Wherever Leaves Dance, Fire Will Burn

Withered, twisted trees spread wildly around the Hokage Office Building like vengeful ghosts struggling in hell.

The area was soon completely sealed off by a dense mass of dead trees, forming a barrier that cut off all outside prying eyes.

A large number of Konoha Anbu ninjas tried to approach, only to have their bodies pierced by the madly growing dead trees. Screams rang out one after another, sending chills down everyone's spine.

For a time, no one outside could get close, much less provide support.

Meanwhile, a large number of Root members rushed over from all directions.

When they first saw the terrifying sight, they hesitated slightly. But upon discovering that the person confronting Danzo was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, they could not help looking at Danzo with complicated expressions.

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

Danzo slowly swept his gaze around, his expression cold and indifferent. "Guard the outside. Do not allow anyone in. I'll handle this personally."

"Yes, Lord Danzo."

The Root members answered in unison, quickly dispersing to stand guard around the area.

Seeing the Root members obey his every command, Senju Tobirama cast Hiruzen Sarutobi a cold glance, his eyes filled with undisguised blame and dissatisfaction.

Hiruzen lowered his head in silence, unable to suppress the bitterness and guilt surging in his heart.

At that moment, Danzo hesitated no longer and suddenly removed the restraints on his body!

The next instant, a horrifying sight appeared...

His right arm, shoulder, and even half his torso were densely embedded with countless scarlet Sharingan.

Those strange eyes opened together, their scarlet pupils radiating terrifying malice and pressure that made everyone's scalp tingle.

"Danzo, what exactly have you done...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured in shock, his voice full of grief.

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

The withered wooden blade formed in his hand suddenly slashed out, its edge aimed straight at Tobirama!

Even Tobirama had not expected Danzo to be so fast. He instantly activated the Flying Thunder God, his figure vanishing as he narrowly avoided the fatal strike.

This slash...

Was only a probe...

Its true target was not Tobirama...

The instant Tobirama disappeared, Danzo rapidly shifted his target and charged straight at Hiruzen Sarutobi!

"Not good!"

Tobirama's heart jolted, and he finally understood Danzo's tactics...

Danzo's target from the beginning had not been him, but Monkey!

Hiruzen hurriedly raised the Adamantine Staff in his hands and barely blocked Danzo's strike...

Yet all fighting spirit had already vanished from his heart.

Their eyes met, and Danzo's gaze did not waver in the slightest...

But Hiruzen's eyes were filled with struggle and hesitation.

In an instant, Hiruzen actually chose to retreat. His steps staggered, his expression bleak.

A sharp light flashed in Danzo's eyes. His attack grew even more vicious as the wooden blade mercilessly shot toward Hiruzen's throat, clearly intending to kill him.

At the critical moment, Tobirama returned once more with the Flying Thunder God and blocked Danzo's blade in time.

Danzo's strategy was now crystal clear!

He knew full well that Tobirama possessed the undying body of the Impure World Reincarnation, so fighting him head-on was meaningless.

He had locked all his attacks onto Hiruzen, forcing Tobirama to constantly defend him. That way, he could stall for time and create more opportunities.

The strategy was simple, but exceptionally effective.

Especially since Hiruzen was currently riddled with inner conflict and had no will to fight Danzo with everything he had.

The Adamantine Staff in his hands carried no force as he swung it. He was even somewhat flustered, completely incapable of mounting an effective counterattack.

He neither wanted to truly kill Danzo, who had worked alongside him for a lifetime, nor could he disobey the clear orders Teacher Tobirama had given him.

The contradiction threw him into complete confusion. For a while, he allowed Danzo's killing moves to come one after another, while even his own defenses became riddled with openings.

"Damn it..."

Tobirama's gaze grew sharper, though anxiety also rose within him.

A trace of doubt even crossed his mind:

Why did Danzo know so clearly about the undying nature of the Impure World Reincarnation?

Who told him?

If it was Orochimaru, then perhaps the situation was still acceptable...

But if that Uchiha Yuan knew it himself...

Then things had far exceeded his expectations and become extraordinarily troublesome and dangerous.

The imbalance of information made Tobirama consider even more possibilities.

Just as Tobirama was lost in thought, the withered wooden blade in Danzo's hand once again erupted with intense evil power...

The blade tore through the air, far faster than before...

The deadwood sword in Danzo's hand had already gathered its ultimate power. The scarlet Sharingan's ocular power surged madly as it stabbed toward Hiruzen Sarutobi's chest with nearly suffocating pressure.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already lost any thought of counterattacking. He simply stood there...

His eyes revealed profound exhaustion and resignation. The Adamantine Staff in his hand hung weakly at his side, and his gaze was filled with nothing but self-reproach and confusion.

Perhaps letting Danzo end his life was the most fitting conclusion for both of them.

Over the years, Konoha's countless internal struggles, endurance, and compromises had long since worn away his will. The blade before him had instead become a kind of release.

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

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

It was as if he had sunk into endless memories and self-reproach, losing the strength to answer.

At that moment, intense irritation and unwillingness surged within Danzo's heart.

For some reason, as his emotions fell into anger...

He suddenly withdrew his sword, spun around, and drove a fist viciously into Hiruzen's chest. He sent his old friend flying heavily into the nearby wall, kicking up a cloud of dust.

That punch contained all his disappointment!

"As Hokage, you truly are completely unqualified!"

Hiruzen, lying on the ground, slowly struggled into a seated position and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Yet Uchiha Fugaku's figure suddenly surfaced in his mind, along with those Sharingan filled with sorrow and resolve.

He looked up at Danzo as he was now...

The Sharingan in his palm...

A sharp pain tore through his heart...

"Yes... I truly am not a qualified Hokage."

His voice was low and sorrowful, making Danzo's suppressed emotions grow even more irritated.

The Sharingan in his palm spun madly, seemingly urging him to continue attacking and kill the wavering man before him.

But Danzo restrained his killing intent...

"Do you really have no desire to resist at all, Hiruzen?"

His emotions were still rising...

The Sharingan...

Was a power that needed love...

To evolve...

As his words fell, the withered wooden blade in his hand once more gathered powerful ocular power and chakra, viciously stabbing toward the fallen Hiruzen Sarutobi. Its momentum was even fiercer, determined to finish him completely.

At the very last moment, a blue curtain of water suddenly rose like an indestructible wall, forcibly blocking the fatal blade.

"Hiruzen! What are you doing?!"

Tobirama appeared beside Hiruzen. His furious roar exploded like thunder, jolting the lost Hiruzen awake.

"Teacher..."

Hiruzen stared blankly at Tobirama standing before him, his eyes full of guilt and pain. "I..."

"Monkey, how long are you going to keep running away?! You are Konoha's Hokage, not just your own Hokage, and certainly not Hokage for Danzo's sake!"

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

Danzo spoke at that moment. "Hiruzen, do you still remember your dream from back then?"

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

At that moment, Fugaku's Sharingan on Hiruzen's body vanished strangely...