What's the best way to destroy someone completely? It's to shatter their lifelong goals right in front of them, leaving them utterly hopeless.
That was exactly what Natsuro had done to Danzō. At this point, he had lifted the "silence" jutsu on Danzō.
Now, Danzō could only hear the crowd's deafening chants, all calling for his death. His face twisted in despair, his mind clouded with disbelief.
Natsuro observed Danzō's reaction, satisfied. In his opinion, killing Danzō outright would be too easy on him.
Natsuro didn't even intend to kill Danzō after the trial. Instead, he planned to cripple his chakra, rendering him a powerless shell of his former self.
He wouldn't bother torturing him further. Instead, he would gradually expose every despicable act Danzō had ever committed.
Most importantly, Natsuro wanted Danzō to witness Konoha thriving without him, to feel the sting of irrelevance.
The ideal ending? For Danzō to take his own life in utter despair.
Unfortunately, this was the ninja world, a place rife with unpredictability. And there were simply too many people who wanted Danzō dead, with Sasuke among them.
Natsuro didn't even dare share his true plan with Sasuke, knowing full well Sasuke might see him in a completely different light if he did. After all, even he considered the plan somewhat diabolical.
If this were only about his responsibilities as Hokage, killing Danzō would suffice. But Natsuro had hated Danzō ever since he read about him in his past life. Simply killing him wouldn't bring peace of mind.
"You fools! A bunch of ignorant fools! What do you know?!"
Danzō suddenly roared. There was no point in explaining himself anymore, nothing he said would matter.
Instead of reasoning with the crowd, he resolved to erase all opposition.
If he could kill everyone here, there might still be a chance for him to achieve his ambitions. The position of Hokage was his by right, and no one could stop him!
Danzō's hands formed a series of seals.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"
Shockingly, Danzō's target was the crowd below.
The villagers hadn't expected Danzō to lash out at them with a deadly jutsu. Fear and panic began to ripple through the masses.
Before chaos could erupt, a calm and familiar voice rang out, audible to everyone despite the noise.
"Do not fear. Rest assured, Danzō cannot harm you."
The crowd immediately recognized the voice, it was Natsuro's. The certainty in his tone and his reputation as their chosen Hokage reassured them.
In a flash, Natsuro appeared in front of the oncoming attack. With a casual wave of his hand, the Vacuum Sphere dissipated entirely.
The only effect it had was to create a gentle breeze that lightly tousled his hair, making him appear effortlessly composed and stylish.
"He's lost his mind," Tsunade commented.
When Danzō attacked the crowd, she hadn't been worried. She knew Natsuro had planned for such an eventuality.
Even if Natsuro hadn't intercepted the attack, the barrier team would have stopped it, though at some effort. The village had taken precautions, knowing Danzō might lash out in desperation.
The two advisors, Koharu and Homura, remained silent. Watching Danzō's distorted expression, they couldn't fathom how he had fallen so far.
Why was he so obsessed with becoming Hokage? He was already in a position of immense power and influence.
The two advisors sighed, retreating just as the Third Hokage had done. There was no point in staying.
If Danzō saw them, he might attack them too. They were too old to deal with that kind of trouble. They decided to watch the rest of Danzō's downfall from a safe distance.
"Damn it!" The Third Hokage's face darkened as he saw the Vacuum Sphere.
He knew the barrier team would protect the villagers, but the fact that Danzō had targeted ordinary citizens was beyond unacceptable.
Finally, the Third Hokage admitted to himself that Natsuro had been right. Konoha could never be entrusted to someone like Danzō.
Not only should Danzō be denied the position of Hokage, but he shouldn't hold any power whatsoever. Anyone willing to harm innocent people could never be trusted.
The Third Hokage felt a deep regret for his years of leniency toward Danzō.
Tsunade glanced at the cheering crowd. Many of the voices were female, and she couldn't help but look back at Natsuro, standing confidently in mid-air.
His hair swayed in the breeze caused by the Vacuum Sphere, making him appear almost annoyingly dazzling.
Tsunade felt torn between laughter and frustration. After today, Natsuro would likely become the subject of admiration for most women in Konoha and envy for most men.
Natsuro had done this on purpose, she realized. It wasn't just about stopping Danzō; it was a demonstration of his power and a move to win the people's hearts.
Not that it mattered. His strength was so far beyond Danzō's that the latter stood no chance.
Natsuro turned his gaze back to Danzō.
"To attack Konoha's civilians… You are beyond redemption. You deserve nothing but death."
The crowd erupted in a unified chant:
"Execute Danzō!!"
As Natsuro's words echoed through the air, another wave of chants for Danzō's execution surged from the crowd. Danzō's attack on them had left a deep impression, and if they had the power, they would have executed him themselves.
"Dammit!" Danzō gritted his teeth. He had already known that Natsuro's strength far exceeded his expectations after surviving his previous encounters with powerful foes. But to see the Vacuum Sphere neutralized so effortlessly was beyond comprehension.
If the Vacuum Sphere didn't work, then…
"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
Danzō launched another attack, this time expelling a high-pressure wind ball from his mouth. If the previous Vacuum Sphere was like a bullet, this one was a cannonball.
Natsuro, however, remained calm. He formed a single hand seal, and the golden hue of his eyes indicated that he had entered Sage Mode.
Dealing with Danzō didn't require Sage Mode, but Natsuro figured that if he was going to perform for the crowd, he might as well make it a full spectacle.
"Sage Art ~ Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"
In an instant, a Vacuum Sphere appeared, far more intense than Danzō's. Its wind, so condensed, had turned visibly white.
The crowd watched as Natsuro's Vacuum Sphere obliterated Danzō's Vacuum Great Sphere without slowing down, its speed and power undiminished. In the blink of an eye, it struck Danzō before he could react.
The devastating impact of Natsuro's Vacuum Sphere left Danzō's body torn apart, shattered by the sheer force.
The crowd looked on, satisfaction gleaming in their eyes. In a world filled with ninjas, such scenes weren't shocking, they felt cathartic.
"You tried to use the Vacuum Sphere against us? Now you've been killed by one yourself. Serves you right!"
However, Natsuro remained calm, his voice cutting through the cheers:
"That was your punishment for attacking the people of Konoha. I've killed you once."
The words left everyone stunned. Punishment? Killed him once?
What did he mean? Was there going to be a second time?
Even the ninjas, including those from the major clans, were left dumbfounded. What was he talking about?
Natsuro answered their unspoken question:
"Izanagi... The ultimate jutsu of the Sharingan. The wielder of Izanagi can turn any unfavorable event, including death, into an illusion, rewriting reality to their advantage. Even death can be undone."
His voice reached every ear, and the revelation made everyone's eyes widen in shock.
A technique this powerful truly existed? And why had they never heard of it?
Before they could process it fully, Danzō, whose body had been destroyed by Natsuro's attack, suddenly reappeared as if nothing had happened.
The sight confirmed Natsuro's explanation. Izanagi was real.
The crowd was shaken, even Sasuke. He had never known about this ability of the Sharingan.
If someone with the Sharingan could use this jutsu, wouldn't they be invincible?
Thankfully, Natsuro's voice interrupted their spiraling thoughts, providing reassurance.
"Do not worry. Each use of Izanagi permanently blinds the Sharingan that casts it, rendering it unusable."
Hearing this, the crowd collectively sighed in relief. Even so, they marveled at the Sharingan's power. A jutsu that could rewrite life and death, even with its limitations, was still overwhelming.
Danzō, furious and humiliated, glared at Natsuro, his teeth clenched in rage.
"How do you know about this jutsu?!" he demanded.
Natsuro smirked, his golden eyes glinting with confidence. "There's nothing about you I don't know, Danzō. Nothing."
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Currently on Chapter 290 - Swift Release and Magnet Release?