Setsuna Uchiha had completely disappeared, while far away in the Rice Country, Jiraiya, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Konan finally located the Root Hidden Village.
The Root Hidden Village was completely empty at this moment, as everyone had been sent out to wreak havoc elsewhere.
Looking at the deserted village, Hiruzen said solemnly, "Danzo, there's no need to hide anymore. I know you're here."
Soon after Hiruzen finished speaking, Danzo stepped out from a dark corner.
Hiruzen spoke gravely, "Danzo, I never imagined you'd stoop this low!"
Danzo sneered, "I did wrong? What have I done wrong? The one who made mistakes is you, and Tobirama Senju! If back then Tobirama had passed the Hokage title to me instead, I would have elevated Konoha to unprecedented glory! If you had made me Hokage instead of that Minato Namikaze years ago, I can assure you—Konoha would be far stronger today!"
Hiruzen looked at Danzo in disbelief, "Even now, you still refuse to see reason!"
Danzo snorted coldly, "No—it's *you* who are living in a fantasy! When this war ends, I'll forge a new Konoha from the ashes—and your Konoha will be nothing but dust in history!"
Hiruzen wore an expression full of sorrow, "This is indeed my fault. Back then, I shouldn't have kept tolerating you just for the sake of our friendship... Someone like you should have been dealt with long ago!"
Hiruzen immediately performed the summoning technique, summoning Enma, who transformed into a diamond-studded staff in Hiruzen's hand.
"Today, I will correct my mistake once and for all!"
Danzo also directly released the seal on his right arm, revealing horrifying rows of Sharingan eyes embedded on his forearm.
"You've obstructed me time and again—I've wanted you dead for years! Aren't you going to attack?"
Suddenly, three golden spears of glinting sand shot toward Hiruzen and his companions from an unseen angle.
Hiruzen's group quickly used the Shifting Body Technique to dodge, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles.
Rasa appeared midair, looking down upon the trio.
Jiraiya exclaimed in shock, "Rasa?! Why are you cooperating with Danzo?!"
Rasa spat hatefully, "Who but your cursed Konoha forced me to endure Sunagakure's shame as Kazekage, turning my village into a lifelong vassal!"
Jiraiya's face darkened, "So you, former Kazekage, chose to take revenge on Konoha by collaborating with Danzo!"
With Danzo's assistance, Rasa's missing limbs had already been successfully transplanted, and he began forming Hand Seals.
[Magnet Release: Gold Dust Boundary Field!]
Rasa generated countless bamboo-shoot-like sharp spikes made of gold dust, sending them piercing toward Jiraiya, Hiruzen, and Konan.
[Ninjutsu: Needle Jizo!]
Channeling chakra to harden his silver hair, Jiraiya encased his entire body in it like armor, blocking the lethal gold dust assault. Then he shouted at Hiruzen, "Old friend, you deal with Danzo—we've got Rasa!"
"Okay!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped his diamond-studded staff tightly and lunged toward Danzo.
[Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!]
Danzo exhaled a sharp breath—the Sickle Weasel Technique—slicing toward Sarutobi.
Sarutobi spun his diamond-studded staff, blocking the wind blades, then immediately made Hand Seals.
[Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!]
Sarutobi unleashed a furious, dragon-like torrent of flames toward Danzo.
Danzo countered with Great Vacuum Cannon, spitting out a high-pressure ball of wind from his mouth that directly blasted through the flames.
Not giving Danzo any breathing room, Sarutobi created a Shadow Clone and immediately continued with another technique.
[Lightning Release: Thunderbolt!]
Sarutobi released a sharp lightning spear from his mouth, sweeping it toward Danzo.
As Danzo tried to dodge, Sarutobi's clone unleashed a Water Release technique—the Water Dragon Missile formed into a water dragon and surged forward.
Although Danzo avoided the water dragon's direct hit, he unavoidably got soaked.
Sarutobi's true form continued releasing Lightning Release, allowing the electricity to successfully shock Danzo through the water.
Danzo's body gradually became transparent until completely disappearing.
His voice echoed from the left: "You're still quite strong for an old man. I thought you might not even be able to use ninjutsu anymore."
Sarutobi glared coldly at Danzo. "As for you, Danzo, aside from relying on these underhanded external forces, do you even have the courage to fight me directly?"
Danzo was instantly provoked, a blue vein popping on his forehead as he sneered: "Any power that can kill you is good power, no matter what it is!"
Danzo and Sarutobi clashed fiercely once again.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Konan were working together in battle against Rasa.
Since Rasa could fly and Konan also had flight ability, Rasa found it difficult to attack both Jiraiya and Konan using aerial mobility.
[Dance of the Shikigami!]
Konan controlled pieces of paper transformed into various ninja tools, attacking Rasa from all directions—and these weren't ordinary sheets; they were explosive tags.
Amidst this dense and relentless barrage of explosions, Rasa struggled hard in combat, especially with Jiraiya also involved.
Taking advantage of Konan continuously attacking Rasa, Jiraiya entered Sage Mode.
[Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon!]
Jiraiya hardened his hair and launched it like needles, firing rapidly like a storm toward Rasa.
Even though Rasa immediately manipulated gold dust to defend himself, Jiraiya's hair traveled significantly faster, piercing deeply into Rasa's body.
The pain contorted Rasa's face in agony as he voluntarily crashed down onto the ground, making seals before slamming his hands onto the earth.
Rasa converted highly concentrated chakra into magnetism, channeling Magnet Release chakra through hand seals into the ground to unleash the Golden Sand Torrential Wave.
[Magnet Release: Golden Sand Torrential Wave!]
Rasa unleashed a massive wave of Gold Dust toward Jiraiya and Konan.
Jiraiya immediately formed hand seals and activated the Summoning Jutsu. "[Toad Mouth Bind!]"
He summoned the stomach lining of a stony toad from Mount Myoboku, pulling himself, Konan, and Rasa inside.
With no Gold Dust inside the stomach lining, Rasa could only control a small amount near him, nor replenish it.
It was clearly not enough to defeat both Jiraiya and Konan. Rasa's look immediately turned grim.
Jiraiya looked at Rasa and sighed lightly. "Suddenly feel Shindai's words about you were pretty spot-on—an egotistical, unscrupulous fool! As Kazekage, instead of seeking ways to help your village overcome hardship after making a wrong decision, you've come to resent Konoha, which you had attacked.
I don't know exactly how you became Kage, but your villagers trusted you enough to call you Kazekage. And yet—you betrayed their trust. Even when everyone stood united in facing an external enemy, you chose to side with them! You're simply unworthy of being Kage!"
Jiraiya glared sharply at Rasa. "So… today, I'm ending you right here!"
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