The Root ninja was too shocked to say another word, for Danzō-sama had once again been swallowed in an instant by the Heavenly Retribution flames. And this Root ninja knew well what happens after one invokes the "Reaper Death Seal."
Whether the jutsu succeeds or fails, the caster must pay with their own life to summon the Shinigami.
It is one of the most dangerous S‑rank forbidden techniques recorded in Konoha's Scroll of Seals.
While the Root ninja was hesitating…
He suddenly noticed the two comrades to either side of him eyeing him like hungry wolves.
The Root ninja "Gen" clenched his teeth hard.
He drew a deep breath,
then his hands flashed through seals at lightning speed.
Snake – Boar – Goat – Rabbit – Dog … Snake!
A full nine seals. Just as Danzō triggered Izanagi yet again, Gen slammed his palms together in desperation. More than half of his chakra drained away in an instant; his cheeks visibly hollowed.
"Ninja Art…"
'Reaper Death Seal!'
Danzō sensed nothing amiss, yet Gen's whole body froze.
He felt a bone‑deep chill rise behind him.
When he glanced back, a huge, sinister silhouette of the Shinigami filled his vision.
This…
is…
the Shinigami?!
Gen's eyes bulged. The Shinigami's strange arm—covered in curse seals—pierced straight through him, then reached forward and seized Danzō.
The Shinigami's power passed through Danzō's flesh
and slowly began to pull out his soul.
"Wait…" Danzō forced out a hoarse whisper. "Wait four seconds… wait until Izanagi ends…"
Four seconds.
Gone in a blink.
Under Gen's sweat‑soaked, iron will, the Shinigami spat the short dagger it held in its teeth.
With its other hand it caught the blade, leaned its massive spectral body forward, and without hesitation slashed at the soul of Danzō's legs.
But the cut was too high—
It nearly severed Danzō's soul at the waist!
The pain wracking his soul made Danzō's eyes pop wider than ever.
"Seal…"
"Seal it!!"
At the very last instant of Gen's life, as he shouted those two words, the soul of Danzō's legs clutched by the Shinigami suddenly erupted in crimson Heavenly Retribution flames.
The moment the fire blazed up, a visible flicker of shock crossed the Shinigami's terrifying face;
its hollow gaze even showed a trace of human‑like confusion.
At the same time, another Root ninja reacted in a flash: with his sword he lopped off Danzō's physical legs, then yanked Danzō's upper body away to create distance.
Danzō's severed legs instantly ignited in the same crimson fire.
"Danzō-sama, it worked!" the blood‑stained Root ninja exclaimed, bowing his head to report.
But before Danzō could breathe in relief, searing agony flared anew, savaging his nerves and will.
His mind went blank.
"Ah—w‑why does it still—AAAGH!!"
His legs—body and soul—were clearly gone, yet the bone‑deep pain still clung to him, like a malignant curse that could not be cut away.
Even though the fire and the soul of his legs were sealed inside the Shinigami, the link to his soul had not been severed—or perhaps the flames surpassed even the Shinigami's power!
The Shinigami's seal could not block that soul‑scorching agony.
The white‑hot flames of absolute justice burned every sin on Danzō's body without pause, denying him even a moment to breathe.
The Root ninja holding the bloody blade froze. He realized Danzō-sama had celebrated too soon, and that Danzō's spur‑of‑the‑moment idea had only doomed him to worse torment.
Uchiha Chizumi's dōjutsu…
Was it truly without counter?!
…
Not long after…
The Anbu squad dispatched by Hiruzen Sarutobi finally arrived.
To their shock they did not find the supposedly unscathed Shimura Danzō, but only the upper half of him—his lower body nowhere to be seen.
And that half was enduring unimaginable agony, his shrieks like the wails of a demon.
Amid the screams they caught phrases like "why," "how can this be," "I can't go on," "kill me—just kill me," all dripping with despair.
Cold shivers ran down the Anbu's spines.
Was this truly the Root of Konoha…?
"...We'll take over from here, Danzō."
One Anbu glanced at the two dead Root operatives on the ground and addressed the two surviving ones who looked lost.
He knelt and began medical ninjutsu on what remained of Danzō, not to heal him—merely to slow the bleeding.
One of the two surviving Root ninjas cut in warily: "What are you going to do to Danzō-sama?"
The Anbu replied impassively, "Orders from the Hokage. Besides… Shimura Danzō is no longer the head of Root, no longer your commanding officer. In this situation, are you still going to stop us?"
The Root ninja fell silent.
…
Outside the Yamanaka compound
Nearly a thousand Konoha ninja who had gathered because of the uproar began to disperse once they realized the fight was over.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Fugaku and said meaningfully, "Fugaku, thank you for standing on my side tonight."
Fugaku's eyes had returned to normal.
With a complicated expression he answered,
"Hokage‑sama, it's what the Uchiha should do. I've never wished for civil strife in the village. If Chizumi ever crosses the line, I will do everything I can to stop him.
"After all… Chizumi's justice is his Absolute Justice, not Konoha's. That child often doesn't put the village first."
He paused, then added, "As Clan Head I failed to restrain my clansmen; that is my fault."
Hiruzen shook his head, indicating no apology was needed.
If even he, Hiruzen, couldn't rein in Chizumi, how could Fugaku?
He patted Fugaku's shoulder.
"I hope you prove worthy of my trust, Fugaku."
With that he cast another complicated glance at Uchiha Chizumi standing ahead.
Tonight… would be another sleepless night.
…
Yamanaka Inoichi finally emerged from the ruins of his clan compound, the clan's elders and children following behind.
He scooped up his terrified daughter, Ino.
Usually a stern jōnin, Inoichi's face was now filled with lingering dread—terrified that his clan might have been caught in Danzō's rampage.
After setting Ino down, he took her hand and hurried up behind Uchiha Chizumi.
"...Chizumi!"
Chizumi paused and turned.
"Thank you."
From the devastated surroundings Inoichi could tell Chizumi had held back with his Lava Release—most of the destruction was from Wind Release; at least the magma hadn't reached the Yamanaka compound.
"In the future, whatever form your Absolute Justice takes in Konoha… the Yamanaka Clan will support you."
Inoichi declared solemnly.