Watching Itachi advance step by step, Danzo vaguely realized that his end had come. But he had no intention of giving up. He wanted to keep struggling in a desperate last stand. After all, as long as the green hills remained, there would always be firewood to burn. Once a man died, he had nothing left!
He shoved Hiruzen, who had been supporting him, aside, pulled open the front of his clothes, and gave one last look at the lifelong rival he had fought for so many years.
Their gazes met briefly, their eyes holding a bond that words could never express.
But Danzo's gaze quickly turned resolute and crazed. He turned toward Itachi and began threatening him.
"Itachi! Think this through! The moment I die, the Reverse Four Symbols Seal on my chest will activate! You'll all be buried with me!"
Just as Danzo thought he still had a chance to live, a familiar pain once again assaulted his sensory nerves.
Blood surged up his throat and burst from his mouth. Looking down, he saw that a flaming sword had pierced straight through his chest.
The remnants of his life were rapidly slipping away. Danzo looked at Hiruzen once more, and all the memories between them began surfacing in his mind.
Hiruzen, let me help you one last time! I no longer have any hope of living, but as the shadow in your darkness, let me use the last of my life to seal away all these hateful things along with myself!
"Reverse Four Symbols Seal!"
The surrounding ninjas all took up defensive stances, prepared to resist Danzo's final counterattack.
Several seconds passed, yet nothing happened.
Only then did Danzo realize that his sealing technique had failed!
Itachi looked at Danzo's dying struggle, at his attempt to strike back,