Danzo's Defection!

The Third Hokage, clad in his combat gear and wielding an iron staff resembling a golden cudgel, crouched atop a utility pole.

"Finish this quickly!" Shimura Danzō said in a low, stern voice.

"Understood!"

All five men had mastered the Body Flicker Technique to an extraordinary level, transforming into afterimages as they surrounded the Third Hokage and launched their assault!

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

The Third Hokage formed a seal with one hand, and five identical figures emerged to meet the incoming enemies!

Unlike the shadow clones in anime that vanished at the slightest touch, the ones conjured by the Third Hokage fought with the same ferocity as a living person.

"Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"

A pair of gaunt hands shot out from the ground beneath one of the assassins!

The assassin had no time to flee and was instantly dragged underground, leaving only his head exposed above the surface.

The Third raised his iron staff, intending to crush the man's skull, but the assassin was a veteran of countless battles and would not be so easily dispatched.

"Earth-Fish Projection Technique!"

The earth around the assassin rippled like water, and he moved as swiftly as a fish, shifting his position to evade the staff descending from above.

"Bang!" A deafening sound echoed as a massive crater was smashed into the ground. The shadow clones were, after all, only clones, and as they were picked off one by one by the assassins, the Third Hokage found himself on the defensive once more!

Why hasn't Orochimaru made his move yet? Does he intend to play the fisherman while the snipe and clam fight? the Third Hokage wondered, though he was not relying solely on Orochimaru. He had other cards to play!

The clashing of weapons rang out as rapidly as a drumbeat, the figures moving with the speed of afterimages. There were no flashy ninjutsu exchanges, only the lethal, close-quarters dance of blades.

Suddenly, a figure streaked in from the distance—a man with short white hair and a short blade strapped to his back. It was none other than the man known as the White Fang of Konoha! Hatake Sakumo!

Sakumo's speed was unparalleled, his white hair trailing behind him like a bolt of lightning as he moved at high velocity!

Sakumo locked his gaze onto an assassin wearing an Asura mask. Before he even closed the distance, he drew his short blade, channeling lightning-natured chakra from his arm into the heirloom weapon.

Blue arcs of electricity crackled along the blade, dancing like wild silver snakes.

"Clang!" The assassin naturally recognized the legendary White Fang and braced himself, pouring all his strength into his weapon to meet the strike. He never expected that upon contact, a wave of paralysis would surge from the enemy's weapon, nearly causing him to lose his grip as his body stiffened for a split second.

What terrified him next was seeing his own weapon snapped in two by the short blade! This was the Hatake Clan Sword Technique! By channeling his own Lightning Release chakra into the blade and coating the edge, he induced high-frequency vibrations!

Puff... A clean decapitation!

The corpse collapsed limply as blood sprayed into the air. Accustomed to the sight of those who died by his blade, Sakumo ignored the fallen assassin and lunged toward another.

"As expected of you, Sakumo. Truly a chilling art of murder," Orochimaru said from the shadows, his long, thin tongue licking his lips as he spoke in a raspy voice.

It was Orochimaru who had reported Shimura Danzō's assassination plan to the Third Hokage. Danzō had intended to use him to eliminate the Third, but was he not also using the Third to eliminate Danzō? Danzō knew far too many of his secrets. Besides, in Orochimaru's eyes, Danzō was clearly a less valuable investment than the Third Hokage.

If they both ended up dead from mutual destruction, that would be even more perfect.

He hadn't expected Sakumo, who was away on a mission, to suddenly appear in the village. He had underestimated his teacher.

The outcome was decided; it was time for him to add the finishing touch.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

Orochimaru raised his arm, and countless snakes shot out, racing toward the battlefield!

The moment the remaining four assassins were bound by the snakes, Sakumo and the Third swiftly finished off their respective opponents!

"Damn it! Orochimaru, you traitor! You betrayed me; you won't have a good end!" Shimura Danzō cursed internally, but the situation had turned dire for him—two against three, and against masters like Orochimaru, Sakumo, and the Third!

While there are green hills, one need not worry about firewood. If this place won't keep me, another will! Time to retreat!

One of the assassins tore open his clothes, revealing a dense layer of explosive tags plastered underneath! Seeing the enemy resort to a suicide tactic, the three men scrambled backward!

"Boom, boom, boom!!!"

After a series of violent explosions, only thick, lingering smoke remained.

The Third panted slightly and said, "Declare Shimura Danzō an S-rank missing-nin! Notify all villages!"

"Understood!" Sakumo and Orochimaru replied in unison.

"Damn you! Hiruzen! Orochimaru! Konoha! I will return!" Shimura Danzō had tunneled two miles underground before he dared to surface. He arrived at his secret hideout, which contained not only the ninjutsu and wealth he had hoarded for years but also his greatest treasure: a child possessing the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai!

The child looked to be only a year or two old, his large eyes filled with a vacant, adorable expression.

Shimura Danzō picked up the child. "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" Several kunai attached to explosive tags were driven into various parts of the hideout.

Shimura Danzō packed his belongings into a sealing scroll and took one last, deep look at the distant village—the place he had spent half his life fighting for! I will return! Shimura Danzō vowed silently. After a long moment, he pulled his gaze away, turned, and vanished in a few flickers!

"Boom, boom, boom!" Amidst the explosions, Shimura Danzō's most secret hideout in Konoha burned fiercely, reduced to ruins. It was much like his life in Konoha: half a lifetime of darkness, ending in ashes, leaving him with nothing!

Obito had not witnessed the grand assassination drama outside; instead, he was quite content watching a TV drama at Tsunade's place.

A popular program was playing on the television. On the sofa opposite the screen, Tsunade lay on her side, while Obito curled up in her arms, resting his head against her fragrant, soft embrace. A faint, delicate scent drifted to his nose from time to time.

He was even fed potato chips by Tsunade occasionally. As long as he ignored the hook-like glares from Shizune, it was quite blissful.

Shizune sat on a single-seater sofa, feeling aggrieved as she ate her favorite potato chips, though today, they tasted bitter.

"Shizune, I'm thirsty. Could you get me a drink?" Obito couldn't stand Shizune's little glares anymore; they felt like needles pricking his back!

"Sure." Shizune's eyes lit up. She put down her potato chips and hopped over to the refrigerator to grab some drinks. She skillfully moved a small stool over, climbed up, and opened the fridge door to reveal rows of various beverages.

Shizune rolled her eyes and called out, "What do you want to drink?"

"Coke is fine," Obito shouted back.

"Okay, but where is the Coke? Can you come here? I can't find it," Shizune yelled.

"Isn't the Coke right there in the most obvious spot?" Obito asked, puzzled.

"But, but I can't see it!"