Monkey King Enma

White Fang killed four men with a single slash. They were only Special Jonin, but to him, there was hardly any difference between a Special Jonin and a Jonin.

If he had to split hairs, it was the difference between cutting grass and chopping vegetables.

Anyone below Elite Jonin wasn't worth another swing.

Even an Elite Jonin, in a one-on-one fight, would only take a few extra slashes.

Otherwise, would the twenty-eight-year-old Sannin willingly call him Senior White Fang?

He was strong, but he didn't underestimate his opponents. There were quite a few of them, and a careless mistake might genuinely get him killed here.

The Root force Danzo had brought consisted of two Jonin, eight Special Jonin, and sixteen Elite Chunin.

On the Third's side were six Anbu squads. Their captains were at least Jonin, and no Chunin would have been brought here, so all eighteen Anbu were at least Special Jonin.

And don't assume Root was weak. Its members were far stronger than their official ranks suggested.

After all, the Hokage was the Third, not Danzo.

Danzo only cared about strength. Ranks and the like didn't matter.

So, even after killing four, White Fang still faced forty shinobi. There was no shortage of Elite Jonin among them, either. At least five possessed strength at that level.

If he hadn't cut down four with one slash, and another six hadn't gone after Hongsi, the two forces would have numbered fifty, all at least Special Jonin in strength.

Don't say the Leaf Village couldn't possibly have that many Special Jonin. Fighting Sunagakure alone required them to deploy three Kage, five Elite Jonin, and dozens of Jonin.

Even after years of the Third and Danzo running it into the ground, the Leaf Village could still fight three villages at once during the Third Shinobi World War. And remember, Sunagakure was the weakest of those three.

Besides, Tsunade had already left the village by the Third Shinobi World War. The only Kage-level fighters on the battlefield were Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and the Third.

The elite fighters Kumogakure committed to the war were no weaker than the Leaf Village's. Without a strong middle and upper tier, how could the Leaf Village have won?

Don't bring up Danzo's participation. He went to Amegakure.

And don't bring up the Fourth, either. He was only a Jonin then. The Rasengan was merely an A-rank jutsu. Flying Thunder God was amazing, sure, but could he kill a Kage with it?

On the main battlefield, holding one off would already have been impressive.

For assassinating a squad or something, Flying Thunder God really did let him move as though no one could stop him. He would certainly be more useful than those Kage in that role. But saying he could beat other Kage was taking it too far.

It was now the end of the Second Shinobi World War. Tsunade was twenty-nine, and even against Chiyo, she could only fight to a draw. If her ability to neutralize poison hadn't outstripped Chiyo's ability to administer it, she might well have gone down.

And you're telling me the Fourth, in his twenties, was stronger than the twenty-nine-year-old Sannin?

Even hype should have its limits.

Be reasonable about idolizing someone. Let him grow stronger gradually, instead of making him invincible all at once.

Back to the matter at hand.

White Fang stood ready for battle.

The Anbu on the other side made no move. Having witnessed White Fang's strength, Root also stopped, waiting for orders.

Danzo said angrily, "Hiruzen, are you still refusing to put away that damned sympathy of yours? You don't want to kill White Fang, but you're willing to let him kill the village's shinobi?"

With that, he shot Hiruzen a bitter glare.

His heart was bleeding.

Training these shinobi had been far from easy.

If he lost them all today, how would he compete for the position of Hokage? Even if he became Hokage, he would have no subordinates left to use.

"Ah..."

The Third sighed. "Sakumo, must we really do this?"

White Fang answered by flashing forward and bringing down his blade. With that gleam of steel, two heads fell straight to the ground.

He returned to his original position and said expressionlessly, "Thirty-eight left."

Earlier, he had slit their throats because it had been easy. After all, they had charged right at him to be killed.

This time, he had struck before they could react, catching them completely off guard.

But if he held back, they might escape, or he might find himself surrounded there.

If he didn't kill a few more now, things would become difficult once the Third made up his mind.

Danzo's face darkened, his heart bleeding. Two more dead-six already-and never mind White Fang's stamina, they hadn't even depleted his chakra.

He had drawn back the little chakra coating his blade as soon as he finished attacking.

If the three men pursuing Uchiha Red Four failed to return as well, he would have lost a third of the force he had brought...

His expression turned grim as he looked at his old classmate, seriously suspecting that Hiruzen was deliberately wearing down his forces.

So he changed his mind.

He summoned all the Root shinobi to his side.

Even if they stopped White Fang, losing all his assets would leave him with no subordinates to use. How would he compete for the Hokage's position then?

As a disciple of the Second and an Advisor to the village, he certainly had enough seniority and accomplishments.

But however unlikely the danger, he couldn't afford to risk it.

Even if you escape, once I become Hokage, I'll naturally have ways to make you surrender.

Danzo found that excuse for himself. White Fang's younger brother and son were still in the village. There would be plenty of ways to deal with him later.

Seeing this, the Third sighed inwardly. Sure enough, his old friend had caught on.

Today, he had to stop White Fang. Otherwise, there would be no escaping the label of sinner.

He glanced at the motionless Anbu, then at White Fang standing ready for battle, and said evenly, "It seems I'll have to be the sinner myself."

"Sakumo, are you determined to drag the village into the abyss?"

White Fang replied coldly, "Anyone who stands in my way today-as long as I survive, I'll wipe out their entire clan."

The deed was done. People were dead. There was no turning back.

Besides, hadn't Hiruzen forced him into this?

"In that case, don't blame me."

As the Third spoke, his expression hardened with resolve. His hands rapidly formed hand seals. "Summoning Jutsu!"

A cloud of white smoke drifted past, and a monkey appeared.

He was Enma, the Monkey King of the Monkey Clan, hailed as the strongest summoned beast during the Warring States period.

He could transform into the Adamantine Staff and was the summoned beast left behind by the Third's father, Sasuke Sarutobi-the only powerful shinobi of the Warring States period to master all five chakra nature transformations.

"Enma, sorry for the trouble this time."

The Third looked at the monkey before him, apology in his eyes.

"Who is the opponent this time?"

Enma folded his arms across his chest like a human.

"Ah! A shinobi from the village," the Third said.

Enma followed his gaze and said gravely, "Hatake Sakumo? Isn't he your Anbu commander? How did he become an enemy?"

Before the Third could speak, White Fang removed his forehead protector and slashed straight across it with his ninja blade.

"So you've betrayed the village?" Enma said. "Then we can't let you leave this time."

"Transform," the Third said. "With White Fang holding his ninja blade, we can't afford to be careless."

"Understood."

With that, Enma transformed into the Adamantine Staff and flew straight into the Third's hand.

Holding the great staff, the Third said resolutely, "Sakumo, even if I become a sinner of the village, I must stop you today. Even if I die by your hand, I won't hesitate."

White Fang sneered. "Are you compelled to stop me for the village's sake, or for your own?"