"Hi... Hiruzen..."
Danzo's voice trembled.
He recalled that moment from before.
"I... I'm still..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was equally shaky.
He was in pain.
"Are... are you okay?"
"What do you think?"
The two fell into silence.
Only overwhelming anger and killing intent filled the air.
At the same time, their bodies trembled, as if resonating with each other.
They shook in rhythm.
The medical ninja arrived.
Calmly, he began examining Sarutobi Hiruzen.
But...
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, the medic couldn't help but glance at Danzo.
You two are such good friends.
One in front, the other behind, one on the left, one on the right.
Danzo, always sharp, asked with a blank expression, "What are you looking at me for?"
"Nothing!"
The medic quickly responded, "Hokage-sama, can I speak to you privately?"
"No need. Just say it."
Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at Danzo, who was standing there with his head lowered, showing no intention of leaving. He sighed and gave in.
He understood Danzo's feelings all too well at that moment.
You couldn't drive him away even if you tried.
"We... we need surgery to remove it..."
"Remove it?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo shouted in unison.
"Yes!"
The medic swallowed hard and muttered softly, "One of them is crushed. We have to remove it, or the other one might get infected."
Danzo's eyes couldn't hide a flash of joy.
He had heard these words once before, years ago.
Back then, he had gone mad!
Who would've thought, Hiruzen, you'd face this too!
Wait, no!
This is my comrade; I should be sad!
Danzo tried hard to suppress the smile tugging at his lips, instead forcing a grim, ghostly expression that was more sinister than a smile.
Hiruzen collapsed on the ground, mumbling, "Uchiha Itsuki, Uchiha Itsuki... Ugh! Why are your hands shaking?"
The medic hesitated, glancing at Danzo and stammered, "I'm scared."
Hiruzen: "..."
The surgery began quickly.
As the medic put it, there's no chance for recovery. Not even Lady Tsunade could fix it, and you could bring back Lord Hashirama, and it still wouldn't matter.
This was no simple limb injury. That thing exploded. There's no repairing it.
While the surgery went on, Danzo moved closer to Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen, how could you be so careless!?"
Hiruzen looked at him and replied, "You think I didn't suspect Uchiha Itsuki might plant something in my home? The problem is, he wasn't there."
"Not there? Then how did this..."
"Explosive tag!"
Dammit, it was another explosive tag, hidden in his underwear.
But...
This time, compared to Danzo's situation, the explosive tag had clearly been upgraded.
Hiruzen had no idea it was there. And it only exploded after he had worn it for a while.
He still didn't understand how it even worked.
The night passed quickly.
Konoha called an emergency meeting.
All the larger ninja clans' heads were present.
The Jonin representing the civilian population were also there.
Danzo arrived.
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado came too.
Even though their clans were gone, life went on for them.
They could throw tantrums here and there, but not when Sarutobi Hiruzen was injured.
Things could get real.
Despite Hiruzen's best efforts to keep things under wraps, by morning, the news had spread like wildfire, thanks to some helpful individuals.
Danzo had played a part in it as well.
Back then, enraged, he'd chased Itsuki with a blade, making it a public spectacle.
So why should Sarutobi Hiruzen's situation go unnoticed?
Everyone had to know—they were the same!
In the large conference room, though the surface seemed calm, the Jonin and clan heads exchanged knowing glances.
Many of them had laughter hiding deep in their eyes.
Finally!
The time came.
Sarutobi Hiruzen strode into the meeting room with a swagger like never before.
He sat down on the main seat with imposing authority.
Then, his body froze suddenly: "Cluck, cluck, cluck..."
Huh?
Did I just make a chicken sound?
Danzo turned to stare at the Third Hokage, his expression complicated.
…I understand your pain.
…Shut up!
"The meeting begins!" Hiruzen's voice was low and solemn. "There are several matters we need to discuss."
The main issue was the Hidden Fire Village.
In the battle, they had taken out 3,000 Cloud Village ninjas and captured the Jinchuriki, making the other villages wary.
If Konoha hadn't retreated quickly, they might have lost a lot more.
Though, some were disappointed that the 4,000 enemy ninjas didn't inflict more damage.
In the end!
Sarutobi Hiruzen, having lost one of his "precious jewels," gave the order with absolute determination to launch an offensive against the Hidden Fire Village.
They must be destroyed!
For... revenge!
The Jonin listened silently, offering no comments.
Afterward, Hiruzen focused on Uchiha Itsuki and his Flying Thunder God technique.
The meeting dragged on slowly but steadily.
After a few hours, Hiruzen could no longer hold out and shifted slightly in his seat.
"Ugh!"
His body froze again.
It rubbed against something!
Why does it feel like it's hurting more than before?
Danzo turned and glanced at him: I understand. I understand everything.
…Get out of here!
Meanwhile, Itsuki had already returned to the Hidden Fire Village.
Whether a second major war would break out, he didn't know.
If there was one, he'd fight.
If not, life would go on.
What the Hidden Fire Village needed now was time.
Given enough time, Itsuki was confident he could develop the village beyond the Five Great Nations.
As for the Flying Thunder God, it wasn't invincible.
Otherwise, Minato Namikaze could have single-handedly wiped out all five villages back in the day.
But now!
Uchiha Itsuki was far stronger than Minato ever was.
[Mission: Defeat Konoha!]
[Mission Complete!]
[Mission: Defeat the Cloud Village!]
[Mission Complete!]
[Flying Thunder God: Level 6 (6%)]
This was the confidence that led Itsuki to face Konoha alone.
"It's almost time!"
Itsuki looked toward Konoha and muttered, "If I go again, I might end up in a trap. For now, let's have Konan give them another surprise."
"Hopefully, this surprise will be for me too, Konan."
…
Tap, tap, tap...
Slow footsteps echoed.
Konan walked steadily forward.
"Konoha is just ahead."
"Too bad my Paper Clone doesn't have much chakra left. I'll have to attack soon."
Konan muttered to herself, but her pace didn't slow.
"Who's there?"
Konoha's sentries spotted her immediately, shouting in warning.
Konan seemed not to hear them, as paper cranes began to appear around her.
After circling her twice, the paper cranes suddenly flew toward the sentries.
"Watch out!"
The guards shouted and hurled their shuriken.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Explosions echoed constantly.
Whenever a shuriken hit a paper crane, it would instantly detonate.
"A black cloak with red clouds stitched on it, and a pale purple paper flower on the right side of her head."
"She's the paper jutsu woman Lord Shikaku mentioned! Notify..."
The ninja's words trailed off.
Their eyes went blank.
They watched as Konan herself transformed into countless paper cranes, soaring through the air.
But!
There were too many cranes.
The sky was full of them!
"Oh my god!"
A Konoha ninja muttered, "This can't be real. This absolutely can't be real."
They had heard the rumors—that all of her cranes were explosive tags.
But how many were there?
The sky was black with them, blocking out the sun.
Who could stop them?
In the next moment, as if receiving an order, the cranes swarmed toward Konoha.
They moved like a cloud, darkening the sky.
(End of this chapter)