The setting sun shone blood-red upon the towering Kage Rock.
With his dejection written all over his face, Jiraiya arrived at the ruins awaiting reconstruction. A large number of surviving ninja had gathered there, discussing Danzo's summons.
"What trouble is Danzo trying to stir up now, at a time like this..."
Putting aside his gloom, Jiraiya walked toward the center of the ruins with a resigned expression. Before long, he met Tsunade, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura, all wearing grave expressions.
"Jiraiya, you're just in time..."
Mitokado Homura beckoned Jiraiya over. Once he drew near, Homura said quietly, "According to Tsunade's diagnosis, the backlash from the Hashirama cells has left Danzo in extremely bad shape. He only has a few days left."
Tsunade nodded and glanced toward Danzo nearby. "Danzo really is beyond saving, unless my two grandfathers come back to life, or Nagato, who rescued Hiruko, intervenes."
That Nagato was the leader of the Akatsuki was no longer a secret among the Konoha High Command.
Jiraiya's expression darkened. He began to understand why Tsunade and the elder advisors had not stopped Danzo from issuing the summons. After all, these were the final words of a senior official who had helped resist the Akatsuki's invasion.
By now, like the others, Jiraiya was looking forward to seeing what Danzo would do next.
As time passed, Danzo raised his head from the center of the crowd and gestured for the Root ninja beside him to move aside. Then he tore off the eyepatch covering his Sharingan, revealing the scarlet eye.
"How does Lord Danzo have a Sharingan?"
As soon as the first ninja spoke, news of Danzo's Sharingan spread through the crowd, drawing waves of shocked cries. Danzo was an elder of the Hokage Faction, after all. Why did he possess the