Because he wanted to eliminate Uchiha Sasuke as quickly as possible, Shimura Danzo left the Hidden Leaf Village together with other Root members.
Suddenly, a Root member stepped forward, knelt on one knee before Shimura Danzo, and respectfully said,
"Danzo-sama, we've found traces of Uchiha Sasuke ahead."
Shimura Danzo nodded slightly.
"Mm, take me there."
The two rushed toward Sasuke's location. Danzo's expression was dark, giving nothing away.
Just as they were about to approach Sasuke's group, Karin, who was sensing with her Kagura Mind's Eye, suddenly turned her head and said,
"Sasuke-kun, two figures are approaching us fast!"
Sasuke frowned slightly, one hand on his hip, his gaze fixed on the distance as he calmly waited.
Before long, Shimura Danzo arrived and landed, staring coldly at Sasuke.
"So, you're Uchiha Sasuke."
Two Root members appeared behind Danzo. He ordered, "Those two are yours."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He recognized this man instantly—it was Shimura Danzo, the one he had come to find.
As for why he recognized him, it was because Uchiha Itachi had previously shown him Danzo's appearance through genjutsu.
"Draw them away. Leave this one to me," Sasuke said without turning back to Karin and Suigetsu.
The two nodded and retreated, luring away the Root members.
Sasuke gripped the hilt of the Kusanagi Sword and slowly drew it, then activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, his gaze locking onto Danzo.
Danzo slowly closed his eyes, then tilted his head upward and opened them again, glancing at Sasuke.
"I didn't expect that stray boy from back then would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. As expected of Itachi's little brother."
Sasuke frowned slightly. It seemed the other party indeed knew about the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Danzo said nothing more. He stomped forward and rushed at Sasuke, his right fist swinging fiercely.
Sasuke's Susanoo manifested in its initial form, blocking Danzo's punch.
Danzo murmured, "Oh, so this is Susanoo?"
After a brief note of surprise, he pulled a kunai from his pouch and thrust it at Sasuke.
The kunai shattered the moment it touched Susanoo. Danzo muttered,
"As expected of Susanoo—its defense is astonishing."
Sasuke controlled Susanoo to form a giant hand and smash down toward Danzo. Danzo quickly retreated as the massive strike hit the ground.
Boom! The earth caved into a huge crater!
After steadying himself, Danzo said calmly, "Its destructive power is impressive as well."
He then stared at Sasuke, placing his left hand over his right and slowly unwrapping the bandages.
Sasuke watched coldly, curious about what trick he was about to reveal.
When the bandages were fully removed, Sasuke froze. Seeing the arm implanted with ten Sharingan, he finally believed everything Itachi had told him.
Sasuke clenched his teeth, his pupils widening.
"So it was you… behind everything back then."
Danzo frowned slightly, then replied indifferently,
"You mean how you survived back then? Yes, that was Itachi's request. I never understood why he wanted you alive. It seems, in his eyes, your safety mattered more than the village."
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly. "So it really was you!"
Danzo ignored him and began forming hand seals.
Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!
Danzo spat out a blade of compressed wind toward Sasuke.
Sasuke quickly dodged, but not fast enough—his arm was cut.
Immediately, Sasuke channeled his ocular power. His Susanoo advanced to its second form, and the giant hand lunged at Danzo again.
This time it was faster, and with the short distance between them, Sasuke caught him and crushed him violently.
Sasuke panted heavily. This was his first time using Susanoo's second form, and it was taxing.
But behind him, Danzo reappeared. One of the Sharingan on his arm slowly closed as he formed hand seals again.
Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!
Danzo unleashed multiple vacuum blades toward Sasuke's back.
Sasuke glanced behind him. Then the Curse Mark spread across his body as he entered Curse Mark Level Two. Wings burst from his back, and he soared into the air, dodging the sneak attack.
From above, Sasuke looked down silently at Danzo, lightning crackling in his hand.
Chidori Senbon!
Countless needle-like bolts of lightning shot toward Danzo. Unable to react in time, he was pierced repeatedly, blood spilling everywhere.
Another Sharingan on Danzo's arm slowly closed. He reappeared once more on the battlefield, staring at Sasuke before forming seals again.
Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!
Danzo spat out a high-speed sphere of wind, aiming straight at Sasuke in the sky, determined to shoot him down.
Sasuke frowned, enduring the pressure of the wind. He manifested Susanoo again to stabilize himself.
On the ground, Danzo pressed the attack without pause.
Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!
He continuously exhaled blasts of air toward Sasuke.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened. After dodging, he quickly formed hand seals.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
A massive fireball crashed toward Danzo's position, forcing him to stop his attack and dodge.
Boom!
Dust and smoke filled the air.
...
Elsewhere, Rorin and Uchiha Itachi, who had been searching for Sasuke, finally noticed the battle.
"Looks like they've already started," Rorin said, glancing at Itachi. He nodded slightly.
The two quickly rushed toward the battlefield. When they arrived—
They saw Sasuke kneeling on one knee, gasping for breath, while across from him stood Danzo, who had just been struck by a Chidori Sharp Spear.
Another Sharingan on Danzo's arm slowly closed. Now, only five remained.
Danzo appeared once again, calmly looking at Sasuke with a faint smile.
"It seems you've developed your Mangekyō Sharingan quite well. I didn't plan to use this technique, but to save time… I'll waste it once."
As his words fell, Danzo lifted the bandage over his right eye and stared directly at Sasuke.
Kotoamatsukami!
Sasuke's expression froze slightly. Then his head slowly lowered.
Danzo lowered the bandage over his eye and walked toward Sasuke, saying calmly,
"I'll be taking your Mangekyō Sharingan."
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