Placing a hand on a neighbouring bridge pillar, Danzō began eroding the cement into sand, sending the oscillating grains whipping towards Madara like a chainsaw. A towering wave of sand arose, only to be blasted apart almost immediately as several giant Fūma shuriken came pinwheeling through the curtain of sand. The colossal shuriken tore through Danzō, accurately severing several key ligaments and forcing him to use Izanagi again.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets!"
Madara effortlessly weaved between the compressed wind blasts, casually striding towards Danzō the moment he reappeared.
'Welp, it's been fun while it lasted, Danzō... you're all right, for a human!' the One-Tail cackled. 'For the record, the short time my amazin' self spent with you was the best fun I've had in ages… yer a lot more entertaining than that emo kid Gaara!'
"Is that so?" Danzō muttered. "You prefer me over that Bunpuku you keep yammering about?"
Though their relationship had got off to a rocky start, the One-Tail had quickly warmed up to Danzō, whose personality meshed well with his. The Tailed Beast saw his new Jinchūriki as an underdog just like himself, a normal person doing his best to survive in a world of monsters. They both had to train as hard as they could to even hold approach their peers' effortless growth, forced to scheme and take any advantage they could get…
'I respected my first Jinchūriki 'cuz he was a lot like the Sage of Six Paths, but I wouldn't exactly call that monk a bundle of fun,' the One-Tail sniggered. 'And speaking of which, that Madara's got the same eyes as the Sage, so I wouldn't recommend entering Tailed Beast Mode. It'll make it easier for him to suck me out of you, and then it'll be game over for you.'
Without warning, Danzō fell. Both of his legs had been diced apart below the knee in a fraction of a second. Once again, Madara had disabled him, but this time around, he had no earthly idea how it had happened.
With a snap of his fingers the moment he rematerialised with a brand-new pair of legs, Danzō whipped up a sandstorm before tearing off the bandages covering his right eye to reveal Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan. He was certain that something invisible had attacked him, and if even the Sharingan couldn't make out what it was, then it would surely be able to perceive the disturbance in the whirling sand should the attack come again.
"Obito. This is the second time you've interfered with my dance."
Madara glared at Obito, sitting casually on the bridge's ramp, surrounded by Six Paths Puppets.
"You were taking your time, so I thought you might need a hand," Obito said with displeasure. "Were you having so much fun playing with your food that you forgot about your dream, Uchiha Madara? Was your rematch with the First Hokage and your duel with the Sixth not enough?"
The moment the first of the Root operatives had fallen at Obito's hand was the moment they had lost any chance of victory. Like dominoes, they had toppled one after another, and with each death, another lifeless body was turned against its comrades until none remained alive.
"Speaking of the Sixth Hokage, using my own Limbo: Border Jail to steal my prey again, there are limits to your insolence, Obito…" Madara said, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "And I'm warning you… whatever you were just thinking of doing, I would highly recommend you reconsider."
The mood turned from chilly to downright murderous.
As for Danzō, it seemed his opponents had temporarily forgotten about him. According to what they were saying, Uchiha Obito was responsible for that invisible sneak attack that had killed him earlier, but actually, it was a power that originally belonged to Madara? Konoha had no records of Madara possessing such a move, but then again, if it was completely imperceptible…
"Fine, then," Obito said tactfully. "You can have Danzō all to yourself, see if I care."
"It's a matter of pride, I dislike having my duels interfered with," Madara said haughtily. "However, seeing as Shimura Danzō is quite the boring dance partner, I don't mind leaving him to you... if you ask nicely."
Damnable Uchihas, they were looking down on him!
"Underestimating on my old friend?" a rather familiar voice echoed throughout the ruins. "I wouldn't recommend it. He's likely to stab you in the back while your attention is elsewhere."
The Third Hokage, dressed in his black battle gear and wielding a large bō staff, had just entered Root HQ's bridge chamber with a small army of ANBU Black Ops agents, sandwiching Obito between Danzō and himself. As for Madara, he was still standing where the bridges intersected, blocking the way into the rest of the hideout's ruins.
Danzō bit back a curse.
What was Monkey doing here? And since when had Root HQ become a place one could wander in and out as they pleased? What was this place, a damned windmill!?
"It's too late, Danzō. Homura told me everything about your scheme to abandon the village and rebuild a brand-new Hidden Leaf Village in Breast Valley, where you would become its Hokage," the Third Hokage said reproachfully. "When I couldn't find you using the Telescope Jutsu, I knew for certain I'd find you skulking about down here... I just didn't think I'd find the two Madaras as well."
Now, it was Hiruzen's turn to bite back a curse.
What the hell were these two raid bosses doing down here in Root HQ!?
When Pain's Samsara of Heavenly Life Jutsu had revived his Edo Tensei husk after Orochimaru had rescued his soul from eternal torment inside the Shinigami's belly, Hiruzen had thought he was finally in for a peaceful retirement, but now it seemed the only retirement he would be getting was from life itself... again!
After all, the Third Hokage had only hurried down here to apprehend his old friend Danzō to prevent the Lady Sixth from executing him the next time she encountered him. He wasn't prepared to fight two Uchiggas... still, his subordinates were watching, Sakura's— no, his loyal ANBU, so he couldn't back down now, not in front of them.
"Of all the people to come to my rescue, it had to be Monkey," Danzō sighed. "Why couldn't it have been Tobirama-sensei…"
"Quit wagging your wicked tongue, Danzō! I don't need you agitating my sciatica!" Hiruzen roared, blinking back tears of helplessness. "I'm the only help you're getting, and you'd better appreciate it, you old fox! Damn it!"