What was the most effective way to destroy a person?
Not killing them outright, but shattering the goal they had chased their entire life, right in front of them. Leaving nothing. No hope. No escape.
That was exactly where Shimura Danzō stood now.
Tōma had lifted the silence jutsu. There was no need to keep it anymore.
Danzō listened as the crowd's roar surged like a tidal wave. Every voice demanded the same thing.
Death.
His face twisted, expression slipping toward madness. For a brief moment, he seemed lost, as if the world had tilted beyond repair.
Tōma watched calmly, deeply satisfied.
Killing Danzō immediately would have been far too merciful.
If it were up to him, Tōma would have stripped Danzō of his chakra, reduced him to a powerless shell, then let him live. Let him watch as every crime was uncovered one by one. Let him see Konoha thrive without him. Let him realize just how unnecessary he had always been.
That kind of ending crushed the spirit far more thoroughly than death.
If Danzō broke and ended his own life in despair, that would have been perfect.
But this world was full of variables.
And there were people like Sasuke who wanted Danzō dead now. Tōma couldn't even voice his thoughts aloud. If he did, Sasuke's gaze alone might change.
Even Tōma admitted it.
That plan was cruel. Almost monstrous.
But then again, Tōma had hated Danzō long before this life ever began. Simply killing him felt wrong in its own way.
"You're all fools!" Danzō suddenly roared. "Ignorant fools! What do you know?!"
He had no interest in explaining himself anymore. Every word would sound hollow. Why justify himself to people beneath him?
If they opposed him, then they deserved to be erased.
As long as everyone here died, there was still a chance.
The Hokage's seat would be his. It had to be.
Danzō's hands flew into seals.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!"
The attack wasn't aimed at the platform.
It was aimed at the crowd.
Shock rippled through the square. No one expected a Konoha elder to attack civilians outright. Fear should have spread instantly.
Instead, a calm voice reached every ear.
"Don't be afraid," Tōma said gently. "He can't hurt you."
Despite the chaos, his words carried with unnatural clarity.
And just like that, the panic vanished.
They believed him.
The next instant, Tōma appeared in front of the incoming technique. He lifted one hand casually. The compressed wind dispersed like mist.
The only thing left behind was a light breeze that brushed his hair, making him look almost absurdly composed.
"He's lost his mind," Tsunade said flatly.
She hadn't worried for a second. Everything was already prepared. Even if Tōma hadn't stepped in, the barrier team would have neutralized the attack.
The advisors watched Danzō in silence, unable to understand how he'd fallen this far. He already held power, influence, authority. Why cling so desperately to the Hokage's seat?
They withdrew, just as the Third Hokage had earlier. There was no reason to remain. And if Danzō saw them now, he might not hesitate to strike.
Hiruzen's face darkened.
Even knowing the civilians were protected, seeing Danzō attack them turned his stomach.
At last, he understood.
Tōma had been right.
Danzō could never be allowed to stand above others again.
Tsunade glanced at the cheering crowd, then at Tōma suspended in midair, bathed in drifting wind. She felt the urge to laugh. And scold him.
He was doing this on purpose. Showing his power. Claiming their faith.
And it worked.
Tōma looked down at Danzō.
"Attacking civilians," he said calmly, "is a crime worthy of death."
"Execute Danzō!"
The chant exploded louder than before.
Danzō snarled. He knew Tōma was strong. He had always known. But nullifying Vacuum Bullets that easily defied everything he understood.
Then there was only one option left.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
This time, the compressed wind roared like artillery.
Tōma formed a single seal.
His eyes turned gold.
Sage Mode.
He didn't need it.
But if this was a performance, he might as well make it unforgettable.
"Sage Art: Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet."
What formed before him wasn't invisible wind, but a dense, white sphere, compressed to the extreme.
It tore through Danzō's attack without slowing. In the blink of an eye, it struck him head-on.
Danzō didn't even have time to understand.
His body was shredded instantly.
Is this really… Wind Release? was his final thought.
The crowd stared, stunned, then exhilarated.
Serves him right.
But Tōma spoke again.
"This," he said calmly, "was punishment for attacking civilians. One death."
The square went silent.
One death?
Before anyone could process that, Tōma continued.
"Izanagi. The ultimate Sharingan technique. It allows the user to rewrite reality for a short time, turning death into illusion and choosing only favorable outcomes."
Shock rippled outward.
And then—
Danzō reappeared.
Unharmed.
As if nothing had happened.
The proof stood before them.
Even Sasuke froze. He hadn't known such a technique existed.
Invincible…?
Tōma answered the unspoken fear.
"Each use permanently blinds a Sharingan."
Relief spread. Awe remained.
A technique that traded an eye for life itself.
Even with that cost, it was terrifying.
Danzō glared at Tōma, teeth grinding.
"Why," he snarled, "do you know that jutsu?"
...
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