Outside Hidden Rain Village.
At the cave entrance.
Hidan's eyes lit up as he watched the old man in the screen.
"Wahahaha, this guy named Danzo is truly rotten to the core! He should totally join our Jashinism and help us expand!"
Kakuzu thought to himself.
Given Hidan's indiscriminate killing nature, combined with Danzo's cunning mind, they might actually achieve unexpected results together.
Hidan was, for once, unusually astute.
However, Kakuzu looked at the man in the screen.
He hadn't recorded him in his notebook.
He wasn't particularly strong; just someone who liked to play dirty tricks.
With Kakuzu's own methods, he despised people who resorted to such cunning.
Among Konoha's past Hokage, the one Kakuzu admired and respected most was Senju Hashirama.
Yet, Hashirama's Konoha had now become like this.
He imagined if Hashirama were to rise from the grave, the first thing he'd do would surely be to eliminate this internal schemer, Danzo.
But having watched the screen until now, Kakuzu secretly wanted to add Uzumaki Naruto's name to his notebook.
Even Pain was defeated; Naruto was truly a remarkable individual.
Itachi coldly watched Danzo in the screen.
He had encountered Danzo long ago, on the night of the Uchiha clan massacre.
From then on, Itachi knew Danzo was a schemer.
He just hadn't expected Danzo's actions to be so despicable, far exceeding his initial estimations.
He could only hope the Third Generation would be more decisive this time… On a mountain road.
Tsunade used her monstrous strength to punch a large tree, sending it flying.
"Damn it, this Danzo is a tumor on Konoha!"
Shizune carefully followed Lady Tsunade.
She, too, secretly detested the schemer in the screen.
Although he usually appeared gloomy, Shizune had always maintained respect.
At the time, she had even believed Danzo was wholeheartedly devoted to Konoha.
Now, his true, filthy nature was revealed!
He deserved to be exposed!
On a rocky path.
Jiraiya watched the screen in silence.
He had already guessed that he must have died in battle.
Otherwise, at a moment like this, there was no way he wouldn't be supporting Konoha.
And Uzumaki Naruto… the child named after the protagonist of "the tale of the gutsy ninja."
Would he truly be the Child of Prophecy!?
Jiraiya had already believed more than half of it in his heart.
Later, seeing Danzo's schemes, Jiraiya was just as enraged as Tsunade.
Part of this was due to his beloved Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, being framed and targeted by Danzo.
But an even greater reason was Danzo's inaction when Konoha was under attack!
As one of the inheritors of the Will of Fire, Jiraiya deeply identified with Konoha Village.
When those Ninja in the screen were fighting on the front lines, Jiraiya wished he could rush into the screen and fight alongside his comrades!
Yet, this Danzo led Root to hide underground.
Truly like a rat in a sewer!
Disgraceful!
Konoha.
Hokage Building.
Danzo's expression was dazed.
He hadn't imagined he would act so ruthlessly.
If he had hidden alone, that might be understandable.
He was a high-ranking official; there was no need for him to be on the battlefield.
But he had dragged everyone in Root to hide with him.
There was absolutely no way to defend that.
Danzo also harbored resentment.
Damn the screen!
Exposing such useless information!
"Danzo Shimura, I hereby order the revocation of your title as Root leader. Do you have any objections!"
The Third Generation didn't give Danzo time to reflect.
If he were in the screen, he would surely be the first to eliminate the screen's Danzo for Konoha.
His behavior was too egregious!
Danzo: "Even if you are the Hokage, you cannot make such a decision arbitrarily…"
Third Generation: "Then let's vote!"
The Third Generation looked around.
"All those in favor of revoking Danzo's Root, raise your hands!"
The clan heads around quickly raised their hands.
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu also raised their hands after some hesitation.
In this situation, Konoha's Danzo had become a negative figure in the eyes of everyone in the Ninja World.
Anyone present who wasn't an idiot knew how to choose.
From the moment the screen exposed him, Danzo's political career was over.
After Danzo was taken away, the Third Generation and the others looked at the screen together.
The first hidden danger was resolved.
But there was an even greater threat!
Akatsuki Organization, Pain!
...[Konoha Ruins]
[Kakashi's body from the chest down was trapped between rocks, completely unable to move.]
Kakashi was exhausted.
Pain, an enemy he couldn't possibly contend with.
The Almighty Pull and Shinra Tensei abilities completely nullified all attacks.
Kunai, shuriken, and physical attacks had not caused him the slightest damage.
Even if he was restrained and attacked with Chidori, Pain could use the Almighty Pull to draw other objects in front of him, blocking the attack and evading it.
The mysterious, powerful Rinnegan, and the opponent's Six Paths of Pain.
Kakashi had to fight continuously to gain even a little information about Pain.
There was a time limit between using Shinra Tensei and Almighty Pull, approximately five seconds.
This was key to defeating Pain.
He needed to convey this to the Fifth Hokage as soon as possible, so she could find a way to stop Pain.
Pain alone was equivalent to the Shinobi Alliance.
The destruction he caused to Konoha was immense.
But now, they had almost lost all combat ability, let alone the ability to escape.
It seemed he could only use the power of that eye, even if it meant death!
[Not far away]
[Pain looked over indifferently, a metal rod floating in the air in front of him.]
[Its tip pointed directly at Kakashi.]
["I know you are not a Shadow Clone. I will kill you definitively."]
[Seeing Kakashi's grim expression, Pain snorted coldly.]
["Now you know Pain, don't you?"]
There was no miracle.
[The metal rod pierced Kakashi's forehead.]
[Under the heavy impact, Kakashi's head, like a doll, tilted back and then slumped forward.]
[His face, in the shadow of his white messy hair, was covered in bloodstains.]
[Then, Pain, as indifferent as a god, hesitated for a moment before flying into the air.]
Seeing Kakashi in the screen die, countless Ninja sighed with regret.
In the first battle, Kakashi had not performed very well, overshadowed by the newly promoted Ninja, Naruto.
In this battle, he was relegated to a supporting role.
He couldn't last more than a few moves against Pain, and ultimately died from a metal rod.
This was the famous Copy Ninja of the Ninja World!
Outside Hidden Rain Village.
At the cave entrance.
Pain stared intently at one of the Six Paths of Pain lying in the screen.
"I" wouldn't leave one of the Six Paths of Pain unattended.
After all, each of the Six Paths of Pain had a pair of Rinnegan.
And one function of the Rinnegan was shared vision.
Therefore, "I" hesitated for a moment to leave the Six Paths of Pain to monitor.
Kakashi might very well not be dead!