With Kakashi and the others convinced, Minato prepared to lead Kakashi, Guy, and Asuma back.
But their movements hadn't gone unnoticed. Just as they were about to leave, Danzō and several Root members stepped out of the shadows.
"Kakashi… are you betraying me?" Danzō's eyes burned with anger. Even if he had never trusted them fully, their strength was undeniable—especially Guy with his Eight Gates. In the last battle against Kaede, Guy's performance had been outstanding. If he opened the Gate of Death, he might even contend with Kaede himself.
Now, they wanted to leave. To Danzō, this was betrayal.
"Why call it betrayal?" Minato stepped forward with a calm smile. "Konoha no longer exists. Following you makes us nothing more than wandering shinobi. Look at yourselves—hiding here, unable to provide even the most basic stability."
"Minato Namikaze… so it's you. No wonder. I should have known they wouldn't have escaped without help. But you—Konoha's Fourth Hokage—daring to betray the village you once led?" Danzō's fury turned to disbelief.
"I feel no shame," Minato replied sharply. "Even Tsunade stands at Kaede-sama's side now. And you—you know well how you treated Naruto. Do you deny it?"
"You—!" Danzō's words faltered, rage choking him.
"Enough. Let us leave. If we fight, it may sound arrogant, but Danzō—you're not my opponent." Minato's voice cut like steel.
All reverence he once held for Danzō was gone. If not for the schemes of Danzō and the council, Konoha would never have fallen to this state. They had crushed the Uchiha, driven the village into ruin. Kaede's rise could have been Konoha's rise. He might even have become Hokage, leading the village to glory. But Danzō and the elders had destroyed it all.
"Minato!" Danzō's teeth ground in frustration. He wanted to strike, to drag them all down here and now. But he knew the truth: he couldn't win. Not against Minato alone, let alone the others. If he acted rashly, he might lose his life.
"…Go," he spat at last.
"Thank you," Minato said, though his words were like a blade. "But remember this: he who sows evil will be destroyed by it. Even if Kaede didn't exist, the Uchiha would still be the end of you."
With that, Minato turned and left with Kakashi, Guy, and Asuma. Not a single Root agent dared stop them.
Danzō seethed, his chest heaving. If this were still the old Konoha, he would have unleashed every trap, every hunter, to bring them down. But now he had only a handful of men. If he lost more, he'd be nothing but a lone commander without soldiers. He had no choice but to swallow his rage.
Meanwhile, Minato led his group toward the Uchiha stronghold. The place once known as their refuge had already been remade into the Land of the Gods—Kaede's domain, where he would rule as the world's master.
Kakashi, though outwardly calm, could hardly contain himself. He was desperate to meet Kaede. But Minato remained level-headed. Kaede was busy—he had no time to indulge Kakashi's wishes. They would have to wait.
Back on Danzō's side, news reached him quickly. Minato had taken Kakashi, Guy, and Asuma away.
The report ignited another fire of rage in Sasuke's heart. Kaede—the man who had killed his father, and now taken even more from him. Sasuke would never forgive.
Danzō studied Sasuke's face, his narrow eyes gleaming. He had almost forgotten: he still had an Uchiha in his grasp. A weapon, a bargaining chip.
"Sasuke, do you know? On that night, when Kaede led the clan away, your parents and brother tried to resist him. But they weren't his match. He defeated them. Now, one by one, he devours our allies. Next time, it may be you he comes for."
"I'll never let him go unpunished! Even if it costs me everything, I'll kill him!" Sasuke's voice cracked with youthful fury. His eyes bled red, a single tomoe spinning restlessly.
Danzō stared at those eyes, his greed unmistakable. Only after acquiring Sharingan himself had he learned its true power. And yet now, nearly every surviving eye was in Kaede's possession. Sasuke was his only chance.
One tomoe wasn't enough. But in time…
"Yes… that's the spirit of a true Konoha shinobi. If you can kill Kaede, the village will forever honor the Uchiha clan's sacrifice," Danzō said with a thin smile.
Inside, his mind was already scheming. He would use Sasuke. Exploit him. And in the end, take those eyes for himself.
For now, he ordered his men to pack. They would leave this place before it was too late.
…
Elsewhere, Kaede sat with Naruto once more.
At that moment, Naruto was eating lunch. He and Gaara now had caretakers to provide meals, a life far removed from the loneliness of before.
"Gaara, seriously—weren't you tired last night? I stayed up on the rooftop with you for two hours and almost passed out. How did you even make it back?" Naruto asked between bites.
Gaara said nothing, his habits unchanged, his silence as steady as ever.
(End of Chapter)
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