"Hiruzen-sensei, retreat!"
Orochimaru, who had just returned to the ground, saw Danzo's suicidal attack. His mind raced, and he instantly recalled the methods Danzo used in his final battle in a future vision.
His pupils contracted, and Orochimaru shouted, extending the Sky's Blade from his sleeve and the dark chakra within his body.
Seeing Orochimaru enter, Danzo not only showed no surprise or worry but burst into laughter.
"It's useless, you'll all die here with me!"
"Fūinjutsu: Shishifūjin!"
Danzo tightly gripped Hiruzen Sarutobi's arm with his right hand and tore open his chest garment. The black Four Symbols Seal inscribed on his chest flashed with light, then splashed outwards like flowing water.
The Four Symbols Seal suddenly detached from Danzo's chest, forming a circular outline around him.
Hiruzen's heart pounded with shock, never expecting Danzo to have carved such a forbidden jutsu onto his own chest.
"Enma, you leave first!"
Before King Enma could express his concern, Hiruzen forcibly dispelled the summoning, sending him back.
Danzo paid no attention to the departure of an animal, his eyes solely focused on the few individuals who had ruined all his efforts.
As long as he killed them all here, the entire Konoha would be his to command.
"Hiruzen, the will of Root will never disappear!"
"I will prove to the ninja world that I, Danzo Shimura, am the strongest Hokage who can lead Konoha to its peak!"
Orochimaru sneered, the Sky's Blade sweeping across the spot where Danzo held Hiruzen's right arm. Simultaneously, he controlled the black tentacles, grabbing all the ninjas within the Shishifūjin's range, pulling Tsunade by his side, and charging towards the tunnel exit without hesitation.
"Damn you, Orochimaru!"
"Ah..."
The Shishifūjin erupted violently, the black sealing script transforming into a giant sphere that annihilated everything, silently engulfing the entire Root base.
Danzo's unwilling roar of rage was cut short.
The ANBU members, saved by Orochimaru, looked at the spherical void that had appeared out of nowhere, swallowing hard with lingering fear, their hearts filled with immense gratitude towards Orochimaru for saving their lives.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, witnessing the devastation wrought by the Shishifūjin, was shocked and filled with a mix of emotions.
"Alas!"
"We were fellow disciples. Even though I intended to root out impurity for Tobirama-sensei, I still hoped to preserve your dignity in the end."
"But I never imagined you would resort to such a drastic measure..."
Orochimaru, retracting the tentacles wrapped around the ANBU, couldn't help but let out a scoff. To everyone's surprise, he shook his head and said:
"Hiruzen-sensei, Danzo isn't that easy to kill!"
Tsunade's face contorted with disbelief.
"How is that possible!"
"Shishifūjin is a forbidden jutsu of the Uzumaki clan. Once it erupts, it can annihilate everything within its range."
"Furthermore, Danzo used his own body as the vessel to activate Shishifūjin, there's absolutely no possibility of him surviving!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was aware of this, nodded in agreement.
"Orochimaru, Tsunade is right!"
"Danzo is dead!"
"Let's go!"
"Later, I'll have someone fill this place in. Such a large space, I'm worried about the Hokage Rock above."
Orochimaru maintained his opinion. Seeing that no one believed him, he chuckled and reminded them:
"Sensei, have you forgotten? Danzo's right eye is Shisui-senpai's Mangekyo Sharingan!"
"According to records, as long as a Uchiha member awakens the Three Tomoe Sharingan, they can sacrifice one eye to perform a jutsu called Izanagi!"
"And Izanagi... is a forbidden jutsu that can rewrite reality and revert one's state to the past!"
Having said that, Orochimaru's gaze drifted towards a shadowy corner that exuded malice and killing intent.
He couldn't resist adding a teasing remark:
"Am I right..."
"Lord Danzo!"
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and they followed Orochimaru's gaze.
Danzo, hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to escape, harbored a hatred for Orochimaru that surpassed anything in his life. He had intended to sneak out of Konoha unnoticed after everyone left, hoping to stage a comeback.
As for a sneak attack...
After witnessing Orochimaru's bizarre abilities, Danzo had given up all hope.
But he hadn't expected Orochimaru's knowledge of him to be so detailed, truly leaving him no room to breathe!
He fumbled in his pockets and pulled out two smoke bombs, throwing one at his feet and tossing the other towards the group.
"Boom boom!"
With two explosions, the specially made smoke instantly blinded the ANBU members.
Danzo, keeping his sightless right eye shut, moved his feet. Under the cover of the smoke, he used Body Flicker Technique to leap past everyone and fled madly towards the surface.
Outside, Hatake Sakumo, who had just finished collecting Hiruzen's corpse, sensed the terrifying chakra fluctuations from the Shishifūjin's eruption and was startled. He instinctively rushed into the tunnel.
As fate would have it, he ran headfirst into Danzo Shimura, who was also rushing towards the surface.
"Sakumo, stop him!"
Hiruzen, who was chasing behind, saw him and rejoiced, shouting urgently at Hatake Sakumo.
Hearing the command, Hatake Sakumo instinctively drew his sword and swung.
"Swish!"
With a soft sound, Danzo Shimura stood frozen, his single eye wide with confusion.
"Clatter!"
Under everyone's shocked gazes, Danzo Shimura's head cleanly separated from his body and rolled down the slope, stopping just at Hiruzen Sarutobi's feet.
"This..."
"Elder Danzo is this weak?"
"Or has my strength suddenly increased?"
Hatake Sakumo looked at his ordinary short sword, a look of disbelief on his face.
This was understandable. Although Izanagi could alter reality, exempting all unfavorable factors, and even grant the user a temporary state of invincibility.
However, this forbidden jutsu had a flaw.
It could not restore the user's sightless eye or the chakra that had been consumed!
After successive battles, coupled with the consumption of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Danzo, who was never known for his vast chakra reserves, had consecutively used Izanagi and Shishifūjin, leaving his body utterly drained.
Worse still, Orochimaru had led everyone to block the tunnel exit and leisurely explained the principles of Izanagi, completely wearing out Danzo's meager three minutes of invincibility.
With a body almost devoid of chakra, facing Hatake Sakumo's sudden attack.
Orochimaru could only comment on Danzo's fate: "Serves him right!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo's unseeing eye exchanged a glance in the tunnel, both with a look of melancholy.
"Danzo, oh Danzo..."
"You truly are the most..."
Orochimaru almost couldn't contain himself. Suppressing the urge to laugh, he gave a thumbs-up to the bewildered Hatake Sakumo, then turned to Hiruzen and said:
"Hiruzen-sensei, for the operation to eliminate the rogue ninja Hiruzen and Danzo Shimura, Senpai Sakumo and his ANBU unit deserve the highest credit!"
"What do you think?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up in surprise and, meeting Orochimaru's meaningful gaze, suddenly understood.
He wouldn't have to bear the stigma of killing a fellow disciple, and Orochimaru and Tsunade wouldn't have to worry about being branded as matricides. Having Hatake Sakumo, an 'outsider,' take the blame was truly the best solution.
As for the credit...
They were all pillars of Konoha; the more credit they received, the better!
The master and disciple exchanged glances and suddenly burst into laughter.
Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Orochimaru's arm with a look of satisfaction before turning his attention to the somewhat flustered Sakumo.
"Hmm..."
"Sakumo!"
"Orochimaru is right. In this operation, you quickly assembled your forces and formed a formation, preventing any possibility of the rogue ninjas escaping."
"You then assisted Orochimaru in eliminating the rogue ninja Hiruzen, and finally, you slayed the ringleader, Danzo Shimura!"
"You are undeniably deserving of this merit!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his short beard with a smile, suddenly feeling the urge to smoke. After a moment of contemplation, he added:
"In this battle, you are credited with the highest merit, and Orochimaru with the second highest!"
"I will inform all of Konoha later. Your contribution to Konoha's stability will inspire every ninja in Konoha!"
Hatake Sakumo, being a perceptive individual, understood Hiruzen's intentions behind this arrangement. He cast a resentful glance at Orochimaru, who had carelessly offered the suggestion, feeling like a mere tool being used to cover for the master and disciple.
Fine!
Although he had always been acting as a tool, being suddenly put on the spot by Orochimaru made Hatake Sakumo feel utterly uncomfortable...