Hokage will arrange a joint funeral—for Sakumo, Koharu, and Torifu."
Yamashiro bowed.
"Thank you for returning his body, Fox-sama."
Yako turned to leave—
But Kushina stopped him.
"Fox-sama… I sensed White Zetsu inside the Uchiha district."
"They appeared briefly… then disappeared."
Yako paused.
White Zetsu…
Inside the Uchiha district?
"I understand," he said quietly.