"Lord Danzo..." Several dark figures arrived at Training Ground No. 3.
The area was completely unrecognizable, reduced to a massive crater as if everything had been swallowed whole.
At the bottom of the crater, Danzo slowly stood up, supporting his body.
His face was aged, his right eye pale and blind...
Yet, the limb that had been severed was now fully restored.
"Who did this? Let me—" Pakura's eyes flashed with anger and unease.
"I'm fine, Pakura..." Danzo's hoarse voice interrupted her.
He could feel the black substance within him surging again, spreading wildly through his body.
A sharp pain coursed through him, but the immense life energy chakra enveloped it, temporarily suppressing the chaos within.
Its presence made Danzo realize that Izanagi was not as all-powerful as he had once believed.
—
A deafening roar echoed from the distance.
The sheer intensity of the sound sent a shudder through Danzo's soul, forcing him to turn his head.
A massive spectral figure loomed over Konohagakure, dwarfing even the Nine-Tails.
"That... is the Shinigami."
"Lord Danzo, what's wrong?" Pakura followed his gaze but saw nothing.
"Take me to the Nine-Tails."
"But your body—"
"Do as I say, Pakura..." His weakened voice brooked no argument.
—
At the heart of the village, Jiraiya held a newborn in his arms, his expression a mix of sorrow and complexity as he looked at Minato and Kushina.
Ninjas gathered gradually, forming a solemn crowd.
"Minato..."
Faced with the Nine-Tails' near-limitless chakra, Minato had chosen to use the Reaper Death Seal to prevent further destruction of the village.
The Third Hokage stood nearby, his face conflicted, a glimmer of shame in his eyes.
For a brief moment, he had hesitated...
Yet Minato still wore his signature, sun-like smile.
"Jiraiya-sensei, Elder Danzo once told me that a crown raises its bearer above others—it is a symbol of status. But when calamity strikes from the heavens, the one wearing the crown must stand tall and let the people see a golden beacon of hope."
As if sensing Hiruzen's guilt, Minato turned to him.
"Lord Third, this is my own choice."
With those words, he moved toward Kushina, his steps weak, gently caressing her tear-streaked face.
"Kushina... I'm sorry. I failed to protect you and our child."
"Minato..."
Jiraiya placed the baby into their arms.
"Naruto..." Kushina whispered, softly stroking the newborn, tears streaming down her face.
Danzo, with Pakura's support, finally arrived at the scene.
Watching the sight before him, a heavy feeling settled in his chest.
Nothing had changed after all.
"Lord Danzo..." Minato's eyes glowed faintly.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Lord Danzo..."
"Not at all, Minato. You've done far better than I ever expected."
"Is that so..." Minato smiled weakly, his eyes losing their light.
"You were more like a mentor to me... Kushina and I wanted you to be there for Naruto's birth celebration, to share a meal together..."
[System Notification: Important character, Namikaze Minato, has acknowledged you.]
[Connecting...]
[Reward Acquired: Spatial Awareness (Where do you wish to go?)]
A reward he had once longed for, yet Danzo felt no joy.
As he looked at Minato and Kushina, his heart clenched unbearably.
Minato gazed down at his son.
"Lord Danzo... could you—"
"I will take care of him. He will grow up happily."
"The village... and Naruto... I leave them to you..."
Kushina looked up at Danzo with deep gratitude. To her, the village meant nothing—only her child and Minato mattered.
But Minato's decision... the tragic fate of jinchūriki... As a new mother, she couldn't even bear to imagine it.
"Kushina... I'm so sorry..." Minato held his wife and child tightly, his voice growing weaker...
The last remnants of his soul were drawn from his body as the Shinigami's phantom slowly faded away.
—
Konohagakure was in turmoil.
In a single night, both the Seven-Tails and Nine-Tails had rampaged, and the Fourth Hokage had perished.
Many still hadn't grasped the full weight of the situation.
Leaderless, the village turned to the Third Hokage, who stepped forward to regain control.
As for Danzo—
After the death of Minato and Kushina, he disappeared, taking the newborn Naruto with him.
He hadn't even attended the funeral of the Fourth Hokage and his wife.
—
Deep within Root's underground laboratory—
Jiraiya stood with two toads perched on his shoulders, the distinct features of Sage Mode visible on his face.
His webbed hands slowly withdrew from Danzo's exposed chest cavity.
"So this is the product of Yin-Yang Release...? My first time seeing one up close..." Fukasaku examined the black mass wrapped in Senjutsu chakra with great curiosity.
It pulsed with a will of its own, struggling against the sealing runes surrounding it, attempting to break free.
"This old man's body isn't normal either. A regular person would've been dead long ago," Shima remarked, eyeing Danzo's torn-open torso. His shattered internal organs lay beside him, yet he remained conscious.
As soon as the black substance was extracted, his destroyed organs rapidly regenerated.
Jiraiya sealed the mass inside a containment vessel and handed it to the researchers.
"Thanks, Jiraiya..." Danzo exhaled. The moment the black substance left his body, he felt as if he could finally breathe. The life energy chakra within him now worked to restore his body.
"You won't last long," Jiraiya said solemnly.
Tsunade and Minato's trust in Danzo had led Jiraiya to seek aid from the Great Toad Sages without hesitation, even using techniques he had yet to master.
But in Sage Mode, he could clearly sense that Danzo's very cells were being drained dry.
Despite his seemingly powerful regenerative ability, it was all due to some unknown life force chakra keeping him alive.
Jiraiya wouldn't be surprised if Danzo dropped dead in the next second.
Danzo, however, remained calm.
"I still have unfinished business. I won't die just yet."
He knew his body's condition better than anyone—far worse than what Jiraiya imagined.
Without the strength of his powerful soul, not even all the life energy in the world would be enough to sustain him.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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