Tsunade watched Danzō carefully. In his current state, her strikes were meaningless—every attack simply slipped through him as if he were untouchable.
Her golden eyes narrowed. Two shimmering blue Chakra Scalpels formed in her hands.
This was the fighting style of a true medical-nin. It wasn't meant for killing—but Tsunade clearly intended to use it to stall for time.
Forming Chakra Scalpels required precise chakra control and deep mastery of medical ninjutsu. Only those who had perfected the Mystical Palm Technique could wield them effectively—otherwise, the chakra would simply dissipate.
On the other side of the battlefield, Sasuke's crimson Sharingan followed Danzō's every move. He darted in and out of range, launching feints and attacks that seemed to hit—but always ended in nothing.
"As expected… it's useless," Sasuke muttered coldly. "So it really is Izanagi."
There was no doubt now. The only option left was to wait until Danzō's forbidden technique expired.
Danzō's combat ability alone was inferior to Tsunade's, but with Izanagi and his collection of forbidden jutsu, defeating him outright was nearly impossible.
And now, empowered by that technique, Danzō acted like a monkey playing king in a forest without tigers—arrogant only because true power wasn't present.
Not far away, Naruto and several Umbrella shinobi watched the clash unfold.
Naruto turned to Shisui with a grin. "So, Shisui… how long would it take you to take down Danzō?"
Shisui blinked in mild surprise, then placed a thoughtful hand under his chin. "If he didn't have Izanagi, I'd end it in under a minute."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. That confidence was impressive, though perhaps not misplaced. Danzō's mastery of Wind Release was formidable, and the Hashirama Cells grafted into his body had amplified both his chakra reserves and physical vitality.
On top of that, he'd learned Wood Release, countless sealing arts, and other forbidden jutsu—an arsenal only possible thanks to Konoha's vast resources.
It was a reminder that in the village, even those without bloodline limits—like the Third Hokage and Danzō himself—could still reach terrifying levels of power.
Shisui smirked slightly. "And you, Naruto-kun? How long would you take to finish him?"
Naruto chuckled, raising both index fingers to form the shape of a ten.
"Ten seconds?"
No one was shocked by the number—in fact, most thought it sounded too long. Of course, that was assuming Danzō wasn't using Izanagi.
Naruto grinned wider. "No… I mean I have ten different ways to kill Danzō instantly."
The group fell silent for a beat, stunned. There were few shinobi alive who could claim such confidence—and even fewer who could back it up.
But if Danzō relied on Izanagi, even Naruto would have to wait patiently for its duration to end.
Unless… he could somehow shatter the very limits of that forbidden jutsu.
Back on the battlefield, Danzō's attacks grew increasingly frenzied. His movements were sharp, venomous—less like Orochimaru's calculated malice and more like a serpent consumed by its own rage.
"Tsunade!" he roared, his voice cracking with fury.
"Do you know how long I've waited for this day? If not for Sensei's favoritism, I would have been Hokage!"
Dozens of Wind Release: Vacuum Blades sliced through the air. Tsunade dodged most, but a few grazed her—tearing her sleeve and leaving a thin scratch on her cheek.
She paused, touching the blood with her thumb, then licked it away with a cold smile.
"Danzō… anyone can be Hokage," she said, her voice low and fierce. "But not you. You'll never be Hokage—because you're unworthy."
Her words hit like a hammer.
"AAAAHHH!" Danzō howled in rage, chakra exploding from his body. Thick trees erupted from his arms, surging across the battlefield like wild serpents, swallowing Tsunade whole.
"I am the Hokage!" he screamed, eyes bloodshot. "Only I can lead Konoha to true prosperity! You're all traitors!"
The trees struck downward—but Tsunade only smirked. An enraged opponent was a predictable one.
She watched, biding her time, counting the seconds in her mind.
Then she clenched her fist, chakra surging.
"Super Strength!"
Her fist crashed forward—
BOOM!
The massive tree roots exploded into splinters, the shockwave tearing through the battlefield.
When the dust settled, Danzō stumbled back. Another Sharingan on his arm had closed.
Tsunade had expected him to dodge with a Substitution Technique, but no—he'd once again relied on Izanagi to escape death.
And as its fleeting light dimmed, Tsunade's lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Keep using it, Danzō… because when your borrowed eyes finally run out," she said softly, stepping forward, "you'll face the true power of a Senju."
This development secretly pleased Tsunade. If things continued this way, Danzo's downfall was inevitable.
From a distance, Zabuza stared at Danzo with a look of disbelief. With all that preparation—top-tier Ninjutsu, Wood Release, and a handful of "revival coins" from his Sharingan—Danzo was still fighting like this?
"Has Tsunade rattled his mind that badly?" Zabuza muttered, spreading his hands helplessly.
Even though Zabuza estimated he'd only have a thirty percent chance of victory if he were in Danzo's place, he wouldn't fight like this. He would've sent out Wood Release clones to eliminate the Uchiha brat first, then used control-type Ninjutsu to pin Tsunade down. With Izanagi's ability to rewrite death itself, he could've forced a trade of injuries and driven Tsunade into a corner.
But Danzo's cowardice was ingrained in his bones.
"Not necessarily," Shisui said, shaking his head.
"Danzo's just become too cautious. After scheming from the shadows for so long, he's lost the will to take risks. He doesn't want to lose—more importantly, he's afraid to lose."
Naruto crossed his arms, nodding.
"Exactly. Even though he knows how smart Tsunade is, he's terrified of her overwhelming vitality and monstrous Chakra reserves. He's scared she's still got some hidden trump card ready to turn the tables."
"And because of that," Shisui continued, "he doesn't dare to gamble his life anymore. He's lost that edge—the spirit that drives a true shinobi to bet everything on the line."
Naruto gestured toward the battlefield.
"See? Every time Danzo's Izanagi is about to run out, he immediately retreats, using Ninjutsu to create distance instead of pressing the attack. He's turned this into a war of attrition he can't possibly win."
Even as they spoke, Danzo's third Sharingan had already opened, signaling another activation of Izanagi.
Danzo's arsenal was impressive, but his combat instincts were pathetic. After years of plotting from the shadows, he'd forgotten what it meant to fight head-on.
He no longer had that courage—the belief that when two brave souls meet, the one who dares more will win.
If this continued, his fate was already sealed.
Tsunade knew it too. She was deliberately wearing him down. She couldn't kill him outright while his Izanagi was active, so she kept the pressure steady, waiting for the perfect opening.
Danzo, on the other hand, could also see the writing on the wall. The longer the battle dragged on, the slimmer his chances became. Many of Konoha's major clans hadn't even intervened yet, and he could only count on the Shimura and Sarutobi clans, a few ordinary shinobi, and his Root operatives.
Though Konoha still possessed a few elite fighters, the strange equipment worn by the shinobi supporting Tsunade had amplified their strength considerably.
Worse yet, Danzo noticed the figures watching from afar—Uzumaki Naruto, Momochi Zabuza, and another unknown shinobi.
He recognized Zabuza instantly—the Demon of the Hidden Mist, now at Kage-level strength.
The other one was harder to read; his Chakra signature was faint, carefully concealed. But that only meant one thing: he was dangerous.
Danzo's expression darkened.
The battlefield was turning against him—and for the first time in a long while, he could feel it.
...
TN:
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