"I won't let you leave either."
The moment Shisui finished speaking, Hiruzen behind him slowly shifted his stance.
With one in front and one behind, Danzō had no path of escape. To get away, he would have to defeat one of them instantly. But his mistake was choosing Shisui as his target.
Kunai in hand, Danzō charged forward.
"I said, you're under arrest."
Shisui's Mangekyō began to turn slowly.
Arrest—the meaning was clear. He would seize his opponent and deliver him to where he belonged, to face judgment before everyone.
From this day forward, Root would cease to exist. The newly born Night Owl Team would completely replace what Root once stood for.
The kunai flashed closer with Danzō's charge. But Shisui's fury had reached its peak. He burned with the need to drag Danzō before the Hokage and Hakken, to make him confess everything he had done all these years.
To subdue his former commander so swiftly, there was only one way.
A deep hum resonated as a green skeletal frame erupted from the ground. The roaring Susanoo rose before them, leaving nothing but shock in the eyes of Danzō and Hiruzen.
Susanoo—the embodiment of destruction.
According to the Uchiha records left by the Second Hokage, only those who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan could command such overwhelming power. And not only had Shisui awakened his Mangekyō, he had already mastered this very technique.
With a sharp clang, a legendary scene unfolded.
But this time, it was Shisui's Susanoo that shattered the kunai.
Kunai against Susanoo.
Even when facing a being known as a Destroyer, Danzō dared to test its defense. That was his arrogance.
And indeed—the defense was astounding.
A glint of greed flashed in Danzō's eyes as he looked into Shisui's.
But he seemed to forget what else Shisui, the prodigy who made his name in the Third Shinobi World War, was known for besides his mastery of the Body Flicker Technique.
In that brief instant of distraction, Danzō's body went limp and fell to the ground.
This time, Shisui gave him no chance to activate Izanagi. In the span of a heartbeat, his immense ocular power erased any possibility of resistance.
In the original tale, if Shisui had been willing to unleash such overwhelming Genjutsu, Danzō would never have taken his eyes.
The hand of the Susanoo gripped the old man tightly as Shisui turned his gaze toward Hiruzen.
The Third Hokage.
The exchange he had just heard between him and Danzō left a bitter taste in Shisui's heart.
So he had known all along—everything Danzō had done.
The Senju.
Sakumo Hatake.
Orochimaru.
He knew, yet he stayed silent. He never acted.
That was not the conduct of a true Hokage.
Yet when he had turned to strike Danzō moments ago, he had shown the resolve and dignity worthy of one.
A deeply conflicted old man.
Shisui shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside.
Konoha had many minds wiser than his own. His duty was simply to deliver Danzō to them.
"Lord Third, please come with me."
He didn't ask if the Third was willing to go with him to find Minato or act as a witness. The way Shisui said it—firm, almost commanding—made it clear how disappointed he was in the old man.
Konoha... How much unseen suffering has this village endured? And those former comrades from Root—what kind of pain did they carry when they turned their blades on their own home?
Do the people of Root truly lack emotion? No. That's not it. They simply buried those feelings deep within, refusing to feel after witnessing too much darkness.
If Hakken hadn't pulled me out of Root, would I have ended up like them?
"Shall we go?"
Hiruzen gave a bitter smile. In the end, it had come to this. Looking at his old comrade, now restrained, Hiruzen didn't know what to say.
Power... it truly destroyed you, Danzō.
...
"You're here."
Turning his gaze away, Hakken smiled faintly, relief flickering across his face. Shisui had finally awakened—finally steeled himself to strike Danzō down.
Glancing at the ninja still cleaning up the aftermath, Hakken narrowed his eyes. Since things had reached this point, it was time to cleanse Konoha's hidden rot completely.
"Tenzō."
He waved to Yamato, who was eagerly preparing to rebuild. Hakken had already made up his mind.
For a shinobi village to truly grow strong, the Wall of Honor was one side of the coin. The other was the Pillar of Shame.
Reward those who earned it. Punish those who failed. That was the foundation of everything.
Once achievements and wrongdoings were made public, the ambitious would strive harder, while the discontented would settle down.
The Wall of Honor and the Pillar of Shame—both were essential.
"Commander..."
Yamato blinked in confusion.
Though the Nine-Tails hadn't caused catastrophic destruction, its rampage had crushed plenty of houses. As the only Wood Release user in the village, this was his moment.
He might not excel at much else, but building houses was his passion. With enough chakra, he could raise an entire street in a single day!
"Hold off on construction for now. Put up a pillar next to the Wall of Honor and attach some chains—I'll be using it soon."
Patting Yamato's shoulder, Hakken slung his Zanpakutō over his back and looked toward Minato, carrying the squinting Kurama under one arm.
"Sensei, it's time to deal with certain people."
Minato frowned but said nothing. Kakashi, standing beside him, froze in place.
He remembered those same words—spoken by the Owl beside the Wall of Honor. Some people were kept alive only because they still served a purpose. It was never mercy.
Was the time finally here? And what about his father...
His breath quickened, hands trembling slightly. What was the truth?
As the green Susanoo rose from beneath the Hokage Rock, towering into the central plaza, every ninja busy with reconstruction stopped and looked up.
The Uchiha clan. The Hyūga clan. The Ino–Shika–Chō trio. The ANBU elites. And the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
At the front stood Hakken.
Step by step, Shisui guided Susanoo forward, Danzō gripped firmly in its massive hand. Behind him, Hiruzen followed with a bitter smile, until they reached the open space before the Wall of Honor.
"Hokage-sama! Commander!"
"We have critical intelligence to report!"
Kneeling on one knee as Susanoo held Danzō aloft, Shisui spoke with unwavering conviction.
"Former Root Division leader Danzō Shimura—guilty of treason, conspiracy, and betraying Konoha! The evidence is irrefutable! Please, make your judgment!"
Treason?!
Every ninja in the plaza froze.
What was Shisui saying? Even Minato was speechless.
Only the Third Hokage, standing behind Susanoo, stepped forward with a weary sigh.
"About this matter... perhaps we should move to the Hokage's office—"
"No."
Hakken raised his hand and tossed aside the Nine-Tails. Kurama, who'd been pretending to sleep, tumbled several times before glaring at him in annoyance.
"Tie him up."