Chapter 17: As Steady as a Forest

Danzō closed in swiftly, his right hand darting toward Naruto's eye socket!

Digging out an eye barehanded—it was not a reckless move. With *Izanagi*, any damage could be turned into an illusion, giving Danzō the confidence to act so boldly.

Failure would cost him nothing, and success would mean everything. Why not take the chance?

"Is this how you obtained Shisui's right eye as well, Danzō?" Naruto murmured inwardly, his left eye narrowing sharply.

— *Shinra Tensei*!

Boom!

"Urgh...!!" A powerful repulsive force exploded outward, sending Danzō flying in a sorry state!

"*Shinra Tensei*—a technique that emits an omnidirectional repulsive force centered on the user, deflecting all physical and ninjutsu attacks. It's a flawless move for both offense and defense..."

Whoosh! The figure of Danzō, flung away, dissolved into a fleeting mirage. His true body reappeared right in front of Naruto.

"But between uses, there's a five-second interval. That's the weakness of this technique!"

…

It's worth noting that during Pain's assault on Konoha, Danzō and his Root operatives remained underground, observing the battle without participating.

The intelligence on the Rinnegan gathered by Jiraiya and Konoha's forces during their skirmishes was also collected by Root.

Danzō's original plan had been to wait until Pain and Konoha were both severely weakened before stepping in as the savior.

This would not only diminish Tsunade's faction but also elevate his own reputation, allowing him to seize power.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned... Naruto returned from Mount Myōboku and defeated Pain.

…

Swish!

As Danzō charged, a kunai slipped from his sleeve, thrusting straight toward Naruto's face!

Naruto closed his eyes briefly. The shadow clone he had hidden earlier dispersed, feeding back Sage Chakra to his main body, instantly activating Sage Mode!

Swish!

Naruto shifted his body slightly, dodging the kunai. His right hand grabbed Danzō's arm while his left hand formed a *Rasengan*, striking Danzō squarely in the chest!

— *Sage Art: Rasengan*!

"Argh!!!"

The *Rasengan* exploded, leaving Danzō's chest a bloody mess!

Thud! Naruto followed up with a powerful kick, sending Danzō flying. He crashed through three trees in a straight line before coming to a stop, covered in snow.

Moments later, *Izanagi* took effect, and all of Danzō's injuries vanished.

Danzō stood up, brushing the snow off his shoulders, his expression calm. "Sage Mode enhances both perception and physical abilities significantly. Combined with the Rinnegan's powers, you almost have no weaknesses..."

A smirk appeared on his face. "But no matter how strong you are, *Izanagi* ensures that I remain undefeated!"

Whoosh!

Danzō formed hand seals, took a deep breath, and held it in. The wrinkles on his face seemed to converge toward his mouth.

— *Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets*!

Biu! Biu! Biu!

Danzō exhaled, and the Wind Release chakra shot out like bullets—wide in range and incredibly fast!

Swish!

Naruto ducked, weaved, and flipped through the gaps between the vacuum bullets, closing the distance toward Danzō.

"You like using Wind Release too? Let me return the favor..."

As Danzō's *Vacuum Bullets* came to an end, Naruto created shadow clones. Combining them with the nature transformation of the *Rasengan*, a piercing wind howled, chilling everyone to the bone!

Naruto spun elegantly, building momentum, and hurled the deadly weapon at Danzō!

— *Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken*!

There was no escape. The wind blades struck Danzō, sending him flying backward... Boom!!

Rumble!! The devastating windstorm obliterated Danzō and the surrounding forest completely!

Whoosh!

Danzō reappeared twenty meters away in an open clearing, gazing at the aftermath of the storm with a grave expression.

"To incorporate nature transformation into the *Rasengan*, combined with Sage Chakra for a long-range attack... This is the pinnacle of Wind Release. But it's a pity—such a brilliant jutsu will disappear from the ninja world today!"

As he spoke, Danzō looked down at his right arm. The first Sharingan had closed completely, and the second was already counting down.

His thoughts raced: "Naruto wields the Rinnegan and Sage Mode. He has too many ways to finish me off. To be cautious, I can't afford to conserve chakra by deactivating *Izanagi* midway. With nine Sharingan, I have about nine minutes of *Izanagi*'s duration left..."

"Fortunately, Naruto's Sage Mode isn't like the First Hokage's—it can't be maintained indefinitely. According to the intel, Naruto can replenish Sage Chakra using up to two shadow clones during battle. However, using that Wind Release Sage Jutsu will accelerate his chakra consumption, increasing the risk of his Sage Mode deactivating."

"With nine minutes, I still have a good chance. I'll keep up the pressure, look for an opening, and take his left eye. Victory will then be mine!"

Whoosh!

Having finalized his strategy, Danzō formed seals and took a deep breath.

— *Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere*!!

Boom!!

An overwhelming Wind Release transformed into a massive cannon, sweeping up snow as it blasted toward Naruto's position!

Naruto reserved *Shinra Tensei* for defending against Danzō's close-range attacks. The Rinnegan's Six Paths abilities were incredibly versatile, offering many options.

Facing the oncoming *Vacuum Great Sphere*, Naruto extended his left hand, and a sealing barrier appeared before his palm.

— *Preta Path*!

Whoosh!

The *Vacuum Great Sphere* rapidly shrank as it was absorbed by the Preta Path...

"That's the Rinnegan's ability to absorb ninjutsu, as described in the intel..."

Swoosh! Danzō quickly unfurled a stack of explosive tags, detonating them on himself!

In the state of *Izanagi*, death allowed him to respawn at a chosen location. Exploiting this ability, Danzō reappeared behind Naruto, launching a surprise attack!

"..." Naruto continued absorbing ninjutsu, glancing backward out of the corner of his eye.

Danzō smirked inwardly: Yes... Use that repulsive force against me. That five-second interval will give me the perfect opportunity!

But then, Naruto's lips curled into a sly smile.

He reached into his ninja pouch, pulled out a smoke bomb, and smashed it to the ground.

Poof!!

Thick smoke spread, obscuring the view behind him...!

Danzō hesitated mid-step. "What? A smoke bomb??"

In that brief moment of doubt, Naruto finished absorbing the ninjutsu. He formed hand seals and spun around dramatically.

— *Sage Art: Fire Release: Great Flame Technique*!

Boom! Roaring flames erupted, cutting off Danzō's path.

The two stood tensely, separated by dozens of meters.

Naruto raised a hand, smiling faintly. "I've just been playing around with these Rinnegan abilities because they're new to me. Don't think that just because I've learned to run, I've forgotten how to walk."

"..." Danzō was momentarily speechless as his gaze shifted to his right arm. The second Sharingan had closed completely, and the third was already halfway through its countdown.

A quarter of *Izanagi*'s duration had been consumed, yet he had gained no advantage!

It's worth noting that while *Izanagi* was powerful, its chakra consumption increased over time, making it a risky technique!

Naruto's tone was laced with amusement. "Are you sure you're okay? You've already used up almost three eyes. My chakra reserves are still plenty full~."

Danzō clenched his fists tightly, then slowly relaxed them. A smile crept across his wrinkled face.

"Naruto, I've seen countless people in my lifetime, and I've never misjudged anyone. You have the potential for darkness. There's no soil more suitable for you than Root."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "And?"

Danzō made a shocking proposal. "So, let's join forces. I've already risen to the position of Hokage, and I'm no longer suited to remain in Root. If you agree, I'll appoint you as the leader of Root. What do you say...?"