In this direction from Konoha, mountains and rivers stretched out in a continuous, forested expanse. Hiruzen Sarutobi vaulted through the rugged terrain, propelled effortlessly by the Adamantine Staff. Aided by the slow-descent properties of his wind ninjutsu, navigating these treacherous peaks was as simple as walking on flat ground. In just a few moments, he was closing the distance on Danzō and his subordinates.
However, a thick, venomous mist suddenly permeated the wilderness ahead. Swarms of toxic insects hovered in the air, shrouding the entire perimeter in a deadly trap.
Without breaking stride, Hiruzen vaulted upwards, using his staff as a pivot. Mid-air, a shadow clone materialized over his shoulder. The two Hiruzens stood perfectly balanced atop the extended staff, their hands flying through hand seals in perfect unison.
Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!
Wind Style: Air Current!
A terrifying inferno engulfed the battlefield. The shadow clone expelled a torrential gale from its mouth, sweeping the raging flames across the entire forest. Within the surging firestorm, every venomous insect and hidden trap was violently incinerated.
"Hokage-sama!"
Several of the veteran Anbu operatives watching from afar found their eyes welling with tears. It had been years since they had witnessed such a spectacle. When they were young, they had grown up listening to tales of the Third Hokage dominating the battlefield. Today, the elderly Hiruzen Sarutobi proved he was still the strongest shinobi in Konoha. His combined nature transformations could reduce an entire mountain range to ash.
Below the inferno, Shikuro Aburame and Torune Aburame fled in miserable conditions. Faced with Hiruzen's massive, overwhelming fire ninjutsu, their specialized insects and deadly toxins were rendered completely useless.
"Danzō-sama..."
"Once we reach the Valley of the End, you two will go on ahead," Danzō ordered, his face a mask of cold indifference as he slowly brought his pace to a halt.
He withdrew his concealed right arm from the folds of his robes, his expression turning solemn. "Even the strongest alpha wolf will eventually grow old. If it were the Hiruzen of his youth, perhaps I would not be his match. But now... when push comes to shove, I will use the power of this arm!"
Danzō sprinted forward with renewed urgency until he finally reached the edge of the cliffs.
"Danzō!"
Bang!
With a single, devastating thrust of the Adamantine Staff, the massive boulder blocking Hiruzen's path shattered into dust.
Danzō glanced over his shoulder, a cold sneer forming on his lips. "Hiruzen, you hunt me down... but have you ever considered the possibility of being killed by my hands?"
"You may try!" Hiruzen glared back, his eyes locked onto his former comrade.
Unfastening his ninja tools, Danzō stood with his back to the cascading waters of the Valley of the End. "I had considered this scenario, but I never imagined it would happen in this exact manner." Slowly, he revealed the twisted, unnatural flesh of his hidden arm. He turned to face his pursuer. "If you are so confident you can defeat me, then come!"
Boom!
The Adamantine Staff thrust violently forward. Danzō leaped backward, plummeting down the sheer cliff face toward the valley below. A moment later, both men crashed onto the surface of the water, sending massive geysers spraying into the air.
Danzō did not immediately attack. "Hiruzen, you and I have collaborated for many years. Do you truly fail to see the reality of today's situation? I do wish to become Hokage, but I do not need to ally myself with Orochimaru and that other rogue element to achieve it. On the contrary, I intend to capture the very individual who disrupted our village!"
Since they were finally alone, Danzō believed he could clarify the truth.
Hiruzen let out a cold laugh. "So, you expect me to believe you had nothing to do with any of this?"
"Naturally." Danzō nodded stiffly.
Hearing this, a look of profound resignation washed over Hiruzen's face. He smiled bitterly. "Then what of the Expansion Jutsu, Danzō? The very foundation of your Root organization consists of the Aburame and Yamanaka clans. Do you think I would dig my own grave?"
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, then gently shook his head. "I do believe you act for the sake of Konoha, but when it comes to these matters... I no longer trust you." He let out a heavy sigh. "Actually, whether I trust you or not no longer matters."
Danzō fell silent. In that fleeting moment, he realized a grim truth: a man who has grown too accustomed to speaking lies can no longer earn the trust of others. After a few seconds, he replied softly, "I will still see that matter through."
Just as the words left his mouth, a blade erupted from the water directly beneath Danzō.
He twisted his body violently to evade, but the steel still bit into his side. Clutching his bleeding wound, Danzō simultaneously grabbed a scroll he had kept hidden within his robes. He backed away from the blade, his single visible eye glaring at his ambusher.
"Masahiko Yagyu..." Danzō growled, suppressing the intense pain as he retreated across the water.
Masahiko rose from the depths, his expression painted with righteous gravity. "Danzō-sama, to think you would betray Konoha, and that you would attempt to steal away Yakumo!"
"You..." Danzō glared at the young Teaching Consultant. He let out a disparaging sigh. "Masahiko, those who pledge their faith to the darkness should not harbor the sentimental emotions of ordinary men."
"No, Danzō-sama. I simply believe that Yakumo does not belong in your hands," Masahiko stated, his voice ringing with calm authority. "Her body is too fragile, and her mental state is dangerously unstable. You cannot properly guide her."
'Just give me the Acting Progress already,' Masahiko thought inwardly, though externally he remained the perfect picture of an impassioned, loyal Konoha shinobi.
"She is merely a tool," Danzō replied, his tone devoid of warmth.
"Yakumo is not a tool; she is a human being." Masahiko shook his head resolutely. "A root grows deep in the underground darkness, yes, but it still requires nutrients from the surface to survive. Otherwise, it rots and collapses into dust. People are exactly the same."
Danzō fell silent, a look of deep disappointment crossing his aged features. "I once thought that you and I might be the same kind of person. Looking at you now... we are not walking the same path."
"I agree with portions of your ideology, and I agree that Konoha requires the support of its Roots. But I absolutely do not condone your methods," Masahiko answered flawlessly.
Hiruzen observed the exchange from the side, remaining entirely silent from beginning to end.
Danzō chuckled coldly. "Whether you are right or wrong, time will eventually provide the answer. That is, assuming... you are still alive, and still in Konoha when that day comes."
"Everything this subordinate does is for the sake of Konoha," Masahiko replied with earnest conviction.
"Here, take it!" Hiruzen suddenly sighed, tossing a sealed scroll through the air.
Danzō caught it, suspicion flashing across his face.
"This is the support I promised you previously," Hiruzen said flatly. "Take care of yourself out there."
"What?" Masahiko whipped his head toward the Hokage, his face the very picture of stunned disbelief.
Hiruzen remained somber. "This was originally a planned operation. Though, naturally, a few things occurred outside the scope of our plans."
Danzō looked between Hiruzen and the seemingly blindsided Masahiko. In the end, he said nothing. He gripped the scroll, his body flickering as he used the Body Flicker Technique to retreat up the cliffside.
A split second later, a massive sphere of compressed wind plummeted from above.
Masahiko's hands blurred through hand seals. The water beneath him surged and spiraled upwards, forming a towering, rotating wall of liquid.
Boom!
The Vacuum Great Sphere slammed into the water wall. The immense kinetic energy of the wind was immediately caught in the endless, spinning current, dispersing the attack and redirecting its explosive force safely into the adjacent cliffside.
Masahiko withdrew his chakra, letting the water crash back into the river. Looking up, Danzō had completely vanished.
Hiruzen stood silently on the waters of the Valley of the End, gazing up at the two colossal stone statues. He let out a dry, nostalgic laugh. "The Valley of the End... it seems to carry some sort of miraculous destiny. Years ago, when Jiraiya pursued Orochimaru, he took this exact same path. Only, he was defeated before he even reached this spot. And now, it is Danzō and myself..."
He stared blankly at the monument of the founders. After a long pause, he smiled faintly. "I have grown old. The elderly always prefer to dwell on their memories."
"Hokage-sama, destiny cannot be broken, but the cycle of rogue ninja is something that can be shattered... Therefore, I do not believe this is simply fate," Masahiko replied smoothly.
Hearing this, a genuine, quiet laugh escaped Hiruzen. "I was merely feeling a bit sentimental. Come, let us return."
"Hokage-sama, have you... considered how you will explain this to the others?" Masahiko asked in a low, deferential tone.
Hiruzen remained silent for several seconds before his eyes hardened. "In the short term, they still require my presence to mediate the village's internal factions. They will not dare act recklessly. Furthermore..." A fierce, authoritative gleam flashed in his aged eyes. "I am the Hokage. I only answer to the Daimyo-dono. Those nobles have absolutely no right to dictate my actions."