On Konoha Main Road, the dust slowly settled.
Danzo stood with his back pressed against a wooden post by the roadside. The black wooden cane in his hand trembled constantly, and cold sweat trickled from his forehead down his chin.
Yashiro stared coldly at him, the chakra glow of his half-bodied Susanoo dazzling in the sunlight.
Chikage strolled up from behind and reached out to pat Yashiro's chakra ribs.
"All right, Captain Yashiro, put away your divine powers."
"That Chakra Cloak is so bright it hurts my eyes."
Chikage glanced up at the sky and gave a lazy yawn.
"It's ten-ten in the morning. Everyone still has patrol duties."
"If you stomp the street into rubble, the Konoha Military Police Force will have to pay for repairs. Not worth it."
Only after Chikage spoke did Yashiro snort coldly. The four-pointed pinwheel patterns in his eyes gradually faded.
The chakra giant, over twenty meters tall, swayed a few times before dissolving into specks of light.
The oppressive weight hanging over the entire street finally lifted.
Danzo's legs buckled, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, the Root guards behind him hurried to catch him.
"Advisor Danzo, if you're feeling unwell, drink more warm water. Stop standing around in the wind."
Chikage smiled and clasped both hands in a polite salute.
"Remember to remind the Hokage Building to pay the eighty-million-ryo down payment before three this afternoon."
"If it's late, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will charge a daily late fee of half a percent, as stipulated in the agreement."
With that, Chikage pulled Yashiro away, turning without giving Danzo another proper glance.
Behind the cracks in doors on both sides of the street, merchants secretly poked their heads out. A new measure of awe filled their eyes as they watched