But right at that moment, Danzo was overjoyed!
"That must be the real body!"
The instant his eyes met Kaede's, he couldn't hold back and activated his Mangekyō technique.
"Kotoamatsukami: Radiance!"
An immense wave of ocular power surged straight into Kaede's mind!
Kotoamatsukami: Radiance — a variant of Shisui's right eye technique.
This version could tear apart a target's spiritual strength. The more chakra poured into it, the deadlier it became—at its peak, it could kill in a single hit!
Danzo had waited a long time, even sacrificing his summoning beast, all to seize this moment.
He could already envision Kaede clutching his head and collapsing in agony.
But… would that really happen?
Of course not.
As the mighty force entered his mind, Kaede wasn't alarmed—instead, he smirked.
"Wow… talk about perfect timing. Don't mind if I help myself!"
His right eye's Mangekyō spun!
In the next instant, that immense ocular power began being rapidly devoured by Kaede.
In just a few breaths, all that chakra had become nourishment for Kaede's Mangekyō.
This was the ability of Kaede's right eye: to absorb and store all forms of energy and attacks around him.
He could either digest it himself—or unleash it back at double strength within a certain time!
Not far away, Danzo's triumphant smile vanished.
What was going on?!
Why hadn't Kaede collapsed after taking a full blast of Kotoamatsukami: Radiance?
His confusion didn't last long—because soon, agony twisted his face.
The pain! His eye felt like it was going to explode!
At the same time, he felt his Mangekyō's chakra being drained uncontrollably!
Kaede was absorbing Danzo's chakra remotely through the very technique Danzo had just activated!
"Aaaagh—!!"
Danzo clutched his right eye, howling in pain.
Blood poured from his socket, quickly covering his entire face in red.
In just a few seconds, Danzo's Mangekyō reached its limit and regressed into a mere three-tomoe Sharingan.
Even with Hashirama's cells in his body, he wouldn't recover for weeks.
And worse—the backlash from the failed ocular technique struck!
In an instant, Danzo's soul was shredded—his consciousness on the verge of collapse.
Kaede wasn't going to waste the opportunity.
"Take your sins… and die with them."
With his left eye, Kaede activated another technique—teleporting to a kunai he had previously thrown near Danzo.
That was the whole point of those kunai earlier.
In a flash, a surprise strike!
His previous encounters with Obito had taught him how to integrate ocular techniques fluidly into real combat.
As he looked down at Danzo writhing on the ground, Kaede calmly raised his Kyōka Suigetsu.
The game was over. He wouldn't give Danzo even a sliver of hope.
Just then—Hiruzen arrived!
"Kaede! How dare you?!"
Seeing his old comrade on the verge of death, Hiruzen erupted with fury.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Enma!"
"Transform into Nyoi Staff! Extend infinitely!"
With a slap to the ground, Enma transformed into the Adamantine Nyoi Staff and leapt into Hiruzen's hands.
Then the staff extended rapidly—thrusting straight at Kaede.
It reached him in the blink of an eye!
Kaede was struck hard and sent flying!
Not daring to linger, Hiruzen retracted the staff and Shunshin'd to Danzo's side.
"Danzo, are you alright?!"
But Danzo was in no condition to respond.
His soul had been shredded. The only reason he hadn't dropped dead was thanks to his Mangekyō and Hashirama's cells.
"Hmph, perfect timing."
Kaede twisted midair and landed with a backflip.
On his chest, chakra had formed the physical ribcage of a skeletal armor.
Susanoo.
The Mangekyō's ultimate offensive and defensive ability!
Dusting off his (nonexistent) dirt, Kaede stared coldly at Hiruzen.
"Well, if it isn't the Hokage himself."
Hiruzen glanced over to where Fugaku and Itachi were still locked in battle—then returned his gaze to Kaede.
His pupils shrank at the sight of the glowing ribcage.
As someone born before Konoha was even founded, Hiruzen had once witnessed Madara's Susanoo.
And at the Valley of the End—the battle between Hashirama and Madara—he remembered how the shockwaves were so immense, they reached all the way to Konoha.
Now, that world-shaking power had returned!
Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen roared:
"What's going on here?! Kaede, why are you attacking Konoha's elders?!"
Though fear crept in, Hiruzen couldn't expose the truth of tonight's events—not yet.
So he did what politicians do best—pretended he knew nothing.
As Hokage, with an entire village behind him, he still had enough authority to pressure Kaede into playing along.
"…???" Kaede tilted his head, confused.
This old man… really shameless!
He was pretending he knew nothing and trying to pin all the blame on Danzo.
Tsk tsk, such quick thinking. Clearly not the first time he'd done this.
Kaede looked at Hiruzen mockingly. "Oh? Hokage-sama knows nothing?"
If Hiruzen wanted to play games—then Kaede would play along just fine.
That mocking expression—Hiruzen saw it clearly.
But for the sake of the "greater good", he had to push forward.
"I know what? All I saw was you attacking and nearly killing one of Konoha's elders!"
"Kaede, you're one of Konoha's finest shinobi! What is the meaning of this?!"
Kaede laughed scornfully.
"Danzo colluded with your ANBU operative, Itachi, to annihilate the Uchiha tonight… and Hokage-sama didn't know?"
Hiruzen widened his eyes in apparent shock.
"What?! Danzo would do such a thing?"
"Impossible! Absolutely not!"
His pale face now matched his performance—like he'd just heard something unthinkable.
"Kaede, do you know the punishment for slandering a village elder?"
Kaede's sneer deepened.
"Wow… you're really committed to the role, huh?"
Grinning, he stared directly at Hiruzen. "So, Hokage-sama, how about an explanation?"
"Otherwise, this night… won't end peacefully."
In that instant, Hiruzen changed faces.
Gone was the shocked elder—replaced by cold, steely calm.
As if he hadn't just been shouting seconds ago.
He sighed. "It's all my fault. I failed to stop Danzo."
"There were whispers of rebellion within the Uchiha, and Danzo proposed wiping them all out. The other two elders agreed."
"As Hokage, I've failed you all. I understand your resentment."
"The situation is beyond repair, so… what do you want?"
He threw the decision back to Kaede.
In Hiruzen's mind, Kaede must have some intention to negotiate—otherwise, he wouldn't be talking at all.
After all, no matter how strong the Uchiha were, they couldn't take on an entire hidden village.
But Hiruzen couldn't begin to guess what Kaede was really thinking…
…
(End of Chapter)
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