Putting everything else aside, with Danzō Shimura's strength and utterly conventional combat style, he stood no chance against the Flying Thunder God Technique.
If Danzō had been a shinobi from another village and encountered the Yellow Flash on the battlefield, he'd be the exact type ordered to disengage on sight.
No wonder Danzō loved his schemes and plots. With strength like his, the only path to becoming Hokage was through underhanded means.
In the underground headquarters of Root, some of the more deeply brainwashed shinobi actually tried to carry out Danzō's orders to counterattack. Regardless of what they were thinking, for a Konoha shinobi to raise a hand against the Hokage… well, their deaths were not undeserved.
Danzō's death wasn't unjust, either. Raising subordinates who knew only their leader and not the Hokage was a death sentence in itself.
The fight isn't worth describing. The Hokage's side was simply too strong, making the outcome completely one-sided. Kikyō Hinokami didn't share the Third's habit of dragging things out. Once she decided to act, she wasn't about to give Danzō a chance to surrender.
Any argument is most convincing when your opponent is dead.
When the black-haired Anbu handed Danzō's head to Kikyō, the remaining shinobi lost all will to resist.
The Fourth Hokage motioned for the Anbu to hold the head steady. She reached out, unwound the bandages from Danzō's forehead, then pulled back his eyelid with a slight look of distaste.
"See? A Sharingan."
No other justification was needed. This single eye was proof enough that the Hokage's action was a purge of a malignant force within Konoha.
So when Kikyō said, "See? A Sharingan," her tone was as matter-of-fact as if she were pointing out a magnet on a refrigerator.
Soon, more Anbu flooded the area, sealing the scene and gathering evidence.
Danzō didn't need to be framed. There was enough evidence to kill him ten times over: purging dissent, assassinating fellow villagers, illegal human experimentation, organ trafficking, spying on Konoha leadership, withholding intel, raising private death squads, colluding with foreign powers, selling classified secrets, plotting against the Fourth Hokage…
Danzō and his inner circle had to die. Dying only once was an act of mercy.
There were pros and cons to hiding or exposing the crimes of such a traitorous parasite. Kikyō chose exposure.
It meant that, fresh into office, she was exposing a festering wound on Konoha's body. Why not? It wasn't a wound she'd caused.
On one hand, she could kill to establish authority. On the other, she could create an atmosphere that proclaimed, "With the Fourth, justice has arrived."
Exposing this would inevitably tarnish the Third's legacy, but that was his responsibility to bear, wasn't it?
With all Danzō had done, the Third Hokage couldn't escape blame. He wasn't some innocent bystander.
And if the Third was genuinely ignorant of Danzō's schemes, that made him an even worse leader. For a supreme military commander, incompetence is a graver sin than malevolence.
The Third was incompetent. Danzō was the proof.
Thus, the Third Hokage's already middling legacy turned utterly negative. Konoha accelerated into the era of the Fourth's rule. The retired Third couldn't even influence policy as an advisor now. Overthrowing the new Hokage? Impossible.
He'd done such a terrible job. What right did he have to dictate anything? Who would listen?
Beyond Danzō's own crimes, Kikyō pinned other long-standing Konoha problems on the "Shimura Criminal Syndicate," effectively using them as a scapegoat dumpster.
Such a perfect target was too good to waste. Years of accumulated resentment and internal strife within Konoha needed an outlet.
Danzō was perfect. High-ranking, utterly vile, and crucially, a dead man who couldn't talk back.
By that logic, Kikyō had decided to kill him long ago.
For the next month, Kikyō conducted a very public "Great Trial of the Shimura Syndicate" across Konoha. It was political theater, authority building, a showcase of influence, and a tool for unifying thought—multiple birds with one stone.
For a time, everyone felt the winds of a new era. Konoha seemed politically cleansed, its problems swept away.
Some shinobi were undoubtedly disillusioned by the rot, but people tend to look forward. The rot belonged to the old era. This was the new one.
After the trial, Kikyō, in her capacity as Fourth Hokage, personally visited the Uchiha Clan compound.
Earlier, she'd used the Third's name to hammer the Uchiha with several heavy blows. Now it was time for the carrot. Constant pressure wouldn't work; dealing with the Uchiha required strategy, a rhythm of tension and release.
Danzō's many experiments included stealing Uchiha corpses and assassinating Uchiha shinobi—far from isolated incidents. When the Fourth exposed this, some Uchiha would seethe with greater hatred, while others would be grateful for her actions.
Corresponding to the "Sharingan Registration System," Konoha also implemented a "Sharingan Protection Law." Theft and unauthorized transplantation of a Sharingan by a non-Uchiha was now a capital crime. It was a balance of rights and duties, though previously, the Uchiha hadn't cared much for the latter.
They hadn't expected Konoha to fulfill that duty so soon.
Kikyō punished the criminals and returned the Sharingan collected by Root to the clan.
In the Uchiha district, those surrounding the Hokage were, naturally, the so-called "appeasement faction." Their leader, of course, was the clan head, Fugaku.
His proximity to the Hokage was no surprise. He wouldn't be clan head otherwise.
In the original timeline's "Uchiha Massacre," Uchiha Fugaku and the Third Hokage were a match made in heaven—a disastrous duo of epic proportions. It was their "tacit understanding" and "cooperation" that ultimately doomed the Uchiha.
Kikyō returned the eyes and formally apologized to the clan on behalf of the village. The village leader had offered a token apology. For someone in her position, that was already giving them a lot of face.
"The Uchiha tragedy stems from the Hokage's failure of oversight. Human hearts are inscrutable, and there will always be those who covet the Sharingan's power. I promise you this: Konoha will stand firmly with the Uchiha on this matter. Another Danzō incident will not happen."
She showed contrition and offered the carrot. She spouted slogans against dark forces and organ traffickers. But that wasn't all. Kikyō still needed to show true sincerity.
She gave a slight nod to Shisui Uchiha. Shisui stepped forward, produced a scroll, and released its seal.
An ice coffin materialized before the crowd. Inside lay the preserved body of an old man.
"This is…"
"This is your former clan head, Madara Uchiha. He recently passed away outside the village… of natural causes. I now return him to the Uchiha clan."
Don't ask about the lack of a chest wound. The official story was natural causes.
"But… wasn't Lord Madara killed at…"
Kikyō smiled without answering. Why Madara had lived so long needed no explanation. She would let the Uchiha fill in the blanks themselves.
Truthfully, she had to fill in the blanks too, since no explanation came with the body.
Regardless, compared to the Third building a tourist attraction at the Valley of the End, the Fourth's act of returning Madara's remains was undeniably full of goodwill.
But "goodwill" is subjective. With the Uchiha so divided, any gesture was bound to produce opposition.
When news of Konoha returning Madara's body spread, another faction came to believe Madara had been secretly imprisoned by Konoha for decades. Their hatred only deepened.
Kikyō found their attitude irrelevant. If the act won over all the Uchiha, great. If it drove the clan further apart? She would accept that outcome, too. If some wanted to walk an extreme path, who was she to stop them?
That night, in the dimly lit study of his home, Fugaku Uchiha spoke with his prized son.
"Itachi, from now on, you must openly oppose the village's policies. At your age, no one will suspect you're acting."
"Gradually integrate with the radicals. In a few years, step by step, become their leader. With your talent, you can do this."
Uchiha Itachi was six. Preternaturally mature. He understood his father's words perfectly.
As Fugaku said, no one would suspect a child his age of faking his inclinations.
Yet Itachi neither agreed nor disagreed. He simply listened.
Fugaku shook his head, unconcerned by his son's silence. He continued, "I am seen as an appeaser. The clan's finest, Shisui, is seen as the Hokage's pawn. Therefore, you must be the radical. Understand?"
Itachi nodded. "Understood."
No one was anyone's puppet. Everyone had their own agency.
Ahem. Though one of the "masterminds" had fallen from power, the other was still trying to play his clever games. With his pathetic level of strength, he was already planning to play both sides?
The ramen shop was closed today. The reason given: the chef was feeling unwell.
An excuse, of course. He hadn't been "unwell" in thousands of years. He just seemed preoccupied.
Minato Namikaze was on a critical mission these past few days, with no chance to return home. And Kushina Uzumaki's due date was very near.
Fortunately, they lived in the Uzumaki enclave, with many residences of The Fireflies shinobi nearby. The jinchūriki's delivery should be fine. Theoretically, the fox couldn't escape.
With so many Uzumaki around, they could probably muster ten sets of Adamantine Sealing Chains. Besides, the Nine-Tails sealed within Kushina was only a quarter of its full power. Hardly a concern.
At that moment, the lights were on at Minato's house. And in the Hokage's office.
On one side of Kikyō's desk stood Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki. In front of it stood Minato.
"Hokage-sama, we have a result…" Minato said, his expression troubled.
All eyes were on him. From his look, they already knew the outcome. They just found it hard to believe, hard to accept.
"Speak, Minato." In crucial moments, the Hokage had to take charge.
"It is… regrettable, but it's confirmed. Lord Orochimaru was indeed colluding with Danzō Shimura. He was deeply involved in many of Root's inhumane experiments," Minato reported.
Orochimaru. He seemed so cold on the outside. But for some reason, the more war he experienced, the more extreme he became, until he finally walked the path of a mad scientist. Perhaps the coldness was just a facade for an incredibly delicate soul?
"Regrettable…" Kikyō wanted to say more, but nothing came. The Hokage must walk the path of justice. "People must take responsibility for their actions. In that case… execute the arrest."
Finding Orochimaru while investigating Danzō was no surprise. Not finding him would have been strange. Conversely, investigating Orochimaru and not finding Danzō would also be strange.
Why strange? You'd have to ask the Third Hokage. He investigated Orochimaru and found no link to Danzō.
While justice was being served and family ties severed here…
Over there, a family was growing.
The jinchūriki's labor had begun. Several Uzumaki were in the delivery room, while more had erected barriers around the house. The Hokage had been informed, but she was currently preoccupied.
Or perhaps, she simply had immense faith in the Uzumaki's strength. Giving birth surrounded by Uzumaki? The fox wasn't going anywhere.
But no one noticed an extra person in the delivery room. Everyone wore green scrubs, blue caps, and white masks. The mother was busy. The attendants were busier. Who would stop to count heads?
Everyone trusted the Uzumaki's prowess too much.
Yes, the fox couldn't escape the delivery room.
But a fox could get in.
The ramen chef, usually in a cook's hat, looked just as fitting in a surgical cap.
Can't blame me for this, he thought. I already paid the fee.
A jinchūriki would never want her child to become one. But the ramen chef had been waiting a thousand years; he couldn't respect Kushina's wishes here. To ease his conscience, he'd given her a "benefit" long ago.
Kushina took the benefit. Therefore, she had no right to object.
Did they really think he'd guided her to that greatsword embedded with two "pearls" just because he was bored?
After a long night of effort, a sharp, healthy cry pierced the delivery room.
"She's delivered! The baby's here!"
Kushina's face was pale, but her spirit was strong. She rallied, asking, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
"Um…"
"What is it?"
"The good news is, you have a healthy baby boy."
"Huh? There's bad news?"
"The bad news is… you seem to have given birth to the Eight Trigrams Sealing Seal as well."
"…"
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