Chapter 356: The Fall of Darkness, Part 1
Deep within his underground stronghold, Danzo Shimura the shadow of the Leaf was meticulously plotting, just as he had done his entire life. His belief in the roots of Konoha, that dark foundation he had cultivated, was unshakable. Even as he heard rumors of a jounin meeting, he didn't concern himself with it; such gatherings took place a few times each year, and he was content as long as he controlled his own territory. Root was officially under the command of the Anbu, which meant under Hiruzen Sarutobi's authority.
"I am Konoha's root, its true hope," Danzo muttered to himself. "Hiruzen is too soft hearted…"
Suddenly, a series of explosions echoed through the base, shaking him from his thoughts.
"Boom boom boom!"
Even though Danzo's only known decisive act in the original story had ended disastrously, he was, in reality, the most dangerous of Konoha's council of four elders. Cunning, paranoid, and ruthless, he immediately scanned the area with sharp suspicion.
"Who dares attack my base? Could Hiruzen have finally decided to come after me?" But he quickly dismissed the idea. "No, he wouldn't…we haven't crossed paths recently. Maybe a rat slipped in? Bold move, getting this far."
Confident in his forces, Danzo strode out to the battlefield to personally witness the battle. Even at a distance, he could smell the unmistakable stench of blood thick in the air.
"This…This is the mark of true tools for Konoha's glory. They fight to the death this is what I envisioned for Konoha's future!" he thought, admiring the deadly determination of his Root operatives as he walked onto the battlefield.
But the scene before him shattered his confidence. He froze, his lone visible eye wide with disbelief.
"What?! Impossible!" he gasped, instinctively attempting to dispel an illusion, but there was none. The lifeless forms of Root operatives lay strewn across the floor, with many reduced to scattered pieces too damaged even to reassemble.
The attackers? Other Konoha shinobi.
Seeing Konoha's forces decimate his men, Danzo's composure finally cracked. His eyes flared with rage as he roared, "Stop! What is the meaning of this? Are you all turning traitor?!"
But the Leaf shinobi attacking his forces showed no sign of stopping, instead striking his soldiers down with even greater ferocity. Within moments, the last of Danzo's operatives had fallen, bodies sprawled across the base in gruesome stillness.
Recognizing that among his assailants stood the leaders of the Ino Shika Cho trio and clan heads of Konoha, Danzo knew better than to engage. He was all too aware that these shinobi were only here with the village's tacit permission if he attacked, he would be considered a traitor. With a scowl, he glared at them, his only defense now his status as a Leaf elder.
Finally, he spoke, voice venomous. "Will someone explain what this is about? Why attack me Konoha's loyal root?"
The silence that followed was deafening. No one cared to answer. They only stared back, eyes cold and unforgiving, harboring resentments from years of Danzo's tyranny and extortion. They had endured his manipulation of their families and livelihoods for long enough, bound only by his authority.
A new figure stepped into the clearing a man clad in a Hokage robe strikingly similar to the one worn by the Fourth Hokage. Standing at the front, Kakashi looked directly at Danzo.
"What is this?" Danzo's voice wavered with shock and anger. "Kakashi…How? How are you the Hokage? And what about Hiruzen?"
Kakashi simply returned Danzo's gaze with icy detachment, a hint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes as he looked at the man responsible for his father's demise. Without a word, he gestured to the Anbu, who methodically began to gather the fallen Root operatives, binding their bodies in preparation.
The fear grew in Danzo's gut, but his hand drifted to his right eye, steeling himself as he remembered his own hidden resources. Still, his mind raced. How had Kakashi, in less than a day, risen to power without his knowledge? How had none of his men reported this?
Soon, the lifeless bodies of the Root operatives lay neatly arranged before Kakashi, even those who had been torn apart pieced together with grim care. The unsettling order and solemnity of the scene made the dimly lit chamber feel even more eerie.
Kakashi, bathed in a golden aura from the Hanhai Chakra mode, glanced down at the slain operatives and spoke softly, almost reverently.
"You all were forced to sacrifice once for Konoha. Now, I'll grant you the chance to live your lives freely."
He then raised his hands, and a blinding, golden chakra engulfed the entire area. "Divine Art: Resurrection!"
The glowing chakra pulsed outward, filling the room with a warm, comforting light, enveloping each fallen Root ninja in a golden hue. Flesh and bone began to knit back together, torn bodies reassembling as if rewinding time.
"Cough " The sound of coughing broke the silence, and, one by one, the operatives awoke, blinking in stunned confusion as life returned to their bodies. Bound in restraints, they could only writhe slightly on the ground, disoriented and struggling to comprehend their miraculous return.
Kakashi's declaration of faith and his divine proclamation of peace had not been enough to sway the Konoha elite. But now, witnessing firsthand the act of resurrection the ultimate miracle he was certain it would bind their loyalty firmly to him and his newfound mission.
Root operatives, feared as soulless weapons, had been sacrificed repeatedly. But in this moment, as tools given life anew, they served as a testament to Kakashi's power and to the god he revered.
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