The infiltration was so smooth that it even surprised Danzo; after all, even though the Third Raikage had once again withdrawn some forces, there were still a considerable number of Shinobi within the Village.
It wasn't until he had truly infiltrated that Danzo realized the Hidden Cloud Village at this moment was like an old suit of armor—seemingly thick and impenetrable, but in reality, every seam was constantly leaking air.
"Act according to the plan."
With that command, the four members of the squad instantly vanished into the shadows of the streets and alleys. Danzo ordered them to head in different directions to create chaos, then retreat after he gave the signal.
By Danzo's side, only two Shimura Jonin, disguised as Cloud Hidden Anbu, remained, along with the Jinchuriki boy, who was completely enveloped in a cloak and trembling.
The group walked along the rough, hard stone streets, with buildings built into the mountainside casting heavy shadows on both sides.
Danzo deliberately controlled his pace, neither too fast nor too slow, allowing the cloaked figure to be exposed as much as possible to the villagers' gaze along the way.
Initially, there were only scattered glances, filled with curiosity and scrutiny, but as this rather unique squad gradually moved deeper into the Village, whispers spread like a plague.
"Look at that outfit..."
"It's that monster! How could they bring him into the Village!"
"Stay away! I heard last time..."
"Why bring such a dangerous thing back?"
Fear, disgust, rejection... The villagers' whispers were like cold senbon, mercilessly piercing the Jinchuriki boy beneath the cloak.
The boy's body began to tremble uncontrollably, each step feeling as if he were treading on a blade. In the deep shadow of his wide hood, his originally numb eyes gradually filled with fear and immense unease.
Danzo bent down slightly at the opportune moment, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Did you hear that, kid!"
"Everyone fears you, hates you. To the Village, you are just an uncontrollable nuisance..."
The boy's breathing suddenly became heavy and ragged, and his shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.
All the way, Danzo was like a constantly murmuring demon, continuously inflicting mental corrosion on the boy.
"Look closely, people's eyes only hold fear when they look at you... To us, you were never a companion, just a weapon, a disgusting monster..."
"Once you lose control, we will eliminate you without hesitation."
The boy's body trembled slightly under the cloak, his breathing growing more rapid. Dark red Tailed Beast Chakra gradually leaked out uncontrollably, only to be forcibly suppressed.
The team continued forward until they reached the widest plaza in the center of the Village.
This was the core area of the entire Kumogakure; looking up, one could see the Raikage Building high above.
The crowd around them grew denser, and countless astonished gazes converged. Several genuine Cloud Hidden Anbu also noticed the anomaly and approached quickly, their expressions grave.
Danzo knew the time had come.
He abruptly stopped.
"Swish—"
To everyone's astonishment, Danzo suddenly turned, his single arm shooting out like lightning, and he yanked off the boy's hood!
The hood slipped, revealing a face exceptionally pale from prolonged captivity. Under the bright sunlight, the Jinchuriki boy squinted uncomfortably, like a startled young beast.
"Look closely!"
Danzo's voice suddenly rose, like a cold hammer striking the air above the plaza, instantly overpowering all the noise:
"This is the 'ultimate weapon' created by our Village's higher-ups, a monster that cannot even control its own actions, capable of blowing us all up at any moment!"
"Whoosh—!"
The crowd instantly erupted into chaos, screams, angry shouts, and gasps of fear intertwining.
Those gazes, which had initially been merely surprised, now completely transformed into naked terror and revulsion, like a surging tide, utterly engulfing the boy in the center of the plaza.
The nearby Cloud Hidden Ninjas had long realized something was wrong. Furious and alarmed, they drew their Ninja blades and lunged, but they were held back by the two Shimura Jonin, who instantly engaged in a fierce struggle.
Danzo was deaf to the fighting behind him; amidst the chaos, a complete madness appeared in his eyes.
"Clang—!"
His Ninja blade was unsheathed in an instant.
Before anyone could react, the cold blade had brutally pierced the boy's lower back from behind!
"Monster! I will now completely rid the Village of this menace!"
Danzo roared loudly, his acting so realistic it could be called a true-to-life performance.
Coupled with his Cloud Hidden Anbu attire, to anyone watching, he looked like a Cloud Hidden Ninja filled with hatred for the Tailed Beast weapon, driven to extremes by fanaticism.
"Why..."
The boy vomited large mouthfuls of blood, his body curling up from the intense pain.
He struggled to turn his head, looking at the cold mask of the "Anbu Ninja" behind him. In his eyes, besides disbelieving confusion, there was years of accumulated grievance, as well as endless rage and pain... All emotions erupted like lava from a volcano!
"I... am not... a monster!!!"
"Boom—!!!!"
As if a beast in slumber had been abruptly awakened, an indescribable, terrifying Chakra burst forth from the boy, radiating outwards.
Crimson, violent, and filled with destructive Will, the Tailed Beast Chakra surged skyward like a tangible tsunami. The sky instantly darkened, and the earth trembled violently.
An inhuman roar erupted from deep within the boy's throat; his skin cracked inch by inch before Danzo's eyes.
A dark red phantom of a giant tail, covered in mucus and Chakra, suddenly lashed out from his back, striking the nearby Danzo with a speed beyond perception.
"Crack—"
Danzo had no time to dodge.
With a muffled sound of bones shattering, his body was flung away like a rag doll, crashing heavily into the building behind him, creating spiderweb-like cracks across the entire wall.
Blood gushed from his mouth, ears, and the bandaged right eye socket. His chest was terribly caved in, and life was draining from his shattered body at an unprecedented rate.
However, in the final moments before his consciousness was swallowed by darkness, what reflected in his pupils was not the fear of death, but the "masterpiece" he had personally created!
Bones grew wildly, flesh rapidly proliferated... A colossal, terrifying silhouette with eight giant tails condensed within this destructive energy storm. The immense Tailed Beast figure completely broke free from its restraints, roaring skyward in the center of the Hidden Cloud Village.
"Roar—!!!"
Eight-Tails, Gyuki, descends!
The destructive roar was like a billion thunderclaps simultaneously exploding, instantly drowning out all other sounds!
The giant octopus tail, wielding immense power, swept casually, and the surrounding buildings crumbled like sandcastles. Rubble, wood splinters, and people who couldn't escape were thrown into the air by the violent force!
Screams of fear and wails of agony rang out incessantly. The most prosperous central area of the Hidden Cloud Village instantly transformed into a hell on earth, filled with flying flesh and blood and swirling dust!
Danzo lay in the very center of the storm, the violent Chakra currents tearing at his robes and bandages, as if to completely shred him.
Yet, he chuckled softly, looking up at the world-destroying behemoth above. In his sole remaining left eye, there was no fear, no regret, only a kind of almost frenzied, twisted to the extreme satisfaction and serenity.
"Hehehehe..."
He had deceived all the members of his squad, including the two Shimura Jonin by his side!
He had never intended to leave this place alive!
And there was no signal for retreat!
"Do you see... Senju Mori... and Hiruzen... This... is my... Will of Fire!"
His thoughts ended there.
The cries of the villagers, the screams of the Ninja, the collapse of buildings... Everything that was happening collectively played the grandest requiem for Danzo.
As the terrifying roar sounded once again, a black Tailed Beast Ball suddenly formed in the Eight-Tails, Gyuki's mouth.
The rampaging Tailed Beast Chakra, like a greedy maw, instantly swallowed Danzo's figure, and all the cries and struggles in the plaza.
The only thing left was the Ninja blade still embedded in the Eight-Tails' body.