Chapter 23: Desperate Measures! Danzo's Last Lifeline

"Dammit..." Danzo, having resurrected, planned to eliminate Natsuhane quietly. However, he didn't anticipate that Natsuhane would reveal his secret to everyone.

"How does this brat know about the Sharingan in my right arm?" Danzo was bewildered. But the reason didn't matter now. Once a secret is exposed, it ceases to be a secret. His murderous intent grew. There was still a chance to salvage the situation if he could kill Natsuhane before more secrets were revealed.

At that moment, Yamanaka Inoichi frowned and pointed toward a nearby alley, shouting, "Lord Hokage, Lord Danzo is not dead! I can sense his chakra!"

"Not dead?" Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively sighed in relief. He did not want Danzo to die. But upon realizing the implication, he felt uneasy. Surviving in such circumstances, along with that strange white arm full of Sharingan, left only one possible explanation...

"Danzo, it seems... I can't protect you this time. What else have you hidden from me? That unusual white... did you also transplant Lord Hashirama's cells?" Hiruzen stood there in silence, lost in thought. The surrounding ninjas were confused.

Seeing Hiruzen's silence, Nara Shikaku decided to act. "Everyone, capture Lord Danzo! We need to uncover the truth behind that arm full of Sharingan!"

Nara Shikaku, Konoha's strategist, commanded respect. The ninjas were inclined to follow his lead.

Infuriated, Danzo charged out of the alley, shouting, "You dare to defy me? Are you rebelling?"

His right arm, covered in white Sharingan, was exposed for all to see. He had no intention of hiding anymore. The priority was to kill Natsuhane and silence him.

"Summoning Jutsu: Baku!"

A colossal dream-eating beast appeared in front of Natsuhane. The creature's immense size dwarfed Natsuhane's Susanoo.

The Baku opened its mouth, unleashing a powerful suction. Nearby houses were shattered into pieces.

"This is bad! Protect the villagers!"

"Has Lord Danzo gone mad?"

Natsuhane felt the strain as the powerful wind distorted his Susanoo.

"Why is my Susanoo still in its skeletal form despite my Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan? If only I could activate its complete form, this Baku would be no match!"

Amidst his complaints about his talent, Natsuhane formed hand seals quickly, "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

A fireball, resembling a small meteor, shot out from Natsuhane's mouth. The Baku inhaled it before it could react.

The air was filled with the smell of roasting meat. The Baku was nearly cooked.

Danzo, unconcerned, appeared behind Natsuhane, waiting for this opportunity. With Susanoo's distortion from the Baku's suction, he saw his chance.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Serial Waves!"

Natsuhane had anticipated this move. The moment the Baku appeared, he knew Danzo would strike from behind.

Before Danzo could release his wind bullets, Natsuhane turned and, with Susanoo, smashed Danzo into a bloody pulp.

Moments later, the remains vanished. Danzo reappeared nearby, unscathed.

"Why can you always see through my moves?"

"Take a guess~"

"..."

"Danzo, you're using our clan's precious Sharingan as resurrection tokens. Don't you find that wasteful?"

"Hmph, the Sharingan is indeed valuable, but haven't you provided me with plenty of reserves? Once I kill you, all your children will be mine!"

Hearing this, Natsuhane's playful expression vanished.

"Danzo, you still want to target my children? I intended to let you live to confess your crimes, but it seems I was too kind. Now, you will die!"

Natsuhane's fury surged. His Susanoo's power spiked, muscles formed around the skeletal frame, and solid blue armor began to appear.

"This… this can't be!" Danzo had hoped Susanoo would fade, but it had evolved instead.

"Natsuhane, your power…!"

For the first time, Danzo felt fear. He found himself unable to move. His shadow was connected to another.

"Shadow Imitation Jutsu?"

Not far away, Nara Shikaku knelt, locking Danzo in place. Chains appeared around Danzo, binding him tightly. On one end stood Kakashi, and on the other, Might Guy.

Kakashi spoke quietly, "Lord Danzo, your actions have harmed the villagers and damaged many homes. As Konoha ninjas, we won't tolerate anyone harming the village. You..."

Before he could finish, a massive blue fist descended.

It was Natsuhane's Susanoo.

"Die, Danzo! I'll wipe you out completely!"

"Partial Expansion Jutsu!"

At the last moment, two enormous hands blocked Susanoo's attack.

Akimichi Choza strained to hold back Susanoo's fist, shouting, "Natsuhane, Danzo is caught. He can't escape! He needs to be interrogated before he can be punished. Trust us, justice will be served."

Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared before Natsuhane, speaking sternly, "Natsuhane, Danzo must be investigated thoroughly. Rest assured, I will personally oversee it."

Personally? Heh...

What a cunning old fox…

Natsuhane smirked internally.

He knew both these old men were the same. Without Hiruzen's consent, Danzo wouldn't have dared to send assassins in the dead of night.

But Natsuhane also understood that as the Hokage, Hiruzen's authority needed to be respected. Now wasn't the time to confront him.

Fighting Danzo was one thing; fighting Hiruzen meant taking on all of Konoha. With Might Guy and other elite ninjas by Hiruzen's side, victory was impossible for him now.

He decided to wait, to grow stronger, and have more children before making his next move.

"Very well, Lord Hokage. I'll leave it to you. Today, everyone saw the Sharingan on Danzo's arm. That alone is proof of his crimes. I trust you won't show favoritism..."

Hiruzen forced a smile, motioning for Morino Ibiki to take Danzo into custody.

"Wait! I need to speak with Danzo."

Natsuhane approached Danzo, who was bound and seething with hatred.

"Natsuhane, if I had known your strength, I would've had Itachi kill you that night! How did you learn about my Sharingan arm? Was it one of my subordinates?"

Danzo's Sharingan arm was known only to his subordinates, Orochimaru, and Kabuto. Natsuhane shouldn't have known.

This baffled Danzo the most.

Natsuhane chuckled, "Why should I tell you, old fool? Your life's work will crumble today."

"Hmph!" Danzo grunted.

He hadn't lost hope, relying on a secret ace—Shisui Uchiha's Sharingan in his right eye. If Hiruzen didn't save him, he planned to use Kotoamatsukami to control Hiruzen.

But in a split second, Natsuhane made a swift move, gouging out Danzo's right eye, just as Danzo had done to Shisui two years earlier.

Danzo was stunned.

"How… why? How did he know about my right eye? No one but me knew!"