Danzo was sealed inside the Ameno Mihashira.
Yōkō took out a kunai, gathered strength, charged, and stabbed it fiercely into the Ameno Mihashira.
Clang!
The kunai even shattered.
"What a powerful dojutsu!"
Four Root shinobi Body flickered into view. The leader had a pair of Sharingan visible through the eyeholes of his mask.
Uchiha Mizukiku, seeing the broken kunai in Fox's hand, said, "This is a dōjutsu. Only the Sharingan can undo it. Kunai are useless."
Yōkō took the offered way out, saying, "Then I'll leave it to you, Uchiha Mizukiku."
Yōkō could actually use the Wood Dragon Technique to absorb the Ameno Mihashira's chakra.
But if he did that, wouldn't Lord Danzo lose face? Where would Lord Danzo's dignity be if he were saved by Fox?
Uchiha Madara's Wood Clone Susano'o had already disappeared. This Ameno Mihashira probably wouldn't last much longer either.
Yōkō Body flickered away, hurrying towards the area outside the village.
As for Danzo, he could just wait until Tobi was far enough away and the chakra dissipated before getting out.
Starting from the collapsed section of Konoha's wall, several large craters left by the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack dotted the path.
Outside the village, a large stretch of forest had been flattened into wasteland. Yōkō had reached the main battlefield.
Seeing two people standing and one lying down in the distance, Yōkō's heart tightened.
Tsunade had the Strength of a Hundred Seal; she wasn't easy to kill.
Sarutobi Hiruzen could loudly preach the Will of Fire to others; he also wasn't easy to kill.
Eliminating the wrong answers, it could only be... Hatake Sakumo was dead.
Yōkō sped up and Body Flickered to a position behind Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Looking at Hatake Sakumo, whose chest was completely collapsed and whose mouth was clogged with congealed blood foam, Yōkō's heart sank to the depths.
For Hatake Sakumo, he had schemed in the shadows for two or three years, even using the system's Mochizuki's Arc for him.
And still, Hatake Sakumo was dead.
This man... he was either too idealistic or too self-sacrificial.
Why couldn't he be a little more selfish?
Yōkō suppressed the grief in his heart, adjusted his tone, and said, "Lord Hokage, after you defeated Uchiha Madara, Tobi also retreated."
Tsunade, standing nearby, twitched an eyelid upon hearing Fox's words.
If she didn't know what kind of person Fox was, she would surely despise him deeply right now.
Hatake Sakumo had given his life to defeat Uchiha Madara, and yet the Anbu member was still crediting Sarutobi Hiruzen with the victory.
Tsunade glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen. Hmph, he seems to be enjoying it.
"However... Lord Hokage, Lord Torifu sacrificed himself to deal with a Susano'o."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes abruptly shifted from contentment to horror.
"Torifu? Torifu sacrificed too?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with difficulty, "What about Danzo? Advisor Danzo?"
Yōkō said, "Advisor Danzo encountered some trouble, but it's not a major issue."
Yōkō first glanced at Tsunade, implying that with an outsider present, some things couldn't be said freely.
He leaned close to Sarutobi Hiruzen's ear and whispered:
"Advisor Danzo fought very intelligently against the Susano'o; he didn't confront it head-on.
Later, Advisor Danzo encountered Tobi and went to seize the Mangekyō Sharingan from him.
Unfortunately, Advisor Danzo got locked in an Ameno Mihashira, and I saved him.
Right now, Root's Otsu and Uchiha Mizukiku are using their Sharingan to break the Ameno Mihashira."
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, "Can Uchiha Mizukiku's Three Tomoe Sharingan deal with the Ameno Mihashira?"
Yōkō said, "I'm sorry, Lord Hokage, I don't know."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed and said, "Leave Danzo for now. Fox, you arrange for the retrieval of Advisor Sakumo's body. I will go to Advisor Torifu first."
After Sarutobi Hiruzen left, Tsunade and Fox stood beside Hatake Sakumo's body.
Yōkō took out a scroll and unsealed a body bag.
"You know, Princess Tsunade, the Anbu often handles corpses, so it's not excessive for me to carry a dozen or so body bags routinely."
Tsunade said, "You don't need to explain. It's perfectly reasonable for you to do these things."
It's over, Yōkō thought. My image in Tsunade's mind has completely turned into that of an executioner.
Tsunade asked, "Fox, what are your plans next?
No need to hide it from me anymore. Advisor Sakumo said your name with his dying breath.
He seemed to believe that if there were any difficulties, one could turn to you."
Did Hatake Sakumo reveal his relationship with Yōkō to Tsunade?
It seemed Hatake Sakumo wanted Tsunade to inherit everything from him.
Yōkō said, "I was previously an ally of Advisor Sakumo. We attempted to change Konoha.
Unfortunately, compared to changing Konoha, Advisor Sakumo was more willing to save Konoha, more willing to sacrifice himself for it.
Three high-ranking or former high-ranking officials sacrificed in one night:Utatane Koharu, Akimichi Torifu, and Hatake Sakumo.
The village will undergo a major transformation.
Princess Tsunade, are you interested in becoming an advisor?"
"No, I have no interest in such things whatsoever."
"Don't refuse so quickly."
Yōkō felt a headache coming on.
In the original story, after Tsunade developed hemophobia, she left the village to wander, showing a tendency towards escapism.
The current Tsunade hadn't taken to wandering, but within the village, she only cared about Konoha Hospital and nothing else.
To ignite Tsunade's fighting spirit, a strong stimulant was needed.
Yōkō wasn't Uzumaki Naruto; he wouldn't use pep talks about fighting spirit or dreams to persuade Tsunade.
All Yōkō had was the bloody truth.
"Princess Tsunade, it's time to tell you some truths. Whether you are willing or not, you need to step onto the stage."
Tsunade looked Fox up and down and said, "Fox, why do you give me the feeling of being a mastermind pulling the strings?
Sakumo becoming an advisor was your doing, right? And now you want to push me into becoming an advisor too?"
"I didn't push that much, did I?" Yōkō said. "With Lord Third making decisions within the village and a bunch of brutal rogue-nin outside, how much can I really influence?
Tonight is too chaotic. Let's handle the village affairs first. After Konoha settles down, I'll wait for you at the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Hall.
Just meet one person. I think you will agree to my plan."
Yōkō left with Hatake Sakumo's body, while Tsunade returned to the Senju Clan Compound.
Back at the compound, Tsunade immediately asked Aunt Hanaki to assess the damages.
Even though Fox had warned Tsunade in advance, Uchiha Madara's surprise attack still resulted in the destruction of over 80 houses and more than 30 deaths.
The already small-numbered Senju clan suffered another heavy blow.
Tsunade realized Kushina was missing and quickly asked, "Where is Kushina? Is she in the shelter?"
Senju Hanaki said, "Kushina and Minato were taken by the Anbu's Fox to the southeastern part of the village and participated in the battle.
That Fox is too reckless! Why didn't he protect Kushina? How could he put Kushina in danger?"
Tsunade, however, thought, Fox is truly one of us. On such a chaotic night, he still took the opportunity to train Kushina.
If it weren't for Uchiha Madara attacking Konoha, Kushina wouldn't have had such a valuable combat experience.
Kushina had been kept under far too tight a watch by the village.
She had long wanted to break the shackles on Kushina but never found a good opportunity.
Tsunade said, "It's fine, Aunt Hanaki. Kushina is very strong. Fox is experienced and wouldn't misjudge the situation. Protecting the village is a good thing for Kushina."
Yamanaka Inson Body Flickered to the entrance of the Senju Compound.
He hurried into the compound and found Tsunade.
"Princess Tsunade! The Jinchūriki has left the Nine-Tails barrier! Please retrieve the Jinchūriki immediately!"
Tsunade said nonchalantly, "Kushina? Wasn't she taken by the Anbu Vice Minister, Fox?
If Fox took her, then the village took her. It's the village's responsibility to find her, what does it have to do with me?"
Seeing Tsunade shirk responsibility like this, Yamanaka Inson was extremely anxious.
Just then, several other shinobi arrived at the Senju Compound.
Jōnin Koyō was escorting Princess Kushina back.
"Princess Tsunade, Clan Head Hanaki, Clan Head Inson." Koyō greeted them in turn, then said:
"Who would have thought Princess Kushina possesses such a powerful secret technique.
The subordinates of Uchiha Madara, those white-skinned creatures, can completely transform into another person. Even the Byakugan cannot distinguish them.
At the critical moment, Lord Fox brought Princess Kushina. Princess Kushina possesses a special sensory secret technique that helped us see through the enemy's disguises."
Koyō then glanced at Namikaze Minato and said:
"And Namikaze Minato, his Body Flicker is so fast I couldn't even follow it.
His sword technique has also truly inherited Lord White Fang's legacy. His wind blade technique sword destroyed many White Zetsu with overwhelming force."
Yamanaka Inson looked at the two young people in surprise. He often monitored them; how had they become so powerful tonight?
And how did the Anbu's Fox know they were this capable?
Could it be that the Anbu's surveillance was more accurate than the Barrier Corps'?
Tsunade looked at Minato and said, "Minato, you should go to your teacher, Advisor Sakumo's home now."
Minato looked up at Princess Tsunade, puzzled.
"Advisor Sakumo... successfully severely wounded Uchiha Madara, forced him to retreat, but he himself also sacrificed his life."
As soon as Tsunade spoke these words, the surroundings fell silent.
Even someone as strong as Lord White Fang died at the hands of Uchiha Madara?
Tsunade said to Kushina, "Kushina, you go too. Accompany Minato to the Hatake residence.
At this time, Fox should be at the Hatake residence, returning Hatake Sakumo's body.
You will be safe around Fox."
She preemptively silenced Yamanaka Inson, preventing him from causing trouble.
Yamanaka Inson didn't want the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki running around, but upon hearing Tsunade's arrangement, he had to keep quiet.
Tsunade was right. For the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, nowhere was safer than near Vice Minister Fox.
Tonight, out of the three clone Susano'o, Vice Minister Fox swiftly dealt with one, while the other two, handled by Orochimaru and Danzo, took much longer.
Upon hearing the news of his teacher's sacrifice, Namikaze Minato's eyes were filled with disbelief.
Kushina looked at Minato with concern and hurriedly went with him to the Hatake residence.
When they arrived at the Hatake residence, Jōnin Yamashiro-dera was already there.
Kakashi knelt beside a body bag, his eyes vacant above his mask, his whole person like a walking corpse.
Fox said to Yamashiro-dera:
"Jōnin Derā, I've already told you the details of the battle.
Lord Sakumo pierced through Uchiha Madara's chest, forcing him to sacrifice one Sharingan eye and driving him away.
He is a hero of Konoha, the one who contributed the most to ending the Susano'o Calamity.
The Hokage Building will contact you promptly.
Advisor Sakumo, Advisor Utatane Koharu, and former Jonin Commander Akimichi Torifu will be buried together in a joint funeral."
Yamashiro-dera quickly said, "Thank you, Lord Fox, for personally returning Sakumo's remains. We are ready at any time to cooperate with the village's collective funeral."
Just as Yōkō was about to leave, Uzumaki Kushina suddenly stopped him.
"Lord Fox, tonight I also sensed White Zetsu within the Uchiha Clan Compound. I don't know what the White Zetsu were doing there.
It was too far away. Jōnin Koyō sent a squad over, but the White Zetsu disappeared later."
White Zetsu appeared in the Uchiha Compound?
Yōkō said, "Alright, I understand."
***
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(End of Chapter)