When Sarutobi Hiruzen collapsed, far away in a hidden Root base, Shimura Danzo let out a miserable scream as well.
His body was tightly bound by Sasuke's lightning chains, scorched black and barely able to move.
The fight had been brutal.
Danzo's physical strength was nothing to scoff at, and his Wind Style was extremely refined. Compared to Sasuke, their overall strength was roughly equal.
But in the end, Sasuke won.
Danzo had even used the forbidden technique Izanagi to escape death and attempted a sneak attack—but Sasuke caught it in time, avoiding the fatal blow at the cost of only minor injuries.
"Danzo, do you see this?" Sasuke laughed, leaning on his sword.
"With strength like yours, talking about becoming Hokage… it's a joke."
He was in an exceptionally good mood.
This was his first truly decisive victory.
And his opponent wasn't some nobody—it was Shimura Danzo, the infamous "Darkness of Konoha."
In other words, at just twelve years old, Uchiha Sasuke had defeated a Kage-level powerhouse.
Aside from a certain terrifying monster, Sasuke's mindset had completely changed. His confidence had surged.
He ripped off the bandages around Danzo's arm, exposing the embedded Sharingan.
Sasuke's pupils shrank. Rage exploded in his chest.
At that moment, he was absolutely certain—Danzo was the true mastermind behind the Uchiha massacre.
That arm alone was irrefutable proof.
As for Uchiha Itachi—everything about him had been a lie.
After removing all the Sharingan from Danzo, Sasuke broke all four of his limbs and dragged the broken man toward Konoha.
His back was straight and tall, like a drawn sword.
After tempering through battle, his aura was sharp and cold.
"Sasuke… you've grown up."
Ox appeared inside the Root base, watching Sasuke's retreating figure and murmuring softly.
His emotions were complicated.
He had seen the entire fight.
Countless times, he'd felt the urge to intervene—but he held back.
He believed in his brother.
He believed that after years of grinding effort, that boy had the ability to overcome any crisis.
And Sasuke proved him right—using his own strength to turn defeat into victory.
In Ox's eyes, Sasuke was no longer a fledgling chick, but a hawk that had spread its wings—capable of soaring high into the sky.
"Good… Now I can devote myself completely to supporting the president and the great cause of unifying the ninja world."
Ox let out a long breath.
At last, the burden on his shoulders was gone.
Since changing the fate of the Uchiha massacre and joining the Red Sun Society under President Kira, he had walked this path steadily.
Over the years, Sasuke wasn't the only one who had grown.
Without the trauma of genocide…
Without the loneliness of wandering the ninja world…
With comrades who shared his ideals, and parents and family still alive…
Ox's mindset had become calmer and more rational.
Originally a super genius of the Uchiha clan, all he needed was stability and time to rise.
While training Sasuke, his own strength had grown by leaps and bounds.
Now, Ox's power was unfathomable.
And his goal had never changed—true peace in the ninja world.
Here, in the Red Sun Society, he felt he might finally find the answer.
That's why he had quietly supported Uchiha Shisui and devoted himself to Naruto's theories, his understanding of the ninja world completely transformed.
In the past, Sasuke's growth had tied his hands.
Now, he was finally free.
Free to chase his own dream—
to pursue a peace once thought unreachable.
Deep within the Root base, a pair of crimson eyes lit up in the darkness.
There was no hostility in them—only clarity, bright as rubies.
"When peace finally comes… where will ninja go?"
"I'll find the answer."
Whoosh.
Ox vanished without a trace.
The Root base fell silent once more.
Perhaps countless years later, future generations would enter this place like explorers of ancient ruins, studying the remnants and unraveling the grudges hidden within these walls.
They would never imagine that a madman who once dreamed of becoming Hokage had lived here.
Nor would they imagine that two brothers had stood here, each setting out on their own legend with unwavering resolve.
The future—who could say?
Konoha Village was calm as ever.
But the shinobi, having just endured a massive upheaval, remained on high alert.
"Who goes there? Stop!"
At the Konoha gate, the guards shouted sharply.
In an instant, dozens of figures appeared, bracing for an enemy.
On the main road, a white-haired boy walked forward at an unhurried pace.
Green pupils.
Two red dots between his eyebrows.
Half his clothes hung loose, exposing part of his chest.
He looked calm—almost gentle.
"Excuse me," he asked politely,
"do you know where Orochimaru-sama is?"
"So it's one of Orochimaru's remnants…" a guard muttered.
"No wonder his presence felt wrong."
At first glance, the boy had seemed ordinary.
But in the next instant, the guard felt as if a monster were walking straight toward him.
His instincts screamed danger, and he raised the alarm immediately.
"Young man," a Konoha shinobi said loudly,
"Orochimaru has been captured by Uzumaki-sama of Konoha. If you know what's good for you, surrender now."
"Enemies…" the white-haired boy murmured calmly.
"Orochimaru-sama's enemies must be eliminated. Every last one."
"Dead Bone Pulse — Fingers."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Streaks of white light shot forward at terrifying speed.
The Konoha shinobi were already alert. None were hit directly; they blocked with kunai just in time.
"Careful! That's Dead Bone Pulse—the bloodline jutsu of the Kaguya clan from Kirigakure!"
"The Kaguya clan? Weren't they wiped out?"
"This kid must be a survivor. That technique is unmistakable!"
"My wrist's numb—my kunai almost flew out!"
"The Kaguya clan specializes in taijutsu. They can grow hardened bones from their bodies and pull them out as weapons. Extremely dangerous!"
An experienced shinobi quickly relayed the information.
Inside the village gate, civilians watched curiously. To them, the white-haired boy looked reckless—completely ignorant of how dangerous Konoha was.
"Physical strength?"
"That's his specialty?"
"That sounds fun!"
A green blur shot out from the crowd.
In a flash, it passed the Konoha shinobi like a whirlwind and stopped in front of the white-haired boy.
"I am a genin of Konoha Village—Rock Lee!"
He stood firm, eyes sharp and vigilant.
"I am a ninja of Otogakure—Kimimaro."
The white-haired boy answered politely, his expression unchanged.
"Lee, get back!" someone shouted.
"He's Orochimaru's subordinate—you're just a genin!"
"I'm a shinobi of Konoha," Lee replied loudly.
"It's only natural to fight for the village. Besides, my Chunin Exam fight wasn't finished. I finally found a worthy opponent—I'm not giving this up!"
Lee was thrilled.
His battle with Gaara had been interrupted. His fighting spirit was still burning.
Kimimaro's appearance filled him with excitement.
This was a powerful enemy.
The youth before him radiated danger—on par with Gaara, if not worse.
Lee's blood boiled.
"Are you ready?" Kimimaro asked calmly, waiting until Lee finished speaking.
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