"One-Sword Style: Mirror Flame Blaze."
Danzō hesitated for just an instant—and Yusuke's attack was already upon him.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!"
Instead of dodging, Danzō chose a head-on counterattack.
With Izanagi active, all negative effects could be erased. Even if he were reduced to ashes, his body would instantly restore itself.
Crack!
Danzō was cut cleanly in two by Yusuke's blade—yet in the blink of an eye, he returned to normal.
At the same time, Yusuke was riddled with wind blades like a sieve, but the wounds were immediately repaired by raging flames.
Danzō's Izanagi nullified Yusuke's swordsmanship.
Yusuke's Fire Release chakra mode, in turn, ignored Danzō's ninjutsu.
However, Izanagi had a strict time limit, while Fire Release chakra mode consumed almost nothing.
The longer this dragged on, the worse things looked for Danzō.
Realizing this, Danzō charged forward recklessly.
He wanted to win.
He had to deliver a killing blow within the limited time Izanagi allowed.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
His seals flew, and sharp wind blades erupted once more.
Yusuke leapt into the air—using Sharingan foresight to evade effortlessly.
"One-Sword Style: Soul Sever!"
Yusuke's blade went straight for Danzō's head.
Instead of dodging, Danzō forced his hand around Yusuke's throat.
Crack!
Danzō's head flew sky-high—decapitated in a single strike.
Izanagi activated again, and he reappeared unharmed before Yusuke.
A cold smile curled at Danzō's lips.
Trying to trade skills with me?
You're still far too green.
His hand seals shifted instantly.
"Cursed Seal Binding!"
Dense black markings suddenly spread across Yusuke's body.
Danzō had deliberately grabbed Yusuke earlier to plant this immobilizing curse.
Yusuke froze in place—and Danzō's face lit up with triumph.
Got you now, didn't I?
He stepped closer, even reaching for the sword in Yusuke's hand.
Yusuke sighed inwardly.
How many times has this exact scene played out already?
Danzō really has zero creativity.
In the next instant, Yusuke activated Susanoo again. The Black Tengu armor wrapped around him, shattering the curse seal's restraint.
"Not good!"
Danzō immediately sensed danger and hurriedly used Wind Release to glide away midair.
Yusuke locked onto the airborne Danzō.
"One-Sword Style: Furious Dragon Pierces the Heart!"
Faced with the killing strike, Danzō's eyes went bloodshot.
To save time earlier, he'd already deactivated Izanagi.
If this hit landed now, he'd be finished—he had to dodge!
Gritting his teeth, Danzō burned a massive amount of chakra and unleashed a First Hokage technique.
"Wood Release: Piercing Trees!"
Boom!
A gigantic tree erupted from the ground, blocking Yusuke's piercing strike.
Danzō survived by a hair's breadth.
The moment he landed, he reactivated Izanagi.
Yusuke frowned slightly.
That had been a perfect opportunity.
Unfortunately, Danzō had slipped through again.
With Izanagi as support, Danzō unleashed a move meant for mutual destruction.
"Wood Release: Root Explosion Burial!"
This forbidden technique was something even Danzō couldn't truly control. Without Izanagi negating the backlash, he himself would be killed.
Even Yusuke felt invisible pressure from the First Hokage's signature art.
Though Susanoo protected him, whether it could withstand Wood Release was still uncertain.
After all, Madara's armored Susanoo had once been brutally suppressed by Hashirama.
Wood Release looked fragile—but it could easily restrain even the Nine-Tails clad in Susanoo armor.
The image of Hashirama's Buddha statue smashing Madara and the Nine-Tails was etched deeply into Yusuke's memory.
Danzō was nowhere near the First Hokage's level—but a life-risking Wood Release forbidden art was still no joke.
"Mangekyō Sharingan — Epitaph!"
Facing Danzō's suicidal attack, Yusuke activated his right eye's ability.
With temporal foresight, he immediately found the technique's fatal flaw.
Crack crack crack!
The attack spread rapidly, engulfing the battlefield in moments.
Its range was enormous—several Root members nearby, trapped in genjutsu and unable to dodge, were crushed and killed.
Danzō felt not the slightest ripple of emotion at his subordinates' deaths.
In his twisted logic, they were necessary sacrifices.
Losing a few pawns meant nothing.
Yusuke's contempt reached its peak.
Danzō preached sacrifice endlessly, yet when it came to himself, he always hesitated.
Subordinates could die without regret—but their leader cowered and fled.
Root's so-called belief of "protecting Konoha from the shadows" had become a complete joke.
Wasn't that the height of irony?
The Third Hokage had, in the end, truly sacrificed himself for Konoha.
Danzō, from beginning to end, was nothing but a selfish opportunist.
"…Is it over?"
Danzō, restored once more, stared at the towering trees and muttered.
Root Explosion Burial rivaled even the Reverse Four Symbols Seal in power.
Anyone hit by it should have zero chance of survival.
Before he could rejoice, Yusuke's voice sounded calmly behind him.
"What exactly do you think is over?"
Danzō's pupils shrank in disbelief.
Hit by Root Explosion Burial—and still alive?
Impossible!
At the instant the Wood Release closed in, Yusuke had already slipped through a gap using his elemental body.
The forbidden technique never harmed him at all.
"One-Sword Style: Shadow Kill!"
Yusuke struck again, slicing Danzō into fragments.
Yet Izanagi was still active—allowing Danzō to cling to life.
"Damn it… time's almost up!"
Glancing at the Sharingan embedded in his arm, Danzō cursed aloud.
After such a prolonged battle, his chakra and stamina were running dangerously low.
Izanagi's duration was nearly exhausted.
If he couldn't find a way to deal with Yusuke now, this fight was lost.
The thought of defeat filled him with terror.
For over twenty years, Danzō had held power in Konoha—he had never truly faced death.
The last time he'd encountered a crisis was when the Second Hokage died.
Back then, his hesitation cost him the position of Hokage to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Remembering that humiliation, courage surged within him.
What Sarutobi couldn't accomplish—
I will.
This time, Shimura Danzō refused to lose.
Killing intent exploded in his eyes.
He pulled out a kunai and poured every last drop of chakra into it.
"Even if I die with you—"
"Uchiha Yusuke, prepare yourself!"
Yusuke took a deep breath.
So you've finally decided to go all out?
You want to die together?
Danzō was at the end of his rope—but Yusuke was heavily taxed as well. After all, he'd been fighting an elite Root force plus an actual Kage-level opponent.
Without hesitation, Yusuke fused his flames into his sword.
"One more move."
"This ends you."
"Prepare yourself, Danzō."
Danzō sneaked a glance at the eyes on the back of his hand.
Izanagi could still last about a minute.
One-shot me?
In your dreams.
"Cursed Binding Vacuum Blade!"
Danzō roared, merging sealing jutsu with Wind Release.
To counter Yusuke's elemental body, sealing techniques were his only hope.
Yusuke activated Epitaph once more.
"One-Sword Style: Instant Slash!"
Before time-based techniques, Danzō had nowhere to hide.
Slash!
Both weapons pierced their targets simultaneously.
Danzō laughed.
"You were too impatient."
"Izanagi hasn't ended yet."
"This fight—I win!"
Yusuke answered with a strange smile.
"Is that so?"
"You're the one who lost, Danzō."
Ripples spread across Danzō's vision.
When clarity returned, he realized the Sharingan on his arm had gone dark.
"Why didn't Izanagi activate?"
"Could it be…?"
Understanding dawned—and terror followed.
Yusuke's calm voice confirmed it.
"Just as you suspect."
"You were already under my genjutsu."
Danzō's face twisted in agony and fury.
"Argh—pff!"
Rage and grievous injuries overwhelmed him, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Uchiha… Yusuke…"
"I'm not finished with you!"
Yusuke smiled faintly.
At this point, Danzō's threats were laughable.
He couldn't even save himself—what threat could he pose?
Danzō slowly sank to his knees.
Severely wounded, he could no longer stand.
Looking at him, Yusuke sighed.
If only you'd known this would happen—why do it in the first place?
If you hadn't schemed to exterminate the Uchiha, why would I have needed to rise against you?
Danzō would never understand.
From start to finish, he only cared about himself. Coveting Uchiha forbidden techniques, he'd relentlessly pushed for their annihilation.
The Third Hokage might still be debatable—
but Danzō truly deserved death.
A nameless hero protecting Konoha from the shadows?
More like a despicable villain who harmed the world for personal gain.
Yusuke stepped forward to finish him—
when Danzō suddenly screamed.
"AAAAHHH—!"
The right arm implanted with Hashirama's cells began swelling uncontrollably.
Crack crack crack!
Green saplings burst from his flesh as the arm transformed wildly into Wood Release.
Yusuke understood instantly.
Danzō was at his limit—he could no longer control Hashirama's cells.
Panic appeared in Danzō's eyes.
If this continued, he'd be consumed by the First Hokage's power!
Deciding instantly, he slashed off his own right arm with the kunai.
Gasping for breath, Danzō collapsed further.
He had nothing left.
Continuing would mean certain death.
Looking at Yusuke, the urge to retreat finally surfaced.
I'm the one destined to change shinobi history… I can't die here!
"Genjutsu—release!"
With the last of his chakra, Danzō dispelled all genjutsu in the area.
He barked orders at his awakened subordinates.
"Uchiha Yusuke can't be defeated head-on."
"Cover my retreat!"
Yusuke shook his head.
Fighting to the brink—then running when things went south.
In shamelessness, Danzō claimed second place—no one dared take first.
Among Kage-level fighters, he was probably the only one who fled mid-battle.
Root members snapped back to awareness.
"Those who can still move—follow me!"
"Protect Lord Danzō!"
At the captains' command, they formed a shield around the injured Danzō.
Yusuke sneered.
"Didn't you say you'd fight me to the death?"
"Running already?"
Danzō answered without shame.
"Hmph. A momentary win means nothing."
"Who laughs last—that's what matters!"
A smoke bomb flew.
Yusuke laughed.
Trying tricks in front of the Sharingan?
Naive.
He slashed, dispersing the smoke instantly.
"Shadow Possession!"
"Insect Destruction!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"
Attacks poured in again.
Yusuke activated Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Susanoo!"
With the Black Tengu armor manifest, all attacks became meaningless scratches.
Fear flickered in Danzō's eyes.
That damn Susanoo again…
Run—now!
Supported by two trusted captains, Danzō fled.
Yusuke pursued without hesitation.
"One-Sword Style: Twin Dragon Flash!"
The two captains turned back.
"Lord Danzō, go!"
"We'll hold him!"
Danzō nodded coldly.
"Then I leave it to you."
He turned and ran—utterly abandoning dignity.
The captains blocked the flying slashes, then charged Yusuke in suicidal desperation.
"Genjutsu: Falling Mist!"
"Konoha-Style Swordsmanship: Crescent Moon Dance!"
They fought with everything they had—
never realizing Yusuke before them was merely a shadow clone.
The real Yusuke was already ahead, waiting.
Panting, Danzō finally reached the Root base exit.
Seeing daylight, joy surfaced on his face.
If he escaped—there was still hope.
He could recover… and deal with Yusuke later.
"Yo, Danzō."
"Why so slow?"
A calm voice echoed ahead.
Danzō froze.
"Uchiha… Yusuke?"
"How are you here?!"
Yusuke smiled.
"You didn't seriously think two pieces of trash could stop me, did you?"
Danzō's expression twisted.
With no escape left, madness bloomed.
"If I'm dying—"
"I'm taking you with me!"
He tore open his robes, exposing his chest, preparing to activate the Reverse Four Symbols Seal…
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