Seeing the deranged Shimura Danzō and the Root ninja hurling themselves forward without regard for their lives.
Shikaku Nara could only give up on trying to persuade them. Without hesitation, he ordered the Jonin Commander to advance alongside the Anbu and the Konoha Military Police Force.
"Shikaku-senpai, I need your help with something."
Uchiha Itachi, standing beside Shikaku Nara, spoke softly. Shikaku glanced at him and nodded.
"All right."
Clang—
The clash of kunai rang out.
In the blink of an eye, the Root ninja's frenzied charge had closed the distance between the two sides to less than thirty meters.
Several Anbu wielding standard-issue long swords had only just intercepted the first assault when a dozen or so Root ninja broke through with another attack, heedless of their lives.
The Jonin Commander's target was Shimura Danzō, who had remained huddled in the rear.
Unfortunately, ten Root ninja were still guarding Danzo.
Among them, Yamanaka Fū periodically used his secret technique to interrupt members of the Konoha Military Police Force who were preparing to bypass Root and confront Shimura Danzō.
"Yamanaka Fū! Are you still going to persist in your delusions?!"
Working together with Akimichi Chōza, Inoichi Yamanaka stopped an attack from a Jonin who had been taken over by the Mind Body Switch Technique.
Then he charged straight at Yamanaka Fū.
He shouted at Yamanaka Fū, who was about to use his secret technique again.
Yamanaka Fū leaped backward, evading Inoichi Yamanaka's attack.
He said coldly, "Lord Danzo is Konoha's only hope."
He then tried to get around Inoichi Yamanaka and return to guarding Shimura Danzō.
After all, Inoichi Yamanaka had not become the Yamanaka Clan's head by being ordinary. Facing him now,
Fū could not spare any attention for Lord Danzo.
Yamanaka Fū's words made Inoichi Yamanaka's temples throb. How could he let Fū have his way? He stepped forward to keep him occupied.
Although Shimura Danzō charged toward Uchiha Itachi as if possessed, he kept an eye on the ninja Hiruzen had sent, who were engaged with his Root subordinates.
He could not help sneering. Were they holding back from killing because they were concerned that many of the Root ninja were members of their own clans?
Hiruzen's subordinates really were foolish.
Shimura Danzō bit his finger and rapidly formed hand seals.
"Summoning Technique!"
A giant dream-eating beast, Baku, appeared on the battlefield.
Its trunklike nose swept roughly through the members of the Konoha Military Police Force blocking Shimura Danzō's path.
It then charged straight toward Uchiha Itachi.
Shimura Danzō intended to use his summoned beast's enormous size to quickly seize Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyo.
Shikaku Nara crouched low and raised both hands, intending to intercept the giant summoned beast with the Shadow Binding Technique.
But the dream-eating beast Baku, which had been charging straight ahead, came to an abrupt halt.
It opened its enormous, fang-filled mouth and sucked fiercely in the direction of Shikaku Nara and Uchiha Itachi.
In an instant, the powerful suction engulfed them both.
Shimura Danzō shouted like a madman, "Get over here!"
The next second, the powerful suction tore a large chunk of earth from the ground, pulling Shikaku Nara and Uchiha Itachi toward the dream-eating beast Baku's gaping mouth.
Shikaku Nara rapidly formed hand seals.
"Ninja Art: Shadow Gathering Technique!"
The shadow beneath Shikaku Nara came alive, turning into tentacles that pierced through the chunks of earth underfoot and burrowed firmly into the ground.
One of the tentacles wrapped around Uchiha Itachi as well.
Only then did they stop the dream-eating beast Baku's powerful suction.
In that instant, Uchiha Itachi formed hand seals and spat out fire dragons formed from Chakra compressed to its limit.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique!"
Four enormous fire dragons emerged from Uchiha Itachi's mouth, attacking the dream-eating beast Baku's massive body from above, below, left, and right.
Boom—!
Upon striking their target, the enormous fire dragons exploded, scorching the dream-eating beast Baku with blazing flames.
Awooo—!
Despite the dream-eating beast Baku's enormous size, its defenses were only average.
And the attack had been fire damage. Uchiha Itachi's Dragon Flame Song Technique soon had it howling as it burned.
Poof—!
Baku's summoning was canceled.
Without even looking at Baku as it retreated, burned, Shimura Danzō formed hand seals again and drew a deep breath.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"
Shimura Danzō's mouth was like a machine gun, spitting out a continuous stream of compressed Wind Release waves that shot toward Uchiha Itachi with tremendous piercing power.
Worried that his technique would restrict Uchiha Itachi's movements, Shikaku Nara immediately released it.
At the same time, Uchiha Itachi made use of the chunks of earth that the dream-eating beast Baku had just sucked into the air.
He leaped from one to another, dodging Shimura Danzō's Wind Release.
Meanwhile, he spat out a succession of fireballs, sending them scattering straight toward Shimura Danzō.
Shimura Danzō had no choice but to stop and leap out of the way.
Sizzle—!
Shimura Danzō had just dodged Uchiha Itachi's fireballs when a flame-covered shuriken struck him in the back.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Uchiha Itachi had now landed, and his hands rose and fell as though he were manipulating something.
The fireballs Danzo had dodged all turned back as though locked onto him, attacking Shimura Danzō from every direction.
"Chakra Threads!"
Only then did Shimura Danzō realize what Uchiha Itachi was doing, and he tried to leap away.
"Ninja Art: Shadow Sewing Technique!"
Shikaku Nara, who had been waiting nearby for some time, seized the moment when the fireballs had restricted Shimura Danzō's escape routes.
He used another ninjutsu. The shadow beneath his feet immediately took physical form, becoming a dozen or so ropes that shot forward and grabbed Shimura Danzō's ankles as he jumped.
They then bound Shimura Danzō's limbs like vines.
Uchiha Itachi, who had been manipulating the Chakra Threads, released his Chakra and flicked his hands.
The shuriken, no longer wreathed in flames, all returned to Uchiha Itachi's hands.
"Excellent technique and Chakra control."
Holding his fingers upright to maintain his ninjutsu, Shikaku Nara saw Uchiha Itachi's fluid movements and could not help praising him.
"Thank you, senpai."
Uchiha Itachi bowed and replied calmly, saying nothing more.
"Inoichi!"
Seeing this, Shikaku Nara called out to Inoichi Yamanaka, who had already dealt with the criminal from his own clan.
Inoichi Yamanaka hurried over and shouted at Shimura Danzō, who was still struggling:
"Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique!"
In an instant, Shimura Danzō's pupils went unfocused, and he stopped struggling.
Uchiha Itachi waved a hand, and an Anbu who had been waiting nearby stepped forward and produced a scroll.
"Release!"
The thing sealed inside the scroll shot straight toward Shimura Danzō.
It became a set of restraints, binding Shimura Danzō tightly.
Seeing that the mastermind behind everything had been captured, Shikaku Nara shouted across the battlefield, "Shimura Danzō has been captured! All Root ninja, surrender immediately!"
Shikaku Nara then pulled out a kunai and pressed it against the neck of the now-unconscious Shimura Danzō.
There was no helping it. The Root ninja had all been brainwashed by Shimura Danzō.
Without resorting to this, Shikaku Nara was genuinely afraid the Root ninja would continue fighting to mutual destruction.