"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Fire Style: Hao Long Fire Technique!"
"Earth Style: Yellow Springs Swamp!"
"Lightning Style: Pseudo-Darkness!"
"Wind Style: Suppression!"
Following Danzō's order, more than a dozen Root Jōnin unleashed their attacks simultaneously.
Three blazing fire dragons surged forward, three towering water dragons roared from behind, while a spear of lightning came from the left and a storm cannon from the right.
Not stopping there, the ground beneath the three instantly turned into a swallowing yellow swamp.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The five elements clashed violently, their opposing forces twisting the air in chaotic patterns.
A heartbeat later, an explosion of terrifying magnitude erupted at the center, engulfing all three targets in blinding light and roaring heat.
"Fall back!"
Danzō raised his hand and the Root operatives retreated to avoid the blast radius.
Did it work?
Danzō squinted into the dust cloud, trying to catch a glimpse inside.
"Yeah, yeah… not bad. Almost has the flavor of the Third Hokage's Five Styles: Great Combination Technique."
A casual, mocking voice came from within the haze.
"I didn't think the old man's secret recipe would be shared with you, Danzō. What is this, some kind of forbidden ninjutsu love letter?"
It was Kakashi — completely unharmed.
Danzō's eye narrowed dangerously.
How could that be?!
Such a combined blast would have forced even him to retreat, yet Kakashi sounded as though he'd just stepped out of a warm bath.
As the dust cleared, Danzō saw the truth — Obito had one hand on Kakashi's shoulder and the other on Shisui's, phasing all three into Kamui's intangibility.
Tch… Mangekyō abilities really are troublesome.
Danzō's gaze grew sharper, greed now plain in his eye.
"Danzō," Kakashi said lightly, "how about you and I go one-on-one? No need for all these loyal little minions of yours to become fertilizer today."
The remark carried an odd sincerity — because Kakashi really did understand how valuable Jōnin were after serving as Anbu captain. Even the mighty Uchiha clan, after three wars, had barely thirty left.
Root having over twenty Jōnin — plus Danzō himself — was impressive, if wastefully arrogant.
"Heh… if Obito made such an offer, I'd understand. But you? A mere Jōnin challenging me?" Danzō scoffed.
"Oh my, I've been demoted. Obito, did you hear? Guess I'll have to hand in my cool mask and wolf theme."
Obito just stared at Danzō like he was a fool. This is the guy who thinks he can be Hokage? Kakashi could probably beat him using only a butter knife.
"Danzō, I'll be blunt," Shisui said earnestly, "you're not his match."
"Hmph, since you insist on dying, I'll do you the courtesy myself."
"Oh, you agree?" Kakashi's visible eye curved into an amused arc. "See? That's the kind of spirit I like in a duel. Almost makes me forget you threatened Rin that one time."
Danzō's expression darkened further. "Enough talk. Let's go."
They moved to a wider clearing, Root forming a perimeter around Obito and Shisui to prevent any interference.
"Kakashi, if Obito were with you, killing you would take some effort. Now? Prepare to die."
"Oh, a warm-up speech. I'll try not to yawn," Kakashi replied, adjusting his headband.
Danzō lunged, fist aimed for Kakashi's face.
Kakashi met him with his own punch.
Bang!
The collision sent a burst of wind outward.
Crack!
Danzō staggered back over ten steps, his right arm hanging limply.
The pain in his bones screamed one thing — Tsunade's monstrous strength!
When did this brat learn that?!
The shattered bones in his arm began knitting back together under the influence of Hashirama's cells.
"Danzō, you're skipping steps," Kakashi said with mock disappointment. "You didn't even form the seal of confrontation. Are you trying to embarrass the Academy curriculum?"
"You—!"
Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!
Danzō's slicing gusts tore toward Kakashi.
Kakashi copied the hand seals instantly and launched his own Vacuum Wave, cancelling the attack with surgical precision.
Again Danzō tried, unleashing a flurry of Vacuum Waves — each one perfectly mirrored and nullified by Kakashi.
"Is that it?" Kakashi's voice was almost bored. "You might as well be throwing paper shuriken. At least those are recyclable."
Danzō's teeth ground together. "Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"
The compressed chakra bullets shot from his mouth like a barrage.
Kakashi tilted his head. "You know… that pouty mouth form? Not your best look, Danzō."
Instead of responding with the same jutsu, Kakashi slipped into Lightning Body Flicker, hands still in his pockets, effortlessly avoiding every strike.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
A massive, high-pressure ball of wind howled toward Kakashi, its destructive force palpable even from afar.
This time, Kakashi smiled faintly… and vanished into the ground with Earth Style: Hiding Like a Mole Technique.
Boom!
The Great Sphere obliterated the trees behind him, ripping through a wide swath of forest.
Kakashi popped up from the earth, looking impressed. "Ooh, now that is a tree-clearing technique. Bet the Forestry Department loves you."
"Damn you!" Danzō's voice shook with rage — the mockery burning hotter than the injuries.