A-Chou

Inside the underground laboratory.

Kimura Takuya watched A-Chou walk in.

Her gaze was perfectly calm, as if she hadn't just laid bare her own scars.

"I don't feel well. My heart hurts here."

"Ah, come over. Let me take a look."

A-Chou nodded and walked over to Kimura Takuya.

She noticed his eyes were a little wet. Still puzzled, she spoke in her usual flat tone.

"Why are you sighing? And why are you crying? You said it yourself. Those are signs of weakness."

"That's right. They are signs of weakness. I think I'm still too weak. Back then, I just wanted to get stronger, so the plan would have a better chance of succeeding.

"I thought Root only arranged for bonded partners to kill each other once they were adults. I watched the anime. That was supposed to happen only when they were grown up!

"This damn Ninja World!"

The more Kimura Takuya spoke, the more agitated he became. He clenched his fists, no longer hiding even a trace of his chakra.

The force of his outburst already surpassed Kage Level.

"This isn't your fault. You said it yourself: being weak is never wrong. The ones at fault are the strong who bully the weak."

A-Chou placed her hand on Kimura Takuya's head, just as he had done to her all those years ago.

Kimura Takuya pushed her hand away and pursed his lips, a little embarrassed and annoyed.

"Tch. You actually threw my own words back at me."

"My heart doesn't seem to hurt anymore."

A-Chou smiled slightly, and it didn't seem feigned.

Then she turned and left.

Kimura Takuya watched her small figure recede. He still hadn't told A-Chou about Impure World Reincarnation.

It wasn't a perfect technique. Telling her about it now would only add to her worries.

This wasn't the best outcome, either.

Kimura Takuya thought there was a better option.

Just not right now.

A few days later.

Public sentiment in Konoha was running high.

There were many calls to bring Danzo to justice.

Even the other two advisors were implicated.

Inside the Hokage's office.

The Third Hokage, the advisors Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, and the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, discussed the matter of Danzo.

As soon as the incident came to light, Tsunade had wanted to arrest Danzo first and investigate afterward.

But Sarutobi Hiruzen had stopped her. Hiruzen knew a little about Root, but only the general picture. After all, the Telescope Technique let him watch Danzo; it didn't allow him to monitor every single Root member.

That had given Danzo room to maneuver.

If the allegations were true, Root's hidden forces might genuinely be able to take on Anbu.

A rash move, if it provoked resistance, would inevitably cause Konoha incalculable losses.

For now, Danzo's duties had only been suspended.

But over the past few days, other incidents had kept coming to light.

"Looks like Root's atrocities go far beyond this. Teacher Sarutobi, even if you wanted to protect Danzo now, you couldn't. You trusted the wrong man!"

Tsunade sat in the main seat. For the past few days, she had wanted to do something, but all she could do was angrily criticize her teacher from here.

Though the latter sat off to the side, it did nothing to diminish his presence. He took a puff from his pipe and made his final decision.

"I never imagined he'd commit so many crimes. We'll do as you say. Arrest Danzo and put him on public trial."

"Agreed." ×2

The two advisors, who had remained silent until then, voiced their support after Sarutobi Hiruzen made his decision.

Tsunade gritted her teeth even harder at this.

She seethed inwardly.

You old men and women dragged me into becoming Hokage, yet you still refuse to let go of the power in your hands.

After more than half a month as Hokage, Tsunade's temper had been worn down quite a bit.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"Then let's arrest him first. Ziyue, Black Panther, take some people and bring Danzo in."

Ziyue and Black Panther were Uzuki Yugao and Oda Lang. Tsunade had already inducted the two of them into her Anbu.

At her words, they immediately set off with a team.

But would Danzo really give himself up so easily?

Inside Root.

"Have you found out who did it?"

"We have."

"Who?"

"Me!"

In an instant, Danzo and his personal guards were all subdued.

The others who tried to protect Danzo were also suppressed in an instant.

"You dare betray me? Cursed Seal of the Tongue!"

The moment he was subdued, Danzo activated the Cursed Seal of the Tongue indiscriminately.

But the only ones who collapsed in agony were those who had stepped forward to protect him.

Not a single one of the others who had turned against him was affected.

Danzo's eyes flew wide open.

Wearing a Root mask, Kimura Takuya found it rather uncomfortable. There were only two tiny holes for the eyes. How did they usually see through these things?

Someone could sneak up on them from the side, and they wouldn't even notice, right?

He'd have to change that later.

He walked up to Danzo and heard the latter ask calmly,

"Who are you people?"

Kimura Takuya was a little surprised. Why was the old man so calm now that the moment had come? What gave him such confidence?

Then he thought it over and figured out the answer.

Heh. It's because of Shisui's eye, isn't it?

So he's asking questions to figure out who the leader is, then he can use Kotoamatsukami on him?

Whoosh!

"Ah!"

Kimura Takuya activated the Silent Body Flicker Technique. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Danzo. He reached out and plucked the eye Danzo had hidden away.

Kotoamatsukami was his!

Danzo's heart lurched. His opponent knew about his trump card, which meant they must have come prepared.

Anxious, he knew he absolutely couldn't let Kotoamatsukami fall into someone else's hands.

He made up his mind and tried to use Reverse Four-Symbols Sealing.

But how could Kimura Takuya give him the chance?

After putting away Shisui's Sharingan, Kimura Takuya immediately thrust both hands forward.

Chakra Absorption Technique!

In an instant, he drained Danzo's chakra.

No ninjutsu could be performed without chakra. Without any, how could Danzo use a sealing jutsu?

After absorbing Danzo's chakra, Kimura Takuya raised his hand and formed a High-Temperature Chakra Blade, then cut off Danzo's right arm with one slash.

"Ah!"

"Does it hurt? Don't worry. I got your flesh cells half a month ago. Do you know what I used them for?"

As he spoke, Kimura Takuya took out a sealing scroll. Danzo's name was written on it.

He released what was inside with a jutsu.

When Danzo saw what was inside,

the pain on his face gave way to terror!

"Y-you... You want to take my place?"

"Haha, you've got it all wrong. I spent more than half a month cultivating this body.

"It wasn't meant to take your place.

"It was meant to die in your place. I'll let you live, you know.

"Happy?"

Kimura Takuya's mask hid his expression, but his voice was cold. No one hearing those words would believe they could really survive.

"Want to torture me? You won't succeed. The moment I get even a trace of chakra back, I'll kill myself!"

"Heh. Death isn't the end. I said I'd let you live, not that you wouldn't die. A-Chou, you go first. Kill him once."

A-Chou, who had been waiting nearby for a long time, drew the blade her brother had used to take his own life and thrust it through Danzo's heart without hesitation.