The Death of Danzō
"Can't dodge."
Puff!
Two fingers of Itachi's Susanoo pierced directly through Danzō's chest. In that instant, Danzō's right eye closed—his final Sharingan.
He may have attempted to activate another Izanagi, hoping to rewrite his fate once more, but the remaining chakra in his body was too depleted to sustain it even for a moment.
Neither Xu Fan nor Uchiha Itachi fought like he had anticipated. Their strength far surpassed his expectations. Even without the use of forbidden jutsu, just contending with them had drained his chakra reserves dangerously fast.
And yet, even as Itachi's Susanoo impaled him, Danzō remained composed.
His life—everything he had done—had always been for Konoha. Without question.
He had inherited the will of Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, becoming the unseen root that nourished the village from the shadows.
The words of Hiruzen Sarutobi echoed in his ears:
"I am the leaf basking in the sunlight. You are the root buried deep in the earth."
Light and shadow—both are essential to the world.
"The darkness of Konoha…"
Pfft—
Danzō coughed blood, spattering the armor of Susanoo. His fading gaze shifted to Xu Fan.
That Byakugan… It watched him without mercy.
"Kotoamatsukami…" he whispered hoarsely.
His breathing quickened. No matter how much he tried to slow it, the wound in his chest and the spreading effects of Xu Fan's Pot Poison Technique made it impossible.
Pain layered upon pain—both physical and chemical.
"Do they want my Hashirama cells…?"
Danzō's mind raced. Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, the most powerful genjutsu that could alter a person's will without detection, required a cooldown of over a decade between uses.
He had shortened it using Hashirama Senju's cells, allowing him to activate it again within hours.
If Xu Fan's cells held a similar genetic trait, they might allow even more efficient regeneration… perhaps even unrestricted use.
Could Xu Fan be planning to seize Kotoamatsukami and use it to control Sarutobi?
It wasn't that Xu Fan hadn't used Kotoamatsukami. It was that he couldn't—not yet.
Danzō narrowed his eyes. It all made sense now.
He doesn't just want me dead. He wants Hashirama's legacy—and the godlike power that comes with it.
Even if Xu Fan possessed Wood Release, it didn't make him Hashirama.
But if he combined Hashirama's cells and Kotoamatsukami...
He might control Sarutobi Hiruzen himself.
"I won't let you succeed…"
Danzō forced the words through gritted teeth. His mind flicked to Kirigakure, once consumed by a bloody coup. He couldn't allow Konoha to become the next Village Hidden in the Mist.
Most of all, he couldn't allow Sarutobi Hiruzen to fall into someone else's control.
This assassination attempt—it wasn't Hiruzen's will. It was Xu Fan's alone.
Danzō knew his worth. Hiruzen did, too.
"And Itachi…
If you would betray me, then you could betray Hiruzen. You might betray the entire village…"
His thoughts had never been clearer. His will, sharper than ever.
He had lived through one attempted coup—the Cloud Village's power struggle.
He would not hesitate again.
But Xu Fan…
The one standing nearby…
Was just a wooden clone.
Killing him would achieve nothing.
And so, Danzō's final act would be directed at Uchiha Itachi.
"Then at the very least... I'll take you with me!"
He roared like a wounded beast, igniting the final seal carved into his flesh.
"Ura Shishō Fūin: Reverse Four Symbols Sealing!"
Danzō latched onto Itachi's Susanoo, locking him in place.
Black blood began seeping from his body as the intricate sealing formula expanded in a circular radius, attempting to engulf Itachi, his Susanoo, and the wooden clone.
"Reverse Four Symbols Seal…"
Itachi's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected Danzō to resort to such a technique.
If caught within the seal, even he would be completely destroyed.
At the critical moment, Itachi performed a swift Substitution Jutsu, replacing himself with Xu Fan's wooden clone.
Xu Fan, witnessing the swap with his Byakugan, understood immediately. He directed the clone to grab hold of Danzō, anchoring him in place.
Danzō watched Itachi retreat beyond the seal's range.
He had lost the chance to drag him down with him.
But…
At least, Xu Fan would never get the last sample of Hashirama cells embedded in his right arm.
"Sarutobi… Hiruzen…"
he murmured one final time.
Then, the Reverse Four Symbols Seal activated completely—engulfing Danzō, the clone, and the surrounding poison and Wood Release constructs.
The area fell still.
"D-Danzō-sama…"
Torune, of the Aburame clan, dropped to his knees. He had never imagined his commander would meet such an end.
And he wasn't alone.
All of the Root members around him stood frozen in shock.
Danzō Shimura…
Dead?
The student of Tobirama Senju.
The war veteran who survived the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars.
The founder of Root.
Killed…
By Xu Fan and Uchiha Itachi.
And Xu Fan had only sent a clone.
"Sealed…?" Xu Fan muttered, staring at the empty space left behind.
If he had retrieved the remaining Hashirama cells, it might have benefitted his main body.
But since the original hadn't insisted, he likely wasn't that interested.
"Danzō…"
Itachi's eyes softened.
"In the moment of death, he saw himself clearly."
"Maybe," Xu Fan shrugged and looked away.
His Byakugan had confirmed it: Danzō Shimura was truly dead.
And yet Itachi's expression remained unreadable. He knew Danzō had committed countless crimes—but his intentions, twisted as they were, had always been rooted in Konoha's protection.
A necessary evil.
A shadow under the sun.
"Alright," Xu Fan said, "Danzō's gone. Time for me to release the clone technique and inform my main body."
He surveyed the Root shinobi. Thanks to the Pot Poison, none dared to attack.
Or perhaps…
They were simply paralyzed with shock.
But Danzō had been a Konoha elder. His death would soon reach Koharu, Homura, and even the Land of Fire's Daimyō.
And since Itachi and Xu Fan were responsible, there would undoubtedly be consequences.
"Still," Xu Fan said, casting a glance at Itachi, "the ones who'll feel it most… will be the Uchiha."
He lowered his voice.
"I need you to hold them back until I return."