"Damn Iwagakure!"
Shimura Danzō was filled with resentment. This crushing defeat at Iwagakure's hands had undoubtedly plunged him into the abyss.
Becoming Hokage would now be very difficult for him.
This single defeat was enough to leave Shimura Danzō unable to recover.
Meanwhile, although Orochimaru had narrowly escaped being shot dead by Didaze's arrows, he was already gravely wounded and could barely even move.
"I haven't uncovered the truths of this world yet... I can't die!!!"
Orochimaru watched Han charge toward him and desperately tried to flee, but he could no longer move at all.
Both his legs had been injured by Didaze's explosions. Although those injuries could heal with time, Orochimaru had completely lost his mobility for now.
"Die!"
Han abruptly raised his front hoof and smashed it down at Orochimaru!
With nowhere to dodge, Orochimaru was killed outright by the blow!
Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, died beneath Han's feet just like that, without even leaving an intact corpse.
"Good work, Han!"
Seeing that Orochimaru was dead, Didaze's spirits lifted as well.
With that, all the Konoha Ninja had been killed!
As for Shimura Danzō? Wasn't he a spy from another village? They could kill anyone but him!
At the same time, Kitsuchi arrived on the battlefield with Iwagakure's ninja.
The moment Kitsuchi arrived, he saw Orochimaru, whom Han had stomped into a bloody pulp!
"This..."
Kitsuchi's eyes bulged in shock.
He had never imagined that Orochimaru of the Konoha Sannin, who had held him up for so long, would die so inexplicably just like that.
And it looked as though only Shimura Danzō remained. The man was fleeing, and Kitsuchi was just about to send people after him when Didaze stopped him.
"Don't chase him. He's still useful."
Didaze shook his head at Kitsuchi.
They couldn't kill this fellow. They still needed him to get the Konoha White Fang killed. They could kill him after he had dealt with White Fang.
Didaze watched Shimura Danzō run farther and farther away, with absolutely no intention of pursuing him.
"Why... why isn't he chasing me?"
After running a long way, Shimura Danzō looked back and found no trace of any Iwagakure ninja behind him.
This left Shimura Danzō utterly baffled.
"Could it be... to make people suspect me?"
After turning it over in his mind, Shimura Danzō could think of only this answer: Iwagakure wanted him to fall under suspicion, then be rejected by Konoha, and finally recruit him!
After all, he was a Kage Level powerhouse!
"Damn Iwagakure! I will never betray Konoha. Dream on!"
Shimura Danzō seemed to have become obsessed, gritting his teeth as he rejected Iwagakure, which had never tried to recruit him.
Meanwhile, Konoha's main force, led by Hatake Sakumo, also encountered Shimura Danzō.
"There's a massive chakra source ahead. Preliminary estimates put it somewhere between Elite Jonin and Kage Level!"
After detecting Shimura Danzō's chakra, the Hyuga Clan ninja responsible for reconnaissance immediately reported to Hatake Sakumo.
"Intercept him!"
Hatake Sakumo made his decision immediately, then drew White Fang and swiftly headed toward the spot the Hyūga ninja indicated!
"Elder Danzo?"
Only after arriving did Hatake Sakumo discover, to his surprise, that it was actually Shimura Danzō!
"Elder Danzo, why are you... alone?"
Hatake Sakumo asked in some confusion.
After all, when they had come to provide reinforcements, they had been told that some of the Konoha Ninja on the Iwagakure front were still alive. Why was Shimura Danzō the only one left now?
"Iwagakure launched a surprise attack on us. I'm the only one left now. Everyone else is dead. Hurry and stop them!"
Shimura Danzō spoke, even giving Hatake Sakumo an order at the end.
"What!"
Hatake Sakumo was stunned. Whether the others had died wasn't much of an issue, but the problem was that Orochimaru seemed to be missing too. This... this could be serious trouble!
"What about Orochimaru?"
Although Hatake Sakumo knew Orochimaru was probably gone, he still intended to ask Shimura Danzō to confirm it.
"Orochimaru is dead..."
Shimura Danzō sighed.
However, he was not sighing for Orochimaru, but over how he would defend himself to Hiruzen Sarutobi when he returned.
Someone like him would never sigh for anyone else.
"Damn it..."
Hatake Sakumo had a headache too. Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, had died just as he arrived. This was undoubtedly very bad news for him!
"Elder Danzo, come with us!"
Hatake Sakumo pulled Shimura Danzō along toward the reinforcements.
Shimura Danzō followed Hatake Sakumo to the reinforcements.
"Elder Danzo, please explain things to them."
Hatake Sakumo wasn't stupid. He intended to have Shimura Danzō explain. After all, this wasn't his fault, so surely he couldn't be made to take the blame?
Damn this fellow... trying to make me take the blame. Just you wait...
Shimura Danzō shot Hatake Sakumo a discreet glare, then began explaining.
"What!"
Everyone was shocked, especially the Uchiha Clan, Inuzuka Clan, Yamanaka Clan, Nara Clan, and Akimichi Clan.
The Nara Clan and Akimichi Clan were affected most of all. After all, Shikaku Nara and Akimichi Chōza were their clan heads' sons, and the Nara Clan's designated next clan head was among them!
Those two had still been alive, all because of Shimura Danzō!
The looks several clan heads gave Shimura Danzō turned decidedly hostile.
After all, their clansmen and sons had originally been alive. It was only Shimura Danzō's erroneous orders that had caused their deaths!
As for whether Shimura Danzō had actually given the orders? That no longer mattered. Orochimaru was already dead, after all. Who would make a dead man take the blame?
"Let's go! Although our frontline troops have been completely wiped out, we must keep advancing, and... we must crush them utterly!"
Hatake Sakumo shouted angrily at the clan heads, then took the lead, swiftly heading in the direction Shimura Danzō had indicated!
Meanwhile, on the Iwagakure Ninja's side.
"I have about thirty to forty percent of my chakra left!"
Didaze checked the chakra inside his body, then broke into a happy smile.
After all, he had wiped out Konoha's entire force this time! Wasn't that worth celebrating?
"You're so strong, Didaze!"
Didaze's power had once again reshaped Kitsuchi's understanding. It was his first time seeing an ability so suited to warfare.
This long-range Explosion Release was practically born for war! With Didaze, Iwagakure would never lose another war!
"Come on, let's keep advancing. Didaze, go rest in the back. I'll find a few people to carry you!"
Kitsuchi truly treasured Didaze now. Even while they traveled, he wanted Didaze to get some rest!
"All right!"
Didaze wasn't inflexible either. He needed to replenish his chakra anyway, and having someone carry him would let him recover a little faster.
Besides, carrying one person wasn't difficult for ninja. Or rather, it was extremely easy for them.
After all, ninja and ordinary people had different physiques.
And so, Didaze quietly replenished his chakra while Iwagakure's ninja force steadily advanced...