Chapter 456: What Offense? Haven’t We Already Offended Him?

If Danzo were to suddenly attack or try to escape, Takuya would immediately move to capture him, and by then, there would be plenty of witnesses to testify.

This precaution was to avoid any unexpected incidents that might give the Third Hokage and his cohorts a reason to nitpick.

"......"

After a moment of silence, a group of Anbu ninjas emerged from the shadows, surrounding the courtyard.

This can't be!!!

As Danzo watched the Anbu surround his residence, no matter how much he believed the Third Hokage cherished... cough, cough... trusted him, he couldn't foolishly think Takuya was merely joking.

Takuya might not represent the Hokage's office, but the Anbu's involvement confirmed the seriousness of the situation. After all, they were directly under the Hokage's command.

"You..."

Danzo pointed at the two Anbu captains standing at the front, his voice filled with rage.

"You dare collude with this brat to deceive me!!"

"I demand to see Hiruzen Sarutobi! You have no authority to deal with me."

The Anbu captain, looking troubled, said, "Please don't make this difficult for us, Lord Danzo. This is indeed an order from the Hokage's office."

What???

To Danzo, these words were like a bolt of lightning on a clear day, leaving him stunned and disoriented.

He didn't believe Takuya's claims, but the actions of the Anbu provided solid proof. Danzo's days of comfort were over, and he was destined to spend the rest of his life in prison.

"Whose order was this?"

"Was it Hiruzen Sarutobi or Tsunade?"

As the so-called Root of Konoha, Danzo was not one to lose his composure so easily. In no time, he regained his composure and coldly questioned the two Anbu captains.

"Well..."

The two captains hesitated, glancing toward Takuya for guidance.

Takuya shrugged indifferently, signaling them to speak freely. The captains let out a sigh of relief and answered truthfully:

"It was Lady Tsunade's order, but Lord Hokage did not oppose it. The other elders were also in agreement."

In other words, Danzo, surrender yourself peacefully and don't put us in a difficult position.

Although the order came from Tsunade, the Third Hokage and the others did not object. Danzo had been abandoned.

No matter how deep his ties with the Third Hokage ran, Hiruzen wouldn't step forward to defend him.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi!!!"

Danzo growled through clenched teeth, his one visible eye filled with madness. It was evident that he wouldn't comply without resistance.

But this was exactly what Takuya was hoping for.

He wanted Danzo to stop enduring. He wanted Danzo to retaliate, to fight back, or better yet, to defect from the village.

This would give him ample justification to eliminate Danzo once and for all.

Brother, I understand your desire to kill Danzo. I'd like to see that old man gone too. But with your repeated threats and provocations, aren't you afraid he might just give in and surrender?

Surrounded as he was, Danzo's chances of escape were slim. Minato thought Takuya could easily subdue him alone.

But wouldn't all this pressure and intimidation backfire?

"?"

Why are you looking at me like that?

Noticing Minato's curious gaze, Takuya ignored him. Now wasn't the time for such discussions, though he could guess what Minato was thinking.

It was likely about his methods of provocation, which might compel Danzo to surrender.

After all, Danzo feared death.

What Minato didn't understand was that Danzo was not just afraid of dying—he was terrified.

Forcing him to resist was nearly impossible. Pressure and threats were merely tools to provoke him.

Otherwise, Takuya wouldn't waste time talking. He'd simply draw his sword and strike.

Though Danzo was seething with anger at the moment, Takuya could already tell that the old schemer was planning his next moves.

Danzo was likely considering how to endure this situation, biding his time in Konoha's prison until he could escape—or even defect from the village altogether.

Make no mistake, if push came to shove, Danzo would rather defect than spend his final days imprisoned in Konoha.

As someone prone to paranoia and obsessed with control, Danzo wouldn't trust anyone else with his fate.

In his mind, his destiny was secure only when it was under his own control. Promises and guarantees from others were unreliable and could be broken at any moment.

"Please don't make this harder for us, Lord Danzo."

The Anbu captain issued another warning.

Damn it!!!

Danzo's eye burned with hatred as he glared at Takuya, like a furious beast ready to tear him apart.

"Today's events... I'll remember this!!!"

He swore revenge.

As for imprisonment? That wasn't an option. Once he was in Konoha's prison, he would find a way to escape.

Konoha was no longer under his control. Staying hidden in the village was no longer viable.

Danzo would need to flee as soon as possible and relocate all his research.

In his current state, Danzo trusted no one—not even Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin could easily switch allegiance to Tsunade at any moment.

If Orochimaru were to betray him and reveal everything, Danzo would be done for.

Given the chance to absolve himself, Orochimaru wouldn't hesitate to pin all the blame on Danzo. The village would likely support this decision.

After all, placing all the blame on one person was far less damaging than implicating two.

Losing Danzo wouldn't shake Konoha much, but losing both him and Orochimaru would be a severe blow.

Do as you please.

Takuya shrugged nonchalantly. More grudges didn't faze him.

There was no chance for reconciliation between him and Danzo. So why worry about offending him?

He had already burned those bridges long ago.

However, Danzo's endurance exceeded Takuya's expectations. He had hoped for an outburst of violence or an escape attempt, but alas, he had overestimated.

Danzo chose to surrender, allowing the Anbu to restrain him with specialized tools and even seal his chakra.

What's the point of all this?

Danzo's compliance brought a collective sigh of relief from everyone present. Minato approached and whispered:

"See? Your provocations backfired."

"You know nothing. Provoking him was the only way to incite rebellion."

Takuya rolled his eyes. Minato was still too inexperienced. No wonder the Third Hokage had manipulated him into being a puppet Hokage, a mere figurehead.

If Minato couldn't handle the Third Hokage, how could he possibly deal with Danzo?

In terms of raw strength, Danzo wasn't even among the top ranks in Konoha. At best, he was an elite jonin, perhaps slightly stronger than the average.

It wasn't that Takuya looked down on him; Danzo's strength simply wasn't remarkable.

However, when it came to scheming and manipulation, Danzo was unrivaled in Konoha. He could dismantle someone's life piece by piece, as Kakashi Hatake and Shisui Uchiha would attest.

And they were merely examples. There were countless others whom Danzo had targeted and pressured.

Anyone caught in Danzo's sights rarely came out unscathed.

The only exception was Kakashi.