Outside the Uchiha clan grounds.
In the forest.
Yin Yue's shadow clone dissolved into the air.
Earlier, it had planted Eight Thousand Spears into Mikoto from afar, then came here to stand by.
At the moment of Yin Yue's crisis, it formed the Rabbit–Boar–Goat hand seals and activated Izanagi, completing its final mission.
As the shadow clone vanished after forming seals, the feedback it carried mobilized Yin Yue's original body's Yin Release chakra, completing the activation of Izanagi.
The principle was similar to Naruto using shadow clones to charge a Rasengan, or having clones accumulate Sage Mode chakra.
Sensing the shift in the rules—
Danzō frowned deeply. He opened his mouth to gasp, his face dark and lifeless, his heart like dead ash. He raised his right hand to cover the hollow of his right eye socket. His murky left eye glared at Yin Yue as he panted heavily, sweat pouring down his body.
Losing Kotoamatsukami once again instantly drained the last of the Yin Release chakra in Danzō's brain. Combined with the strain of ocular techniques, his spirit scattered in an instant.
Yin Yue wasn't doing much better.
He was mentally exhausted as well. Both eyes burned with searing pain, and he desperately wanted to collapse and sleep.
At this moment, Yin Yue couldn't even finish Danzō off—he couldn't even lift his blade.
He was standing purely on willpower.
This was the nature of Sharingan duels.
They could be dazzling—high-output ocular techniques clashing until everything burned out.
Or they could be like this—subtle, restrained, like a chess match, where every decision carried lethal intent.
Unfortunately for Danzō—
He was a terrible chess player.
In Yin Yue's view—
Danzō never should have played eye games with an Uchiha.
The hearts of the ROOT members who could see this battlefield sank once again.
Lord Danzō… seemed to have lost.
The few Uchiha, however, felt as if dawn had broken.
Yet neither side knew whether there would be another reversal.
Only Danzō and Yin Yue understood.
It was over.
The clash had created significant noise. The first wave of ANBU reinforcements would arrive in less than a minute.
Yin Yue couldn't kill Danzō himself right now—
But behind him, there were nine Uchiha.
He glanced back at the group supporting Tamayoshi, as if sending a calm, silent signal.
"Go support big brother…"
The weakened Tamayoshi pushed Izumi away.
Izumi snapped out of her daze, handed him to her subordinates, and flashed toward Yin Yue.
After learning the truth of the clan's destruction, their view of Yin Yue had already changed.
Uchiha Nanpu and the other six moved as well. Red light bloomed in their eye sockets as the three tomoe manifested. Filled with ultimate rage, they gripped their blades and lunged at Danzō like leopards.
Yin Yue did not control them.
He wanted to see what kind of people they were.
Even if they didn't act, Eight Thousand Spears would have forced them to.
But if that happened, then after killing Danzō, those who didn't act wouldn't be worth keeping.
To his satisfaction—
They were decent.
These were people he had carefully chosen from the younger generation of the Uchiha. They weren't the most talented—
But they were the most upright.
Yin Yue didn't consider himself a good person.
But he still hoped—
To live in a world full of good people.
After the night of the massacre, they would all awaken three-tomoe Sharingan, their ocular power reaching completion. As for Mangekyō…
That would be difficult.
"Damn it…"
Danzō stared at the charging Uchiha and staggered back several steps, but his exhausted body could no longer summon strength.
Yin Yue took out a cylindrical liquid container from his robe—inside, densely packed Sharingan floated. Holding it calmly in his palm, he spoke slowly:
"Danzō, all your guesses were wrong.
Before I came—
Only my right eye was a Mangekyō.
My left eye was replaced with a normal three-tomoe from the very beginning.
And here—
I still have ninety-nine Sharingan."
Killing the heart before killing the body.
Danzō's eyes widened as he stared at the container. His aged face twisted violently.
Clearly, if tonight had passed—
Those Sharingan…
Would all have belonged to Shimura Danzō!
But now wasn't the time to think about that.
He had to figure out how to survive.
In the dark forest—
Rustling footsteps echoed.
Large numbers of ninja were converging.
Danzō's clouded eyes looked toward the forest's edge, and he secretly relaxed.
The monkey's ANBU—and some of Konoha's ninja—were almost here.
He only needed to hold on for ten more seconds.
The moment that thought ended—
Nanpu and another Uchiha reached him, crossing their blades and slashing brutally into Danzō's chest.
Pshhk—
The crossed wounds ripped open his torso. Blood sprayed out, splattering across Nanpu and the berserk Uchiha, making them look even more ferocious.
"Die!!!"
Two more Uchiha replaced them, flashing in from behind, slashing diagonally upward—
Steel flashed.
Danzō's arms were cleanly severed at the shoulders.
The remaining two swept past his sides at ground level, coordinating to cut off his legs.
"Puh—!"
Agony tore through all four limbs. Danzō spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Before he could fall—
Nanpu and another Uchiha struck again, their blades crossing toward Danzō's throat.
Danzō stared at the cold gleam inches away—
And weakly laughed.
Because—
His life was finally saved.
Crack—crack—
A thunderous sound of wood grinding erupted.
Danzō's body seemed to release a seal.
A towering tree suddenly burst forth from his right arm, growing wildly until it completely wrapped around his body—leaving only his aged face exposed.
The sudden change stunned Nanpu and the others.
Their blades only struck bark, unable to advance even an inch.
They were forced back by the surging tree.
At that moment, Yin Yue put away the container. He patted Izumi's shoulder, then withdrew his hand, signaling that he had recovered slightly and could walk on his own.
"Let's go. There was no chance to kill him—for now."
Izumi snapped awake again and nodded faintly.
As his words ended, the six Uchiha who had gone berserk were once more controlled by Eight Thousand Spears and returned to Yin Yue's side.
Izumi's two subordinates supported Tamayoshi.
Tamayoshi weakly stared at Danzō and exclaimed:
"Holy shit—Danzō turned into a tree?!"
The Uchiha twitched at the corners of their mouths.
That shout snapped everyone back to reality.
The footsteps in the forest were getting closer.
This was their best chance to leave Konoha.
Uchiha Nanpu suddenly sensed movement beside him. He turned his head and exclaimed:
"Captain Yin Yue… what are you doing?"
Yin Yue's face was expressionless.
He suddenly drew the blade from his back and walked toward the tree-encased Danzō.
The others realized too late—
Yin Yue had called them back because he had recovered just enough strength to kill Danzō with his own hands.
"Captain, run!"
"Captain Yin Yue!"
"Leave us and escape—if you don't go now, it'll be too late!"
The Uchiha shouted desperately.
Yin Yue seemed not to hear them.
He raised his blade, aimed at Danzō's heart—
And with all his strength, pushed it in inch by inch.
Each inch the blade advanced into the hollow of the tree—
Danzō's aged face twisted violently, blood coughing from his mouth.
Yin Yue said coldly:
"Why are you pretending in front of me?"
Danzō glared at him in fury.
When the blade was buried to the hilt, Danzō's vitality rapidly faded.
At last—
His aged eyes slowly closed.
His head slumped powerlessly, like withered wood.
The Uchiha stood in shock.
Izumi recalled Yin Yue's earlier words—
Didn't he say… there was no chance?
Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared blankly at the mountain-like, unwavering back of that man.
"Hehehe…"
Tamayoshi grinned, blood seeping between his teeth, laughing foolishly.
(End of Chapter)