Danzo's End

"Enough, Minato. Enough already."

The Third Hokage held an enormous staff in his hand as he spoke.

Minato Namikaze halted and looked at the Third Hokage. It had come to this, yet the man had still chosen to protect Danzo?

"Third Hokage, do his crimes truly deserve forgiveness?" Minato Namikaze's tone was calm, but the question struck the Third Hokage's heart like an accusation.

The Third Hokage opened his mouth, yet he could not bring himself to say that Danzo had committed no crimes.

The Sharingan embedded in Danzo's arm alone was enough to prove that he had harmed his fellow villagers.

"I'm sorry, Minato. Danzo's crimes do indeed warrant the death penalty, but I cannot stand by and watch him die," the Third Hokage finally said.

"Third Hokage, Danzo's life is a life, but are my clansmen not members of Konoha? Are their lives not lives?!" Fugaku Uchiha asked angrily.

Danzo was about to die, yet this unexpected turn had occurred.

Faced with Fugaku Uchiha's questioning, the Third Hokage had no answer. He looked at Minato Namikaze, took a deep breath, and said, "Minato, consider it a favor to me. Spare Danzo this once."

"You don't need to beg him for me, Minato Namikaze. If you've got the guts, kill me!" Shimura Danzō clutched his completely blinded right eye. At that moment, he knew he was finished.

In the end, he had failed to take Minato Namikaze down with him. Live?

Why should he keep living?

Yet no one paid Shimura Danzō's words any heed. The scene fell silent for a long while.

Finally, Minato Namikaze lowered the Flying Thunder God Kunai in his hand.

The Third Hokage sighed in relief at the sight.

"Third Hokage, you are Jiraiya-sensei's teacher, so I will listen to you this time. But