The rooftops of the Leaf Village flowed beneath their feet like a river. Kenji and Kakashi moved with a desperate urgency. Behind them, the shadows of Root clung to them like a persistent curse—silent, efficient, and relentless.
"We can't run straight to the Hokage Tower," Kakashi said, his voice hurried but still calm. "They'll intercept us before we get there. They know our goal."
"Then we won't let them know where we're going," Kenji replied.
He abruptly formed a hand seal while running. Ten more Shadow Clones appeared.
"Spread out!" he commanded. "Run in every direction! To the Hokage Tower, the Hospital, the Academy, the village gate! Create a disturbance!"
The ten copies immediately split off, creating ten false targets. The pursuing Root squad faltered for a moment, confused by the sudden new objectives. That hesitation lasted only a second, but it was all Kenji needed.
"Follow me!" the real Kenji yelled to Kakashi, and he suddenly ducked into a small, dark alleyway, a path known only to those who knew the village by heart.
They weren't running towards the Hokage Tower. They were running towards the commercial district, a maze of narrow streets and tightly packed buildings.
"Good plan," Kakashi admitted, "but they'll figure it out soon enough."
"We don't need much time," Kenji said. As he ran, he quickly formed hand seals. He wasn't creating clones. He was creating simple traps. Tripwires were stretched across alleys. Wooden planks were placed where they would make a loud noise if stepped on. These weren't traps meant to kill, but an early-warning system.
A loud CRASH echoed from behind them. A Root member had sprung a trap. Instantly, both Kenji and Kakashi knew their pursuers' exact position and distance.
They kept moving, gliding past closed market stalls, leaping over balconies. The Leaf Village at night was their playground.
Suddenly, Kakashi stopped, pulling Kenji into cover behind a large chimney. "Ahead. Three of them. They've cut us off."
Kenji glanced over. Three Root members were standing on a bridge, blocking the only path out of the commercial district.
"I'll handle them," Kakashi said, the Chidori already beginning to form in his hand.
"No," Kenji held him back. "Let me. Save your chakra. We'll need it at the Hokage Tower."
Before Kakashi could object, Kenji had already created three Shadow Clones. But this time, they didn't charge forward. They silently circled around to the flanks, hiding in the darkness of the eaves.
The real Kenji stepped out from cover, facing the three Root members on the bridge alone. He raised his kunai in a gesture of defiance.
The three Root members charged.
Just as they set foot on the middle of the bridge, Kenji's two clones on the flanks acted in unison. They didn't attack the enemy. They attacked the bridge. They used chakra-enhanced kunai to sever the main support cables of the old wooden bridge.
SNAP!
The bridge shuddered violently and then collapsed. The three Root members lost their balance, falling straight into the canal below along with the wreckage.
In the midst of that chaos, Kenji's third clone had formed a platform with its own body, launching the real Kenji and Kakashi over the canal to continue their journey.
They were out of the commercial district. The Hokage Tower was right before them, standing tall under the moonlight.
But as they drew closer, they saw a sight that sent a chill down both their spines.
Danzō Shimura was standing there, right in front of the tower's entrance. He was not alone. Beside him were his two most trusted bodyguards, Fuu and Torune. And surrounding them, dozens of other Root members had assembled, forming a final wall of defense.
He had predicted their every move. He was waiting for them.
"You've caused enough trouble, you little rats," Danzō said, his voice cold and devoid of all emotion. "The game ends here. Hand over the scroll, and I will consider giving the Leaf Village a plausible story for your deaths."
It was a declaration. He didn't just want the scroll. He wanted to permanently silence those who knew his secret.
But then, another voice called out from the top of the tower.
"I don't think so, Danzō."
Minato Namikaze, in his Hokage cloak, stood there, his blond hair blowing in the wind. Beside him was Uchiha Fugaku, his Sharingan blazing.
They were not alone. Behind them, Anbu loyal to the Hokage and high-ranking officers of the Uchiha clan appeared in unison, forming a counter-force.
All the pieces were now on the chessboard.
"You miscalculated one move, Danzō," Minato said, his voice echoing. "Did you think this was a confrontation between you and two of my soldiers?"
He looked down at Kenji and Kakashi, then back at Danzō.
"No. This is a confrontation between you... and the entire Will of Fire."
The final battle for the soul of the Leaf Village was about to begin, right at the foot of its most powerful symbol.