Hiruzen Sarutobi's roar echoed across the square, filled with anger, sorrow, and despair crushed by reality.
The kage-level aura on him was no longer restrained, sweeping across the entire venue.
The air throughout the square became oppressive, making it hard to breathe.
Danzo Shimura smiled.
Facing Hiruzen Sarutobi's all-consuming killing intent, he showed no intention of resisting.
He straightened his back, meeting his old friend's gaze.
There was no sinister malice, no calculation in his single eye, only the calm of someone who saw through everything.
"Do it, Hiruzen."
"We've fought our entire lives, competed our entire lives."
"To finally die by your hand isn't such a bad ending."
"It's just a pity... I couldn't see the day Konoha truly stood at the top of the shinobi world."
The bloodshot in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes grew worse.
"Shut up!"
He roared, his figure instantly vanishing from his original spot.
The next moment, he appeared before Danzo, his old hand transforming into a sharp claw, fiercely grabbing towards Danzo's heart!
This strike held no mercy.
Pfft!
The claw pierced through flesh and blood.
Time slowed infinitely at this moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi could clearly feel the heart his fingertips touched, beating violently.
It felt warm.
Just like decades ago, when the two of them shared a rice ball on the battlefield.
Danzo's body shook violently, large amounts of blood gushing from his mouth.
He didn't lower his head to look at his wound; he merely used his last bit of strength to raise his hand and gently pat the arm Hiruzen Sarutobi used to grab him.
The movement was very light, as if comforting.
"Hiruzen..."
"Be careful... this daimyo..."
"He is more evil... than the Uchiha..."
Before he could finish, the light in his eyes completely disappeared.
His arm fell down.
Danzo Shimura, the Darkness of Konoha, leader of Root, this man from the same era as the Third Hokage.
He died because of his own ambition.
He died by the hand of his closest friend, and lifelong rival.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly withdrew his hand.
Blood dripped from his fingers, falling onto the cold stone slabs, splashing into tiny blood flowers.
He stared blankly at Danzo's corpse, tears already flowing down his cheeks.
He just stood there, not moving, letting the wind blow his hair.
Looking closely, more than half of his hair was white.
The shinobi hero, at this moment, looked twenty years older.
The noise around them did not break the silence here.
The shinobi of Konoha watched this scene, their expressions very complicated.
Sadness, anger, confusion, and an unspeakable sense of relief.
Minato Namikaze clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's lonely figure hurt him.
But he knew even more clearly that from the moment Danzo rebelled, this outcome was already decided.
On the high platform.
Shin took everything in, his face showing no emotion.
It was as if only an annoying insect had died, not an elder advisor of Konoha.
He turned to the four nations' delegations on the viewing platform, clearly seeing the looks on their faces.
Seeing the daimyo look over, they all lowered their heads.
The mockery on the Land of Lightning's envoy's face had long disappeared, his forehead covered in small beads of sweat.
The Land of Earth's envoy no longer played with his beard, his hands hidden in his sleeves, shaking slightly.
The Land of Wind's envoy's eyes held more fear than shock.
The Land of Water's envoy was equally afraid, not daring to meet his gaze.
Mei Terumi, moreover, shook slightly.
She looked at the very young daimyo on the high platform, feeling true fear for the first time.
The cruelty and bloodshed of Kirigakure were visible struggles and tyranny.
But this man before her, with his silent plans, was invisible.
He used no bloodshed, invited them into his trap, and let Konoha's two giants kill each other, turning the shinobi hero, who had shaken the shinobi world, into a pitiful wretch who personally murdered his friend, in front of the entire world.
Such methods, such a heart... She suddenly felt that whether it was Kirigakure, or the resistance she and Ao had built, it all seemed like children playing games.
Shin was very satisfied with their reactions.
What he wanted was exactly this effect.
To kill one to warn a hundred, to frighten all sides.
He slowly raised his hand, and his voice sounded again, not loud, but clearly reaching every corner of the square.
"Aono."
"I am here, my lord."
The leader of the shadow guards, wearing a pure black mask, silently appeared behind him, kneeling on one knee.
"Clear the battlefield, collect the civilians' bodies, give them proper burial, and pay their families!"
"As for all rebels, their heads shall be shown at the city gates for three days."
"And the masterminds..."
Shin's gaze fell on Saionji Takashi and Shu, who had long since collapsed into a terrified mess.
Compared to Shu, Saionji Takashi was still somewhat stubborn.
Though his legs shook, he stubbornly refused to fall, instead glaring with hate.
"Saionji Takashi, beheaded and displayed, his clan destroyed!"
"For Shu, cripple his limbs, cut out his tongue, and imprison him in the water dungeon."
"Let him live well, and watch how my Land of Fire grows stronger day by day."
"Yes!" Aono acknowledged the order, waving his hand for men to take the two away.
"Shin, you will die a terrible death, you... Ugh..."
As his fate was announced, Saionji Takashi cursed out loud, but was punched in the mouth by a shadow guard, blood and teeth flying.
Shu shook violently, extreme fear showing in his eyes, a strange sound coming from his throat, but he couldn't even beg for mercy.
Ignoring the dying dog's barks, he looked at the Konoha camp, his gaze landing on Minato Namikaze.
"Fourth Hokage."
Minato Namikaze's heart jumped, and he instinctively straightened his body, "My lord."
"The Third Hokage is tired, take him back to rest."
Shin's tone was very flat.
"I do not wish to see a second Konoha internal fight."
"I hope you will remember that."
A warning, completely ignoring the other party's position.
Minato Namikaze, having gone through a series of events, bowed and said, "Yes, I will obey your orders, my lord."
At this moment, the era belonging to the daimyo began.
Shin nodded in satisfaction.
He no longer looked at anyone, turning and slowly walking back to the center of the high platform.
He stretched out both hands, seriously holding up the national seal, which represented the highest authority of the Land of Fire.
Sunlight fell down, and the detailed flame patterns on the national seal seemed to come alive, burning brightly in his palm.
He held the national seal high.
Facing the crowd.
Facing the world.
"The ceremony is complete!"
As the chief ceremonial officer shouted, the tens of thousands of civilians in the square were quiet for a moment, then erupted in cheers, like a mountain roaring and a sea surging.
"Long live the daimyo!"
"Long live the Land of Fire!"
Perhaps they didn't understand politics or schemes.
But they had seen with their own eyes how the daimyo had crushed the rebellion with powerful means, protecting their peace.
That was enough.
In the deafening cheers, a faint blue light screen, visible only to him, slowly appeared before his eyes.
[Ding!]
[Main Quest: Lord of the Land of Fire (Stage Two) has been completed!]
[Quest Evaluation: Perfect (With lightning speed, in the spotlight of all, cleared internal and external enemies, established the daimyo's supreme authority, and frightened all petty villains from all directions)]
[Quest rewards are being distributed...]
[Congratulations to the host, you have received the reward: Economic Policy Sandbox!]