Looking at the devastated battlefield around him and the lingering chakra in the air, Ōnoki's face had gone beyond pale with rage.
Suspended in midair, his small frame heaved like a bellows.
His fury was nearly bursting from his eyes.
A Tailed Beast, as a strategic weapon of a ninja village, was of paramount importance.
Not only did it serve as a powerful deterrent against enemies, but if its power could be fully controlled, Iwagakure could ensure at least two Kage-level combatants for generations to come.
If one could achieve a perfect Jinchūriki state like that kid from Kumogakure, they could enter Tailed Beast Mode and unleash Tailed Beast Bombs like a living artillery battery.
That was the key.
But now, one of Iwagakure's only two Jinchūriki was gone.
It was unclear whether Konoha had killed or captured them.
Either way, it was an unacceptable loss for Iwagakure.
Especially since it had happened right under his nose…
Originally, the plan was to join forces with Kumogakure and deliver a heavy blow to Konoha.
But before even encountering Danzō, he had suffered a major setback himself.
This outcome sent Ōnoki into a seething rage.
"Shimura Danzō! I will never forgive you!"
His figure shot up rapidly, flying through the sky at top speed, scanning for enemies.
He gathered immense amounts of energy into his hands and began a relentless bombardment!
Faced with such a berserk assault, Danzō had few good options.
Even though he had an overall view of the battlefield, he could only command a limited number of squads at a time.
Likewise, the movement speed of these squads had its limits.
Despite immediately issuing a retreat order to the surrounding squads, some were still caught by the furious Ōnoki and turned to dust under the power of Dust Release.
Meanwhile, the remaining Iwagakure and Kumogakure ninja had grouped together.
They meticulously checked their surroundings, fearing the presence of a Flying Thunder God seal.
The fate of the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki had served as a stark warning—
The enemy's "Darkness of the Shinobi" was capable of anything. They had to be extremely cautious.
One mistake could be fatal.
Underground, Danzō observed everything.
"What a pity," he muttered regretfully.
If the enemy had continued to split up, Minato might have been able to strike again and inflict more casualties.
But this was to be expected.
Losing a Tailed Beast was a major blow—Ōnoki would have been a fool not to adapt.
"Lord Danzo, what are your orders?"
On the split body of Katsuyu, Shikaku inquired.
While Konoha's guerrilla tactics had been effective, the loss of their main base had created a major issue—
Resupply had become extremely difficult.
Enemy infiltrators were everywhere, and all major supply routes had been cut off.
Each squad had only been carrying three days' worth of rations for mobility's sake, and now, they were nearing their limits.
If this continued, Konoha would have to find alternative ways to resupply these guerrilla units.
Danzō rejected that idea outright.
Now that the allied enemy forces had regrouped under Ōnoki's command, they had shifted strategies—no longer recklessly advancing but methodically breaking through Konoha's defensive perimeter step by step.
If the enemy forces continued advancing and managed to leave this complex terrain behind, the next stretch would be open plains.
At that point, if their main army reached Konoha's doorstep...
Furthermore, this war had already dragged on for a long time.
The entire northern region of the Land of Fire had been devastated.
If they didn't reclaim it soon and restore production, countless people would perish.
Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed in Danzō's eyes.
"Has the screening of the command center personnel been completed?"
The voice on the other end suddenly grew heavy.
"With Haiichi's assistance, we've successfully identified the mole."
Danzō sneered.
From the very beginning, he had never intended to trust everyone completely.
Iwagakure and Kumogakure had been fighting Konoha for years, and espionage between them was rampant.
So, in addition to tightly securing the command center, he had also ordered Yamanaka Haiichi—an expert in intelligence gathering—to secretly verify each individual.
As expected, one of the command center's ninja had a sealed memory—a curse that would automatically destroy the information if accessed, preventing leaks.
Rather than risk breaking the seal, Haiichi had reported the finding directly to Shikaku.
Fortunately, the command center's security was airtight. Even if this spy had obtained information, there was no opportunity to transmit it.
"Since that's the case, proceed as planned."
Danzō narrowed his eyes, his killing intent palpable.
"Leak my location to him. And have everyone prepare for the final assault."
A rare silence fell on the other end.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Danzō frowned.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
The voice of Katsuyu's split body spoke from beside him.
"I mean… isn't this plan a bit too risky?"
Although Danzō couldn't see Shikaku's expression, he could easily imagine his furrowed brow.
Because this plan was incredibly dangerous.
Simply put, it involved using himself as bait to lure the enemy into a decisive battle.
If anything went wrong, the bait—him—would be completely devoured.
That was why Shikaku kept double-checking with such concern.
"If anything unexpected happens, you might not make it out alive."
That was the judgment of Konoha's top strategist.
Danzō merely smiled faintly before his tone grew eerily solemn.
"Shikaku, tell me—how many people have already died in this war?"
"Are you saying that ordinary Konoha shinobi can die, but an elder like me cannot?"
His gaze was sharp, and although he understood that Shikaku was only looking out for his safety, he remained firm:
"To end this war as soon as possible, anyone can die. That includes you—and me."
Shikaku fell completely silent.
Finally, after a long pause, he simply said:
"Understood. I will fully support your plan."
After a few more seconds, he added:
"Good luck, Lord Danzo"
Danzō chuckled, rare amusement in his voice.
"Don't worry. A few petty tricks won't be enough to take me down."
For the first time in a while, he let out a hearty laugh.
After Shikaku ended the communication, Danzō slowly raised a hand and touched his exposed left eye.
At some point, it had transformed into a Mangekyō Sharingan.
As it activated, a rebellious smirk played on his lips.
"Don't disappoint me… all of you."
(If you're wondering, there's no romance in this novel. Just a lot of testosterone.)
_
This Danzo Is Weird 430 advanced chapters: (5-10 ch updates everyday)
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