At this moment, Danzō seemed to be enduring an agony ordinary people could never fathom. His whole body was strapped to a hospital bed.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had never seen Danzō so wretched. The Wood Release cells and Sharingan eyes implanted in him appeared useless now, unable to free him from pain.
By the sound of it, Danzō had been howling for a long time—his voice was nearly gone.
"Hokage-sama, we still don't know what's wrong with Shimura Danzō," an Anbu whispered. "Perhaps we should call in the Medical Corps."
"For now we suspect it's linked to Uchiha Chizumi's Sharingan jutsu. And, for some reason, several of the Sharingan in Danzō's transplanted arm have closed."
Hiruzen fell silent, a chill creeping over him.
That Anbu did not know the secret of the Sharingan technique Izanagi, but the Third Hokage certainly did.
He was sure Danzō had used Izanagi several times tonight.
Yet even the Uchiha clan's forbidden art could not free him from Chizumi's bizarre Mangekyō Sharingan?
If Chizumi turned that power on Hiruzen himself, would he have any means to escape such torment?—The unsettling thought arose unbidden.
Staring at the half‑ruined Danzō, Hiruzen suddenly felt that death might actually be a release for him—a clean end to all suffering.
Taking a heavy breath, he ordered in a low voice, "Summon the best medical‑nin in the corps!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Just as the Anbu started to leave, Hiruzen called him back.
"Wait—bring Itachi as well. He understands the Sharingan better than anyone. He may have a solution."
Hiruzen felt he had done all he could for Danzō.
If Danzō did not survive, he could at least use Danzō's death to appease the blood‑line clans unsettled by his deeds.
That, too, was for Konoha.
…
A dozen minutes later
Led by Anbu, several elite medical‑nin from Konoha's medical corps arrived in the hidden chamber of the Anbu base.
"Th‑this is…"
One of them froze, pupils shrinking—he instantly recognized Shimura Danzō on the bed, in dreadful condition.
"Can he be saved?" a sudden voice asked. The medical‑nin turned at once.
"Hokage-sama!"
Only then did they realize the Hokage was standing quietly in a corner.
A medic replied hurriedly, "We need to examine Danzō-sama first to decide on a treatment. With respect, Hokage-sama—what exactly happened to him?"
"Sharingan dojutsu."
Hiruzen asked gravely, "Can the negative effects of this Uchiha eye technique be removed?"
The medics looked at one another.
"We can only try," one said at last. Injuries from a Sharingan were rarely just physical—no one could promise more.
Soon another person entered—the masked Anbu operative Uchiha Itachi.
He glanced at the medics, then let his gaze rest for two seconds on what was left of Shimura Danzō.
Facing Hiruzen, he greeted, "Hokage-sama."
Itachi asked on his own initiative, "Danzō-sama… was he struck by Uchiha Chizumi's Mangekyō?"
When Anbu surrounded Chizumi, Itachi hadn't been present; his ruined reputation in Konoha made a public appearance unwise—especially with many Uchiha on site, ready for a clash.
Hiruzen nodded. "Itachi, see what you can do. Find a way if possible."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
…
Elsewhere
Izumi had returned to the Uchiha compound, but Uchiha Chizumi and Jujiro were still outside.
"Chizumi-sama, aren't you going back?" Jujiro began, then suddenly understood: "You must be trying to locate where Danzō is still clinging to life!"
"Rest assured, Chizumi-sama—I'll send every cat and kitten to search every corner of Konoha," the cat said, wearing a look that promised "Leave it to me!"
Chizumi replied coolly, "The brand of the Flames of Retribution on Danzō's soul lets me sense his rough position. Even the Third can't keep him safe."
"Konoha has an 'unexpected guest' tonight. Danzō, the former, is already helpless—I can go to him anytime. But if I miss the latter, the chance is gone."
He paused. "Whether the evil is inside Konoha or outside, Absolute Justice will purge them one by one. None shall escape."
Jujiro noticed Chizumi was heading toward the ninja cemetery. It didn't dare perch on his shoulder—only hurry alongside.
"Chizumi-sama… who is this guest?"
"Uchiha Obito," Chizumi said.
"!!!" Jujiro's eyes widened.
…
Konoha Ninja Cemetery
Under the night sky, a lone figure had stood before a grave for several minutes.
Obito, swathed in a black cloak, stared at a withered white bouquet that had likely been placed three days ago.
Beneath the mask his brow furrowed, disgust flashing in his eyes.
He bent down, tossed the dead flowers aside, and gently set a fresh bouquet in their place.
"…Rin."
Forcing a faint smile, he murmured, "Sorry I'm late a few days… that guy Kakashi must have dirtied your eyes."
Exhaling slowly, Obito's fingers traced Nohara Rin's tombstone while he recalled the intel a White Zetsu clone had brought half an hour earlier—
—intel on Uchiha Chizumi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
White Zetsu had witnessed Danzō's misery firsthand:
"The left eye's unknown technique stripped Shimura Danzō of any resistance, leaving him a helpless wreck, screaming on the ground."
"The right eye's unknown technique set Danzō ablaze from a great distance… flames that sealing jutsu, Water Release—even Izanagi—couldn't extinguish."
What Obito feared most was the right eye's eerie fire.
How had Chizumi's right Mangekyō struck Danzō from so far away? Did it not require a line of sight? Was it tied to the left eye's power?
"Still not enough intel…"
A critical thought suddenly surfaced:
If I got hit by that jutsu… would hiding in Kamui space save me?
~~~
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