[Though Danzo was trapped in that crushing grip, his chest nearly flattened, the malice and obsession in his lowered eyes had not faded.]
[Even at death's door, he kept ranting hoarsely. His cold words rang across the bridge, each syllable deliberate:]
["Self-sacrifice—that is what it means to be a ninja!"]
["An unsung hero, working in the shadows!"]
["That is what ninja have always been. It wasn't just Itachi Uchiha. Many ninja died in silence the same way."]
["The world cannot be all glory and splendor. It is because of people like them that peace endures."]
["You've misunderstood Itachi's will, so you'll never understand. But by telling you the secret, Itachi became a trai—"]
[Before he could finish, a fire surged through Sasuke's chest, burning all the way to his head, to his eyes.]
[He did not want to hear that word. He did not want it used for that man!]
[His eyes widened, his fists clenched, and Chakra erupted violently around him!]
[Susanoo's massive hand tightened around Danzo with all its might!]
[Squelch!]
[An ugly crack of splitting flesh rang out!]
[Danzo was crushed in an instant. Blood and flesh flew, bone fragments scattered, and his body collapsed into a heap of pulp.]
Beneath the Sky Screen, no one had expected it to happen so suddenly. One moment, they had been absorbed in Danzo's grand arguments; the next, he was dead. His end was so gruesome that some could not bear to look.
They had also expected a fierce battle between Sasuke and Danzo. Who would have thought it would end so easily?
The shock left everyone at a loss.
"Wait—that's it? He just crushed him?"
"That was so sudden. I can't quite believe it."
"Seriously, what was Danzo doing? He threw one punch at Susanoo, and that was it?"