With such a huge operation to wipe the Uchiha clan out in place, could simply killing Danzo resolve everything? How could such an easy outcome even be possible?
"As long as you're willing to listen... everything can be negotiated!"
At this point, the Sandaime was willing to concede to almost anything. Whether Toshiro had further demands or not, there was no room for resistance.
The Sandaime's thoughts were clear: either Toshiro would kill him, his allies, and their families, seizing control directly, or they would pin all the blame on Danzo and attempt a peaceful resolution through negotiation.
"Negotiate?"
Hearing the Sandaime's plea, Toshiro didn't reject it outright but shifted his sharp gaze toward Danzo, who stood behind the Sandaime.
The moment the Sandaime had arrived, Danzo had retreated, positioning himself behind the Hokage as if seeking shelter. Now, sensing the shifting tide of the situation, Danzo was inching away quietly, his intentions clear—he was planning to flee.
"Elder Danzo, where are you off to?" Toshiro's lips curled into a sneer as he caught sight of the man's subtle movements. "Things aren't finished yet, and you think you can just leave?"
"You want to talk? Fine. But first, kill the man who murdered Shisui!"
Toshiro's voice was calm but carried an unyielding edge as he addressed the Sandaime. Now that he had seized the upper hand, there was no rush. He had time to maneuver, to press his advantage, and to force the Sandaime's hand.
"Danzo..."
The mention of Danzo made the Sandaime's expression tighten. His eyes flicked toward the man in question before he let out a deep, heavy breath.
"Danzo... you've harmed your own people, stolen bloodlines, and sowed division between the village leadership and the Uchiha. As Hokage, I hereby strip you of all your titles and positions..."
His voice faltered, and he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Pain flickered across his face as he closed his eyes for a moment, steeling himself. Then, with visible reluctance, he gave the order to the Anbu behind him.
"Kakashi, apprehend Elder Danzo!" He paused, hesitation lingering in his tone before adding, "If he resists... eliminate him!"
After delivering his order, the Sandaime seemed to deflate entirely. His once commanding presence now appeared frail, as though the weight of his decision had drained every ounce of energy and vitality from his body. He suddenly looked far older than his years.
At this point, he had no other choice but to lay all blame on Danzo. Yet, to say their relationship was purely one of political interest would be an oversimplification—they were comrades who had grown up together, bound by a complicated history.
"Hiruzen... you!"
Danzo's face turned ashen as he cast a sharp, incredulous glance at the Sandaime. He wanted to cry out, to insist that Uchiha Toshiro's accusations were nothing more than lies crafted to manipulate the situation.
But when his gaze fell upon the towering figures of the Shodaime and Nidaime standing before him, the words died in his throat. The truth was evident—there was no swaying Sarutobi's decision now.
From the moment the Shodaime had been summoned, my fate was sealed, Danzo realized bitterly.
"Damn it..." he hissed under his breath, his frustration simmering to the surface. With this one move, Toshiro had all but wiped out his dream of becoming the Hokage.
"Elder Danzo... please cooperate."
Kakashi's voice broke the silence, calm but firm. Alongside Yamato and another subordinate, he stepped forward cautiously, his sharp gaze fixed on Shimura Danzo. Every muscle in his body was taut, prepared for resistance.
Danzo wasn't the type to surrender easily—Kakashi knew this all too well.
"Humph... you think I'll surrender without a fight?"
Just as he was getting ready to use his Mangekyo to teleport and attack Toshiro and end the caster control he had on the Shodaime and Nidaime, he felt somebody rip his eye out of its socket.
"Aargghhh"
A sharp pain shot through his mind and body at the forceful extraction of his eye. He saw Toshiro standing in front of him with a cheeky and sadistic smile on his face.
"You didn't think I would notice you trying to gather chakra to the eyes, did you, Danzo?" mocked Toshiro. Even Shodaime, Nidaime, and Sandaime have noticed it; you're not as stealthy as you think you are.
As a last stand, he summoned his strength and prepared to attack Toshiro with all he had.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"
Drawing in a deep breath, Danzo formed a quick hand seal and unleashed the jutsu. A torrent of razor-sharp wind blades surged from his mouth, sending a flurry of blades hurtling toward the Uchiha.
With his Sharingan glowing ominously, Toshiro's gaze locked onto Danzo. Reacting in an instant, he summoned the Shodaime to step forward. The First Hokage, clad in his iconic red-layered armor, intercepted the incoming wind blades with ease, shielding the Uchiha from harm.
Bang!
Several muffled impacts echoed through the air as the Shodaime effortlessly neutralized Danzo's attack—not with any ninjutsu, but with his chakra-infused hands alone.
But he didn't stop there. Pressing his palms together, he began to activate his bloodline.
Delicate buds burst through the soil at his feet, rapidly sprouting and thickening into massive, waist-sized vines. The writhing tendrils surged toward Danzo like a relentless swarm, intent on capturing him.
"Damn it!"
Danzo's face darkened as he watched the scene unfold. Unable to conceal his frustration, he spat out a curse, knowing he was in deep trouble. The Shodaime's assault was closing in fast, leaving him with little room to maneuver.
Behind him, the Sandaime and others observed with grave expressions, the weight of the situation evident on their faces.
The First Hokage, wielding the devastating power of Wood Release, was not an opponent any ordinary person could hope to face.
Kushina, standing among the group, seemed particularly affected. Her chakra wavered unnaturally, and the aura of the Nine-Tails within her noticeably receded, as though subdued by the overwhelming presence of the Shodaime's power.
"These vines are impossible to handle!"
Danzo moved swiftly through the Shodaime's dense Wood Release, dodging attacks coming at him from all directions. His sharp eyes calculated the diminishing distance between himself and Toshiro as he quickly formed a series of hand seals.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"
A massive, swirling sphere of wind, several meters in diameter, surged forward, tearing through the air toward Toshiro. Danzo followed close behind it, using the destructive momentum of his jutsu as cover to close the gap.
Shua!
A faint sound whispered from behind him.
'What is that...'
Danzo's senses, sharpened by tension, detected an anomaly at his rear. Reacting instantly, he flung several kunai over his shoulder without hesitation.
'Wait… no! It's in front—'
Just as he began to exhale in relief, thinking he had dealt with the threat, a figure clad in blue armor appeared directly in his path.
Snap!
Just as Danzo prepared to block the attack, a thick vine lashed out from the side like a whip, striking him hard.
Caught between two simultaneous assaults, he hesitated for a brief moment, unable to decide how to defend himself. Before he could react, a massive wooden fist, as large as a human body, loomed closer, filling his vision.
Bang!
Blood sprayed from Danzo's mouth, accompanied by several broken teeth scattering in all directions. Disoriented and struggling to regain his composure, he suddenly felt the constriction of the Shodaime's Wood Release wrapping tightly around him, immobilizing him completely.
"That's close enough..."
Danzo muttered under his breath as his gaze darted toward Toshiro, who stood merely twenty meters away, flanked by the First and Second Hokage. Dark, intricate sealing symbols began to crawl across Danzo's body like ominous shadows.
"The Four Symbols Seal!"
Kushina, ever vigilant and deeply skilled in sealing techniques, gasped in alarm as she recognized the curse marks spreading over Danzo. Her expression shifted instantly, reflecting both shock and urgency.
"Retreat immediately! The range of this seal extends 200 to 300 meters. If we don't move now, it'll be too late!"
The Four Symbols Seal is a devastating, self-sacrificial jutsu. Once activated, it engulfs everything within a 300-meter radius, sealing it entirely.
Though the caster is doomed to perish in the process, the sheer destructive force of this technique leaves no room for doubt.
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