Damn that Sarutobi… even in death, you still scheme against me?!
Danzō's mind twisted with venom.
When the Third was alive, Danzō had tried to assassinate him more than once—let alone after losing power. With his ruthless nature, he would eliminate any obstacle in his path to becoming Hokage.
At this moment, he recalled the look Sarutobi had given him before his death—filled with pity and sorrow.
So it's true… Sarutobi, you had this planned from the start.
Even this was within your calculations!
"Fifth Hokage-sama, you must rest!"
Naruto emphasized again, stepping forward until only five steps separated him from Danzō.
"And if I refuse?" Danzō slammed his cane down hard, glaring viciously, his voice brimming with defiance. "What of a little rheumatism? What of being beyond saving? Even if I die, I'll die here in this seat."
"Don't forget—I am the Hokage!"
This Nine-Tails brat's actions must also be part of that old Sarutobi's schemes.
He must have known I intended to deal with him.
After claiming the position of Fifth Hokage, Danzō had been plotting to seize complete control of the Nine-Tails.
Burning bridges once the river is crossed—that was second nature to him.
So this brat was your backup plan, Sarutobi? You already knew the clans couldn't be trusted, and you wanted them all folded into Root.
Even now, Danzō was still waging a battle of wits against the dead Third Hokage. A lifetime of being schemed against had long since scarred his heart.
"Men, escort our beloved Hokage-sama home for a good rest."
Naruto ignored Danzō entirely, repeating his order. At his words, the clan shinobi behind him advanced toward Danzō in unison.
"Let's see who dares!" Danzō roared, ripping off the bandages from his right eye. "Root! To me!"
I should have used Kotoamatsukami on the Nine-Tails jinchūriki sooner…
At his command, Root shinobi materialized behind him, their killing intent flaring so fiercely that the clan shinobi involuntarily stepped back.
As long as Root is here, you clan dogs are nothing.
The only one worth caution is the Nine-Tails brat—but even him, I have already prepared for.
Danzō touched the closed eye under the bandage.
Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan is the ultimate weapon against tailed beasts.
Sarutobi, your little contingency is meaningless. I, Shimura Danzō, am the true Hokage!
"Hokage-sama, why is this?" Naruto widened his eyes theatrically, feigning shock. "Why does Hokage-sama rebel?"
Danzō's face flushed crimson once again. Naruto's words nearly made him vomit blood.
"Seize the Nine-Tails jinchūriki!"
Danzō swept his arm toward Naruto, already envisioning his Root subordinates capturing him.
Silence.
His hand hung in the air, but behind him, not a single Root shinobi moved.
The scene was unbearably awkward.
"Hokage-sama… why go this far?" Naruto sighed softly, as though helpless, then raised his head to lock eyes with Danzō. His gaze bore down on him from above.
"Root shinobi, hear my command: the Fifth Hokage has attempted a coup d'état—"
Shhhhk!
The same Root shinobi who had just stood motionless suddenly turned toward Danzō at Naruto's order, poised to strike at a moment's notice.
Root had long since ceased to be Danzō's Root.
Its members had been replaced—inside and out.
"Old… old… I—!"
Under the stares of Root, Danzō jabbed a trembling finger at Naruto but could not form a sentence.
"Arghh!"
Unable to suppress it any longer, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Damn Nine-Tails brat! I'll take you down with me!!!"
Finally, Danzō unleashed his trump card—the so-called strongest genjutsu eye, said to bend anyone to his will.
"I hadn't intended to waste this on you, but—"
"Serve me, Nine-Tails brat!"
"Kotoamatsukami!"
Nothing happened.
No matter how wide he opened his right eye, Naruto remained utterly unaffected.
Because the eye glaring at him was not the expected Mangekyō Sharingan at all—merely a bloodshot, ordinary eye.
"Impossible?!"
"Looking for this, Fifth Hokage-sama?" Naruto asked lightly. He pulled a small glass vial from his pocket. Inside, a Sharingan floated silently in preservative fluid.
Shisui's stolen right eye.
"Remember? That little 'surgery' not long ago?"
Danzō froze—he remembered. Naruto had insisted on a minor operation under the pretext of treating his rheumatism. Afterwards, his knees had indeed stopped aching. But he had never imagined that in the process, his eye had been switched out.
"Such a dangerous thing shouldn't be in Hokage-sama's possession," Naruto said calmly, tucking the vial back into his robe. "It must be properly secured."
Second Shisui eye: acquired.
"Return it! That belongs to me!" Danzō lunged at Naruto in fury.
Naruto only uttered two words: "Take him."
He didn't need to lift a finger. Over a dozen Uchiha, disguised as Root operatives, struck at once. Against overwhelming force, Danzō could do nothing.
Even his other trump card—the right arm studded with Sharingan—
Too bad. That had also been swapped. The arm was fake.
Piece by piece, everything had been replaced. Aside from his own consciousness, there was nothing left that was truly his.
Pathetic—Danzō, who had schemed his entire life, was played like a pawn until the end.
He had sacrificed everything for the Hokage's seat, stopping at nothing. And just when he finally attained it—after nearly dooming Konoha through his dealings with outside forces—Naruto mercilessly shattered his dream.
He didn't even know that the decrees he had issued as Hokage had never left his office.
But he deserved no better.
"I am the Hokage! I am the Hokage!" Danzō shrieked, struggling madly. Yet his thrashing was futile. No one paid him any heed. Every shinobi present only watched with cold, detached eyes.
Heaven may forgive the sins it inflicts, but man's own sins cannot be absolved.
His fate today was nothing but self-inflicted. None would pity him.
Gradually, his cries weakened, dwindled to a faint moan, and finally faded to silence.
"Our esteemed Fifth Hokage-sama, from overwork and exhaustion, suffered a relapse of old injuries. At last, his body could endure no longer."
"Hokage-sama requires an extended period of rest and recovery. Until he regains his health, let us not trouble him further."
"Come, let us respectfully see our Fifth Hokage-sama off."