The vacuum blade in Danzo's hand had killed countless people, but today it cut through his own throat, blood vessels, and cervical vertebrae.
Only a thin strip of skin connected his head to his neck.
Kato Dan's soul returned to his body.
His expression suddenly relaxed.
Facing a Konoha high-ranking official like Danzo, the pressure on Kato Dan was immense.
The recent battle had been extremely tense; now that he relaxed, Kato Dan realized a critical fact—Danzo's death must never be known by anyone in the village.
Kato Dan glanced at the two Anbu beside him and began forming hand seals.
It wasn't time to confront the village openly yet—these two Anbu must die!
Seeing the fierce look in Kato Dan's eyes, Yako's heart tightened.
He immediately raised his hand, prepared to form the Curse of Retribution Seal to reveal his identity as a member of the Uzumaki clan.
But Yako only made one seal before stopping abruptly.
The situation twisted again, flipping once more.
Kato Dan let out a muffled grunt, "Ugh!"
The Soul Release Technique cut off suddenly!
The vacuum blade pierced from Danzo's back through his chest and slowly sliced downward.
Heart, lungs, spleen, intestines, kidneys—
A terrifying penetrating wound appeared along the left side of Kato Dan's torso.
Danzo's fierce face appeared next to Kato Dan's ear!
This time, Danzo lacked his usual composed calm, replaced entirely by fury!
One of Uchiha Kagami's precious Mangekyo Sharingan was destroyed by Uchiha Madara's hand, and the other, only hours apart, was destroyed by Kato Dan!
Unforgivable!
"Kato Dan! How dare you strike me!"
Blood gushed from the long wound on Kato Dan, flowing like a fountain.
Danzo's neck was cut to flesh and blood—how was he still alive?
Even Tsunade didn't possess such regenerative power.
Kato Dan tried to complete the last hand seal to send a message.
However, the battle-hardened Danzo gave him no chance.
The vacuum blade suddenly lifted, severing Kato Dan's left hand.
The severed hand fell into the bloodied mud.
"Dan!"
A Senju guard screamed and quickly formed a seal.
Otsu, seeing it was a summoning seal, feared an unexpected summon might cause trouble, so hastily made a seal.
The guard's hand froze mid-air.
Parasitic insects had bitten his tendons, preventing him from completing the seal.
Taking advantage of the distracted Senju guard, Yako rushed forward and slashed him dead with his kunai.
The battle shifted instantly from disadvantage to advantage—and ended just as quickly.
All three of Kato Dan's allies died in the pouring rain.
Before Danzo could give orders, Otsu said, "Lord! We'll handle the scene immediately!"
Seeing Danzo's grim expression, Yako lowered his head and hurried to assist Otsu.
They stacked the two Senju guards' bodies together.
Kato Dan's corpse lay at Danzo's feet.
Danzo's body held great value—it would be secretly dissected to study the secrets of Soul Release.
Yako glanced at the corpse, noting the First Hokage's necklace still around Danzo's neck.
Neither Yako nor Otsu moved—they both waited, because Danzo stood silently in the rain, unmoving.
Yako remained vigilant, fearing Danzo might murder to cover his tracks.
The chance seemed slim. Root did not yet bear the Tongue Root Curse Seal and wasn't fully controlled.
Root were subordinates—was Anbu really a stepmother's foster child?
Even if so, would a foster child kill to cover up?
Long minutes passed. Danzo did not strike.
The heavy rain poured down, as if mourning the brilliant young talent Kato Dan.
Kato Dan would live on in many shinobi's memories, growing stronger in their minds.
Years later, some Senju ninja would remember Kato Dan, saying if he still lived, things would be different.
That's the memory filter.
Kato Dan's forbidden jutsu was powerful, but he was effectively half-paralyzed. If anyone closed distance, his forbidden techniques became useless.
Yako weighed his gains and losses.
Ensuring Senju influence to restrain the upper ranks was his plan—and it was basically succeeding.
Kato Dan had destroyed one of Danzo's eyes; Yako's plan was taking effect.
As for revealing himself to the Senju clan or betraying them, Yako glanced at Danzo and recalled that Yellow Dog Captain had begun suspecting him, so he dropped the idea.
Sympathy aside, his own safety mattered more.
Yako cautiously observed Danzo out of the corner of his eye.
Orochimaru had provided Danzo with superb transplantation techniques, yet Danzo had died repeatedly.
These deaths and resurrections mirrored the original story, where Danzo died again and again at Sasuke's hands, using Sharingan as a substitute technique.
Otsu moved first.
Yako hurried after.
Otsu approached Danzo and whispered:
"Danzo-sama, it's too dangerous for you to fight personally. Next time, leave it to us.
Bring more Root ninja and several Anbu squads—we can avoid many dangers."
Yako cursed Otsu inwardly—this bootlicker sucks up all the credit and pulls others down with him until they all drown, but he gets all the benefits.
Danzo closed his grayish, lifeless eyes, his expression serious:
"I'm not displeased because my life is in danger, but because these two eyes were a dying friend Kagami's trust.
For Konoha, I have long been prepared to die anytime, but I want to die like the Second Hokage—meaningfully.
I cannot die worthless—I must die protecting Konoha in its greatest crisis.
Such a pity for Uchiha Kagami, my friend's trust wasted in one night."
Yako thought—Danzo wants to be the last person to protect Konoha?
Does that mean as long as someone in Konoha lives, Danzo must not die?
Every fight, the Anbu secure intel for Danzo, and Danzo reaps the harvest.
Logic completed—the truth was Danzo did not consider himself cowardly or selfish; he truly believed he would be the last to die for Konoha.
Otsu quickly said, "I believe Lord Kagami would be comforted knowing his eyes helped you through two crises."
Yako was a professional Anbu—nothing made him flinch.
Danzo finally said, "Let's go—to the frontline base to find Orochimaru."
Yako wondered if Danzo would transplant new Sharingan or revert to his own eyes.
Otsu asked, "Lord Danzo, shall we hand Kato Dan's body over to Otsu for autopsy?"
Danzo shook his head:
"Kato Dan's death must be absolutely secret. Orochimaru must not know. Orochimaru and Kato Dan were classmates and Orochimaru shares deep bonds with Tsunade.
If this leaks, Tsunade will surely sever ties with the village.
It's not yet time for the Senju clan to break ties; we must wait for the Second Great Ninja War to end before researching how to eliminate the Senju threat."
Otsu subtly glanced toward Yako, signaling whether Yako deserved to know such a heavy secret about Kato Dan's death.
Danzo looked at Yako.
Yako's heart tightened and he hurriedly defended himself:
"Lord Danzo, I have a plan to permanently eliminate the aftermath of Kato Dan's death!"
Survival in the cracks was difficult.
He must buy time—at least until the next full moon—so he had more room to maneuver.
Danzo appraised Yako and said, "Speak."