"Hiruzen, I'm leaving this to you!"
With those final words, Danzo turned and ran without hesitation.
"Trying to run?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed—her greatest enemy was Danzo.
"Kill!"
At her order, the surrounding ninja surged forward.
This time, without Tobirama's interference, both she and Orochimaru were free to act.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen decisively led his men to block them.
Seeing this, Tsunade glanced at Orochimaru, and he immediately understood, moving with the others to hold off Hiruzen's group while Tsunade herself went after Danzo.
"Teacher Hiruzen, let me accompany you to the end!"
Orochimaru's gaze was deep as he faced Hiruzen.
Hiruzen took a deep breath and roared, "Konoha will not fall!"
"Sakumo, you and I will hold these people off! Everyone else—run! Get as far away as you can!"
"You are Konoha's last embers. For Konoha, for our revenge, you must survive!"
In Konoha's final moments, Hiruzen sacrificed everything to give the others hope.
"Hokage-sama…"
At that moment, every Konoha ninja was moved.
No matter how many mistakes Hiruzen had made, he had never wronged these people.
At this moment, he was still their Hokage.
"Take care!"
Many gave him a deep look before immediately choosing to retreat.
They still had families and children to live for.
Thanks to Tobirama's earlier secret orders during the battle between Susanoo and the Thousand-Armed Kannon, the civilians had already been moved away from this place.
Now, they had time to escape.
As for those who had lost all their loved ones, they chose to stay.
They would defend Konoha to the last breath.
Seeing these desperate defenders, even Orochimaru sighed.
"I didn't expect that after everything you've done, there are still so many in Konoha with such passionate hearts."
Hiruzen was silent for a moment before replying, "I… have wronged them."
Orochimaru shook his head and attacked again.
Meanwhile, Mifune and the others were in a desperate fight.
Facing Konoha shinobi willing to die to stop them and the immortal reanimations, most of their forces were held back.
Those who weren't… had already been crushed by the Thousand-Armed Kannon.
"Then let's finish what's in front of us!"
Mifune's eyes hardened as he clashed with Sakumo once more.
This time, it was truly a fight to the death.
"This…"
Minato watched his former comrades fall one after another, knowing he could not escape his fate.
"Wait!"
Naruto suddenly stopped him.
"Did you forget our agreement?" he said coldly.
"Or… do you want me to despise you forever?"
"I…" Minato's face was torn with struggle.
Naruto continued, "Don't forget how you died, and how these people you're trying to save treated your son!"
"You're already dead. Why still worry about Konoha?"
Minato had no answer, closing his eyes in pain.
Knowing Naruto's past, it was impossible to say he bore no resentment toward Konoha.
Yet Konoha was also what he had once died to protect.
His fists clenched in agony, but finally loosened.
Even if he acted, Naruto—empowered by the Nine-Tails and Sage Mode—would stop him.
Konoha's fall was already inevitable.
Once Kaede arrived, it would be over.
If he couldn't be a worthy Hokage… then at least he would be a worthy father.
Looking at Naruto, Minato smiled gently.
"Naruto, then… your father will listen to you."
"Danzo!"
Tsunade's roar came as she closed in.
Even with Hiruzen buying him time, she caught up in Sage Mode.
"Damn it!"
Danzo knew she was his superior. Instinctively, he touched his right eye beneath the bandages.
"Do I really have to use this to escape?"
Tsunade, unaware of his thoughts, stared coldly.
"You've lived long enough. Time to pay for the Senju you've killed!"
Danzo scoffed.
"You'll never kill me, Tsunade!"
"It's a pity Hiruzen spared you back then… even made you Fifth Hokage. And now you bring people to attack Konoha, you ungrateful traitor!"
Hearing his arrogance even now, Tsunade's rage exploded.
"You deserve to die!"
The ground cracked beneath her as she appeared before him in a flash.
"Die!"
Her furious punch slammed into him before he could react.
Danzo tried to block, but could he withstand her monstrous strength?
He was sent crashing into a cliff.
"Ugh!"
Blood poured from his mouth, his skull feeling as if it had shattered.
Tsunade didn't hesitate—she attacked his head again.
One punch.
Two punches.
Three punches.
All her hatred poured into each strike until Danzo's head burst apart, spraying blood across the rock.
Only then did Tsunade lower her bloodstained hands.
She looked up at the sky, a tear sliding down her cheek.
"Nawaki, my clan… I've finally avenged you."
She felt a deep sense of relief.
After a moment's reflection, she turned.
"That side should be ending too."
Without sparing a glance at Danzo's corpse, she rushed back toward Orochimaru.
Ten seconds later…
"Tsunade really doesn't hold back."
From behind a boulder, a pale-faced Danzo emerged, while the body on the ground faded away.
"Izanagi… what a remarkable power."
By sacrificing Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan, he had extended Izanagi's duration long enough to fool Tsunade.
If it had been an ordinary Sharingan, his true form would have been revealed before she left—and then he would truly be dead.
Casting one last greedy look at the battlefield, Danzo's desire for Uchiha power only grew.
"I will not lose."
He left quickly—if Tsunade came back, he had no second eye to feign death.
Elsewhere.
Having finished Tobirama and Hashirama, Kaede returned to the battlefield.
His gaze passed over Naruto and Minato, then moved on.
If Minato had chosen Naruto's side, he would not kill him.
Kaede turned to Hiruzen and his remaining forces.
"Still resisting?"
He extended his hand, sending dozens of blazing fire dragons roaring toward them.
In an instant, Hiruzen's group was engulfed.
Somehow, the flames spared Orochimaru and the others—but for Hiruzen and his men, the outcome was decided.
In the sea of fire, Hiruzen looked up at Kaede, who had appeared above.
Kaede's cold gaze met his.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi… take your sins to the grave."
The fire surged, consuming him completely.
Then Kaede raised Kyoka Suigetsu.
A dazzling white light poured into the fire, seizing the souls of the dead before they could return to the Pure Land.
"Ahhh!"
The soul-piercing screams were their final cries.
"It's over…"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]