Danzō steadied himself and launched another attack at Uchiha Yusuke.
"Wind Release: Shuriken!"
As he moved, the rest of Root followed with practiced coordination.
"Water Release: Water Surge!"
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Technique!"
Faced with the flashy barrage of ninjutsu, Yusuke simply activated his Susanoo.
Picking them off one by one was annoying—so he decided to deal with them all at once.
Staring at the black skeleton that appeared out of nowhere, Danzō muttered to himself.
"Susanoo…?"
"So this is the Uchiha's so-called 'power of the gods'?"
"The Mangekyō Sharingan really is something."
"So beating the Fourth Raikage and Killer B… was all because of those eyes, huh?"
Greed surfaced on Danzō's face.
He'd always coveted what belonged to others. Plenty of Konoha clans' secret techniques could be found inside "Root."
To Danzō, the Uchiha were a delicious slab of meat.
If the Third Hokage hadn't been holding him back, he would've moved openly long ago.
Even if he couldn't do it openly, he'd never stopped targeting them from the shadows.
Over the years, Uchiha members occasionally vanished without a trace—nine times out of ten, it had been Danzō.
Yusuke glanced coolly at the Root shinobi providing Danzō support.
"Trash mobs really are annoying."
"Time to clear the field."
He clasped his hands together, gathering a frightening amount of chakra.
"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
A torrent of searing fire instantly swallowed the battlefield.
It was only a casual display, yet Yusuke already carried a hint of the Fourth Shinobi War-era Madara's presence.
"The range is huge!"
"Everyone, be careful!"
Root shinobi skilled in Water Release raised defenses together.
"Water Release: Water Wall!"
"Water Release: Water Pillar!"
Danzō himself didn't stay idle. His hand seals flashed.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
Two elements layered together, forming a coordinated combo—like when Yamato and Naruto combined efforts against Kakuzu's technique infused with Wind Release.
With Root and Danzō working in tandem, the sky-filling flames were finally contained.
Yusuke frowned slightly.
To clash with me in raw ninjutsu… so Danzō has probably transplanted Hashirama's cells.
Hashirama cells drastically increased physical energy, granting something close to senjutsu-like chakra.
Under that kind of chakra, ninjutsu power could multiply several times over.
When Orochimaru obtained Hashirama cells, he could even restrain the Second Hokage.
It was exactly because of those cells that Danzō now had the nerve to face Yusuke head-on.
After blocking Yusuke's attack, Danzō's mouth curled in smug satisfaction.
So what if you're Konoha's "Flame Demon"?
Didn't I just extinguish the flames you're so proud of?
Uchiha Yusuke—today you die!
Danzō formed seals at high speed and surged into offense.
He meant to press the advantage and finish it in one push.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
He fired off two techniques in succession.
Yusuke didn't dodge.
Wrapped in Susanoo armor, he didn't take attacks of this level seriously.
Clang—clang—clatter!
Danzō's wind blades struck Susanoo with a burst of noise, then dissipated into nothing.
Even with Hashirama cells, Susanoo's defense wasn't something you broke easily.
Danzō's expression darkened.
If a single technique couldn't pierce it, then he'd have to rely on combos.
He let out a long, heavy breath.
Susanoo… absurd defense.
No wonder Yusuke looked so fearless.
But Danzō wasn't the type to surrender easily.
So what if it's called "the power of the gods"?
I'll find a way to cut it open!
Yusuke calmly drew his sword.
"Done showing off your fancy Wind Release?"
"Try my swordsmanship."
The moment he spoke, he unleashed a flying slash.
"One-Sword Style: Sever the Sky!"
Danzō's Wind Release was fast—but Yusuke's slash was faster.
The sword aura tore through the air, screaming toward him. Even with wind chakra boosting his footwork, Danzō could barely react.
Shhk!
The flying slash flashed past his body. He tried to evade with everything he had—
—but his right arm was still cut open.
Cold sweat poured down Danzō's back.
Even with Wind Release enhancement, he still couldn't dodge cleanly.
What kind of freak speed is this?
Yusuke leapt into the air to pursue.
Danzō, shameless as ever, immediately called for help.
"Find a way to hold him!"
"Buy me time!"
At his command, Root instantly shifted into full combat mode.
"Villain—don't get arrogant!"
"Shuriken from all sides!"
Yusuke shook his head.
They always say young people have no honor—Danzō, an old man, was no better.
He abandoned Danzō for the moment and turned on the shinobi interfering with his fight.
"You could've stayed out of it."
"You really want to come die?"
His blade swept in a graceful arc through the air.
"One-Sword Style: Waltz!"
Steel flashed—blood followed.
Pff!
"Aaagh—!"
Sprays of blood and screams came one after another. Seven or eight Root members dropped in an instant.
Yusuke's lips curled in a cold smile.
Trash really was trash.
They wore the title of jōnin, but they were nothing more than a mob.
Danzō looked genuinely pained.
If this attrition continued, his "assets" would be bled dry.
If he became a commander with no troops—
what would he even use to compete for Hokage?
Even in desperation, Danzō still clung to delusion.
His obsession with the Hokage title ran deep.
Staring at Yusuke, now dangerously close, Danzō's eyes turned vicious.
This can't drag on.
Finish it—now!
Danzō's face hardened with resolve.
Yusuke, meanwhile, smiled lightly.
Go on—use whatever you've got.
I'm still trying to get home for dinner.
Danzō dabbed a drop of blood from his wounded right arm.
His hands flew through seals, and his palm slapped the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
White smoke billowed, and within it a massive silhouette took shape.
"Moooo!"
With a deep, resonant bellow, a giant elephant-like creature appeared.
Yusuke raised an eyebrow.
"That's… a Baku?"
Danzō looked faintly surprised.
"I didn't expect you to recognize a beast that devours nightmares."
Yusuke's expression turned strange.
He'd never seen a real dream-devouring Baku—
but he knew the original story all too well.
Don't tell me he's going to repeat that old trick…
Using the Baku's suction, then pairing it with Wind Release to counter Susanoo?
Sure enough—
the moment the Baku appeared, Danzō ordered it to release a gale that swallowed everything.
As the Baku exerted its pull, Yusuke's Susanoo was immediately restricted.
Danzō slipped behind him.
"Now you can't move, can you?"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"
"Susanoo's weak point is right here!"
The way he moved felt eerily familiar.
Yusuke's mind clicked.
He's not seriously going for the "stab Susanoo with a kunai" plan, is he?
History really did repeat itself.
Against the Baku's suction gale, Yusuke slapped his hands together and pretended to form seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Wind feeds fire.
Yusuke shamelessly copied one of his "disciple's" classic moves.
The Baku, mid-gulp, abruptly stopped—its mouth filled with roaring flame, and it shrieked in agony.
Yusuke turned—
and saw Danzō running at him with a kunai in hand.
Crack!
The kunai snapped on impact.
Yusuke countered with a casual backhand punch, blasting Danzō away.
Without Izanagi to cover him, Danzō was smashed so hard by Susanoo that he spat blood.
Collapsed on the ground, he muttered weakly.
"Uchiha Yusuke specializes in Fire Release… using wind was a miscalculation."
"Susanoo's speed is terrifying…"
"I was careless. I didn't dodge."
Danzō wasn't some ridiculous "grandmaster" meme—so even after going down, he forced himself back up.
"So this is the Uchiha's power…"
"No wonder I've wanted it for so long!"
Yusuke's eyes were ice.
"You want the forbidden technique Izanagi, don't you?"
"Too bad. You won't get the chance."
Danzō's pupils shrank.
"You even know Izanagi?"
Yusuke sneered.
"What's so shocking about that?"
"Don't forget—I'm the Uchiha clan head."
Danzō nodded slowly, thinking.
"Then the complete Izanagi must be in your hands."
"If I wipe out the Uchiha, I'll get everything I want."
Yusuke laughed coldly.
"Wipe out the Uchiha?"
"You, Danzō—can you?"
Irritation flashed in Danzō's eyes.
From the way things stood now, he really had no chance.
If he couldn't beat Yusuke, even surviving was uncertain—forget exterminating an entire clan.
And if Yusuke lived, Danzō would never know peace.
Once the charge of harming Konoha's own people became official, he'd be a villain for all time—and even the Hokage couldn't save him then.
Murderous intent churned in Danzō's gaze.
Even if it cost every last soldier—
he had to kill Uchiha Yusuke.
He issued orders sharply.
"Medical-nin—heal me."
"Everyone else—hold Uchiha Yusuke back."
Root split instantly.
Half guarded Danzō and treated his injuries.
The other half surrounded Yusuke.
Yusuke stared at the enemies close at hand, eyes deep and measured.
Taking Danzō wasn't hard.
Root, however, was troublesome.
He wanted to net Danzō and his hardcore followers—
but he didn't want to butcher every Root member indiscriminately.
Root wasn't entirely made of monsters. Many had simply been deceived by Danzō—and could still be saved.
And plenty of them came from Konoha's clans.
If Yusuke slaughtered them all without discrimination, it would be hard to answer to the clan heads.
The Third Hokage was a master of controlling narratives—Yusuke couldn't hand him an easy chance to smear him.
He'd built up reputation with difficulty. Losing it would be a terrible trade.
And beyond reputation, Danzō himself was still unstable.
He had planted the Reverse Four Symbols Seal inside his body. If cornered, he might try to drag Yusuke down with him.
It might have looked almost laughable in scale once—
but Yusuke wasn't underestimating it for a second.
Better safe than sorry.
Since he knew Danzō had a final card, he needed a steady, decisive win.
While Yusuke planned—
Danzō finished recovering with Root's medical support.
This time, he didn't rush to attack.
After taking one humiliating loss, he'd become far more cautious.
Yusuke dismissed Susanoo and focused his mind into his eyes.
He swept his gaze across the room.
Wherever his eyes passed, Root shinobi collapsed one after another.
Danzō's face changed instantly.
"It's Sharingan genjutsu!"
"Everyone—watch out!"
But the moment he lost focus, Yusuke's eyes locked onto him.
Their gazes met, and Danzō felt dread spike through him.
"Damn it—!"
The hypnotic genjutsu activated.
Every Root member fell—without exception.
Even Danzō dropped to his knees.
Yusuke silently exhaled.
Is it over?
He stepped forward and pressed his sword to Danzō's throat.
"Goodbye."
"Konoha's Darkness."
Yusuke was about to finish it—
when the kneeling Danzō suddenly forced himself upright.
His right eye glowed red as he roared.
"To put me under genjutsu…"
"The Uchiha eyes really are terrifying!"
"But it ends here!"
As he spoke, his right hand lunged for Yusuke's eye—
the exact same motion as when he ambushed Shisui in the original story.
A cold smile tugged at Yusuke's mouth.
Ambush me?
You're not there yet, Danzō.
With Mangekyō active, Yusuke's "Epitaph" foresight technique triggered automatically at danger.
Before Danzō even moved, Yusuke had already seen the next few seconds.
He hadn't exposed it—
because he wanted to let Danzō walk into the trap.
As Danzō reached to strike, every hair on his body suddenly stood on end.
Why do I feel danger…?
What is this?
Before he could understand—
Yusuke's sword flashed, severing Danzō's right arm.
"AAAGH!"
The sudden amputation made Danzō scream.
Yusuke glanced at the severed arm.
From the clearly different skin tone, it was obvious—
Danzō had transplanted the First Hokage's cells.
Then—
Danzō's "body" and the severed arm began to fade away.
Yusuke's eyes narrowed with realization.
So it wasn't just Hashirama cells.
He also possessed a flawed version of Izanagi.
Danzō stepped out from the shadows, voice dripping with malice.
"You saw through my scheme?"
"Looks like your eyes aren't simple either!"
Yusuke's gaze sharpened.
Danzō might be inferior in raw strength, but he understood the Uchiha very well.
All these years, he must have done extensive homework just to counter them.
The one who understands you best—
is often your enemy.
Yusuke thought grimly.
With Izanagi in play, he couldn't finish Danzō instantly.
This was going to become a battle of attrition.
He raised his sword and charged.
The Uchiha hadn't been exterminated yet—so the number of Sharingan Danzō had on hand couldn't be large.
If Yusuke kept up relentless pressure, the fight would end soon enough.
Seeing Yusuke coming like a storm, Danzō felt crushing pressure.
So that's it—
you want to burn through my Izanagi time with nonstop offense?
Uchiha Yusuke…
You really did see through Izanagi.
To read 40+ future chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554