"Go on," Danzo commanded sternly.
"Yes." The Root ninja's voice trembled, a mix of fear and anxiety evident. "Due to the exposure of these photos, the people of Konoha now harbor deep hatred for you. Not only that, Fujiwara Kirito has stirred the pot further, claiming that you were the masked man who controlled the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha. Many are now petitioning the Fifth Hokage to arrest you and bring you to justice."
Shimura Danzo sat down slowly, his eyes glinting with disdain. "How dare she? That immature girl Tsunade? If I hadn't eliminated most of the strong contenders for the Hokage position over the years, she would never have become the Fifth Hokage."
"Go. Guard the entrance to the base. Anyone who dares to enter without my permission is to be killed."
"Yes—"
As the first Root ninja left, another entered.
"What now?" Danzo asked impatiently.
"Nothing," the second ninja replied, his tone uncharacteristically reckless.
"You insolent fool. How dare you address me like that?" Danzo's temper flared. His already foul mood worsened by the apparent disrespect.
Then he froze, his instincts kicking in. "You're not 'C,' are you?"
"Of course not." The ninja stomped the ground, activating a barrier to isolate the room from sound and chakra. Removing his mask, he revealed a face that haunted Danzo's nightmares.
"Don't move." Kirito's voice cut like steel as Danzo instinctively reached to break the seal on his right hand. In an instant, Kirito appeared before him, his Zanpakutō slashing through Danzo's puppet-like left arm, destroying his right eye, and pinning his sealed palm to the table.
"This blade severed your left arm once before. It carries the same essence as the Shikigami Fuujin. If you try to move, I'll take your head. Even the Impure World Reincarnation won't save you."
Danzo struggled to maintain composure. "What do you want? What about 'C'?" His voice quivered despite his attempts to sound calm.
For a man who preached sacrifice to others, the taste of helplessness was bitter and unfamiliar. He had wielded power through manipulation, yet now, he was no better than an ordinary man, stripped of his defenses.
"'C'? Do you truly care about one of your pawns? Spare me the delay tactics. I've sealed this room. No one will come to save you," Kirito sneered, swiftly tapping Danzo's acupoints, sealing every chakra point he could.
In Danzo's shocked gaze, Kirito used the Transformation Jutsu to mirror Danzo's appearance. Feeling his chakra paralyzed, Danzo realized even his Four Symbols Seal was useless now.
Staring at the identical face before him, fear flickered in Danzo's eyes. "Don't push me. I'm from the—" Danzo began, only to be silenced by Kirito's cold, disdainful glare.
"Don't you preach sacrifice for the greater good? Today, you'll have the honor of sacrificing for Konoha," Kirito mocked, silencing Danzo with a pressure point strike. Disguising himself as Danzo, he commanded the Root ninjas to assemble, explaining it as an execution for the 'traitor' C.
Kirito ordered the Root to surrender to the Fifth Hokage's Anbu after his 'departure,' ensuring they would serve Tsunade loyally if he were to die. As for Danzo's offspring, Kirito saw no reason to taint their future over their father's sins.
After dismissing the Root, Kirito returned to Danzo's quarters, undoing the mute seal. "What are you doing, Fujiwara Kirito?" Danzo bellowed, his face contorted in rage.
"Simple. I'm giving you a chance to live. Congratulations, Danzo. As of tomorrow, you're a rogue ninja," Kirito smirked.
"You can't do this! I've bled for Konoha!" Danzo howled, his voice filled with desperation.
"Your fate is sealed, Danzo. You've schemed against countless others. Now it's your turn to feel the sting of betrayal," Kirito retorted. To add insult to injury, he extracted the Root's Tongue Eradication Seal and implanted it in Danzo before imprisoning him within the system warehouse.
Danzo's story ended there. He would resurface in three years, not for redemption but as a tool to train Nibali's eye powers.
After leaving the Root base, Kirito chose not to seek out Tsunade or Kurenai Yuhi, who were occupied with village duties. Instead, he returned to the hot spring inn where Pakura awaited him.
The sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the woods in a serene golden glow. Pakura greeted him warmly, offering to remove his Akatsuki robe. But before she could, the ring on Kirito's finger pulsed with a familiar call.
Exchanging a glance with Pakura, Kirito sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, and entered the phantom body state.
In the dark Akatsuki cave, surrounded by shadowy figures illuminated by a faint flame, Kirito grinned. "Hey, everyone. How have you been?"
(End of Chapter)
Want to read 70 more chapters check out my patreon!!!
https://www.patreon.com/john_smith_
Every 300 Power Stones+1 (5 ⭐ Review) = 1 Chapter+1Chapter