“That’s impossible…”
Rui stood frozen in place as he stared at the Vacuum Blade protruding through his chest.
His pupils trembled violently.
Disbelief filled his face.
As an Earth Release specialist, he had always been renowned for his near-impenetrable defense.
Even among the elite Kinkaku Force, the stone armor he created was considered top-tier.
Ordinary ninjutsu couldn’t even scratch it.
Time and time again, he had charged through battlefields relying on that seemingly indestructible defense, carving out a fearsome reputation with his own hands.
And yet—
In a single exchange, his carefully crafted armor had been torn apart by Wind Release.
Then he had been killed in one strike.
Weren’t these Konoha ninja supposed to be severely wounded?
Hadn’t intelligence reported that they were operating at barely a fraction of their normal strength?
The man standing before him looked anything but weakened.
Anything but injured.
Faced with Rui’s questioning gaze, Danzō remained expressionless.
Without saying a word, he twisted the kunai in his hand.
The concentrated Wind Release chakra immediately surged through the cracks in the stone armor.
Like countless microscopic blades, it shredded Rui’s heart from within.
Blood spilled from the wound.
Dark red streams trickled down the fractured armor before dripping onto the ground.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
The sound echoed eerily across the battlefield.
Danzō withdrew the kunai.
For a brief moment, he suppressed the discomfort rising within him.
After all, despite possessing the original Danzō’s memories, this was still one of the first times he had personally taken a life.
But that discomfort quickly gave way to delight.
According to the original Danzō’s memories, dealing with an opponent like Rui would normally have required considerable effort.
Things were different now.
After consuming the fruit and obtaining the Senju Physique, his chakra reserves had increased dozens of times over.
He wasn’t on the level of a Tailed Beast.
Nor could he compare to monsters like Hashirama Senju.
But compared to ordinary shinobi?
The difference was overwhelming.
The immense chakra flowing through his body made using ninjutsu feel effortless.
For the first time, he no longer had to constantly worry about conserving chakra.
He could unleash techniques freely.
Without restraint.
Without hesitation.
Naturally, the power of his jutsu increased dramatically.
And that wasn’t the only benefit.
The injuries he had suffered during the earlier battles against Kumogakure had also recovered significantly.
His wounds were nearly healed.
His fatigue had largely disappeared.
His body felt lighter than ever.
Stronger than ever.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Danzō felt himself approaching his true peak condition.
One could only say—
This really was a world ruled by bloodlines.
A powerful lineage could change everything.
It could grant strength, vitality, talent, and potential beyond the reach of ordinary people.
No wonder so many shinobi spent their entire lives chasing bloodline powers.
Because with a sufficiently powerful bloodline—
You could truly do whatever you wanted.
“RUI!”
A furious roar suddenly erupted across the battlefield.
The remaining Cloud ninja’s eyes turned bloodshot as he watched his comrade collapse.
Shock.
Rage.
Disbelief.
All of it mixed together into a murderous fury.
He had never imagined that Rui, one of the strongest defensive specialists in their unit, would die so quickly.
Nor had he expected the seemingly wounded Konoha group to possess such terrifying combat power.
But the reality was now right in front of him.
Rui’s body crashed heavily to the ground.
And standing above him was Danzō.
The newly appointed Third Hokage.
His cloak fluttered in the wind.
Blood dripped from the kunai in his hand.
His expression remained cold and composed.
As though killing an elite enemy shinobi was nothing more than another routine decision.
At that moment, even the Konoha shinobi couldn’t help but stare.
Something about Danzō had changed.
Not merely his strength.
Not merely his chakra.
But his presence.
The confidence with which he issued orders.
The decisiveness with which he acted.
The willingness to shoulder responsibility without hesitation.
It was as though he had already begun to grow into the role Tobirama had entrusted to him.
The role of Hokage.
And perhaps—
For the first time in his life—
Danzō finally understood what that title truly meant.
A Hokage was not merely the strongest shinobi.
A Hokage was the one who stood at the front when danger arrived.
The one who made the difficult decisions.
The one who carried the burden of everyone else’s lives.
The one who never had the luxury of retreat.
This…
Was the resolve required of a Hokage.
The moment he saw his comrade impaled through the chest, the remaining Cloud shinobi let out a furious roar.
In the next instant, vast amounts of chakra erupted from the pores of his skin.
Lightning Release chakra surged across his body, transforming into torrents of crackling electricity.
The Konoha shinobi immediately tensed, preparing for a desperate counterattack.
But then—
The Cloud ninja slammed his foot into the ground.
The Lightning Release chakra stimulated every cell in his body, explosively increasing his speed.
His figure shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
And then…
Without even looking back, he dove headfirst into the dense forest behind him.
Within a few leaps, he had vanished from sight.
Was he kidding?
Their carefully prepared ambush had failed to stop this group.
Now he was the only one left.
Revenge?
He’d leave that to Big Brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
Survival came first.
Fortunately, Danzō had anticipated this possibility.
The instant the enemy attempted to flee, Kagami and Torifu shot off in pursuit.
“Looks like we owe you one, Danzō.”
Homura dropped heavily onto the cold ground and let out a long sigh of relief.
Given his condition, if Danzō hadn’t intervened earlier, he honestly didn’t know how he would have escaped that battle.
“It’s nothing.”
“It was my responsibility.”
Danzō answered casually, as if saving a comrade’s life were no more significant than completing a routine task.
Then his tone shifted.
His gaze swept across Homura and Koharu, both of whom looked battered and exhausted.
“As future leaders of the village…”
“You and Koharu should spend more time honing your combat abilities.”
The remark caused both of them to freeze.
Their expressions became complicated.
Part pleased.
Part embarrassed.
The good news was obvious.
As the Hokage personally chosen by Tobirama, Danzō had already acknowledged them as part of Konoha’s future leadership.
For them and their clans, that recognition carried enormous significance.
The less pleasant part…
Was that Danzō’s criticism couldn’t have been more obvious.
The newly appointed Third Hokage clearly wasn’t particularly impressed by their current strength.
And truthfully—
He wasn’t wrong.
Compared to Hiruzen’s mastery of countless jutsu…
Kagami’s Sharingan and Body Flicker Technique…
Or Torifu’s Akimichi secret arts…
Their combat prowess lagged noticeably behind.
The battle they had just fought had proven exactly that.
Just as the two were wondering how to respond, Hiruzen stepped in to ease the tension.
“Koharu and Homura aren’t front-line combat specialists.”
“You don’t have to be so hard on them.”
Then he glanced at the enormous Wind Release spear Danzō had created earlier and scratched his head.
“On the other hand…”
“What exactly have you been taking lately?”
His tone carried genuine bewilderment.
Ever since becoming Hokage, Danzō seemed completely transformed.
His injuries no longer bothered him.
His exhaustion had disappeared.
And somehow his techniques had become bigger, stronger, and far more ridiculous than before.
Compared to the dispirited and worn-down Danzō he’d known previously, this version felt like an entirely different person.
Danzō slowly dispersed the remaining Wind Release chakra around his weapon.
His expression remained calm.
“This…”
“…is the resolve of a Hokage.”
Everyone fell silent.
Danzō continued.
“Since Sensei entrusted the village to me, I will eliminate every threat standing in Konoha’s way.”
“No matter the cost.”
“Even if I have to give my life.”
The resolve of a Hokage…
Hiruzen stared at Danzō’s back.
Repeating the words silently.
Was this why Sensei chose him?
If I’d possessed that same resolve back then…
Would I have hesitated?
A sigh escaped him.
By the time he regained his focus, Danzō had already led the others into the cave.
Inside lay a Konoha shinobi.
Everyone recognized him immediately.
He was one of Tobirama’s direct subordinates.
A veteran descended from the Senju Clan.
But now—
His body was pinned against the stone wall in a cruciform position.
Four kunai had been driven through his hands and feet.
His fingernails had all been torn away.
Blood dripped steadily from the mutilated wounds.
White fragments of broken teeth could be seen among the pool of blood beneath him.
His chest had been cut open.
Exposed ribs gleamed pale beneath the torchlight.
And behind them…
His heart.
Silent.
Motionless.
No longer beating.
“Those damned Cloud bastards…”
Homura cursed through clenched teeth.
Danzō’s expression was equally grim.
“Koharu.”
She immediately stepped forward.
After a brief examination, her face darkened.
“He’s gone.”
“He died about ten minutes ago.”
A complicated look appeared in her eyes.
“To prevent information from falling into enemy hands…”
“He bit off his own tongue and took his own life.”
Silence filled the cave.
Danzō slowly clenched his fist.
That meant…
The veteran Senju shinobi had endured unimaginable torture.
And the very moment his captors stopped questioning him—
He had chosen death.
Not because he wanted to die.
But because he refused to leave even the slightest opportunity for the enemy to obtain intelligence.
He had denied them everything.
Including himself.
The price was his own life.
For a long moment, nobody spoke.
Finally, Danzō rose to his feet.
His voice was cold.
“Monkey.”
Hiruzen looked over.
“Use Fire Release.”
“Cremate our senior.”
No Konoha shinobi would be left behind for the enemy to desecrate.
After giving the order, Danzō turned and walked toward the cave entrance.
The dim light cast a long shadow behind him.
Without looking back, he said:
“I’m going to see whether Kagami and Torifu have returned.”
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