Boom!
The vacuum wave, compressed to its absolute limit, blasted the door apart. Shards of stone and splinters of wood were swept up by the gale and hurled straight at Konome.
The distance was too short. There was no time to dodge.
Her ash-gray eyes shone with a chilling light.
Within her gaze, the speeding vacuum wave slowed. The air itself was twisting under the agitation of razor-thin wind threads, while countless streams of chakra rampaged inside it like pressure building in a sealed boiler.
Even in such a critical moment, Konome could not help admiring it inwardly.
The Wind Release nature transformation was nearly flawless. The shape transformation was pure and pushed to its utmost limit. Danzo, who had devoted himself entirely to a single element, had brought his Wind Release to the brink of perfection.
And the ambush itself had been expertly timed.
The Hidden Recognition Gate Formation could identify chakra fluctuations. Danzo had likely been standing right behind the door before she even broke the barrier, waiting to strike from inside with Wind Release the instant she used a jutsu to crack it open.
Had it been anyone else, being ambushed the moment after casting would have left them gravely injured even if they survived.
But she had shattered the barrier with nothing more than a flick of her finger. That caught him off guard and made him half a beat too slow.
Of course, the result would not change in the slightest.
Chakra surged through the flesh-seals inside her body like streams of molten light.
Hum.
A crimson barrier sprang up before her. It was impossible to tell whether the sound came from the whine of Wind Release or the barrier swelling with power, but the two collided head-on and locked together in a dead struggle.
A fierce gust suddenly tore through the narrow corridor, and the Root shinobi lining the walls were blasted away by the leaking shockwave.
"Lady Konome!"
The vacuum wave continued to roar forward without end, and the cries of shock and fury from the Root shinobi piled over one another in the enclosed passage like endless waves crashing on a shore.
Only those who had walked through darkness could truly appreciate light.
Only Root shinobi who had suffered under Danzo could understand how important Konome was to Root. If she were killed, they would not only face Danzo's retaliation, the lively warmth Root had only just begun to recover would also revert to the dead, suffocating place it once was.
Fortunately, the outcome they feared never came to pass.
The familiar yet somehow unfamiliar red polyhedral barrier trembled violently as it protected Konome. Tiny cracks spread across its surface, but even after Danzo's chakra ran dry, he still failed to break through.
It did not even breach her defense.
That rotten old schemer Danzo really was no match for Lady Konome.
The Root shinobi were visibly invigorated. They were thrilled by Konome's strength, and even more relieved that they had chosen the correct side.
They had already recognized the barrier she was using. Though they could not understand how she had turned a large-scale defensive barrier into something she could cast instantly, it was undoubtedly the Hidden Recognition Gate Formation.
Using the same barrier technique, Konome had shattered it with a flick of her finger. Danzo, after gathering power and launching a surprise attack, could only leave a few cracks on its surface, and those were already being repaired as chakra flowed through it.
The difference in power was painfully obvious.
Even while marveling inwardly, they were not just useless men who could shout and do nothing. On the contrary, the quality of Root shinobi stood at the top of the ninja world.
The instant the raging wind began to die down:
Bang!
Two shinobi in the crowd, wearing indigo-blue and red-cyan masks, froze their hand seals and vanished in puffs of smoke. Their true bodies reappeared at the chamber entrance in a Body Flicker.
Each took half a step forward with sword and chain in hand, shielding Konome behind them as her barrier expanded.
Aburame Ryoma, meanwhile, did not move from the shadows, but swarms of kikaichu had already begun silently crawling toward the chamber, searching for seals or traps inside.
A great mass of special jōnin-class shinobi gathered around Konome. All manner of sensing arts, detection ninjutsu, and secret techniques filled every inch of the room.
Above them, the Nara brothers clung to the ceiling like bats, half their bodies hanging upside down from the darkness. Their distinctive crimson eyes were locked on the old man standing within the chamber with a gloomy expression.
Shadows on the corridor walls twisted into feral beasts baring their teeth, racing around from every direction in silent howls.
Surrounded by countless Root shinobi, Konome repaired the scarlet diamond barrier in full and slowly lifted her gaze toward Danzo, who now stood alone inside the chamber.
Setting aside the Nara brothers, who could not sustain long combat because of the transplanted Sharingan, Root had one elite jōnin and six jōnin openly at its disposal, and all of them had now submitted to her.
The elite jōnin needed no explanation. The six jōnin were Iwaguma, Arashi, Chō, Fū, Terai, and Kyūki.
The first three had gone with Konome to Raikoyama and were already familiar faces. The latter two were the ones standing guard directly in front of her now.
The man with the straight blade was Terai. The one gripping chains in both hands was Kyūki. Under the effect of Kotoamatsukami, both of them had come to hate Danzo bitterly, yet for a long time they had still refused to acknowledge Konome as Root's new leader.
It was not until half a year ago, when Danzo became ever more frenzied under surveillance and began treating Root shinobi with increasing cruelty, that they finally chose to support Konome as the new leader and rise up against Danzo's tyranny. That was also the moment Root truly fell under her control.
"Ryoma... Konome... why did you betray me?"
Standing alone inside the chamber, Danzo leaned on the cane that symbolized his authority. His aged voice trembled with fury.
Only steady breathing answered him from the corridor. No one there spoke to their former leader.
Kotoamatsukami had brought their humanity back. Under its influence, their fury at Danzo's deeds had swelled wildly. On top of that, every one of them feared being purged by him for their betrayal. At this point, they wanted him dead even more than Konome did.
"It is not that we betrayed you."
The crystalline red barrier gently parted the two guards in front of her, and Konome stepped out from the crowd to face Danzo directly.
"From the day it was founded, Root was meant to be a blade guarding Konoha. They followed your orders because they believed in the one holding that blade. But you betrayed their trust.
"You trained shinobi into tools without emotion. You slaughtered shinobi of your own village at will. You defiled the First Hokage's remains. You studied the bloodline limits of the Senju and the Uchiha to satisfy your own selfish desires.
"It is you who betrayed everyone. You betrayed Konoha. You are unworthy of leading Root."
Konome's clear voice echoed through the chamber. The many Root shinobi stared at Danzo with bloodshot eyes. As memories of the harm he had done them over the years rose to the surface, their killing intent boiled like a cauldron.
"Hahaha!"
Feeling that undisguised malice, Danzo laughed in rage. His ancient face twisted into something demonic.
"Konome Taketori... when you first entered Root, I should have killed you."
"You never had that chance."
Konome's expression remained cold, but hearing that, a beautiful smile finally touched her lips, one heavy with mockery.
When she had first entered Root, it had only ever been through a Yang Release clone. Until she had fully mastered Kotoamatsukami, her real body had never once personally stepped into Root's underground base, nor had she ever given Danzo the slightest chance to act.
And even if he had seen through her shadow clone from the very beginning, so long as Danzo did not move personally, the other Root shinobi had not been enough to threaten her.
Besides, with Hiruzen and Gai around, even Danzo had his limits.
At worst, she would have failed to obtain the Sharingan and Hashirama cells in time and therefore could not complete Reverse Eight Gates. But with the flesh-seals, she still would have been able to suppress the backlash of the Shikotsumyaku and extend her life.
By that point, after five years of growth through Lightning Release Chakra Mode and the flesh-seals, she still would have been able to kill Danzo once his abilities were fully exposed and take Hashirama's cells.
And even if Danzo had never provoked her, the moment he possessed resources like Hashirama cells and Sharingan, he had already made himself a target she would eventually hunt down and kill once she was strong enough.
The outcome had always been inevitable.
"You really think you've cornered me, don't you?"
Danzo stared at her face as though he wanted to engrave it into his soul, so he could return as a vengeful spirit after death.
From the moment she saw him, Konome had not smiled once. Now, hearing that, she only shook her head faintly.
"I know I can't kill you right now.
"So at this moment, in the name of the new leader of Root, I hereby designate you, Danzo Shimura, disciple of the Second Hokage, adviser to the Hokage, and the so-called Darkness of the Shinobi World, as an S-rank missing-nin of Konoha.
"Go on, then. Run for your life, traitor Danzo."
The sheer humiliation in those words made Danzo's face turn red instantly.
He believed with all his heart that he loved Konoha deeply. He had always considered becoming Hokage and leading Konoha to prosperity to be the purpose of his life. If Konome truly branded him a missing-nin, it would be more humiliating than killing him outright.
"A missing-nin warrant requires the Hokage's approval. You don't have that authority."
"You're right."
Konome smiled more sweetly, more cruelly than before, seeing that he had finally lost control.
"So I will petition the Third and announce it to the whole village:
"That you murdered shinobi of your own village, desecrated the First Hokage's corpse, assassinated Uchiha Shisui, forced the Uchiha toward rebellion, and colluded with the missing-nin Orochimaru, with Root shinobi to provide testimony and physical evidence.
"Who knows? You may even become the first ever Super S-rank missing-nin in history."
"Danzo's eyes narrowed like a viper's. If he still had chakra left to spare, he would already have rushed forward and carved her into pieces with a kunai.
"Heh..."
Konome's laugh dripped with mockery, and Danzo nearly crushed his cane in his grip.
He had been able to run wild in Konoha for two reasons. One was his own Kage-level power. The second was the strength of Root.
But most important of all had been Hiruzen's indulgence.
Now, in terms of personal closeness, Konome was Hiruzen's final disciple. In combat strength, she was no weaker than he was, and her future potential was far greater. The Root he had relied on had turned completely against him.
Every advantage he had once possessed was now meaningless in front of her.
"Ahhh!"
The long, narrow eyes filled with malice. Danzo roared and drew a kunai, charging forward.
The Root shinobi, who had been waiting in tense readiness, did not hesitate for even a moment. Curses, secret arts, insect swarms, and chains drowned his figure instantly.
Before he could even reach Konome, he burst into a cloud of smoke.
"It was a shadow clone!"
"He ran?"
As they watched Danzo's body disappear, the Root shinobi's excitement was cut short. Only then did they realize it was not the real Danzo, and only then did they understand what Konome had meant when she said she could not kill him yet.
Konome was not surprised in the slightest.
She had never met Danzo in his youth and would not judge that version of him, but the old Danzo of the present was harsh and domineering. Once he learned Ryoma had betrayed him and Root had fallen, he would never have simply stayed in his chamber waiting to die.
The moment she heard Ryoma's report, she had already realized Danzo had likely escaped.
Even when she saw Danzo standing in the chamber after breaking the barrier, she had only been mildly surprised for a second. The clone's weak chakra immediately gave him away.
At that moment, she had understood his plan.
The real Danzo had fled in advance. He had left behind a shadow clone in the chamber to ambush her and gather intelligence about her jutsu.
It was just that Ryoma had trusted too deeply in his place in Danzo's heart and realized the truth too late. The shadow clone, having been sealed inside the chamber for days, was already at the end of its chakra. The Great Vacuum Sphere he had just fired had spent all he had left.
"There's a tunnel in that wall!"
A Root shinobi skilled in detection pointed toward the wall beside a lone meditation cushion. Someone ran over and threw the cushion aside, exposing a dark passageway behind it.
"Danzo must have escaped through here. Lady Konome, shall we pursue?"
Foxfire was so anxious he looked like a monkey. The thought of Danzo escaping like this gnawed at him.
Konome activated her Byakugan and traced the tunnel. She found that it connected to another secret passage leading out of Root and beyond the village. Danzo had clearly already fled Konoha. After this many days, he could be anywhere.
"He has already left the village. Forget it.
"Go seal all the tunnels leading outside. Don't let Danzo sneak back in. And clear the chakra signatures recorded in the Hidden Recognition Gate Formation."
Hearing Konome's orders, the Root shinobi answered in low voices and swiftly withdrew from the chamber.
They felt some relief at finally driving Danzo out of Root, but the fact that he was still alive somewhere beyond Konoha remained like a thorn in their throats.
Once everyone else had left, Konome crooked a finger at Ryoma Aburame, who was still standing outside expressionlessly.
"Lady Konome, this was my fault."
Ryoma walked closer and lowered his head. The regret shining above him had not faded in the slightest.
"You were only careless for a moment..."
The black cloth over Konome's eyes and Ryoma's dark glasses drew closer. Konome stared directly into his violet eyes.
"Did you really think I was going to say that?"
Boom.
An invisible wave of terror exploded outward. Ryoma's cold eyes went wide, his pupils shrinking violently. His scalp went numb, and for an instant he nearly blacked out. Insects burst out from the corners of his eyes and mouth in a frenzy, making him look like a burning beehive.
Patter, patter.
Swarms of kikaichu fell from his body, spreading into a thick black carpet underfoot. Ryoma, who fought through insect secret techniques, found every one of his abilities unraveling in an instant.
"Lady... Konome..."
Facing Konome with her terror aura fully unleashed, he struggled to force out the words. Her breath, sweet as orchids, brushed across his face, but the intense heat left him shaking uncontrollably. He could feel the proteins in the skin of his face denaturing under the temperature. Even his flesh had already reached the equivalent of medium-rare.
"You deliberately exposed yourself and let Danzo escape. Ryoma... do you think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
Konome's voice was icy as she looked down at Ryoma, who was still acting, and the killing intent pouring from her seemed ready to crush him where he stood.
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