The moment Danzo laid eyes on Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan, his heart sank.
He had come prepared, bringing over twenty elite Root Jōnin with him. In his mind, this was supposed to be an easy mission. Obito would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers—cornered and crushed like a rat in a trap.
But what was meant to be a flawless victory had turned into an utter disaster.
All because of two unexpected variables: Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui.
Even with Danzo's pride and arrogance, he had to admit—facing Kakashi and two Mangekyō Sharingan users at the same time was not something he could handle.
Across from him, Kakashi's expression relaxed slightly, even curling into a small, knowing smile.
He understood what had just happened—and the true power of Shisui's new eye technique.
Distinguished Heavenly Gods: Light.
A fearsome genjutsu birthed from Shisui's change in mental state and purpose.
Unlike typical illusions, this one could target multiple people at once—dragging them into a constructed illusion world the moment it activated.
And in that world… Shisui reigned supreme.
Inside the illusion realm, he could not only kill his enemies by directly destroying their souls, but also read their memories—or even erase them permanently.
He was, quite literally, a god within his own domain.
Of course, the technique wasn't invincible. Against a ninja with overwhelming willpower and chakra control—someone near Shisui's level—it wouldn't be quite as effective. But against standard Jōnin?
It was devastating.
And now, the results were clear: more than twenty Root Jōnin were disabled in an instant, frozen in place, unable to react or resist.
They had all been taken out before the fight had even truly begun.
"Wind Style: Speed!"
Suddenly, to Kakashi's surprise, Danzo enveloped himself in wind-style chakra and turned to flee—rushing toward the village at high speed!
"...???"
Hey! Wait a second. Weren't you the one who said you'd kill me in seconds?
Now you're running? Just leaving your men behind?
Kakashi blinked in disbelief.
Danzo… was running away?
But only for a moment.
In the next second, Kakashi stepped back half a pace, left hand gripping the scabbard, right hand on the hilt. Lightning began to crackle wildly around his body.
"Hatake Swordsmanship—Lightning Flash, Super Speed!"
Boom!
A thunderous sound exploded as Kakashi shot forward like a lightning bolt, vanishing from sight.
The next instant, he reappeared—already in front of Danzo.
The attack had already landed.
Ultimate lightning. Ultimate speed. Ultimate precision. Ultimate damage.
Kakashi slowly sheathed his blade without turning around.
Shing…
As the blade clicked into place, a geyser of blood erupted from Danzo's body.
Then, with a grotesque lurch, Danzo's upper and lower halves began to dislocate and separate—split at the waist.
How… how is he so fast?!
Danzo's eyes widened in shock.
He had just returned to his senses—barely understanding what happened—only to feel his body failing him.
He never imagined that even after activating Wind Style to accelerate, Kakashi could still outpace him and land a clean, lethal strike.
"You abandoned your men," Kakashi said coldly, finally turning to look at Danzo. "And fled the battlefield."
"Do you really think you're qualified to compete with Sarutobi Hiruzen for the title of Hokage?"
"You—!" Danzo spat, fury and humiliation boiling in his chest.
But Kakashi's words cut deeper than any sword.
In that moment, Danzo's mind flashed back to a pivotal moment in his youth.
He remembered the battlefield… the mission with Lord Tobirama… and the question that haunted him forever.
Who among them was willing to act as bait to allow the others to escape?
Danzo had been the first to react.
He'd felt it—he was so close to surpassing Hiruzen.
But when he tried to step forward and speak the words, "I'll do it," something terrible happened.
A fear he had never felt before—the pure, paralyzing fear of death—seized his heart.
His hands clenched. His eyes widened. His legs trembled uncontrollably.
Move… move! he had screamed in his mind.
He desperately wanted to shout, "I'll be the bait!" to prove he was stronger, braver… the true Hokage candidate.
But his body wouldn't respond.
Then, from behind him, a calm voice spoke.
"Teacher, I'll go."
It was Sarutobi Hiruzen.
And just like that, everything changed.
Tobirama nodded. "Monkey, from now on… you will be my successor."
Danzo had watched in horror as his dreams crumbled in that moment.
He was consumed by emotions—shame, regret, jealousy, pain. All of it twisted together in his heart.
Why?
Why could Hiruzen do what he couldn't?
Why had he been so cowardly?
From that day forward, Hiruzen walked in the light—becoming the Hokage of Konoha.
Danzo, meanwhile, sank into the shadows, forming the Root. The dark underside of the village.
Years passed.
But one day, something changed.
Danzo saw it. Hiruzen… had aged.
He had lost his fire.
The hero of the village—the once fearless "Ninja Professor"—had grown weak through compromise, bogged down by politics and sentimentality.
Danzo was delighted.
This is my chance.
I was never scared. I just reacted slower. That's all!
The Hokage's seat should've been mine!
He repeated that lie to himself for years—late at night, staring into the mirror. Until even he believed it.
But now…
Kakashi's cold, cutting words had torn open that old scar.
Words he didn't want to hear.
Words he could no longer deny.
"Hmph. What do you know?" Danzo snapped, forcing a sneer. "This is a strategic retreat!"
"If the Root is lost, I can rebuild it. But Konoha can't survive without me!"
His voice was loud, but his heart trembled.
Deep down, he knew Kakashi was right.
But he forced the thoughts away. As long as he made it back alive, Hiruzen would protect him. Kakashi wouldn't dare touch him.
As long as I'm alive, I still have a chance!
Kakashi sighed and shook his head.
"If you had chosen to fight to the death, maybe I'd still respect you."
"But this pathetic display of cowardice—this desperate denial—proves you'll never be like Sarutobi Hiruzen."
There was no conviction in Danzo's path.
Only excuses and fear.
"I'm done here. Obito, let's finish this together!"
"Here I come!"
Obito's eyes lit up with excitement. He'd been waiting for this moment.
If not for giving Kakashi the chance to duel one-on-one, he would've taken Danzo out the moment he saw him.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Ball!"
Realizing the end was near, Danzo launched a preemptive strike—blasting compressed wind bullets at the two.
"Wind Style: Suppression!" Kakashi shouted.
"Fire Style: Explosive Wind Dance!" Obito followed.
Obito twisted space with Kamui, forming a spiraling vortex. Then, using his fire chakra, he created a blazing tornado of rotating flame.
Kakashi added his own high-density wind artillery—merging it with the vortex flame to create a monstrous fire tornado!
BOOM!
Wind fueled the fire.
The vacuum bullets were devoured instantly—swallowed whole by the swirling inferno.
Danzo tried to retreat—leaping backward and preparing to escape using Wind Style once more.
But Obito was faster.
"Kamui!"
His Mangekyō flared.
Danzo's body froze midair—distorted by the space-time ability.
Then, in an instant—BOOM!
Danzo's head exploded, consumed by the roaring flames.
His body followed—engulfed and reduced to ashes by the fiery tornado.
There was no scream.
No last words.
Only silence, and the blazing wind that scattered his legacy into the void.
Danzo Shimura was no more.
---patreon (Obito_uchiha)