Danzo stared into Naraku's eyes, bloodshot and desperate. With a sharp bite to his finger, he roared:
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
BOOM!
A deafening screech echoed through the air as a massive beast emerged—a terrifying elephant-like chimera, towering high enough to cast a shadow even over an Uchiha's Susanoo.
The creature's body was mostly dark orange, but its trunk, legs, and the markings around its eyes stood out. Its limbs were striped like a tiger's, with monstrous fangs jutting from its mouth like a tusked beard, and long, dagger-like claws. Its head was bound in bandages, and its torso was wrapped in thick, glinting metal armor.
A powerful, spiraling suction erupted from its mouth—Baku, the tapir chimera, had arrived.
The air howled as Baku's vortex pulled in everything indiscriminately. Dust, rock, even tree roots were torn from the ground. Its trunk inhaled wildly—and exhaled destruction just as fast.
"Baku…" Naraku narrowed his eyes. "That power… Just like in the original timeline."
In the canon battle between Danzo and Sasuke, Baku's suction was strong enough to disrupt Sasuke's Susanoo. Combined with Danzo's Wind Release techniques, it had almost broken through the second layer of defense.
Through the Byakugan's field of vision, Naraku spotted Danzo stealthily moving behind him.
"Trying to flank me with Baku's suction and a sneak attack?"
Naraku exhaled slowly… then raised his hand.
In a flash—an overwhelming surge of chakra surged between his palms.
A blinding white light burst forth, so intense that even seasoned ninja couldn't open their eyes against it.
"Byakugan…"
Naraku's voice echoed low and calm—then exploded with fury:
"Air Strike!"
BOOM!!!
A violent explosion ripped across the battlefield. The blast illuminated the entire sky above Konoha.
"Wind Release: Vacuum—"Danzo barely began forming his next jutsu when he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Naraku appeared before him like a ghost, arm outstretched—his hand piercing Danzo's chest clean through.
Danzo's eyes widened in disbelief. His gaze locked on Naraku, stunned.
The flash from the airstrike gradually faded. The smoke and dust began to settle.
From the haze, a massive figure toppled over—Baku, the tapir chimera, collapsed like a crumbling mountain.
Its massive trunk was broken, twisted grotesquely. Its entire face was smeared in blood and bruises. Whatever form it once had was now unrecognizable.
Baku had died—instantly—before it could even escape using the reverse summoning.
Danzo's figure flickered… and faded away.
He had used Izanagi—his final one.
The last remaining Sharingan from his eye and the three in his arm had lost their light forever.
Naraku stood still, staring at the spot where Danzo vanished. He said nothing.
He simply turned and began walking in the opposite direction.
Then—Danzo reappeared again.
But this time, he didn't attack.
He ran.
His right hand trembled, already rotting from the imbalance of Hashirama's cells. His final eye—the only one left—glared desperately at the road ahead.
He clenched his teeth and ran.
"Danzo, running already? Don't you want my eyes anymore?" Naraku's cold voice echoed behind him.
Danzo flinched—but didn't look back. He ran faster.
He stumbled. Crashed to the ground.
With all four Sharingan gone, the implanted First Hokage cells were beginning to lose stability.
The pain in his right arm was overwhelming.
But even in his prime, Danzo would not dare fight Naraku again.
Everything he had was gone.
Wind Release? Useless.Baku? Dead.Sharingan? Gone.Even Wood Release had failed against him.
And deep in his mind—Danzo still couldn't forget the reality-distorting power of Naraku's last strike.
[Damage to Shimura Danzo | Chakra +250]
Naraku didn't chase.
Through his Byakugan, he sensed multiple chakra signatures rapidly approaching.
That last Air Strike… was far stronger than the one he had used just two days ago.
That day, in the Hyuga compound, he had to hold back. Otherwise, he might've destroyed the entire clan grounds.
But today, tens of meters of forest had been wiped from the map.
The light from the blast was like a second sun—shining over all of Konoha.
"Hyuga Naraku! What do you think you're doing!?"
The Third Hokage arrived first, his voice sharp with alarm.
But there was something else in his tone… something faintly pleased.
Relief. Satisfaction.
Danzo wasn't dead yet.
Which meant… Hiruzen had a reason.
A legitimate excuse to finally move against Naraku.
"Hyuga Naraku!" he shouted, pointing at him. "How dare you attack a village elder?! Is this rebellion?! Treason?!"
Such charges… once spoken by the Hokage… could be punishable by death.
No one would question it.
Naraku looked up, calm and composed.
"Hokage-sama," he said coldly. "Shimura Danzo has secretly transplanted the First Hokage's cells into his body and desecrated Hashirama's corpse."
"He also possesses multiple Sharingan of unknown origin. I strongly suspect he betrayed the village and has been killing members of the Uchiha clan in secret."
"I demand his immediate execution."
The surrounding clan heads and shinobi, who had just arrived… fell into stunned silence.