"Do you think you have any way out?"
"From the moment you chose to stand with the old man, you were already his enemy."
Looking at the ignorant Koharu Utatane, Danzō Shimura let out a cold sneer. From inside his robe, he produced the letter of abdication he had prepared long ago, as well as the document transferring the position of Hokage to himself, and placed them in front of the two.
Because of the unique nature of Izanami, unless the victim recognizes their true self within the dreamscape, they will remain trapped in an endless loop of illusions forever.
During this period, the victim is completely at the mercy of the caster.
Let alone stamping a Hokage abdication letter with their own hand, making them commit suicide would be effortless.
Watching Kakashi—who wore a wooden, vacant expression—take the Hokage's seal and stamp the resignation letter and the transfer document, a look of joy surfaced on Danzō Shimura's face.
Immediately, his expression turned thoughtful. Under the terrified gazes of Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, he spoke:
"Write a suicide note. State that you were too arbitrary in executing the Uchiha hawks, leading to the tragic deaths of innocent people. Say that you feel deeply sinful, and that you are imitating your late father by committing suicide to apologize to the Hidden Leaf."
As soon as the words fell, Homura Mitokado immediately grabbed Danzō Shimura by the collar and roared in a low voice:
"You're crazy!"
"Taking the position of Hokage isn't enough for you? You actually want Kakashi to die?!"
A newly appointed Hokage committing a bizarre suicide less than a month into his term—no matter how you looked at it, it was too absurd.
Moreover, Kakashi had always presented a tough, unyielding attitude. No one would believe he would commit suicide.
"Things have already reached this point. Kakashi must die. If he doesn't die, we die."
Danzō Shimura looked at his old friend with cold indifference, his words filled with a chilling, absolute killing intent.
"Homura... given the situation, let's just listen to Danzō."
To the side, Koharu Utatane hesitated slightly before siding with Danzō Shimura.
"Absolutely not."
"There is no room for negotiation."
However, Homura Mitokado's words only earned a contemptuous sneer from Danzō Shimura.
"Negotiation?"
"Do you think I am negotiating with you?"
"Izanami will eventually be broken. When that time comes, if Kakashi isn't dead, have you thought about the consequences?"
Homura Mitokado, however, didn't listen to Danzō Shimura's words at all. He spoke coldly:
"Danzō, do you think that just because you have this appointment letter, you are the Hokage?!"
"Have you thought about Hiashi Hyūga of the Elder Council, Shibi Aburame, Might Guy the Commander of the Jonin, Shizune the Deputy Head of the Medical Department, Tenzō the Captain of the Anbu, Asuma over at the Daimyō's Capital, and Hiruzen who is retired at home?!"
One sentence awakened the dreamer. Danzō Shimura suddenly recalled that in these short three years, every department in the Hidden Leaf had fallen into Kakashi's hands. Even among the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, only the "Pig" was left in the Intelligence Division.
"This..."
Only now did Danzō Shimura hesitate slightly, looking with uncertainty at Kakashi, who was currently writing the suicide note.
"At this moment, it is no longer a question of who is Hokage or not, but a question of life and death."
"No matter what is said, the day Kakashi wakes up will be the day we meet our end."
"We can deal with the aftermath later. Right now, Kakashi must die."
Koharu Utatane spoke calmly from the side.
"Koharu, you've gone crazy too!"
Homura Mitokado looked at his two old friends in disbelief.
"A great man must be ruthless, Homura."
"You are still too soft-hearted."
Hearing Danzō Shimura's words, Homura Mitokado was about to retort, but a sudden change occurred.
"Well said. Elder Homura really surprises me."
"I didn't expect you to still hold such benevolence at a time like this. If it were me, having gone this far, I would probably do exactly what Elder Danzō is doing."
As he spoke, Kakashi, who had just been writing the suicide note, stood up with a calm expression.
This filled Danzō Shimura and Koharu Utatane's faces with disbelief.
"But undeniably, Elder Homura, your mercy saved your life."
Kakashi looked at Danzō Shimura and Koharu Utatane before him and sneered:
"I originally planned to play by the rules with you for a bit longer before making a move."
"But you were the ones who stopped being reasonable first."
Between words, purple lightning flashed violently. In a mere blur, accompanied by a massive boom, Danzō Shimura was kicked straight out of the office door!
This door, which had served the Hidden Leaf diligently for decades without a single complaint, had been smashed open by Tsunade's fist not long ago. Now, struck by the flying body of Danzō Shimura after Kakashi's kick, it finally couldn't hold on and shattered into pieces.
Outside the room, Itachi Uchiha, who had been waiting, saw Danzō Shimura's miserable state—entirely embedded into the wall—and his expression changed slightly.
"Lord Hokage, are you alright!"
Itachi Uchiha rushed into the office immediately.
"You... you didn't fall under Izanami?!"
From the ruins, Danzō Shimura tremblingly pointed a finger at Kakashi, his face full of horror.
"Heh, isn't it obvious?"
Kakashi sneered at this.
He indeed hadn't fallen under Izanami.
The root cause was the Tsukuyomi inscribed by Yachihoko that Hikari Uchiha had left on him.
I will remain myself forever.
The value of this inscribed Tsukuyomi was still increasing.
Initially, he had only asked Hikari to use this pupil technique to resist Kotoamatsukami, but now it seemed to grant immunity to almost all genjutsu effects cast upon him.
He could even ignore high-level genjutsu like Izanami, which required the sacrifice of a Sharingan and could decide the outcome of a battle.
Kakashi could practically understand it as: as long as the opponent's Yin Release wasn't stronger than Hikari's, he could crush all genjutsu masters.
But what surprised Kakashi even more was that this old thing, Danzō Shimura, was actually so bold as to make a move on him, the Hokage, right inside the Hokage's office.
Did I really become complacent...?
Kakashi murmured in his heart, ignoring the various documents flying all over the office, and turned his head to look at Koharu Utatane, who was too shocked to speak.
"What are you looking at?"
After saying that, Koharu Utatane was sent flying instantly as well.
However, her old bones were not as tough as Danzō Shimura's. She was kicked straight through the office wall by Kakashi, becoming embedded right next to Danzō Shimura. At the same time, she spat out a mouthful of old blood and passed out on the spot.
By now, the abnormal commotion in the Hokage's office had been noticed by the administrative staff working downstairs. Just as they were planning to come up to see what was happening, squad after squad of Root ninja, wearing Anbu uniforms and striped masks, rushed up to the third floor of the Hokage building.
"Lord Danzō!"
In an instant, dozens of Root personnel blocked both ends of the corridor outside the office.
However, hindered by Kakashi's status as Hokage, they didn't dare to advance.
"Attack... get him... kill, kill him."
Danzō Shimura spat out a mouthful of blood, pointed at Kakashi, and roared with all his remaining strength.
"I'd like to see who dares!"
Itachi Uchiha immediately blocked in front of Kakashi, his expression grave.
"Do you all want to be rogue ninjas?!"
Kakashi stepped past Itachi Uchiha, staring coldly at the hesitating Root members at both ends of the corridor.
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