A cruel smile appeared on Haru's face as he raised his ninja blade and charged at Hiruzen.
Hiruzen had already exhausted his previous momentum, and fresh strength had yet to come. Watching Haru close in on him, panic surged through his heart.
He desperately wanted to move faster, but in the blink of an eye, Haru had already shifted behind him.
Slash!
Blood splashed.
A cut was carved across Hiruzen's back, though it was not fatal. Haru was deliberately holding back. Killing Hiruzen in one strike would have been too wasteful.
"Ahhh!!!"
Hiruzen let out a cry of pain and collapsed to the ground, but even now he refused to give up.
I haven't become Hokage yet. I haven't fulfilled Teacher's last wish. How can I fall here?
Hiruzen's will remained firm as he struggled to rise, but Haru gave him no chance and struck again.
"AAAAHHHH!!!!"
Hiruzen cried out once more.
Listening to the screams, Haru felt his mood improve.
Mercy toward an enemy was cruelty toward yourself.
Standing among the spectators, Danzo already had tears running down his face. His good brother was being tormented by Haru and was about to die right in front of him.
Danzo desperately wanted to rush out and beat Haru down.
But he couldn't.
The head of the Shimura Clan held Danzo's arm in a death grip, staring at him sternly as he said in a low voice,
"You are the clan's genius. You are the Shimura Clan's hope. It's not worth losing your life for Hiruzen."
For a small clan, every jonin was as precious as life itself.
Danzo was facing the second great choice of his life.
Would he step forward bravely, or stay silent again like last time?
He could feel his body trembling.
He was afraid, just like he had been back on the battlefield.
"AAAAHHHH!!!!"
Hiruzen's cries kept echoing in Danzo's ears, forcing him to decide.
Hiruzen!
This time I won't lose to you again!
Danzo suddenly broke free of the clan head's grip and rushed into the arena.
The trembling in his body stopped.
Danzo's eyes became resolute.
This time, he would not lose.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!"
Danzo formed hand seals rapidly and spat out compressed air bullets toward Haru's head.
Clang!
Haru turned as if he had eyes on the back of his head and blocked with his blade, sparks flying from the impact.
Then Haru turned fully toward Danzo and gave him a meaningful smile, as if he had known all along that Danzo would jump in from behind.
Finally, I got you out here.
Joy rose in Haru's heart.
What was the fun in killing only Hiruzen?
If Hiruzen was going down, then at the very least he needed someone to accompany him on the road to the Pure Land.
And Danzo was the perfect choice.
One life, two brothers.
Off to the afterlife together.
"How dare you!!!"
Takuya shouted furiously. Someone had actually dared to launch a sneak attack from behind.
Which clan did this fool belong to?
Did he have a death wish?
Every eye in the room turned toward Danzo. Inabi practically wanted to jump in on the spot and kill Danzo where he stood.
It's over.
The Shimura Clan is finished.
The Shimura Clan head's face had gone pale. He was already thinking about arranging the clan's aftermath and quickly sending the younger seeds out of Konoha.
At least that way, the Shimura Clan would still leave behind a spark and not be wiped out entirely.
Haru patted his chest in exaggerated fashion and turned toward Mito.
"Hmph. Mito-sama, I was in the middle of a life-and-death duel with Hiruzen, and Danzo suddenly rushed in with a sneak attack. I was nearly killed."
"How do you think this should be handled?"
Mito looked at Danzo with icy eyes and answered directly,
"Kill him."
"The Shimura Clan will be expelled from Konoha."
Excellent.
Haru was very satisfied with that answer.
Mito truly was someone who had survived since the Warring States Era. When it was time to be decisive, she did not hesitate in the slightest.
"Then I'll do it myself."
Haru kicked away Hiruzen's hand, which was in the way, and turned to Danzo.
Hiruzen's blood-covered face lifted toward Danzo. He could not understand why Danzo had stepped out only to throw away his life.
Danzo gave Hiruzen a smile, then charged Haru with a kunai in hand, intending to fight him head-on.
So he really wanted to die?
Haru almost laughed.
Danzo's actions were no different from a moth flying into a flame. He looked utterly bent on death. No matter what happened, he was not leaving Konoha alive today.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Blade and kunai collided again and again, sparks flying everywhere. At first Danzo could still block Haru's attacks, but before long he began fumbling and could no longer keep up with Haru's speed.
Slash!
The blade tore through the air with a sharp whine as it struck Danzo. Then Haru followed with a kick that sent him flying.
Danzo rolled across the ground again and again until he stopped beside Hiruzen.
"This game should be about over."
Haru lowered his blade, and a Lava Release Rasenshuriken appeared in his hand.
He intended to use it to send both Danzo and Hiruzen off to meet the Sage of Six Paths.
Danzo would become a madman in the future. He was the kind of man who would carve the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing into his own body just so he could drag an enemy down with him when his life ran out.
Haru had no idea whether Danzo was already that crazy now.
To be safe, it was better to kill them with the Lava Release Rasenshuriken.
There was no bridge here, after all.
"Sayonara."
Haru gave Hiruzen and Danzo a gentle smile, hoping they would have a pleasant next life.
He still considered himself a rather gentle person.
Then Haru hurled the Lava Release Rasenshuriken at them.
Boom!
An explosion erupted, followed by a blinding white flash that left everyone present stunned by the power of the technique.
S-rank forbidden technique.
It had to be an S-rank forbidden technique.
Using a move like that to send off Hiruzen and Danzo was more than enough honor for them.
At last the harsh light faded, leaving behind a giant crater.
Hiruzen and Danzo were gone from the world completely.
Not even a trace remained.
Haa, that feels better.
Haru let out a long, easy breath.
At last, he had removed two of Konoha's future scourges.
According to the original timeline, after Hiruzen's death, Konoha had nearly failed to even choose another Hokage, and its strength had fallen to an unbelievable level.
Without Naruto's rise, Konoha probably would have been doomed to destruction.
And the ones most responsible for that outcome were Hiruzen and Danzo.
But none of that would happen now.
(End of Chapter)
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