Hiruzen and Danzō's Transformation

Leaf Village Hospital.

"Danzō, how is the Leaf Village doing now?" Hiruzen asked, sitting up after his surgery.

Danzō's eyes flickered as he avoided Hiruzen's gaze. "Not good. After the Third Kazekage, the One-Tails Jinchuriki Bunpuku also rampaged through the village. Although they were temporarily repelled, they will return. Moreover, the village has been severely damaged!"

"Did they state any conditions?"

"No, they just said they would come every day, and our losses would increase with each defeat. I suspect they are assessing our combat strength."

"Danzō, what do you think about negotiating peace?" Hiruzen asked leisurely.

"Impossible!" Danzō immediately jumped up and said, "This is our village. After being breached by the enemy, we should negotiate peace with them?"

"Are you living up to your teacher's entrustment?"

Hiruzen retorted, "And do you think the current Leaf Village can withstand the Sand Village? Can you withstand them?"

"I..." Danzō was momentarily speechless.

Hiruzen gave Danzō a deep look and said with a sigh, "Danzō, we must consider the bigger picture. The village's combat strength is currently depleted. By the time Sakumo Hatake and Orochimaru return, it might be too late!"

"Our new generation hasn't grown yet. The sooner we negotiate peace, the better. If they discover our current weakness, they might be determined to conquer the Leaf Village!"

"Besides, the Stone, Cloud, and Mist Villages haven't joined the fray yet. What if they discover our vulnerability and exploit it!"

Danzō's face turned ashen. "I absolutely refuse. We must fight even if we can't win. How can the Leaf Village submit to the Sand Village!"

Seeing Danzō's firm resolve, Hiruzen stopped trying to persuade him. He said to a ninja beside him, "Summon all the Jonin of the village for a meeting."

"Yes!" The ninja turned and left to deliver the order.

Danzō, leaving the Leaf Village Hospital, grew angrier the more he thought about it. "Hiruzen, you've lost your edge this time, actually willing to compromise. I'll show you the strength of my Leaf Village!"

Danzō planned to sneak attack the Sand Village camp late at night to make them pay!

Having made up his mind, Danzō began his preparations.

The first unit of the Sand Village returned to the village with the bodies of Sasori's parents. Sakumo Hatake and Orochimaru's armies were accelerating their return to the village.

Sand Village.

"Alas, my children, I have failed you! I thought it was just an ordinary mission, but I never expected it to cost you your lives. It's all my fault!"

Chiyo wept as she looked at the bodies of her son and daughter-in-law.

Ebizo stood by, also feeling terrible. He was the planner of the attack on the Leaf Village, and he never expected them to fall to the Leaf's "White Fang."

Ebizo's eyes were also red. He reminded her, "Sister, we cannot let Sasori know about this. He is still young and cannot handle such a shock!"

"Yes, we must keep it from him. If he asks, we'll say the two of them went on a mission and haven't returned yet."

Thinking of her grandson Sasori, Chiyo's heart ached again. He was so young to lose his parents, which only fueled her hatred for the Leaf Village.

"Sakumo Hatake, I will kill you to avenge our deep-seated hatred!"

The oblivious Sasori was happily playing, waiting for his parents' return.

Late at night, outside the Leaf Village.

"Lord Danzō, a total of 197 ninjas are willing to participate in this operation," a captain of the ANBU reported.

Because of the Sand Village's rampage in the Leaf Village today, many were intimidated, but some were still willing to undertake this seemingly suicidal mission, just to prove that "The Leaf is the strongest!"

"Very good. You are all the pride of the Leaf Village. Today, regardless of success or failure, I, Danzō, will remember you all!" Danzō declared passionately.

"Yes!" The ninjas below flushed, their spirits soaring. When had their Leaf Village ever been so humiliated? Even if they died, they would make them pay dearly!

"Move out!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

The ninjas of the Leaf Village charged towards the Sand Village camp with a will to die!

Sand Village Camp, Command Center.

"Lord Kazekage, why didn't we press our advantage and take down the Leaf Village today!" the Jinchuriki Bunpuku asked.

Kazekage Kono looked at Bunpuku and smiled, "You are still too young! Let me ask you, what price would we have to pay to conquer the Leaf Village?"

Bunpuku rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment. "Well, the Leaf Village has more top-tier combatants than us, but they are not as strong as us. I feel we would lose half of our Jonin, and nearly 80% of our Chunin and Genin!"

Kono looked at Bunpuku with admiration. "Now you know why I didn't go all out! The Leaf Village's foundation is still very strong. Even if we could conquer it, the price we would pay would be too great."

"Remember, the Stone, Cloud, and Mist Villages haven't made a move yet. If we end up in a mutually destructive war with the Leaf Village, wouldn't that just benefit others! Besides, Chiyojuro and Chiyo have fallen in battle!" Kono said with a hint of regret.

"What!" Bunpuku was shocked, finding it hard to believe that these two lords had fallen.

"Who killed them?" Bunpuku asked.

"The Leaf's 'White Fang,' Sakumo Hatake. His swordsmanship is quite impressive!" Kono's expression soured slightly. After all, he was the one who confirmed the execution of this plan, and he never expected the two of them to fall.

However, he didn't regret it. He was willing to be utterly destroyed if it meant winning greater living space for the Sand Village.

"By the way, don't spread this around. We are at war, and we absolutely cannot lose morale!" Kono said sternly.

The fall of top-tier powerhouses could significantly affect the morale of both sides. Like Danzō's current attack plan, because the Hokage was hospitalized, morale plummeted, and only a few responded. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so few people!

"Yes." Bunpuku understood the gravity of the matter and solemnly agreed.

Suddenly, a Sand Ninja entered the tent to report, "Lord Kazekage, a group of Leaf Village ninjas are attacking our main camp."

"Oh! Let's go take a look." Kono got up and exited the tent.

What is this supposed to be? We're not causing you any trouble, and you dare to attack us!

Arriving at the front of the main camp, Kono witnessed a shocking scene.

A group of fearless Leaf Village ninjas charged towards the Sand Village ninjas. They clearly had no intention of surviving, fighting with their lives on the line. They were actually pushing the Sand Village ninjas back.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"

Whoosh! A powerful wind blade attacked Kono.

Boom! The wind blade struck the sand iron Kono had casually condensed, leaving no trace.

"Hmph, Wind Style: Vacuum Great Ball!" Danzo, unwilling to give up, used an even more powerful ninjutsu.

Boom boom boom!

The powerful high-pressure air sphere impacted the sand iron defense, finally creating a large pit in it.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Shurikens wrapped in wind chakra spun at high speed, actually using their mutual collisions... to enter the blind spot.

"Now, let's see how you dodge!" Danzo was somewhat pleased, having finally injured his opponent.

Crack crack crack!

The condensed sand iron barrier continuously spread, and with "puff puff puff!" it pierced the bodies of the Leaf Village ninjas present. Soaked in blood, the sand iron seemed even more alluring!

On the other side, Bunpuku, who had entered his Tailed Beast form, directly used Shukaku's formidable body to slaughter the Leaf Village ninjas.

They couldn't break through Shukaku's sand armor at all, only using their own lives to prove the might of a Jinchuriki!

Danzo seemed stunned, "Is he... this strong? Hiruzen faced such a powerful enemy..."

Intense jealousy made him lose his reason. "Damn it, I won't admit it..."

Swish!

Danzo saw his own arm flying, hot blood splashing on his face, before it fell to the ground.

"Lord Danzo, hurry and leave! If you live, we still have hope!" Two Leaf Village ninjas desperately carried Danzo back to the Leaf Village.

Kazekage Kono called out to Bunpuku, who was about to pursue, and said, "No need to chase. Let them escape!"

Danzo didn't know how he returned to the Leaf Village, only remembering the last scene before their escape.

The Leaf Village ninjas were pierced through their entire bodies by sand iron, blood dripping along the sand iron. On the other side, a terrifying tanuki monster casually attacked the Leaf Village ninjas. A mere touch would cause a rain of blood, and the ground was covered in corpses.

"This is... hell!"

PS: Why did I write this section? Because there are many places in the original work that aren't explained: Why did Danzo become so dark? Why did he become obsessed with the power of the Sharingan? Why did Hiruzen Sarutobi become so weak? Why did his combat power decline so much in his old age?

This is what I want to address. Writing this section can effectively supplement the character development of each person, rather than darkness and weakness without reason.

It was precisely because of the Third Kazekage's immense power that it stimulated Danzo and Hiruzen, leading them towards their future personality transformations!

Everyone, please share your opinions!