Shimura Danzō, S-Rank Rogue Ninja, Meets His End

Shimura Danzō turned into a giant tree and screamed himself hoarse, "Aburame Ryoma, do it!"

A massive swarm of Kikaichū suddenly burst from beneath Shazo's feet, wrapping him up.

The reason Shazo had wasted words with Danzo was because he had sensed the restless Wood Release chakra within Danzo's body.

Shimura Danzō had played along with the conversation because Aburame Ryoma needed time to secretly prepare his final—and most powerful—poisonous Kikaichū.

In the end, the Wood Release chakra within Shimura Danzō was triggered by Shazo, turning half of Danzo's body into a giant tree.

Meanwhile, Aburame Ryoma's poisonous Kikaichū successfully surrounded Shazo, biting him until he was mangled beyond recognition.

Shimura Danzō burst into laughter. "Idiot, you're dead now, aren't you? A fourteen-year-old brat—every last one of you is disgusting."

Aburame Ryoma cried out instead, "Lord Danzo, watch out! That isn't Shazo's real—ugh, urgh!"

A wooden spike thrust up from the ground, violently piercing his anus, passing through his abdomen and chest, and emerging from the side of his neck, skewering Aburame Ryoma like meat on a skewer.

At the same time, Shazo appeared behind Aburame Ryoma and said with a smile, "It seems you don't know much about Wood Release. You have no idea how astonishingly lifelike a Wood Clone can be."

Then he turned to Shimura Danzō and said coldly, "The Wood Release chakra in your body is even more violent and ferocious than mine. It also gives me an overwhelmingly domineering feeling."

"It seems you transplanted the First Hokage's Hashirama Cells. You truly don't know the meaning of death."

"Since you can barely maintain a balance, there must be Sharingan transplanted onto your body as well. And they must be Mangekyō Sharingan."

Shazo flashed before Danzo and reached out, tearing away the bandages on his face to reveal the eye beneath—an eye that could never close.

The intricate, exquisite pattern in that eye made one dizzy after a single glance. It was none other than Shisui Uchiha's Kotoamatsukami eye.

At that moment, Danzo, who had been as unresponsive as a dead dog, moved. The chakra within his body fluctuated in an orderly fashion, activating the Mangekyō Sharingan's ocular technique in his right eye.

[Mangekyō Sharingan · Kotoamatsukami]

With only half his head still able to move, Danzo was ecstatic. He laughed madly and said, "Become this old man's slave, Shazo!"

"This is this old man's true killing move!"

The stunned Shazo suddenly lost the color of human flesh, his body turning into a woody texture before collapsing into a pile of splintered fragments.

A third Shazo appeared behind Shimura Danzō.

First, he reached out from behind and dug out Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan, tossing the eyeball into a small bottle that already contained another one.

Then he placed his hand on Danzo's right arm, which had already turned into a giant tree. After a careful inspection, he confirmed that there were no other eyes.

"Tch. So Orochimaru hadn't modified you yet. No wonder your chakra was so unstable. I controlled it so easily."

After losing the Hashirama Cells arm, Shimura Danzō had forcibly activated the Mangekyō Sharingan with his own strength, but he had failed to hit the real body.

The backlash from the failed technique was severe. He was already at death's door.

Yet Shazo still cautiously created a Wood Clone and had it thoroughly search Danzo's belongings. Unexpectedly, it found another pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

These eyes gave Shazo the same feeling as Mangekyō Sharingan, but they were shriveled and aged, like decaying rotten wood. They could barely maintain their complete shape.

Shazo sighed. "What a pity. These eyes have been completely ruined. There isn't even a chance to activate them once for research."

Without caring in the slightest, he casually tossed the pair of eyes away. Nearby branches pierced them and devoured them completely.

Shazo was fully confident that he could cultivate Uchiha Izumi and Uchiha Sasuke into Mangekyō users. With fresh Mangekyō Sharingan available for research, there was no need to care about these things that had decayed into dust.

Shimura Danzō suddenly began struggling. A hoarse chuckle came from his mouth, but he could no longer form clear words.

He struggled so fiercely that he paid no heed to the gashes being torn open in his tree-like right arm. Blood stained the white undershirt beneath his clothes red.

At last, Danzo broke free of the wooden spikes restraining his heart and lungs. Spitting blood, he shouted, "Shazo, die with me!"

[Sealing Technique · Reverse Four Symbols Seal]

Streams of sealing runes flowed from Danzo's stomach, spreading across nearly a hundred meters in the blink of an eye. Then the runes curled back inward and began enclosing the space within their range.

Shazo showed no panic whatsoever. He calmly entered Swift Style and activated the two Emperor Engines at his sides. In an instant, he severed Shimura Danzō's head and escaped the range of the Four Symbols Seal.

Thanks to the miraculous Yang Release chakra, Shimura Danzō had the privilege of witnessing his own body commit suicide. It was an exceptionally spectacular and bizarre sight, unforgettable to behold.

Then Shimura Danzō lost consciousness forever.

He died.

Shazo did not kill every Root member.

Those responsible for transport and research had clearly been coerced, so naturally, they could not be killed.

He did not kill the ninja whose eyes still held light, who had merely grown accustomed to obeying orders and followed Shimura Danzō in defecting.

There were many promising talents among them who could become pillars of Konoha in the future. This included Yamato, who would later change his name, and a boy named Sai.

But those whose eyes were utterly lifeless, combat weapons as wooden and emotionless as logs, were all strangled and devoured by Wood Release, becoming nourishment for the growing forest.

As for the supplies belonging to Root's rogue ninja, Shazo took only the ninjutsu, some research materials, and the money.

He left everything else for the Anbu ninja who tracked them down to handle.

Root's destruction was a good thing for Konoha, especially for its ninja clans. Before night even fell, people had already begun setting off fireworks.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the fireworks continuously rise into the sky, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He was deeply frustrated by his own failure and bewildered beyond understanding as to how things had come to this.

His confusion had not robbed Hiruzen Sarutobi of his battle instincts. He noticed the abnormality in time and prepared himself in advance for Shazo to suddenly attack after entering the office.

But Shazo merely placed a head on the Hokage's desk, right atop the stacked documents.

Then he said to the Third Hokage, "Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja, Shimura Danzō, has been executed."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints. His vision held nothing but Shimura Danzō's head. Veins bulged at his temples, throbbing visibly with rage.

Yet in the end, he suppressed his anger and asked in a deep voice, "What about the items Danzo was carrying?"

Shazo answered, "Most of them were destroyed by the Reverse Four Symbols Seal he used to perish with me. I only managed to seize Shisui Uchiha's eye. I'll return it to him shortly."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shuddered in alarm. "That's a Mangekyō Sharingan. That is—"

Shazo sneered. "I know. The Eye of Kotoamatsukami. Danzo tried to use Kotoamatsukami on me."

Hiruzen Sarutobi could not understand. "You already knew that, and you still intend to return the eye to Shisui?"

Shazo turned and walked away as he spoke. "Of course. Don't you trust Shisui Uchiha?"

"I know you think you trust Shisui, but your heart cannot settle. That is why you act so contradictorily."

"Third Hokage, you really are old—so old that you can no longer trust anyone."

"So you should decide on the Fifth Hokage candidate as soon as possible."

"You don't have much time left."