Despicable

Before Danzo could speak again, the Root ninjas hidden in the shadows beside him immediately attacked.

"Hmph, you think you're something special just because you know a few Ninjutsu?"

"It's been a long time since I've seen such a bold brat..."

Kakkō soared into the sky Root ninjas hidden in the shadows unleashed a torrent of fire. Nine fire dragons shot into the heavens, swelling wildly in the air, roaring and spewing forth vast amounts of flames that swept towards Kato Osamu.

Like a vast sun hanging in the sky, it was filled with destructive fluctuations.

Kato Osamu simply clapped his hands together, and the shockwave swept across the fallen leaves like lightning, extinguishing all the raging fire. A dark blade appeared in an instant, piercing straight into the chest of the Root ninja.

"The Substitution Technique... it... failed?"

Unable to believe that he was no match for this young man, the Root ninja, filled with resentment, slumped down from the sky like a lump of rotten flesh.

"Even the Cursed Seal has failed..."

Kato Osamu turned his head, a sinister smile playing on his lips, as if he wanted to unleash all the humiliation he had endured over the years.

"Danzo, don't waste your energy. After I kill you, you'll understand why your Cursed Seal failed..."

"Genjutsu: Soul Trio!"

"Chief! Watch out!"

"Genjutsu: Magical Five Senses!"

Kurama Shō stood in front of Danzo and charged towards Kato Osamu, but blood gushed from his mouth the moment their eyes met.

Born into a family of Genjutsu, he paid a price to break free from the Genjutsu, but he frowned deeply, unable to understand why all his Genjutsu seemed to be ineffective against Kato Osamu.

"Why... does my Genjutsu seem to have no effect on you at all...?"

Have you ever heard the sound of Chakra being torn apart?

Kato Osamu ignored Kurama Shō and kicked him away. He could sense that apart from being very strong in Genjutsu, this person's strength was at most that of Chunin.

His gaze fell upon the last remaining Danzo, and with a flash of his eyes, his jet-black longsword flew towards Shimura Danzō.

"You're truly capable... If you'd be willing to return to my service, you would become the Fifth Hokage..."

Danzo narrowed his eyes slightly. After observing for so long, he had a vague understanding of the effect of Kato Osamu's strange technique, but he still needed to verify it.

"I already said! My name is Kato Osamu!"

"Disperse!"

The pitch-black Soul-Extinguishing Blade suddenly seemed to dissipate into mist, and its dense, fine blades rained down on Danzo.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Secret Technique: Wave Impact!"

Danzo's mastery of Wind Release was considerable, but he still couldn't escape the most fundamental element: Chakra. Just like an object collapsing at the atomic level, whether it was a spaceship that blotted out the sky or a piece of scrap metal, in Kato Osamu's eyes, there was no difference at all.

"That's truly a bizarre Ninjutsu..."

The dissipated Wind Release seemed to vanish into thin air, and the boy before him appeared impervious to all magic, causing Danzo to frown slightly.

"The Great Breakthrough only allows them to get within about eight meters..."

"So..."

"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"

Danzo, having dodged the Soul-Extinguishing Blade Danzo, unleashed countless Wind Scythes once more, but they too vanished without a trace.

"Five meters..."

"You brat, you're dead meat..."

Danzo suddenly created three clones, and a continuous stream of Wind Release rushed towards Kato Osamu.

"Danzo! You're dead too!"

The Soul-Extinguishing Blade returned to Kato Osamu's hand in an instant, with countless pure soul powers poured into it. The black light on the blade grew stronger, and the blade's light, tens of meters long, was like a giant blade piercing the sky, slashing straight towards Danzo.

"Bang!"

A dark shadow suddenly appeared in the sky, crashing to the ground like a massive weight, causing the earth to tremble. It landed directly between Kato Osamu and Danzo.

Smoke enveloped everything, and everything seemed to fall into silence, except for Kato Osamu, who leaped into the bushes, a strange smile inexplicably flashing across his face.

"Finally..., it's here...?"

Countless Flying Thunder God Kunai rained down from the sky in an instant, covering the earth. Minato Namikaze, who arrived late, stood on Gamabunta's head, looking at Danzo and Kato Osamu.

"Danzo! Osamu! Let's stop here!"

"Snort!"

"Minato Namikaze... Root ninja, yet you betrayed Konoha and colluded with the enemy. Are you just going to stand by and watch?"

"Ha ha ha ha..."

"Danzo, you're truly disgusting..."

Kato Osamu chuckled, his sinister gaze seeming to want to stab Danzo into countless pieces. He just wanted to slap this kind of person to death right now.

"I will report this matter truthfully to the Lord Hokage..."

"Hmph, Minato Namikaze, you'll regret this..."

A subtle ruthlessness flashed in Danzo's eyes. His mission had failed today, and he didn't want to say anything more. He simply turned around and prepared to leave.

"Danzo, you must die today!"

Kato Osamu lightly touched the ground with his feet, about to lunge forward, but Minato Namikaze seemed to follow him like a shadow, flashing in front of him and blocking his way. His eyes held a complex expression, but he showed no intention of letting him pass.

"You must stop me...?"

"You'll be considered missing-nin..."

"I don't care..."

"But... I don't want to..."

Kato Osamu knew he couldn't possibly defeat Minato Namikaze and Gamabunta combined, and the Cursed Seal potion was about to expire. He could only watch helplessly as Danzo's figure slowly disappeared, as if mocking his arrogance.

Kato Osamu clenched his fists tightly, slowly lowered his head, and remained silent for a long time before looking at Minato Namikaze voice.

"So, you knew all along?"

A gust of wind, seemingly from nowhere, ruffled Kato Osamu's hair, but it was far from gentle, instantly making him more agitated. The anger he harbored within him was nearing its limit.

"I'm sorry..., Xu..."

"If we want to truly eliminate Danzo, I need some evidence of his crimes."

"Ha ha..."

"So, each of you treated me like a puppet, manipulated like Shiro — Danzo, Orochimaru, and you, Minato Namikaze!"

Kato Osamu suddenly raised his hand and punched Minato Namikaze in the face.

"I once tried to believe in you..."

Minato Namikaze didn't dodge and took a punch from Kato Osamu -on.

"Xu! You're a good child, I've always known that..."

"However, those who grew up from the Root, just like you, also had the opportunity to become true warriors with the Will of Fire."

"Danzo, we can join forces to kill him here today, but what then? The great tree of Konoha will continue to nourish new roots."

"This system was flawed from the very beginning!"

"I want to become Hokage. I want everyone to live in the sunlight. I want to change this village, to completely change this village where I grew up, the village we love so much!"

"Xu! Do you understand!"

Kato Osamu chuckled softly. He didn't know if this was passion or naivety, but he seemed to understand how a hot-blooded bastard like Obito Uchiha had become like this.

"So what if you understand! What makes you think you can do it! You're just like that Obito Uchiha, a complete idiot!"

"But this world always needs a few fools like that..."

"They were willing to endure excruciating pain, the torment of fate, and the loneliness of their souls for their country and their compatriots, and even to sacrifice their lives without complaint or regret..."

Minato Namikaze's voice paused, then gradually lowered. Gamabunta yawned softly, then vanished into the jungle as a wisp of smoke.

"Xu, didn't you ask me before, is living just about surviving?"

"I can tell you now!"

No! Absolutely not!

"I want to spend a leisurely afternoon with my family, I want to create exquisite Ninjutsu. I want to love, I want to run, I want to feel the fragrance of nature in the rain."

I want to understand more, to comprehend all sorts of wonderful Ninjutsu, so that I can help my country and my village.

I want to burn brightly while I still can, to become a blazing fire, bringing warmth to those I love. I want to pursue my love while I still can, and I want to live every moment of my life as my own.

"I don't want to look back on my life and see only gloom and despair. Even though I have a long life, I suddenly realize that I have become a completely different person."

"Thread..."

Ask yourself what's in your heart. Principles are just principles, but life is the path you take. The meaning of life is to have no regrets!

I only hope that one day, when you are walking alone in the moonlight, you will recall your unwavering determination from many years ago, and you will secretly smile foolishly at the moonlight, reminiscing about that sincerity and passion.

Instead of proceeding cautiously and calculatingly at every step, only to lose everything and miss out on the beauty that should be present at each stage of life, leaving only regrets!

"There are many people in this world who are treated like fools, so one or two more won't make a big difference..."

"What do you think, Xu..."

The clouds drifted slowly across the sky, and the wind gently caressed his face. Kato Osamu knew that he would definitely be the Fourth Hokage.

It's just... a little bit of a pity.

Kato Osamu sighed softly, a faint blue light flashing in his eyes. He felt a little relieved, but his face remained expressionless.

Everything seemed to be proceeding exactly as he had envisioned. However, compared to a scientist, Orochimaru was more like a philosopher in Kato Osamu's mind at this moment.

"I will Danzo..."

Looking up at the sky, clusters of white clouds frolicked as they slowly drifted past the red backdrop, while the blood-red setting sun cast golden rays that shone directly onto his face.

"But not now..."

Minato Namikaze looked at Kato Osamu, who was silent but slowly concealing his killing intent, and gently raised the corners of his mouth. He then tossed a scroll from his hand to Kato Osamu.

"Although you don't seem to need it much right now, I already prepared it for you, so consider it a gift..."

"What?"

"Just some Sealing Jutsu, nothing too important..."

Kato Osamu seemingly casually accepted the scroll, placing it lightly in his arms. His cloak concealed his face, but a subtle, secret smile appeared on his face.

"Giving it to me now? Minato Namikaze Brother Minato is really cunning..."

"Haha... after all, being constantly targeted for assassination is quite annoying..."

With a soft chuckle, Kato Osamu said nothing more, but suddenly ripped off his cloak, held it high, and tossed it into the air.

"Just as despicable as me... Minato Namikaze..."

The howling wind carried away the dust that filled the sky, and seemed to carry the darkness that had weighed on him away to a distant place he would never see again.