The fire dragon swept past the two of them, flew straight out the window, and crashed into a large tree in front of the Hokage's office building.
It bit and gnawed at the tree as though venting its fury, reducing it to a heap of black ash before throwing back its head with a roar and dissipating.
The dark eyes reflecting the firelight closed. Unexpected, yet not unexpected.
Shimura Danzō braced his hands on his knees and panted, drenched in cold sweat, his eyes bloodshot and his face slick with perspiration.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Leaf Dragon had been the ones facing the fire dragon head-on, yet he looked more like the victim.
His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but several times, he pressed them together and swallowed the words. Finally, he clamped his mouth shut, the darkness on his face reminding Watanabe Ichiro of Shimura Danzō in the original story.
Greedy, cold, perpetually on edge, filled with resentment directed at who knew whom.
Yet the Danzo before him also possessed a helplessness and confusion that stood in stark contrast to that image.
"I..."
His voice came out hoarse, and then he drew a deep breath.
"Hiruzen, I'll consider that punch a blow from Yilong. I wronged him."
"But I've never wronged you! Hiruzen Sarutobi, from the very beginning, and even... in the future, I'll never let you down!"
Droplets rolled down his chin, making it impossible to tell what they were.
"No matter what you say, Leaf Dragon is coming to my Root!"
"Lord Hokage, surely I have that much authority as Hokage Assistant?"
He gritted his teeth, his gaze so vicious he looked ready to devour someone, forcing out each word.
His attitude was so savage that he looked less like he was demanding Leaf