Never in his wildest dreams did Shimura Danzō expect to encounter such a terrifying enemy in the Land of Rain. Abilities he could not comprehend, paired with those strange eyes, made him feel that death was closing in on him.
On the brink of being killed—before his dream of becoming Hokage was ever realized—Danzō bit down hard, abandoning his trusted kunai. Slowly, deliberately, his hands began weaving signs.
The Six Paths of Pain made no move. They simply watched in silence, curious to see what kind of hidden cards Danzō still held.
The game of cat and mouse was not yet finished. Since the mouse still had the strength to resist, they would draw out the despair a little longer.
Danzō gritted his teeth and growled:
"The only regret I hold is not eradicating you all back then. If I had, today's disaster would never have come to pass. But it isn't too late! Even if it costs me my life, I'll put an end to you here. I will never allow you to endanger Konoha!"
Had Pain not already investigated who Shimura Danzō truly was, those words might have provoked some reaction. But knowing his nature, they saw no need to reply.
No matter what was said, in Danzō's mouth it always became: "For the sake of Konoha"—the excuse for every ruthless act he committed.
He continued weaving hand signs at a measured pace. It wasn't that his speed was slow—he knew full well Pain was toying with him, and he deliberately drew it out, hoping to buy more time to analyze their abilities.
But he had gravely overestimated himself and underestimated the overwhelming power of the Six Paths of Pain.
"Wood Release: Tree-Binding Eternal Burial!"
From beneath Pain's feet, a spark of green burst forth. What began as a fragile sprout instantly surged upward, growing into a towering tree. Its roots and branches coiled up Pain's body, climbing as they expanded, binding their target completely.
Even an Earth Release user would find no escape once the wood had entwined their body.
But in Danzō's hands, the technique lacked the might of its true wielder. Whether from unfamiliarity or insufficient Hashirama cells within him, the powerful Wood Release technique only managed to restrain a single target.
All six Pains turned their gaze upon him. The Deva Path, bound by the wooden tendrils, stared coldly, his killing intent sharp as blades.
"Is that all?"
"If that is the extent of your power, then you may die now. Yahiko will welcome you below."
Panic surged in Danzō's voice as he barked back:
"No, you can't kill me! I am an elder of Konoha! If I die here, the Land of Rain will be crushed in retaliation!"
Deva Path's tone was like ice.
"It is precisely because you live that the Land of Rain suffers. You great nations never consider the lives of smaller countries. You trample our lands with your wars, leaving us homeless, taking countless lives.
Give up your struggle. I will show you the meaning of true pain. I will make you regret the sins you and your kind have committed. Under the gaze of God's eyes, no matter how you resist, your only fate… is death.
Now—feel pain. Through pain, you will understand the value of peace. But you… You are not worthy to witness peace. I will send you to the Pure Land."
Danzō screamed wildly, his voice seemingly filled with terror. Yet, deep within his eyes, a flicker of murderous intent burned bright.
"Die!"
Deva Path tore through the wooden bindings with ease, a black chakra rod forming in his hand. With a roar, he thrust it straight for Danzō's chest.
But Danzō laughed, manic and defiant, ripping open his robes to reveal the sealing formula carved into his very flesh.
"It's you who will die! Come with me to hell! Reverse Four Symbols Seal!"
Deva Path sneered.
"So this is your final move? Pathetic. You can never comprehend the true power of a god. Shinra Tensei!"
In the last moments of his life, Shimura Danzō glimpsed the legendary Rinnegan and tasted its crushing might firsthand.
For all his ambition, his end still carried weight. At least, more so than the pitiful death of the Third Raikage. Though no one would know Danzō perished in the Land of Rain, and none would avenge him, his fall remained a significant event.
Days passed. With no sign of Danzō and no word from him, people in Konoha finally sensed something was wrong. The shadowy figure who had always lurked behind the scenes had vanished without a trace.
As Danzō's old comrade and fellow elder, Hiruzen Sarutobi, along with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, began taking control of Root in his absence.
Indeed, without Danzō's presence, Root was swiftly absorbed. Its acting commander, Ryōma Aburame, surrendered his authority without resistance.
In the Hokage's office, the matter of Danzō's disappearance lay heavy on the desk. Hiruzen held the report, frowning in thought.
"You're saying Danzō believed an underground group called Akatsuki was connected to Iwagakure? That he led Root to investigate, and then simply vanished without leaving behind the slightest trace?"
Ryōma bowed respectfully.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Root had a long-term intelligence team embedded in Iwagakure, but they mysteriously disappeared—all of them wiped out. The only clue we uncovered was a link between Akatsuki and the Stone.
Since Iwagakure remains in opposition to us, with Ōnoki himself holding the village, Danzō-sama decided to focus on Akatsuki. He hoped to glean their motives and Iwagakure's plans. But after he left for the Land of Rain… we never heard from him again."
The news weighed heavily on Hiruzen's heart. Inwardly, he cursed his old comrade. Reckless fool. With so little strength left, and still you had to meddle everywhere.
And yet… all of Danzō's actions, however questionable, had been for Konoha's sake. As much as Hiruzen fumed, he could not rebuke him aloud—not with Aburame Ryōma standing before him.
The analysis continued. Countless theories were listed, drawing from all of Root's intelligence. But the conclusion was clear: Shimura Danzō had died in the Land of Rain.
Meanwhile, Iwagakure continued to tighten the pressure, ready to escalate the war once again.