Chapter 83. We Only Want His Body
---
At that moment, memories flashed through Danzo's mind.
He recalled the days long past, back when he and Hiruzen were chosen by their teacher—
Training together, sweating together, bleeding together, laughing together. They carried out missions side by side and together, they protected Konoha.
But then—
Their teacher was ambushed, and they were surrounded.
For a split second, Danzo hesitated...
And fate took a different path.
Hiruzen became the Hokage.
And Danzo—
At Hiruzen's request, took up the role of Hokage's advisor, forming the Root organization and bearing the Konoha's darkness.
Even now, Danzo could vividly recall that day.
The weather wasn't as pleasant as it had been recently.
Hiruzen's sudden appointment as Hokage left everyone unprepared, and he seemed utterly exhausted during that time.
Appearing before Danzo, Hiruzen clasped his hand tightly. His eyes were filled with weariness and helplessness as he sincerely said, "Help me, my friend."
Caught off guard, Danzo responded with a calm nod.
"Alright."
That day felt so familiar.
Hiruzen gazed deeply into Danzo's eyes, and Danzo returned the look.
They stared at each other for a long time without saying another word.
But everything was understood.
This was... their bond!
Now, standing amidst the chaos, Danzo stared in disbelief at the figure before him.
That broad back, clad in the Hokage's flame-patterned robe, left him frozen. Tears and snot streamed uncontrollably down his face.
This was the feeling of reassurance.
Trembling, he choked out, "Hiruzen…"
"I'm here," replied Hiruzen, his voice filled with both emotion and resolve as he took in his old friend's disheveled state.
He was silently thankful that his 600 million ryo… ahem, his best friend was unharmed.
Otherwise, Konoha would have been at a loss.
Konoha can't live without him!
Turning to face their enemies—
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kiri, along with a mysterious ninja—Hiruzen's expression darkened.
He hadn't expected Danzo to have attracted such attention from other villages, especially Kirigakure. Recently, while other villages had openly expressed interest in the "600 million"—ahem, Danzo—visiting them as a [guest], Kirigakure and Kumogakure had remained silent.
Who would've thought?
They had secretly dispatched the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to infiltrate!
These seven were legendary, executing high-stakes missions for successive Mizukages. It was said they could conquer an entire small nation in a single night.
Their strength was self-evident.
It was sheer luck that Hiruzen arrived in time!
He recalled earlier that day—
While practicing calligraphy in his office, he'd heard a massive explosion from outside the village. His heart clenched with an ominous feeling.
He immediately ordered the ANBU to investigate.
And discovered—
Danzo was no longer in the Root base!
Terrified, he donned his Hokage robe and ran out.
Danzo really should have informed him before leaving.
Why sneak out at a time like this?
What if something happened?
The outside world was dangerous—could Danzo truly protect himself?
Fortunately, Hiruzen encountered Minato on the way. Otherwise, in that earlier confrontation, 600 million—oops, his dear friend might have been lost… leaving him to mourn Danzo's lifeless body.
Now, Hiruzen and Minato exchanged glances, silently understanding each other.
Hiruzen stepped forward, addressing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and the mysterious figure with a calm but commanding voice: "Kirigakure! You've overstepped your boundaries!"
"Heh, the Hokage?" chuckled Kurosuki Raiga with a sinister grin. "Didn't expect the Hokage to show up. Looks like we were too slow."
Raiga paused, his eyes shifting to Danzo, who was being shielded by the ANBU (Root) ninja.
"We, Kirigakure, don't want anything else. Hand over Shimura Danzo, and we'll leave immediately. We'll even stop the war at the front lines."
Hiruzen's brows furrowed slightly, but without hesitation, he shook his head.
"Shimura Danzo has always belonged to me... to Konoha. He is my best friend. Why would I ever let you take him to Kirigakure?"
Before the Kiri ninja could respond, another voice interjected.
"Seeing your forehead protectors reminds me of an old Konoha ninja I once fought—someone who was my equal."
The speaker, Kakuzu, stepped forward with a sly smirk.
"Oh, I remember now... his name was Hashirama Senju, wasn't it? Or something like that. It's been so long I can't quite recall."
"?!"
Everyone froze in shock.
The First Hokage? The God of Ninja?
The mere mention of his name carried weight.
But Hiruzen only frowned, his gaze fixed on Kakuzu.
"If Hashirama-sama were still alive today... he'd probably need someone to help him even when going to the toilet!"
In contrast, the ninja standing before them appeared energetic, upright, and far from someone who had lived for centuries.
However, after putting on a brief show, Kakuzu seemed uninterested in revealing more. He looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen with a calm gaze.
"Hand him over. Konoha... can't protect him!"
"Even if we can't, I still won't let him go!" Hiruzen retorted, resolute. "And my best friend has no intention of going with you. Leave!"
"Hiruzen…" Danzo looked at the steadfast figure in front of him, deeply moved.
Truly—
It was worth shouldering the darkness of Konoha for him back then.
"Hmph!" Biwa Juzo snorted coldly. "What he wants in his heart doesn't matter. All we're after is his body!"
"His body doesn't belong to you!"
"So, this is the Third Hokage?" Raiga Kurosuki sneered. "Looks like Konoha will need to pick a new Hokage today."
With that, he charged forward without hesitation.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Strike!"
Immediately—
Hiruzen and Minato reacted swiftly. At the same time, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Kakuzu launched into action, and chaos ensued.
The battlefield became a melee, with everyone vying for Danzo.
At that moment—
Danzo suddenly felt a profound realization:
The outside world... was terrifyingly dangerous.
He wanted to go back to the village.
Truly!
He—
Missed home!
But the Seven Ninja Swordsmen wouldn't let him go so easily.
In that brief instant—A shadow flickered past.
Hiruzen reflexively unleashed a Fire Release jutsu, but his face immediately darkened as he realized the truth.
He quickly retreated.
"A puppet?! Sunagakure?!"
"Discovered, huh?" Several figures emerged from the shadows. "As expected of the strongest Hokage!"
"Sunagakure... Chiyo!" Hiruzen's expression grew solemn. "Does Sunagakure also intend to meddle?"
"Hand over Danzo, and Sunagakure will ally with Konoha. We'll end the war!" Chiyo smirked. "Surely the Hokage knows the right choice to make."
Hearing this, Danzo's face fell as he glanced at the now-silent Hiruzen.
His heart ached.
"Hiruzen, could it be that you…"
Before he could finish, Hiruzen shook his head firmly.
"Konoha doesn't abandon its comrades. I won't abandon anyone from Konoha."
His words resonated deeply.
"Hiruzen (Hokage-sama!)"
The Konoha ninjas looked at their Third Hokage with admiration.
As expected of the Hokage!
"In that case!" Chiyo's fingers danced like a puppeteer's as she sneered. "Die here!"
The battle reignited.
Outnumbered, Konoha forces struggled.
At this critical moment—
Kakuzu drew closer, inch by inch, nearer to Danzo than anyone else.
From the start, his target had been Danzo!
Minato's eyes sharpened as he swiftly threw a specially crafted kunai behind Kakuzu, seizing a fleeting moment to stab him.
But—
In that instant, Minato's expression shifted to one of disbelief.
No blood, no flesh—
Just a mass of black threads!
What kind of monster was this?
"How boring," Kakuzu muttered, tilting his head as he glanced at Minato. Then he turned back to Danzo.
"600 million ryo! I'll take it!"
With those words—A wave of black threads surged toward Danzo.
The battlefield shifted in an instant.
Disaster loomed!
Hiruzen and Minato's pupils contracted in panic. But at this time… the Kiri ninjas and Suna ninjas… it was too late to intervene!
Just as everyone watched, preparing to claim Danzo—dead or alive—
A flash of white light!
It severed all the black threads in one swift motion.
Then—
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Kakuzu was forced to halt as Danzo was swiftly pulled back.
Two figures appeared, their confident smiles breaking the tension.
"Obito! Kakashi!" Minato blinked, then his face lit up with a smile.
"You're here!"
"Sensei! Leave protecting Danzo-sama to me!" Obito gave a thumbs-up and grinned confidently. "Nobody can snatch anyone under my watch!"
His words caused the enemy forces to stiffen.
"That pervert from Konoha?"
The Kiri and Suna ninjas grew wary, their eyes fixated on the figure before them.
"Uchiha Obito!"
"???"
What the heck?
Obito's smile froze.
Who were they calling now?