A month had passed, and most of Shimura Danzō's dark history had been dug up.
The evidence was conclusive. Shimura Danzō had been the mastermind behind it all; Orochimaru could only be considered an accomplice.
If the matter had not been fully exposed within the village and had only been handled on a small scale, then no one would have been able to do much to Shimura Danzō. He had plenty of people to take the blame for him.
Orochimaru, for example.
Unfortunately, he had run into Namikaze Minato.
Skilled at rapidly analyzing intelligence in battle, quickly grasping an enemy's weaknesses, and devising countermeasures, Namikaze Minato shared only one thing with Shimura Danzō: once he made up his mind, he would brush aside all interference and achieve his goal.
He might regret it afterward, but he would never hesitate while acting.
The result was that Shimura Danzō, decisive in killing and ruthless in disposition, lost to Namikaze Minato, whose fighting style was straightforward and whose adaptability was extraordinary.
It was their first match, and their last.
In Uchiha Shingen's view, this was also the best possible outcome.
Shimura Danzō had been the former Hokage's assistant. He was only fit to die by the Hokage's hand.
And the best death for a Hokage was to die on the battlefield, protecting the village.
The atmosphere at the public trial was intense. As the accused, Shimura Danzō remained silent.
He never uttered a word in the face of the victims' families' accusations, even when the person condemning him was an ordinary civilian.
At last, when it was time for him to defend himself, he asked Namikaze Minato a question.
"Fourth Hokage, can you do better than I did?"
Namikaze Minato answered without hesitation. "The darkness you embody will destroy the Leaf."
Shimura Danzō