Where Leaves Dance, Fire Burns

Withered, twisted trees like tormented ghosts from hell spread wildly around the Hokage office building.

This area was quickly sealed off by dense, withered wood, forming a barrier that cut off all prying eyes from the outside.

A large number of Konoha Anbu ninjas attempted to approach, only to be pierced through the body by the frantically growing wood; screams rang out one after another, chilling to the bone.

For a time, no one outside could effectively approach, let alone provide support.

At this moment, a large number of Root members also arrived from all directions.

Upon first seeing this terrifying scene, they felt a moment of hesitation, but when they discovered that the other party in the standoff was none other than the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, they couldn't help but look at Danzo with complex expressions.

After only a brief hesitation, they ultimately chose to remain loyal to Danzo, silently standing behind him.

Danzo scanned the area slowly, his expression cold and indifferent: "Guard the perimeter. Do not allow anyone to enter. I will handle this personally."

"Yes, Lord Danzo."

The Root members responded in unison and quickly dispersed to secure the surroundings.

Seeing the Root members' absolute obedience, Senju Tobirama cast a cold glance at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his eyes filled with undisguised reproach and dissatisfaction.

Hiruzen lowered his head in silence, his heart surging with unspeakable bitterness and guilt.

At this very moment, Danzo no longer hesitated and suddenly tore away the restraints on his body!

The next instant, a scene of sheer horror unfolded...

Embedded densely across his right arm, shoulder, and even half of his torso were countless scarlet Sharingan.

These eerie eyes opened in unison, their crimson pupils radiating a terrifying, malevolent pressure that made one's scalp tingle.

"Danzo, what have you done..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi whispered in shock, his voice filled with pain and regret.

Danzo stomped his foot, and his entire body erupted with astonishing speed.

The withered wooden blade condensed in his hand slashed out, the edge aimed directly at Tobirama!

Even Tobirama did not expect Danzo to be this swift; he instantly activated the Flying Thunder God technique, his figure vanishing abruptly to dodge the lethal strike in an instant.

This strike...

Was merely a probe...

His true target was not Tobirama...

The moment Tobirama vanished, Danzo's target had already shifted rapidly, lunging straight for Hiruzen Sarutobi!

"Not good!"

Tobirama felt a jolt of alarm, finally understanding Danzo's tactics...

Danzo's target from the very beginning was not him, but the monkey!

Hiruzen hurriedly raised the Adamantine Staff in his hands, barely blocking Danzo's strike...

Yet, his heart was already devoid of any fighting spirit.

Their gazes met, and Danzo's eyes remained unshaken...

While the depths of Hiruzen's eyes were filled with struggle and hesitation.

In an instant, Hiruzen chose to retreat, his steps stumbling and his expression desolate.

A flash of brilliance crossed Danzo's eyes, and his attacks became even more ruthless; the wooden blade struck mercilessly toward Hiruzen's throat, clearly intending to kill him.

In the moment of crisis, Tobirama returned to defend using the Flying Thunder God technique once more, timely blocking Danzo's blade.

Danzo's tactics were now crystal clear!

He knew well that Tobirama possessed the immortal body of the Impure World Reincarnation, and entangling with him was meaningless.

He locked all his attacks onto Hiruzen, forcing Tobirama to defend constantly, thereby stalling for time and creating more opportunities.

This strategy, while simple, was extremely effective.

Especially since Hiruzen was currently riddled with internal conflict and had no intention of clashing with Danzo at full strength.

The Adamantine Staff in his hands swung without power, and he was even somewhat clumsy and flustered, failing to form any effective counterattack.

He was unwilling to truly kill Danzo, with whom he had worked his entire life, yet he could not defy the clear orders issued by his teacher, Tobirama.

This contradiction left him completely muddled, and for a time, he allowed Danzo's lethal strikes to rain down, leaving his own defenses riddled with openings.

"Damn it..."

Tobirama's gaze grew sharper, yet he became secretly anxious.

A trace of doubt even flashed through his mind:

How could Danzo know so clearly about the immortal characteristics of the Impure World Reincarnation?

Who told him?

If it were Orochimaru, the situation might still be acceptable...

But if it were that Uchiha Yuan himself who knew...

That matter had far exceeded his expectations, becoming exceptionally thorny and dangerous.

The asymmetry of intelligence information caused Tobirama to ponder further.

At this very moment, as Tobirama contemplated, the withered wooden blade in Danzo's hand erupted once again with a powerful, evil force...

The blade tore through the air, its speed far surpassing what it had been just moments before...

The withered wooden longsword in Danzo's hand had already condensed an extreme amount of power, the scarlet Sharingan's ocular prowess surging wildly, thrusting straight toward Hiruzen Sarutobi's chest with an almost suffocating sense of oppression.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi had long since lost any thought of counterattacking; he stood there silently...

His gaze revealed a heavy sense of exhaustion and resignation, the Adamantine Staff in his hand hanging limply, his eyes filled with nothing but self-reproach and bewilderment.

Perhaps, ending his life at Danzo's hands was the most fitting conclusion for the two of them.

Over these years, the countless internal struggles, forbearance, and compromises within Konoha had long since worn down his will; this sharp blade before him had, instead, become a form of release.

However, at the very instant the blade was about to pierce Hiruzen Sarutobi's chest, Danzo suddenly slowed his strike and asked softly, "Why, Hiruzen?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not respond, as if he had not heard Danzo's words at all.

It was as if he were immersed in endless memories and self-reproach, having lost the strength to respond.

At this moment, a surge of intense irritation and unwillingness welled up within Danzo's heart.

For some reason, caught in a fit of rage, he...

Suddenly withdrew his longsword, spun around, and delivered a fierce punch to Hiruzen's chest, sending his old friend flying heavily against a nearby wall, kicking up a cloud of dust.

This punch contained all his disappointment!

"As Hokage, you truly are completely unqualified!"

Hiruzen, lying on the ground, struggled slowly to sit up and coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet suddenly the figure of Uchiha Fugaku appeared in his mind, along with those Sharingan eyes that radiated sorrow and determination.

He looked up at the current Danzo...

At the Sharingan on his palm...

A sharp pain pierced his heart...

"That's right... I am indeed not a qualified Hokage."

His words were low and sorrowful, making Danzo's already suppressed emotions even more agitated.

The Sharingan on his palm spun frantically, as if urgently urging him to continue the attack and kill the wavering man before him.

But Danzo restrained his killing intent...

"Do you really not want to resist at all, Hiruzen?"

His emotions continued to rise...

The Sharingan...

Is a power that requires being filled with love...

To evolve...

As his voice fell, the withered wooden blade in his hand once again condensed powerful ocular prowess and chakra, thrusting fiercely toward the fallen Hiruzen Sarutobi, the blade's momentum even more ferocious, vowing to finish him off completely.

At the critical moment, a blue water curtain suddenly rose, like an impenetrable wall, forcibly blocking the lethal blade from the outside.

"Hiruzen! What on earth are you doing!"

Tobirama appeared beside Hiruzen, his roar exploding like thunder, jolting the despondent Hiruzen back to his senses.

"Teacher..."

Hiruzen stared blankly at Tobirama, who stood before him, his eyes filled with guilt and pain, "I..."

"Monkey, how much longer are you going to run away! You are the Hokage of Konoha, not your own Hokage, and certainly not for Danzo's sake!"

Hearing Tobirama's furious words, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart finally trembled slightly.

Danzo spoke at this moment: "Hiruzen, do you still remember your original dream?"

"Wherever the leaves dance, the fire will burn, the shadow of the fire will illuminate the village, and then new leaves will sprout once again... and my dream... was to become that fire..."

At this moment, the Sharingan of Fugaku on Hiruzen's body vanished mysteriously...