Taka vs. Danzo

When Suigetsu caught up with the group, Sasuke, Jugo, and Karin had already surrounded Danzo on an open riverbank. Danzo stood alone in the middle of the riverbank, the bandage on his right arm undone, revealing a terrifying arm Sharingan.

"Uchiha Clan brat," Danzo's voice was hoarse and cold, "I never expected you to go this far."

Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan stared coldly at Danzo, the hatred in his eyes almost tangible. "Those eyes... where did you get them?"

"A necessary sacrifice for Konoha." Danzo raised his right arm, the Sharingan on it spinning eerily. "Just like today, for the future of Konoha, I must finish you off here."

"Deal with me?" Sasuke's lips curled into a sarcastic smile. "You think you can?"

Instead of impulsively advancing alone as usual, he made a hand gesture. The four members of Taka acted simultaneously, launching an attack from four directions.

Despite being injured, Suigetsu was the first to rush forward, her Kubikiribōchō slicing through the Danzo with a whooshing sound as she struck Danzo. Danzo neither dodged nor evaded, his left hand Hand Seals: "Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"

An invisible wind blade collided with the Kubikiribōchō, actually deflecting the giant blade. At the same time, Jugo attacked from the other side, having activated Curse Mark Level Two and already half-beast, his massive fist smashing towards Danzo's head.

"Too slow." Danzo's figure suddenly vanished, reappearing ten meters away. It was the Body Flicker Technique.

Karin immediately sensed. "Three o'clock position, fifteen meters away!"

Sasuke moved almost the instant Karin spoke, his Grass Cone Sword crackling with lightning. "Chidori Sharp Spear!"

The lightning spear extended, aiming straight for Danzo. Danzo used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge again, but this time Sasuke's Sharingan had already predicted its trajectory.

"Amaterasu!"

Black flames ignited the moment Danzo appeared. However, Danzo merely snorted, and his figure, set ablaze by Amaterasu, vanished like Utakata.

"Genjutsu? No, that's not right..." Sasuke's Sharingan whirred as he analyzed the situation.

"It's Izanagi." Karin's voice echoed in Sasuke's mind—this was the message Neji transmitted through the restriction on Karin's body. "He turns things unfavorable to him into dreams, and things favorable to him into reality. Each time he activates it, one of his Sharingan closes."

Sasuke looked at Danzo's right arm, and sure enough, the Sharingan closest to his wrist had closed.

"That means he has at least ten lives," Sasuke calmly analyzed. "No, possibly more."

Danzo appeared on the other side of the riverbank, his face grim. He hadn't expected Sasuke to figure out Izanagi's secret so quickly. He had to change tactics.

He rapidly Hand Seals, this time much more complex. "Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"

Dozens of wind blades rained down on the entire Taka. Suigetsu and Jugo hurriedly defended themselves, while Karin hid behind Sasuke. Sasuke's Susanoo skeleton instantly appeared, blocking all the wind blades.

"So that's Susanoo..." A hint of apprehension flashed in Danzo's eyes, but more so, a greed. "The power of the Uchiha Clan should indeed be controlled by Konoha."

He held nothing back, fully activating the First Hokage Cells in his right arm, and the power of Wood Release began to manifest.

"Wood Release: Violent Spear Tree!"

Several massive wooden spears shot out from his right arm, their speed far exceeding any of the previous attacks. The Susanoo's ribcage was struck by the spears, and cracks appeared.

Sasuke grunted, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan spinning wildly, Susanoo rapidly grew flesh and armor, entering its second stage. A purple giant rose from the ground, his bow already fully drawn.

"Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi"

Three enormous energy arrows shot towards Danzo. Danzo wanted to use Izanagi, but found that the attack covered too much ground; even if he turned the damage into a dream, the aftershocks would still be enough to severely injure him. He had no choice but to take the hit head-on.

"Summoning Technique: Dream Tapir!"

A gigantic dream-eating beast appeared on the riverbank, opening its massive jaws to try and devour three enormous arrows. The shockwave from the collision of the two forces sent waves several meters high surging into the river.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Suigetsu and Jugo launched another attack. Suigetsu charged in from the side, his Kubikiribōchō aimed straight for Danzo; Jugo, meanwhile, fell from the sky, his fists clasped together and slamming down like a heavy hammer.

Danzo, facing attacks from multiple directions simultaneously, finally revealed an opening. He prioritized dodging Jugo's attack but was slashed on the left arm by Suigetsu's blade. Just as Suigetsu was about to pursue, a ruthless glint flashed in Danzo's eyes.

"Wind Release · Vacuum Great Sphere!"

The super Wind Release, unleashed at close range, struck Suigetsu directly in the chest, sending him flying dozens of meters before he crashed heavily onto the riverbank, coughing up blood and temporarily losing his fighting ability.

"Suigetsu!" Karin exclaimed.

Danzo seized the opportunity and suddenly charged at Karin —the sensory-type member of the four but the weakest in close combat.

"Oh no!" Sasuke wanted to help, but Dream Tapir's restraint prevented him from immediately withdrawing his Susanoo.

Danzo grabbed Karin by the neck, using her as a hostage in front of him. "Put down your weapon, Sasuke Uchiha, or I'll kill her."

Karin struggled, but Danzo's strength was too great. Her glasses fell to the ground, her eyes filled with fear.

Sasuke's Susanoo stopped moving. The situation reached a stalemate.

"Let her go." Sasuke's voice was as cold as ice.

"Release Susanoo and surrender." Danzo refused to back down.

The two faced off, time seemingly frozen. Jugo wanted to act, but hesitated, fearing the consequences. Suigetsu struggled to stand up, only to fall back down.

Just then, Karin suddenly gave Sasuke a sorrowful smile. She mouthed silently, "Do it."

Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly.

Danzo sensed something was wrong and tried to tighten his grip, but it was too late.

"Chidori Sharp Spear!"

The Lightning Spear shot from Sasuke, not bypassing Karin, but piercing directly through her shoulder, and then into Danzo's heart from behind. Precise, ruthless, and without the slightest hesitation.

Karin's blood splattered on Danzo's face, and she collapsed. Danzo looked down at the lightning spear tip emerging from his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"You... you actually..."

Sasuke's face was pale, but his eyes remained resolute. "For revenge, I can sacrifice everything."

Danzo coughed up blood, knowing he could no longer use Izanagi to avoid a fatal wound. But instead of despairing, he revealed a maniacal smile.

"Then... let's all go to hell together, Uchiha Clan brats!"

His body began to swell, and black runes spread from his chest to his entire body.

"The Inner Four Symbols Seal!"

This is a sealing Sealing Jutsu that costs the caster's life, capable of sucking everything around it into a sealed world of death. The black sphere rapidly expanded from Danzo's center, swallowing even light in its path.

Sasuke tried to back away, but found himself firmly held by a gravitational force, unable to break free. Jugo tried to rush over to save him, but was grazed by the edge of the seal, and his entire arm vanished instantly.

"Sasuke!" Suigetsu roared.

Just as the black sphere was about to engulf Sasuke, a special Kunai was drawn even faster by Danzo's Four Symbols Seal, and a figure suddenly appeared beside Sasuke.

"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Space distorted, and the two disappeared from their original spot. The next second, they reappeared on a hillside a hundred meters away.

Below, the black sphere reached its maximum size, then slowly contracted, eventually disappearing into the spatial rift along with Danzo's corpse. A perfectly hemispherical crater was left on the riverbank, completely empty, with even the soil and rocks wiped away.

Neji released Sasuke, took a few steps back, and maintained the posture of Akatsuki member. "Lord Orochimaru is waiting for you at the Hidden Sound Village base." These were the words Neji whispered to Sasuke as he used the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Sasuke didn't speak; he simply staggered Earth Walk the riverbank. Karin lay in a pool of blood, her breath faint but still alive. Suigetsu struggled to crawl to her side and used his Chakra to stabilize her injuries. Jugo arm bled profusely, but he seemed oblivious to the pain, merely staring at Sasuke.

"It's over." Sasuke murmured, looking at the spot where Danzo had disappeared.

But it didn't seem completely over. The man's dying words still echoed in his ears, "For Konoha... everything was for Konoha..."

Sasuke closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the confusion in them had vanished, leaving only a deeper chill.

"Let's go."

Although Sasuke had killed Danzo, his rage over the destruction of Konoha hadn't subsided. The person who had saved him at the crucial moment using the Flying Thunder God Technique was none other than Orochimaru's man. Orochimaru had resurrected and wanted him to come find him; things were getting increasingly interesting. It seemed it was time for Sasuke to meet Orochimaru first.

Neji watched them leave, his face expressionless. He had already told Sasuke about Orochimaru's resurrection, and since Sasuke wanted to destroy Konoha, besides Obito Uchiha, he had given him another option— Orochimaru, the man who had personally killed the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. His intervention to save Sasuke had exposed his use of the Flying Thunder God Technique, and given Obito and Zetsu's wariness, they would never trust him again. He had no choice but to bring Orochimaru back into the spotlight as a shield. However, he still needed to carefully consider whether to give Sasuke the Kotoamatsukami Crow technique.