Inside the Uchiha clan compound, at Uchiha Sōsuke's residence, a group of hardline faction members—including Uchiha Masao—had gathered.
Under dim lighting, more than a dozen people sat in a circle, waiting in silence. The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
This was all the strength they had—pitifully small in number, and with very few young members.
The Uchiha revered strength, and Shisui had once been the clan's top prodigy—now its strongest. The younger generation was far more willing to follow his lead.
If this continued, the so-called hardliners would eventually disappear.
Perhaps new hardliners would emerge in the future—but they would no longer be them.
So tonight would decide their fate. Everyone's breathing had grown heavier, and almost unconsciously, they activated their Sharingan.
Pairs of crimson eyes glowed with a dangerous light.
Many among them had reached the three-tomoe stage, yet none were officially registered as jōnin of Konoha.
Moments later, Uchiha Sōsuke hurried back.
Seeing the injuries on his body, someone frowned and asked, "Sōsuke-sama, did it fail?"
"Yes. We failed to keep Shisui—but Danzō still got one of his eyes. The operation continues as planned."
"Yes!" xN
At that moment, space twisted, and Obito appeared in the room.
Sōsuke let out a breath of relief. "Madara-sama, you've finally arrived."
Obito swept his gaze across the room. "Are we starting?"
"Yes. Please give the order."
A faint smile curled beneath the mask. "Good. My order is… wait here."
"Why?"
"You said it yourself—Danzō only obtained one eye. If he succeeds, you can move out afterward. If he fails, what use would it be for you to go out? You'd just be throwing your lives away. When that happens, I'll take you all away."
Sōsuke said urgently, "But this isn't what we agreed on."
"There is no 'but.' Are you… planning to defy my orders?"
"…"
The Uchiha hardliners looked at one another, uncertain why the plan had suddenly changed. But the man before them possessed the Mangekyō—and was the legendary Uchiha Madara. None of them dared to resist.
...
Inside Konoha, returning from his mission, Danzō led the remaining Root members still loyal to him. Avoiding the patrols of the Police Force, they advanced in secret toward their target.
Tonight was his final charge toward the Hokage's seat.
Higashino Makoto's overwhelming strength had already stabilized Konoha's order. Even his old friend had retired peacefully, spending his days with his grandchildren.
His dream of becoming Hokage had been completely blocked—no hope left for the rest of his life.
But he refused to accept it.
That monkey had served as Hokage for decades—of course he could happily retire and enjoy his later years. But Danzō had never even tasted the highest power.
It had long since become an obsession.
What he could not obtain only stirred him more deeply.
He wanted to wear that tattered Hokage hat—the symbol of authority. He dreamed of it.
Now, Shisui's Mangekyō had given him a sliver of hope.
Higashino Makoto was the very foundation of Konoha's stability. If he could bring him under control, wouldn't everything fall into place?
Whether his dream rose or fell—it would be decided tonight.
Suddenly, the air filled with the sharp whistling of projectiles. Countless kunai shot toward them from all directions.
Danzō and his Root shinobi reacted instantly, raising their weapons to block.
The kunai caused no real damage—but successfully forced them into an open area.
Danzō glanced at the ground. The transparent kunai were all formed from Ice Release—and in Konoha, only Higashino Makoto possessed that ability.
Sure enough, as soon as they landed, a bright barrier rose around them, sealing everyone inside.
Fūinjutsu: Four Red Yang Formation!
A barrier that normally required four Kage-level shinobi to activate—yet Makoto accomplished it effortlessly using four Wood Release clones.
The heat of the Four Red Yang Formation was contained within its walls, but the temperature inside still rose noticeably.
The towering barrier stood out starkly in the night—like a firefly in the dark, impossible to ignore.
Nearby Konoha patrol units rushed to the scene at top speed, quickly assembling into three squads.
But once they saw who was confronting each other inside and outside the barrier, they immediately thought, Not our problem, not our problem. They promptly sent someone to notify the Fourth Hokage.
When the big players fought, it was best to just watch from the sidelines.
Inside the barrier, a bead of sweat slid down Danzō's forehead.
A fifth Wood Release clone of Makoto opened a gap in the barrier and stepped inside.
"Danzō, your crimes have been exposed. Secretly colluding with the rogue ninja Orochimaru to conduct Wood Release experiments, attempting to murder a fellow Konoha shinobi—Uchiha Shisui—and seize his Sharingan."
"For all of this… what do you have to say in your defense?"
Danzō let out a cold laugh. He already knew who had sold him out. "Heh, colluding with Orochimaru? As far as I know, aren't you doing the same? Otherwise, how would you know all this?"
Makoto looked completely justified. "How is that the same? Everything I've done has been for Konoha."
Danzō: "…"
Damn it, those are my lines. Do you have any shame at all?
"It seems Shisui was saved by you."
"Yeah. Now hand his eye back—I still need to put it back in for him. Keeping it is useless to you anyway. Don't tell me you actually think that thing can control me?"
"No way, right? At your age, and still that naive? You really know nothing about power, old-timer."
"If I don't try, how would I know whether it works?"
"The moment you saw me, you were already trying, weren't you? Did it work? Judging by the direction you were heading, you were planning to go to my house, capture my mother, and use her to threaten me—force me to drop my guard so you could control me with the Mangekyō, right?"
Danzō admitted it bluntly. "Correct. Higashino Makoto, you possess power that surpasses the First Hokage. If you were that easy to control, Uchiha Madara wouldn't have failed back then. So the only option left for me… was to target your family."
"Not a bad analysis. The plan itself isn't flawed either. It's just completely without a bottom line. You actually dared to admit, right in front of me, that you were going after my family. You're completely lawless."
"What would you understand? Everything I do is for Konoha. I cannot allow you to destroy the legacy left behind by my two sensei."
"Yeah, yeah, sure. Since it's all for Konoha, how about you give up resistance and accept judgment?"
Danzō knew the original plan was no longer viable. Now, it was a fight to the death. It was time to unleash the power born from the fusion of Senju and Uchiha.
He began tearing off the bandages on his arm, undoing the seals, while issuing a low command: "Move. Hold him off."
The Root shinobi drew their blades, preparing to buy time for their lord.
Makoto merely glanced at them.
And before any of them could even react, they all drove their swords into Danzō's body, turning him into a human pincushion.
Danzō: "...You… actually dare betray me."
Aburame Tatsuma, wearing a mask, spoke: "No, Danzō-sama. Our bodies are being controlled. This is a secret technique of the Yamanaka clan—Mind Chaos Performance Technique."
As he explained, the Root shinobi did not stop. They drew kunai and, amid desperate screams, slit each other's throats.
Conscious, yet unable to control their own bodies, forced to slaughter one another—this scene made even the Konoha shinobi outside the barrier shudder.
So this… was how terrifying the Yamanaka clan's techniques truly were?
Danzō naturally knew of this technique. Yamanaka Inoichi could use it—but only against weak opponents. His subordinates were anything but weak.
This could only mean that Higashino Makoto's power had already surpassed his understanding.
His three old comrades must have known. After all, they had accompanied the clan heads to the dōjō that day. Yet they had never told him.
So they had all been waiting… waiting for him to jump out and court death?
At that moment, Danzō understood everything.
Makoto stepped forward, stopping in front of Danzō, now riddled with blades like a hedgehog.
"In front of me, and you still take your time undoing your seals—do you think I'm an idiot?"
"Heh… I miscalculated. But if you underestimate me, you'll regret it."
Makoto: "…"
Danzō: "…"
An awkward silence fell over the scene.
Makoto: "You're waiting for Izanagi to take effect, aren't you? So you can land a surprise attack on me?"
Danzō: "…Did Shisui tell you? How did you break it?"
"That's why I said, Danzō—you know nothing about power. When you secretly used your Mangekyō to cast genjutsu on me, I was also casting genjutsu on you."
"That 'revival' you're relying on? It was never activated to begin with."
"When did you start thinking your illusion had actually worked?"
Danzō did not respond.
Because he was about to die.
"Oh, right, Danzō-sama. I'm just a clone. No different from the four of me maintaining the barrier. You couldn't even beat a clone—and you still think you can become Hokage?"
Danzō did not respond.
Because before his injuries could kill him…
He died of sheer rage.
The so-called Shadow Hokage, the Darkness of the Shinobi World, the Root of Konoha, former Hokage advisor, the would-be "5.5th Hokage"…
On this day, his absurd life came to an end.
From beginning to end, he never once forced Higashino Makoto to use his true strength.
Like a dog, he was toyed with to death.
---
I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
---