The battlefield was momentarily silent, yet the air crackled with an energy that sent shivers down the spines of those present. Uchiha Madara's movements, sharp and deliberate, left the audience in awe. Every flick of his wrist, every precise step—his actions were like an elegant dance, mesmerizing yet terrifying.
For a moment, even Senju Hashirama, the man who had once been his greatest rival and closest friend, couldn't hide his admiration. His eyes sparkled with an almost childlike excitement as he turned toward his younger brother.
"Tobirama! Did you see that?! Madara is incredible!"
Senju Tobirama merely snorted, his arms crossed over his chest. "Hmph. I'm not blind, Brother."
On the other side, Uchiha Izuna smirked, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "As expected of my elder brother… If that wretched Danzo hadn't already been dealt with, I would have personally erased him from existence."
The sheer display of Uchiha Madara's dominance left everyone spellbound. Even among the younger generation, the sight had an undeniable effect. Uchiha Sasuke, standing within his Susanoo, swallowed hard.
His mind raced as he compared his previous battle against Danzo. He had thought himself strong, powerful even. But now, watching his ancestor in action, he realized just how much he still lacked.
"My fight with Danzo… compared to this, it was nothing more than a child's game. This is what true power looks like. This is the strength of the Uchiha."
He clenched his fists, his Sharingan spinning wildly. One day, he, too, would be able to command such power. One day, he would ask his enemy the same chilling question:
"Do you want to dance too?"
But before he could get lost in his thoughts, another voice pulled him back to reality.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Uchiha Madara's voice rang out, and a massive fireball formed in the air, growing larger with each passing second. It swelled until it was no longer just a fireball—it was a blazing sun, burning with a fury that turned the battlefield into a sea of flames.
Danzo, who had been watching from a distance, was initially unimpressed.
"Hahahahaha! Uchiha Madara, do you truly believe that a mere C-rank fire technique is enough to defeat me?!"
His arrogance lasted only a moment. As the fireball expanded, swallowing the sky itself, Danzo's smirk faltered. His eyes widened in sheer horror.
"This… this isn't a fireball… This is a disaster!"
He tried to move, but before he could even react, Uchiha Madara was in front of him. His hand shot out like lightning, seizing Danzo by the throat and lifting him effortlessly into the air.
"It's so pitiful," Madara mused, tilting his head slightly. "You can't even dance?"
Danzo's body trembled as he struggled in vain against the iron grip crushing his windpipe.
"In that case, there's no need for you to remain in this world any longer."
Panic took hold of Danzo's expression, but even in his desperation, he refused to die without resistance.
"Heh… hahahahaha…" His laughter was weak but defiant. "Madara… You underestimate me… I am Danzo Shimura… The root of Konoha… I will not fall so easily!"
With the last of his strength, Danzo formed a final hand seal.
"Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Jutsu!"
A black pattern spread rapidly across his body, spiraling outward in all directions. His final act of defiance—if he was going to die, he would take Uchiha Madara with him.
But Madara merely sighed, his eyes showing nothing but indifference.
"Pathetic."
In an instant, Danzo's body was flung high into the air as if he were nothing more than discarded trash. The black seals continued expanding, devouring everything in their path—yet they never reached Madara.
As the explosion consumed Danzo, he caught sight of something drifting past him—a single, delicate leaf.
His eyes widened as memories flooded his mind.
"The leaves of the village… dancing in the wind…"
He recalled the moment he had stood beside Hiruzen Sarutobi as they worked together to rebuild Konoha. The days when they had once fought for a brighter future. When had it all gone wrong? When had he become… this?
A sudden realization hit him.
"I was never the root. I was nothing more than a shadow."
And then—he was gone.
The explosion sent a powerful shockwave across the battlefield. As the dust settled, the only thing left was silence.
Uchiha Madara dusted off his sleeve, looking down at the spot where Danzo had been.
"Hmph. Such a waste of my time."
Souta Kazuki, who had been watching the battle from the sidelines, finally let out a breath. "So that's it… Danzo is gone for good."
He turned toward the psychic space, where Danzo's soul fire had now appeared. Souta glanced at the golden interface of the system, confirming the price to resurrect him.
"50 million ryo… and for what? Danzo was never worth that much."
Instead, Souta turned his attention to another option.
"A golden summon—100 million ryo."
He made his decision.
"Psychic Art!"
The golden magic circle formed once more, and this time, from within it emerged—
Uchiha Itachi.
The moment his form materialized, Itachi's eyelids fluttered open, and confusion filled his gaze.
"I… was dead."
The last thing he remembered was his battle against Sasuke. The pain of his illness. His final moments. But now, as he looked around, he saw familiar faces.
His younger brother. His parents. Shisui.
A sharp pain struck his head as Uchiha Shisui smacked him without hesitation.
"Itachi," Shisui said, his expression unreadable. "What the hell were you thinking?"
Itachi lowered his head slightly, recognizing the voice of his dearest friend. "Shisui… I—"
"You took everything onto yourself. You bore every burden alone. Do you think that was the right choice?"
Itachi was silent.
Shisui let out a deep breath before placing a firm hand on Itachi's shoulder. "You were never alone, Itachi. No matter what you've done, no matter the choices you've made—we bear this together."
Itachi closed his eyes, allowing the words to sink in.
No matter how heavy the weight of his sins, his clan still stood with him.
Escape would not solve anything. Death was not the answer.
It was time to face everything.