"Lord Black Zetsu, we've found Danzo's trail!"
Several White Zetsu emerged from the ground one after another, crowding around Black Zetsu as they excitedly reported the chaos that had erupted in the Land of Water and Danzo Shimura's movements.
Black Zetsu listened patiently at first, but the moment he heard that Danzo had been hiding inside the capital, his expression darkened noticeably.
Killing Danzo was not difficult.
With himself and Tobi working together, eliminating a single rogue ninja like Danzo would be trivial. The real problem lay elsewhere—if they acted inside the capital, the resulting commotion would be impossible to conceal. Once Konoha learned that Danzo was involved, they would inevitably launch a full-scale investigation.
At that point, transporting Danzo's body to the Land of Whirlpools to claim the bounty would become extremely troublesome.
"Lord Black Zetsu," one of the White Zetsu added eagerly, "Danzo's subordinates appear to be completely wiped out. Given his personality, he likely won't dare remain in the Land of Fire for long. He should move his hiding place soon."
"Are you certain?" Black Zetsu's eyes lit up. He reached out and grabbed that White Zetsu, pulling it free from the group.
"I—I can only say it's a possibility," the White Zetsu replied weakly, glancing mournfully at the arm that had just been torn off.
Black Zetsu's expression sank again.
"Continue monitoring him closely," he said coldly after a moment of thought. "If he moves, ambush him on the road. If he remains in the capital, inform Lord Madara immediately."
After weighing the options repeatedly, Black Zetsu found no better solution and ultimately accepted Tobi's proposal.
"Danzo was hiding in the capital too?" Huo Wu looked stunned as she turned to Biwa Jūzō. "Aren't the Daimyo supposed to be allied with the Ninja Villages? Why would they secretly shelter a rogue ninja?"
Biwa Jūzō had volunteered to accompany Qian Renxue's group, both to repay their earlier assistance and to strengthen ties between Hidden Mist and the Spirit Masters. Before departing, he had left Zabuza behind to handle the aftermath in the Land of Water, making him the sole Hidden Mist representative in the team.
Hearing the question, Jūzō couldn't help but show an awkward smile.
"What's strange about that?" Ning Rongrong snorted lightly. "Isn't it the same on the Douluo Continent? Emperors and sects cooperate on the surface, but secretly they're constantly scheming against each other. My father's a National Teacher, and even then, when it's time to turn hostile, he doesn't hesitate."
"We can't act directly inside the capital," Feng Xiaotian said with a frown. "If things escalate, Konoha won't let it slide. Even if we succeed, the compensation alone would eat a huge portion of the bounty—not to mention the risk of civilian casualties."
Qian Renxue nodded calmly. "Danzo won't stay there forever. What we need now is patience."
She continued, voice steady and precise, "Once news spreads that the Land of Water Daimyo harbored a rogue ninja, Konoha will inevitably test the Fire Daimyo. They'll send perception ninja to investigate the mansion. Given Danzo's nature, he'll relocate in advance to avoid being dragged into that storm."
"All we need to do is monitor him and intercept him once he moves."
Danzo, meanwhile, acted with his usual decisiveness.
Upon returning, he immediately arranged preparations for relocation. To prevent leaks, he used Sharingan genjutsu to control the researchers he intended to bring along, ensuring their silence.
Since he had already decided to leave, there was no reason to continue cooperating with the Fire Daimyo.
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
If he was leaving anyway, he might as well empty the Fire Daimyo's treasury.
In Danzo's view, the Daimyo's decision to shelter him had always been suspect. Even if the man offered temporary protection, he would inevitably sell Danzo out for the sake of a Longevity Pill.
Rather than waiting to be betrayed, Danzo chose to strike first.
That night, he slaughtered the treasury guards without mercy, leaving no survivors. To conceal his involvement, he deliberately imitated the attack methods used at the Land of Water's Daimyo Mansion, leaving behind traces characteristic of Konoha Anbu.
He even planted fabricated "evidence" at a prearranged contact point, attempting to frame Konoha completely before withdrawing with the researchers.
Even in retreat, Danzo sought to pit the Fire Daimyo and Konoha against each other.
"Danzo's moving!" Ning Rongrong suddenly whispered. "He's disguised as a merchant and leaving through the South Gate with a caravan."
The group immediately followed at a distance, concealing their presence.
"When do we strike?" Xie Yue asked, excitement leaking into his voice.
"Not yet," Qian Renxue replied. "Wait until we're farther away. Rongrong, check on him periodically—don't let him slip away."
"He likely has a transplanted Sharingan," Biwa Jūzō added gravely. "Don't get too close."
Outside the capital, in the mountains, White Zetsu delivered the report to Black Zetsu and Tobi.
"Ten people following him," the White Zetsu said. "Spirit Masters from the Sacrificial Shop, plus Biwa Jūzō."
Tobi hesitated. "With numbers like that, we may not be their match. Should we inform Lord Madara?"
Black Zetsu pondered briefly before nodding.
The Longevity Pill was too important to gamble on.
Even if Madara only recovered to the strength of a man in his fifties, once he reclaimed his Rinnegan, he would still be an invincible existence in the Ninja World.
This opportunity could not be missed.
Danzo rode in the center carriage of the merchant convoy, while a Shadow Clone—disguised as a Root subordinate—patrolled outside. All research equipment was hidden in space scrolls; the carriages themselves carried ordinary goods.
As they neared the border, Danzo's tense nerves finally eased.
Inside the carriage, he closed his Sharingan and reapplied sealing techniques.
Maintaining the Sharingan without Uchiha blood, without a Wood Release body, and without youth restored by a Longevity Pill was too draining. He needed to conserve strength.
Boom—boom—boom!
Sudden explosions tore through the ground beneath the convoy.
Shadow Clones were annihilated instantly. Their memories flooded back at once, overwhelming Danzo's mind and causing a brief but fatal moment of paralysis.
Exploding tags detonated in succession, shockwaves swallowing the carriage whole.
Wood Release: Wood Dragon Jutsu!
Tobi erupted from underground, unleashing the First Hokage's signature technique. A colossal wood dragon surged upward, jaws snapping shut around Danzo midair.
He tried to form seals—
Spore Jutsu!
White spores burst across his body, severing his chakra flow completely.
Crack!
His ribcage collapsed. The dragon bit down, tearing him in half at the waist.
Danzo's upper body slammed into the earth, blood gushing uncontrollably. His lone left hand clawed weakly at the mud, still struggling to crawl away.
Futile.
There was no grand battle.
No heroic struggle.
Just a perfectly executed ambush.
His trump cards remained unused.
This old man… is unwilling…
White spores consumed him entirely, blocking every last trace of chakra.
White Zetsu swarmed in, slaughtering the remaining caravan members and researchers, erasing all evidence.
Black Zetsu coldly extracted Danzo's still-spinning Three Tomoe Sharingan.
As spores invaded his corpse, Danzo finally achieved the "Wood Release fusion" he had pursued his entire life—ironically, in death.
Satisfied, Black Zetsu ordered Tobi to seal Danzo's body into a space scroll and present it to the waiting old man in black robes and white hair.
The darkness of the Ninja World had finally come to an end.
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