Chapter 89: The Performance Begins
'Unfortunately... in the end... I still couldn't become Hokage...'
This was Danzō's final thought as his consciousness faded.
Pitch-black blood erupted from his body like a fountain, instantly soaking his tattered robes. The viscous black blood spread across the ground, forming cursed sigils. The Ri Shishō Fūin formula fully activated as a black sphere hundreds of meters long suddenly expanded! It began greedily devouring everything within range—soil, trees, rocks, earth.
However... the Nine Masks that should have been consumed vanished like mirages at the final moment.
In the distance, Menma's hand rested on Shisui's shoulder. Hiraishin formula light flickered in the night wind as both figures instantly disappeared from their original position.
Whoosh—
When they reappeared, they stood atop a cliff on Konoha's outskirts. From here, they could clearly see that massive black sphere gradually contracting. Like a sated beast, after swallowing everything within hundreds of meters, it finally slowly dissipated into the night.
Only leaving behind a bizarre circular clearing that silently testified to what had occurred.
Wind swept up blackened dust, passing by the two figures. Shisui quietly removed his mask, revealing the transplanted Sharingan. He gazed at that deathly silent clearing.
'Finally...'
Konoha's "Root," the "Darkness" of shinobi, Shimura Danzō—had completely fallen.
"To the very end, he still believed himself righteous." Menma chuckled softly. "Heh... walking this path to such extremes... probably only he in all the shinobi world could manage it."
"Truly... beyond salvation."
Silence spread between them. After a moment, Shisui slowly spoke. "...Danzō is dead."
His voice was somewhat dry. "The current Uchiha clan members are still at Ember's base... aside from joining Ember..."
"I seem to have no other choice."
Menma turned his head. "You won't regret it." He paused, his tone carrying some amusement. "I've never killed a single innocent person... does that comfort you?"
Shisui smiled bitterly. "...Somewhat."
He raised his head, complexity flashing in his Sharingan. "Should we return to base now, Leader?"
This title made Menma slightly stunned. He shook his head. "No, wait a bit longer. I still need to inform the Third Hokage of his old friend's death."
"Itachi should be going too. For the Uchiha clan head and his wife... I'll warn him again. Wait here for me."
Shisui hesitated before finally speaking. "Leader... regarding Uchiha Itachi..."
"Yes, I know."
Menma interrupted him. "After her plan ends, I'll arrange for you to meet."
He turned, black robes tracing an arc in moonlight. "Then you can decide how to handle her as you wish."
Shisui's fist unconsciously clenched. This answer he'd long awaited now made his chest feel heavy. Night wind blew, carrying scents of scorched earth and blood. He could only nod bitterly.
Night wind rustled through the forest, leaves whispering. Menma had just taken a few steps preparing to dismiss his shadow clone when suddenly—
"Ugh!"
Violent chakra disruption erupted from within, as if needles were rampaging through his meridians. His form swayed violently as he dropped to one knee, palm pressed firmly against his chest. His complexion beneath the fox mask instantly turned deathly pale.
"Leader!"
Shisui instantly used Shunshin to rush forward, steadily supporting Menma's swaying body. He could sense the rapid, chaotic breathing from behind the mask.
"What's happening?" Shisui's Sharingan spun rapidly, warily scanning their surroundings. "Is it an enemy technique?"
Menma gritted his teeth, sensing the chaotic chakra within his body as he forcibly used mental power to guide it back on track bit by bit. After several seconds, he barely managed to raise his hand in a "fine" gesture.
"Nothing... just a slight... accident."
His brow furrowed beneath the mask. Menma understood exactly what this meant—for a shadow clone to experience such violent chakra disruption, the main body must have encountered a powerful enemy.
'The main body... has already engaged Uchiha Itachi?'
---
"It's gotten quite late."
Night wind stirred gently. After passing the final row of food stalls, Naruto and Satsuki finally reached the entrance to the Uchiha compound.
The deep red scarf they'd shared earlier had been removed, neatly folded and stored in Naruto's weapon pouch. Satsuki's ear tips still carried faint red traces—though she desperately wanted to continue sharing that scarf with Naruto, in front of clan members, she had to maintain the Uchiha's proud image.
'If sister and mother saw... they'd definitely tease me again...'
Thinking this, Satsuki unconsciously quickened her pace.
Naruto looked up at the moonlight, glancing toward the compound's depths—according to plan, Menma's side should have completed the "false genocide" operation.
"No problem," he turned to Satsuki. "If Mikoto-san didn't save you dinner, I'll take you for late-night snacks later."
"Mother would never forget about me!" Satsuki huffily protested. "It's all because you insisted on trying every food stall—otherwise we'd have returned long ago."
She didn't notice Naruto quietly sighing in relief.
'Good, delayed enough time... if Satsuki had witnessed clan members being transferred...'
Naruto feigned helplessness. "The fried meat patties' limited-time flavors are hard to get..."
"...But those snacks did taste acceptable."
Satsuki turned away, moonlight gilding her delicate profile with silver radiance. Her voice grew smaller.
"If you invite me next time... I suppose I wouldn't refuse..."
Before she finished speaking, her body suddenly stiffened as she unconsciously looked up, staring fixedly at a nearby telephone pole.
'Just now... was there something there?'
The telephone pole stood empty, only night wind causing wires to moan. But Satsuki was certain—in that instant, she'd seen some kind of reflection.
"What's wrong, Sasuke?" Naruto moved closer, blue eyes gleaming with concern in moonlight.
Satsuki slowly shook her head. "Nothing, probably just my imagination. Also, don't call me sasu—"
Suddenly, her words cut off.
'Wait...' The Uchiha compound's lighting was abnormally dim—no, there were no lights at all. At this time, it wasn't bedtime yet, but now the entire compound was eerily quiet.
The next moment, a faint rusty scent drifted into her nostrils. Mixed in the night wind, almost imperceptible. Satsuki disliked this smell... as a current academy student, she wasn't very familiar with such scents yet.
'This is the smell of blood...'