Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his old friend before him, his heart filled with immeasurable sorrow.
Danzo, you spent your whole life guarding against the Uchiha. Who would've thought you'd end up falling into the hands of an Uchiha, becoming an Uchiha's dog? What a tragedy.
Even now, Sarutobi Hiruzen still felt as if he were living in a dream. Not long ago, he'd been sitting in the Hokage's office, making decisions with authority, the lofty Hokage. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Hokage was gone, the Land of Fire was gone, his old friend had been controlled, and even he himself had become a rogue ninja, a traitor to his country.
How absurd. How absurd! How utterly absurd!
The Hokage of a great village had become a rogue ninja, while Uchiha Brahman—who should have been called a usurper, a rebel, and a true rogue ninja—had become the Hokage, and that so-called Empire's President.
Why? Why had Uchiha Brahman, who'd been completely unknown before this, a total nobody among the Uchiha, obtained such overwhelming power?
Even Enma, who'd been by his side for years and possessed an indestructible body, had been cut in two and killed by Uchiha Brahman.
They'd once guessed that Uchiha Brahman had gained such tremendous power because of those eyes. But Itachi Uchiha had obtained a pair of those eyes too. How could someone as insignificant as Itachi Uchiha possibly compare to the noble and powerful Uchiha Brahman? Even after awakening those legendary eyes, the Mangekyō Sharingan, Itachi Uchiha's strength still couldn't compare to Uchiha Brahman's in the slightest.
They didn't understand. They couldn't understand. No one could understand why Uchiha Brahman had gained such terrifying power. It was as if he were the reincarnation of the legendary Sage of Six Paths. Looking at Uchiha Brahman made Sarutobi Hiruzen think of someone else: Madara Uchiha. Perhaps only the First Hokage, the God of Shinobi himself, could kill the Uchiha Brahman of today.
But the First Hokage was dead!
"Sarutobi! You're finally here! Hurry and save me! Brahman-sama isn't here right now, so get me out of here!"
Shimura Danzō looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, his old friend and now a rogue ninja, a lowly commoner. His eyes lit up, and he immediately gave him a pleading look. Then he slowly approached Sarutobi Hiruzen, like a brown bear that had spotted a person and ambled closer before pouncing on him and devouring him.
"Sarutobi, you know me. The thing I hate most in this world is the Uchiha Clan. How could I possibly agree to an Uchiha becoming Hokage? Brahman-sama was controlling me! Hurry and save me!"
Shimura Danzō slowly approached, all the while saying things to lower Sarutobi Hiruzen's guard. Praise Brahman! That lowly commoner had come right to him of his own accord. He really didn't know what he was doing.
Did you think I was still that foolish, ungrateful lowly commoner who knew nothing of True Dharma or the Heavenly Dao?
No. I, Shimura Danzō, have now mended my ways and seen the error of them. I've escaped the hell of the sea of suffering and become an elderly man of the Empire, with proper values and great ambitions. I am a true citizen of the Empire.
I, Shimura Danzō, am a good citizen, not a rogue ninja and lowly commoner like you, Sarutobi Hiruzen!
The me of today is no longer the me of yesterday.
"Danzo! So you really weren't being controlled!"
Watching Shimura Danzō approach, Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart softened, and he felt a rush of inexplicable emotion. He'd known Uchiha Brahman's control had a weakness. He didn't have the ability to control everyone, and it was impossible for him to do so. There had to be a limit to this kind of control.
Now Uchiha Brahman had taken Konoha's ninja to the other ninja villages. Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen had predicted, once Uchiha Brahman left, Danzo's control had been lifted.
They'd already tested it. They found someone who hadn't yet been injected with the Sacred Blessing Serum and gave them a dose. Then they examined that person's memories. Even when they said Uchiha Brahman's name, the person showed no reaction, and their memories contained nothing about being loyal to Uchiha Brahman.
From this, they could infer that the Sacred Blessing Serum was merely a medium Uchiha Brahman used to control people. Being injected with it didn't mean that Uchiha Brahman would control you on the spot.
They'd even guessed that Uchiha Brahman's method of control had a limit. If he tried to control too many people at once, he might not be able to do it.
Otherwise, what? Could he control an unlimited number of people? How could that be possible? Uchiha Brahman was just one person, not a god. How could he have such tremendous power?
"No, Sarutobi. I was being controlled, but now that Brahman-sama has left, I've temporarily regained my freedom."
Shimura Danzō shook his head. He'd already drawn close to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Just as I thought! Danzo, you..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and was about to say something when, in the next instant, he saw Shimura Danzō holding a golden syringe and sticking it into him.
The next moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen's body turned into smoke and disappeared.
"Shadow Clone! Damn lowly commoner! Weren't we friends? You came to see me and only dared to send a clone! Is that what you call sincerity, Sarutobi Hiruzen?!"
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen vanish, Shimura Danzō roared in fury. So close, so close! Sarutobi Hiruzen, how could you be so ungrateful!
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, because you were an old friend, I was willing to bestow my glorious blessing upon you. Who knew you'd be so ungrateful!"
Shimura Danzō said regretfully. He and Sarutobi Hiruzen had been friends for so many years. Even though one of them had become a true citizen of the Empire and the other a lowly commoner, a savage who was worse than a stray dog, he didn't want to deny their friendship. He'd wanted Sarutobi Hiruzen to leave the ranks of the lowly commoners. But why?
Why didn't you trust him?
Elsewhere, in Kumogakure.
Killer B stood at the village gates.
"I wonder how Big Bro and the others are doing. Uchiha Brahman—I've never heard of that guy!"
Killer B pondered. He wasn't worried that A would lose. No matter how strong Uchiha Brahman was, just how strong could he possibly be?
Their entire village had mobilized. They had enough troops to fight a whole Shinobi World War. Besides, the ninja from Kirigakure should've already set out. That madman, Uchiha Brahman, who'd dared to start a war, might already have been beaten to death by Big Bro.
Before you continue