"Minato did quite well."
Inside Misawa Bridge, Shimura Danzō studied the latest battle report. A rare smile crept across his shadowed face. "The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki combined with space-time ninjutsu… That kind of outcome is only to be expected."
The repeated losses along the Kirigakure front weren't just wearing down Konohagakure's elite forces—they were also destabilizing other battle lines, causing immense pressure across the board.
Danzō had even learned that in order to handle the situation with Iwagakure, Hiruzen had sent both Koharu and Homura to the front lines.
"If we can pull off two more successful strikes, the battle here should wrap up soon. Then it'll be time to take Minato and Kushina to the Iwa front."
Danzō paused in thought, then asked in a low voice, "Have we located the one with Wood Release and the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
"Not yet," replied Aburame Ryōma, one of Danzō's most trusted subordinates. He shook his head solemnly. "But we did find residual traces from the individual Minato encountered. The samples contain extremely active material, closely resembling the First Hokage's cells."
"To be able to integrate First Hokage cells directly into the body and fight without rejection… Their progress with those cells isn't just on par with ours—it may even exceed it!"
Danzō's expression turned grim.
Root had never stopped researching Hashirama's cells, but the results had always been disastrous. The cells were simply too active. Nearly all test subjects suffered from woodification—turning into living wood.
The only marginal success was 'Tenzo'...
No, calling it a success was too generous. If it truly were a success, they would've been able to mass-produce Wood Release shinobi like him. But after Tenzo, they hadn't managed to create a single viable subject—unless one counted those grotesque, monstrous wooden abominations as "successes."
"Whatever it takes, find that individual."
Danzō slammed his cane hard into the floor. "Unleash your insect hives. If he isn't nearby, push deeper into the Kirigakure front. Go all the way into the village if necessary!"
"He appeared alongside Yuki Yoru during the attack. That suggests a direct connection to Kirigakure… He might even be their creation—"
"How like the shadows of the shinobi world to slander others so freely."
A calm, dispassionate voice interrupted him.
Yoru appeared out of thin air, a faint smile on his face as he looked at Danzō and Aburame Ryōma. "Tell me, did Konoha's White Fang take his own life because of baseless accusations just like these?"
"You're younger than I expected."
Danzō glanced at the newly arrived Yoru with no surprise, as though he had anticipated his presence.
"Thanks for the compliment."
"I suppose it was you who convinced Namikaze Minato to attack our Kirigakure forces with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?"
Yoru offered a cold smile. He didn't bother with elaborate schemes or manipulation—those were tools for the weak. If one had the strength, the most effective tactic was simple: direct suppression.
He believed his current strength was more than enough. Perhaps not enough to defeat Minato and the Nine-Tails together, but beating Danzō? No challenge at all. And so, he chose the simplest solution.
"That's right. But consider it retaliation. You were the ones who first deployed the Three-Tails Jinchūriki against us."
Danzō's voice remained calm, unashamed. Just as Yoru believed that power justified boldness, Danzō shared the same conviction.
"If you insist on that logic, then technically, it was you who fielded the Nine-Tails first."
Yoru scoffed at Danzō's excuse. People like him always needed a justification for their actions. No wonder he lost the position of Third Hokage to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Fourth to Namikaze Minato, and the Fifth to Tsunade.
"But this kind of argument is meaningless. Since you gave Minato and the Nine-Tails the go-ahead to strike, you've clearly prepared for total war. Yes, it's true—Kirigakure can't withstand Flying Thunder God paired with a Jinchūriki. But I'm more curious: what power do you think you'll use… to stop me?"
"At only fourteen years old, your strength is truly impressive. You're one of the most gifted individuals I've ever seen."
Danzō gave a slow shake of his head. "But you're arrogant. And arrogance… is always the first step to downfall."
At his side, Ryōma suddenly unleashed a swarm of kikaichū, sealing off all possible escape routes and rushing toward Yoru in a black tide.
The insects swarmed.
But the next moment, they began falling from Yoru's body—shattered like flakes of ice, crashing to the ground and crumbling apart.
[Target Detected: A-rank — Aburame Ryōma. Side Mission Triggered.]
[Mission (1) …]
…
[Target Detected: S-rank — Shimura Danzō. Side Mission Triggered.]
[Mission (1) …]
"So… one of the Aburame clan's elite. I've nearly wiped out all of your so-called noble clans—Hyūga, Uchiha, the Ino-Shika-Chō. And yet, I hadn't touched the Aburame. Looks like I'll get to add one more clan to my list today."
Danzō narrowed his eyes. Kikaichū could devour chakra directly, and under normal conditions, using Ice Release while swarmed should've been impossible—the moment chakra is formed, the insects should consume it.
But now, Yoru's Ice Release had frozen the kikaichū outright, without taking any damage in return.
"So this is your Ice Release… Quite the anomaly."
"But this alone isn't enough to justify your arrogance!"
With a sharp wave of his arm, Danzō summoned over a dozen Root operatives.
Chakra surged as they launched coordinated attacks—not with destructive ninjutsu like fire or lightning, but rather wind and earth style meant to restrict movement.
Among them were members of the Nara and Yamanaka clans. Shadow Imitation and Mind Transfer techniques activated in unison, working with Ryōma's kikaichū to create a seamless control chain.
And while the restraints formed, multiple shinobi charged at Yoru with blinding speed, drawing their blades as arcs of lightning danced around the steel—screeching with Chidori-like intensity.
Yoru, expressionless, drew Hyorinmaru from his waist.
Danzō's eyes lit up with a strange gleam.
A frigid blast surged outward, forming an ice wall that blocked the restrictive techniques. Sword energy howled as it cut through the air. The charging Root ninja barely had time to react before Yoru had already taken their lives.
But in the next instant, the corpses began to twitch—covered in a lattice of black sealing scripts that writhed and expanded under chakra activation.
"Pay the price for your arrogance, Yuki Yoru!"
As Danzō grinned menacingly, blood erupted from the fallen Root operatives. The seals drew arcs in midair, forming into swelling spheres of cursed chakra, engulfing Yoru completely.
Grudges of the past turned into darkness—crafted into a single killing blow.
S-rank Fūinjutsu—
Inner Four Symbols Seal!