171-175

*Chapter 171: Koharu Utatane is Pregnant*

At the Hokage building in Konoha.

Due to Konoha’s F4 once having a wild celebration there, under Tsunade’s orders, the ANBU ninja ‘Yamato’ exhausted all of his chakra and used Wood Style to completely renovate the office, replacing all the furniture.

Tsunade sat in the new Hokage office chair, staring at the mountain of paperwork piled on her desk, feeling a headache coming on.

Shizune stood to Tsunade’s left, holding a new stack of documents, and couldn’t help but smile bitterly as she looked at Tsunade’s troubled face.

As for little Chika, she sat idly on a mat Shizune had laid out, playing with Tonton.

Knock knock. A poorly-timed knock echoed from the door.

“Come in,” Tsunade put down the file in her hand, her voice weak as she sighed inwardly. Being the Hokage really wasn’t for her. If it weren’t for her little man and her two grandfathers’ last wishes, she’d have run away with her daughter and Shizune by now.

With a creak, the office door opened, and Kakashi entered with Might Guy in tow. “Lady Tsunade.”

“What's up?” Tsunade yawned lazily, her tone languid.

Kakashi respectfully said, “The people of Konoha have been pacified.”

“And the photos that were scattered outside the village have been retrieved as per your orders. However, we couldn’t verify the exact number, so we’re not sure if we got them all.”

“As for Sunagakure, after losing their Kazekage, they’ve surrendered to Konoha completely. They’ve placed all the blame for the attack on Orochimaru. They’ll be sending someone to negotiate soon.”

Hearing Kakashi’s report, Tsunade sensed his exhaustion and a soft smile appeared on her face. “It must have been tough handling these trivial tasks. Originally, these jobs were meant for the old guys. But I imagine they’re too ashamed to show their faces now.”

“As for those photos, if we can’t get them all, then we can’t. After all, nothing stays a secret forever. If we can’t recover them, then so be it.”

Kakashi nodded, letting out a slight sigh before hesitating. “There are two more matters that require your decision.”

Tsunade rested her chin on her hand, intrigued. “Go ahead.”

Looking at Tsunade’s fair face, Kakashi spoke seriously, “The first is regarding the Third Hokage’s funeral. According to protocol, it should be conducted with the highest honor, as befits a Hokage.”

“However, due to Aizen’s actions, many villagers and shinobi who were harmed during the Nine-Tails’ attack and the recent Konoha Crush oppose this.”

“What’s your take on it?” Tsunade threw the question back at Kakashi.

Kakashi was silent for a moment before sighing, “I think we should hold the funeral. Despite the mistakes he made, the Third was still a former Hokage.”

“And the accusations against him are mostly from Aizen’s one-sided claims, which we can’t verify as true or false.”

“No matter what, he was still the Hokage, and many people in Konoha still respect him.”

“We shouldn’t allow this to affect the unity of the village.”

Tsunade took a deep breath, “You’re quite forgiving. Back when they drove your father to his death, that was very real.”

“Dead men deserve respect. If my father were alive, I think he’d support my decision,” Kakashi said, his face showing a peaceful smile.

“Alright, do as you said. Regardless of what he did, the Third Hokage was still my teacher. And as you said, dead men deserve respect,” Tsunade nodded. “Now, what’s the second issue?”

Kakashi hesitated, “The second is about Danzo. What do we do with him?”

“I’ll make sure you get a satisfactory answer.”

Tsunade didn’t answer right away. Danzo had too many roots in Konoha, knowing secrets even Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn’t aware of.

If pushed too far, there was no telling what Danzo might do.

As Hokage, Tsunade couldn’t afford to act rashly. This would need to be dealt with carefully and might require waiting until her man returned to take action.

“Yes, Lady Hokage,” Kakashi nodded and glanced at Guy beside him. “Guy, it’s your turn.”

Might Guy gulped nervously, struggling to form words, clearly uncomfortable speaking to women. After some effort, he stammered out a report on Rock Lee’s condition.

After receiving Tsunade’s promise to visit the hospital tomorrow, he sighed in relief and left the office.

Not long after the two left, Jiraiya walked in.

With him were two people in black cloaks, their faces obscured.

“Yo, Tsunade, how’s the Hokage life treating you?” Jiraiya flopped down on the sofa near the wall, his manner casual.

“If you like it so much, why don’t you take over?” Tsunade glared at him.

Jiraiya laughed heartily, “No thanks. I couldn’t handle all these rules. I’d rather keep traveling and living free.”

Tsunade’s gaze shifted to the two black-clad figures who came in with Jiraiya, her eyes narrowing. “I doubt you’re here just to make small talk.”

“Of course not. You two, drop the disguises,” Jiraiya said to the cloaked figures.

Hearing this, the two didn’t immediately remove their cloaks. Instead, they glanced at Shizune and Chika behind Tsunade.

Jiraiya added, “These two are Tsunade’s apprentice Shizune and her daughter Chika. There’s no one else here. Relax.”

At this, the two hesitated but eventually took off their cloaks, revealing the faces of two elderly figures, none other than Konoha’s two senior advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.

Tsunade was briefly surprised, but soon remembered the prank Aizen had played on them, and a mischievous smile spread across her face.

“Oh my, look who we have here, Konoha’s esteemed advisors, Lady Koharu and Uncle Homura,” Tsunade said, her tone full of amusement.

“You two are quite the celebrities in the village lately. Everyone’s talking about your love life with the old man and Danzo.”

“Compared to Jiraiya, who only dares to peep at girls bathing but never makes a move, you two are still going strong,” she added with a smirk.

“Especially you, Lady Koharu,” Tsunade walked over to her, pretending to check her pulse. “Let me see if you’re pregnant.”

“Enough with the jokes. We’re here for serious business,” Koharu swatted Tsunade’s hand away, clearly annoyed.

But Tsunade suddenly froze, her eyes wide in shock. “Lady Koharu, you…”

“What? What’s wrong?” Koharu’s face stiffened, and an uneasy feeling crept over her.

Tsunade burst into laughter, walking back to her desk and picking up Chika, who had been quietly playing with Tonton. She grinned, “Congratulations, Lady Koharu. You’re pregnant. By my estimate, about a month along.”

*Chapter 172: Punishment for Danzo*

One of the senior advisors of Konoha Village in the Land of Fire, Koharu Utatane, who was over seventy years old, was pregnant.

As soon as this news broke, everyone in the Hokage's office, including Jiraiya, was stunned. Their jaws nearly dropped to the floor, and their eyes were filled with disbelief.

"Koharu... is this true?" Homura Mitokado's voice trembled. His face flushed as he looked excitedly at Koharu.

He couldn't believe that, at his advanced age, he was going to have a child.

"We’ll talk about this later," Koharu blushed. As a medical ninja, she knew perfectly well whether she was pregnant or not. What she didn’t know was who the father was.

Homura didn’t know that during a wild celebration, he had passed out for a while.

During that time, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura had both taken his place.

Originally, Danzo was only interested in Hiruzen Sarutobi and had no intention of replacing Homura.

After all, his heart already belonged to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

However, under the influence of a domineering presence, Koharu had lost herself and, after Hiruzen was done, forcefully handed Homura’s place over to Danzo.

To this day, Homura remained oblivious to what had happened.

After all, he didn’t dare look at those photos.

Hearing the two advisors talk, Jiraiya couldn’t help but smirk, holding back his laughter. "Well, congratulations to the both of you."

"Jiraiya, be serious. We have important matters to discuss now," Koharu shot Jiraiya a glare, then turned to Tsunade, clearing her throat and changing the subject. "Tsunade, how do you plan to deal with Hiruzen and Danzo?"

Tsunade exchanged a glance with Jiraiya before throwing the question back at the advisors. "What suggestions do you have?"

Homura cleared his throat and spoke seriously. "It’s true that Hiruzen made many mistakes in the past, but I can assure you that the Nine-Tails’ incident had nothing to do with him. So, as the Fifth Hokage, I hope you can give him a dignified end. Consider it a plea from us two old folks."

As he spoke, both advisors bowed slightly to Tsunade.

"There’s no need for that. Kakashi already approached me about this, and I agreed. The old man’s funeral will proceed with full Hokage honors," Tsunade said calmly.

Hearing this, Koharu and Homura breathed a sigh of relief. It was the least they could do for Hiruzen.

However, Tsunade continued, "But what about Danzo? Let’s not even talk about the Nine-Tails incident or whether he was responsible for White Fang's death."

"Just the fact that he transplanted my grandfather's cells and took all those Sharingan eyes can't be brushed under the rug."

"You must know, all the shinobi and villagers of Konoha are watching."

"If we cover this up now, we’ll lose the people’s trust."

Koharu and Homura exchanged a serious look before Koharu hesitantly suggested, "How about we put him under house arrest?"

"Isn’t Danzo already under house arrest?" Tsunade shrugged.

"Maybe strip him of all his positions?" Homura added.

"Do you think he has any positions left? Even if we strip him of titles, as long as that cursed seal on the tongues of Root members remains, they’ll still follow his orders," Tsunade said coldly.

Koharu frowned, "Then what do you intend to do?"

Homura quickly added, "Lady Tsunade—no, Fifth Hokage, please don’t do anything rash. Konoha has just gone through Orochimaru’s attack. We can’t afford more chaos. If you push too hard, Danzo might rebel."

Tsunade raised her voice, "It’s because you’ve been indulging and protecting him all these years that he’s been able to act so recklessly!"

She pulled a stack of documents from her desk and threw them onto the table. "Take a look at what Danzo has been up to all these years."

"Let’s just focus on the recent past. You’ve all heard of Fujiwara Aizen, the young man who caused such upheaval in Konoha recently, haven’t you?"

"He was supposed to be a fine ninja of Konoha, contributing to the village. But what did Danzo do? He manipulated him into wiping out the Uchiha clan alongside Itachi, under the false pretense of sparing his friend’s life."

"And not only did he fail to save his friend, but he also tried to kill Aizen. Danzo bears the primary responsibility for the destruction of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans."

"And let’s not forget Kabuto. Danzo threatened the funding of the orphanage to force him to be a spy. He even set up a situation where Kabuto and his adoptive mother, Nonou Yakushi, would kill each other. Kabuto, who was once a talented Konoha ninja, was pushed to Orochimaru's side because of Danzo."

Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya. "And that S-rank rogue ninja organization, Akatsuki, you’ve been investigating recently, right?"

"You think I’ve spent all these years just gambling?" Tsunade averted her gaze from Jiraiya’s skeptical look. "Originally, Akatsuki was a peaceful organization. But because of Danzo’s meddling, they turned to the dark side. Now they lurk in the shadows, waiting for revenge."

"Danzo has spread so much hatred. I’m not Hiruzen. I don’t need him to do the village’s dirty work. I can’t allow him to continue."

Jiraiya, now serious, finally spoke. "What do you plan to do?"

Tsunade recalled Aizen's words. "Danzo has caused enough suffering. While he claims everything he does is for Konoha, it’s all for himself. He must be severely punished."

"And how exactly will you punish him?" Jiraiya pressed.

Tsunade firmly replied, "Dissolve Root. And when I say dissolve, I don’t mean like Hiruzen’s token attempt. I mean a complete dissolution. Additionally, he must hand over the arm with my grandfather’s cells and all the Sharingan. Given that he’s an elder of the village, I’ll allow him to live out his remaining days under house arrest."

"You're basically sentencing him to death," Jiraiya sighed, turning to the two advisors. "What do you think?"

Koharu and Homura exchanged bitter smiles.

Indeed, Tsunade’s punishment was severe, but it was also merciful, considering the atrocities Danzo had committed.

They both knew Danzo's ambition.

Danzo's greatest desire was to become Hokage.

By dissolving Root and taking away his arm, Tsunade would be crushing any hope Danzo had of achieving that goal.

They feared that Danzo might rebel before the order could even be delivered.

*Chapter 173: Dealing with Danzo is Really Simple (Part 1)*

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado left.

In the end, they couldn’t stop Tsunade’s order to punish Danzo.

Because the "Konoha F4 scandal" had been made public, the senior advisors’ positions in Konoha plummeted, and they had no power to intervene.

In the end, they could only leave in disappointment and confusion.

“You really don’t hold back, do you?” Jiraiya sighed helplessly, looking at Tsunade, who clearly wasn’t open to negotiation.

Tsunade replied sternly, “A new Konoha and a new Hokage need new energy. If I have to worry about Danzo’s next move all the time, or keep him around just to have a scapegoat, always weighing short-term gains and losses, and allowing endless indulgence, then how would Konoha be any different from before?”

“Well, do your best then,” Jiraiya said as he stood up, rubbing his forehead in frustration. His expression suddenly became serious as he looked at Tsunade. “Tsunade, there’s something I need to ask of you.”

Tsunade blinked in surprise. “What is it?”

Jiraiya spoke gravely, “Naruto was originally under Kakashi’s watch, as assigned by the Third Hokage. It was a wise decision, but now, the situation may be beyond Kakashi’s control. After the Third’s funeral, I want to take Naruto under my guidance.”

“Is it because of the Akatsuki?” Tsunade’s face grew serious as well, referring to the organization that even Aizen had been hesitant to disclose much about.

This showed how dangerous the group was, possibly even containing individuals stronger than Aizen.

“Yeah,” Jiraiya nodded. “From your conversation with the two advisors, I can tell you’ve learned a bit about the Akatsuki.”

“Ever since Orochimaru fled the village, I’ve been keeping an eye on him because I knew that snake would come back someday.”

“So initially, I was only wary of Orochimaru.”

“But later, he joined a group called the Akatsuki.”

Tsunade frowned. “Do you have any intel on this organization?”

Jiraiya shook his head. “I don’t know much, only that it’s a small group of eleven ninjas.”

“Up until the Chunin Exams when Aizen appeared, they hadn’t taken any major actions, only doing some espionage and missions for certain countries.”

“But the real problem lies with the members. Almost all of them are S-rank criminals, notorious and wanted by many nations.”

“Aizen, who recently caused havoc in the village, and Itachi, who annihilated the Uchiha clan, are part of this group.”

“Orochimaru was also a member at one point but left for reasons unknown. Because of this, he was hunted down by several Akatsuki members, including Aizen, and barely escaped with his life.”

“Since then, they’ve been moving in pairs, collecting jutsu and other things across the ninja world.”

“I’m sure you understand by now that this group is dangerous. They aren’t gathering for charity; they’ve got a bigger plan.”

Tsunade asked, “Is it because of the tailed beasts?”

Jiraiya looked at her, half his face hidden in shadow. “There’s no guarantee that’s not the case. The Nine-Tails, after all, possesses the strongest chakra, and the Akatsuki could be interested in that. Naruto will one day have to be constantly on guard to survive. That’s the fate of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.”

With that, Jiraiya slowly walked to the office door, opened it, and, without looking back, said, “I’ll talk to Kakashi about this. Also, Sasuke will need Kakashi’s guidance on using the Sharingan since Itachi is part of the Akatsuki too.”

Then Jiraiya left the Hokage’s office.

“It’s really such a hassle,” Tsunade muttered as soon as he was gone. She placed Chika on the desk and collapsed into her chair, stretching lazily. Her curvy, voluptuous figure was accentuated as she relaxed, causing Aizen, hiding in the shadows, to swallow hard as heat surged within him.

After a while, Tsunade seemed to sense something. “Come out.”

“How did you know I was here?” Aizen’s voice echoed through the office, and Shizune blinked in confusion. By the time she regained focus, Aizen had already appeared beside Tsunade, as if he had always been there.

“Aizen!” Chika eyes lit up as she jumped off the desk and into Aizen’s arms.

“I’ve told you so many times, you should call me Dad,” Aizen sighed, though he gently caught her and stroked her little head affectionately.

Tsunade glanced at Aizen and smiled confidently. “Just a feeling.”

“What feeling?” Aizen was intrigued.

“A woman’s sixth sense. Whenever you give me that pervy look, I can feel it,” Tsunade said, pretending to be serious.

In reality, she was just taking a wild guess, but she had been hoping to call Aizen over.

“You’re really something,” Aizen chuckled, not buying her lie. He sat down on the desk with his daughter, letting her nuzzle against him like a treasured possession.

“So, how are you going to deal with that old man Danzo? He doesn’t seem like the type to quietly accept punishment.”

“That’s where you come in,” Tsunade said, leaning against him and mimicking their daughter’s playful behavior.

“You’re good at getting people to work for you,” Aizen teased, pinching Tsunade’s soft cheek. “I actually came here to let you know I’m planning to take action against Danzo. Keeping him in Konoha is like having a ticking time bomb.”

“You’re going to kill him?” Tsunade was stunned.

“No, it’s not time to kill him just yet,” Aizen replied. He planned to capture Danzo, seal him in his system’s space, and leave him for Sasuke to train with in the future.

After all, without Danzo’s harsh trials, Sasuke’s story wouldn’t feel complete.

“So, what are you planning?” Tsunade asked, her light brown eyes flashing with curiosity.

Aizen smiled. “After I capture him, I’ll seal him away. Then you can just announce that Danzo has defected.”

“Will you come back after leaving?” Tsunade asked, a hint of reluctance in her voice.

Upon hearing this, Chika, who had been happily snuggling up to him, clung to Aizen’s neck and cried, “Don’t go, Aizen!”

Chapter 174: Solving Danzo Is Really Simple (Part 2)

"Don’t worry, I’m not leaving forever. I’ll come back to see you often," Aizen said as he gently stroked Tsunade's cheek. He then closed his eyes and cupped his daughter’s face, bringing their foreheads together.

His right eye suddenly snapped open, revealing the Sharingan.

Chika felt a moment of disorientation, and suddenly, her mind was flooded with new information.

For the first time, Aizen had used his Sharingan to transfer the complete version of the Heavenly Technique to her.

“Dad... what was that just now?” Chika’s large, round eyes widened in shock, her small mouth forming an 'O' shape. She never imagined her father would possess such strange eyes.

“Shh,” Aizen made a quiet gesture with a soft smile. “This will be our little secret from now on.”

“A secret…” Chika suddenly recalled a father-daughter taboo romance she had once seen at a stall while shopping with her mother, and her face instantly turned red. Steam seemed to rise from her head, and even her neck was tinged pink.

“Hey! You perverted bastard! What exactly did you say to my daughter?” Tsunade shouted, snatching Chika out of Aizen’s arms and glaring at him fiercely when she saw her daughter’s blushing face.

Aizen smiled, “Nothing serious. I just passed on my Sage Mode training method to her.”

Hearing this, Tsunade immediately panicked. “Are you crazy? Sage Mode is extremely dangerous! It requires a vast amount of chakra! Chika is still so young, and refining chakra too early could cause irreversible damage to her body!”

Aizen explained calmly, “Relax. My method for Sage Mode training is flawless. Unlike the three great sacred lands, which rely on temporarily absorbing natural energy with the risk of petrification, my Sage Mode is a new training system. It allows for the direct absorption of natural energy, converting and storing it in the body.”

“In some ways, it’s similar to your Strength of a Hundred Seal technique, but more advanced. Your technique only stores chakra, while mine stores Sage energy.”

Tsunade was relieved, but still amazed. “That’s truly incredible.”

“Well, I’d better go find that old fool, Danzo. With all the commotion today, he’s sure to have caught wind of something. I can’t be late, or that old rat might escape.”

As Aizen prepared to leave, Tsunade quickly grabbed his arm. “Wait…”

“What is it?” Aizen asked, confused.

Blushing and avoiding eye contact, Tsunade whispered, “Will you be back tonight?”

Aizen smiled and nodded, giving Tsunade a kiss on the forehead as Chika looked on with jealousy. He made a hand sign with his right hand, and with a "poof," vanished into a cloud of smoke from the Hokage’s office.

Deep in the underground base of the Root Organization…

Danzo, the leader of Root, set down his cup of tea and listened quietly to the report of one of his subordinates, a Root ninja.

“Orochimaru’s Sound Village mobilized almost all its forces and launched a sudden attack on Konoha in collaboration with the Sand Village. However, Kakashi Hatake realized that the Fourth Kazekage wasn’t the real one but was actually Orochimaru in disguise. After informing Maki, an elite Sand ninja, the Sand Village ceased its attack. The Sound Village has been completely defeated, and Konoha sustained minimal damage."

"Only the Third Hokage was captured by Orochimaru, and the two engaged in battle. Orochimaru used an incomplete Edo Tensei to summon the First and Second Hokage to fight the Third. The Third sacrificed his life to seal the two former Hokage, but ultimately died in the battle.”

“Orochimaru was also severely wounded and fled with the help of a few Sound ninjas.”

Danzo took a sip of his tea and sneered, “Orochimaru is a fool. Summoning the First and Second Hokage in such a situation was a waste of their power, enough to topple the ninja world. But this was expected. It seems Hiruzen finally got what he wanted — to die a hero, as Hokage, protecting Konoha.”

“No, that’s not the whole story,” the Root ninja shook his head. “Fujiwara Aizen reappeared in Konoha.”

“That cursed boy again?” Danzo's brow furrowed, his eyes filled with hatred. This was the boy who had destroyed his clan and ruined his body, leaving him neither fully man nor woman.

That boy had even drugged him, forcing Danzo to publicly humiliate himself in front of Konoha's clan leaders, alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado. His secrets, including his stolen Sharingan and First Hokage cells, had been exposed.

Since then, Danzo had been hiding in this dark, miserable underground space, like a rat everyone wanted to kill.

“Yes, Lord Danzo. Fujiwara Aizen not only reappeared but also dispelled the genjutsu placed on the spectators at the Chūnin Exam finals. In front of the entire audience, he exposed the scandals of both the Third Hokage and Danzo-sama. Even the Third Hokage has faced significant criticism from Konoha’s villagers and ninjas.”

“Scandal? What scandal?” Danzo froze, a terrible feeling creeping into his heart.

“Please look at this, Lord Danzo. These are the photos currently circulating among the villagers, though most have been recovered by order of the new Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.” The Root ninja handed over some photos showing the disgraceful behavior of Konoha’s leaders.

With a loud bang, Danzo crushed his teacup to dust as he stared at the photos.

Photos of Konoha’s top four leaders in a scandalous celebration scattered to the ground. Enraged, Danzo smashed his cane against the table, destroying the teapot and cups.

“That bastard… Fujiwara Aizen! How dare he!”

Danzo roared in fury, his eyes bloodshot, his body trembling with rage.

He had hoped to use his connections with Koharu and the others to cover up the incident. After all, if one of them went down, they all would. By threatening the clan leaders with his power in the shadows, he believed he could silence them.

But Fujiwara Aizen had not only drugged him but also exposed everything to the public. Now, no matter how he tried, he couldn't clear his name.

The Hokage seat drifted further from his grasp.

As Danzo stewed in anger, he even cursed the dead Third Hokage.

“Hiruzen Sarutobi, you idiot! If you had listened to me and killed that boy when he first got involved with the Uchiha clan, none of this would have happened!”

The Root ninjas stood in silence, too afraid to utter a word in the face of their master’s wrath.

*Chapter 175: Danzo Becomes a Rogue Ninja*

"Continue," Danzo commanded sternly.

"Yes." The Root ninja’s voice trembled with a hint of fear. "Because of the exposure of these photos, the civilians of Konoha now harbor deep resentment toward you. Furthermore, Fujiwara Aizen has been using this as propaganda, claiming that you were the masked man who controlled the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha. Many people have already petitioned the Fifth Hokage to arrest you and hold you accountable."

Shimura Danzo slowly sat down, his eyes flashing with disdain. "She dares? Tsunade, that immature little girl—if not for me systematically eliminating most of the strong contenders for the Hokage position over the years, do you think she would have become the Fifth Hokage?"

"Go. Guard the entrance to the base. If anyone tries to enter without my permission, kill them on the spot."

"Understood!"

As soon as this Root ninja left, another entered.

"What now?" Danzo asked impatiently.

"Nothing," the new Root ninja replied, oblivious to the danger.

"You insolent fool, how dare you speak to me like that!" Danzo, already in a foul mood, was further enraged by this subordinate’s sudden lack of respect.

But then he realized something was off. "You’re not ‘C.’"

"Of course not." The ninja stomped his right foot, instantly creating a barrier that blocked sound and chakra within the room. Removing his mask, he revealed a face that had haunted Danzo’s nightmares.

"Don’t move." Aizen’s voice froze Danzo in place just as he attempted to release the seal on his right hand. In a flash, Aizen appeared in front of him, swung his Zanpakutō, and severed Danzo's puppet left arm. He then slashed his right eye and pierced his right palm, pinning him to the table.

"Don’t move. This is the very sword that severed your left arm before, the same type of blade that can seal a soul just like the Reaper Death Seal. If you move again, I’ll cut off your head, and not even the Impure World Reincarnation will be able to bring you back."

"What do you want? Where is ‘C’?" Danzo tried to stay calm, but the clattering of his teeth betrayed his anxiety.

For someone who always preached about the necessity of self-sacrifice for the sake of being a ninja, Danzo was surprisingly unaccustomed to the feeling himself. He had always pressured others to sacrifice through threats and manipulation, never having experienced it firsthand. Now, faced with danger, he realized he wasn’t even as composed as an ordinary person.

Ironically, people like him often held most of the power in the world.

"‘C’? Hah, would you care about the life of one of your dogs? Stop stalling for time. I’ve set up a barrier here; even if you scream your lungs out, no one will come to save you."

As Aizen spoke, he quickly sealed all of Danzo's chakra points. In Danzo’s shocked gaze, Aizen transformed into an identical version of Danzo using the Disguise Technique.

Danzo, realizing his chakra was no longer flowing, knew he couldn’t even activate the Reverse Four Symbols Seal. He stared at Aizen, whose face now looked exactly like his own, and deep fear filled his eyes.

"Don’t take it too far. I am the leader of Root—" Danzo began to shout, hoping to intimidate Aizen with his influence. But seeing the cold, indifferent look in Aizen’s eyes, he swallowed the rest of his words.

"You love demanding that ninjas sacrifice themselves, don’t you? Fine, today, I’ll let you make a sacrifice for Konoha," Aizen sneered. He silenced Danzo’s voice with a pressure point strike and transformed him into the appearance of the Root ninja ‘C,’ dressing him in the man’s uniform and binding him.

Aizen could have easily thrown Danzo into his system's storage, avoiding the need for this elaborate disguise. But that would’ve been a kindness. Instead, Aizen wanted Danzo conscious, filled with terror, panic, and dread until his mind utterly collapsed.

Danzo deserved to witness the end of his own schemes.

Taking on Danzo’s identity, Aizen summoned all the Root ninjas and used the guise of punishing the "traitor C" to subject them all to his Infinite Tsukuyomi technique.

Finally, pretending he would leave the village to lie low, Aizen instructed the Root members to surrender to the Hokage’s ANBU when they arrived. If he ever failed and died outside the village, the curse marks on their tongues would vanish, and they would then follow the orders of the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, and serve Konoha faithfully.

As for Danzo’s two children, they were still young and had not been corrupted yet. Moreover, they had little emotional attachment to Danzo. So, Aizen let them be.

After the Root members dispersed, Aizen took Danzo back to his bedroom and released his mute seal.

"Fujiwara Aizen, what do you want?" Danzo shouted hoarsely, his face twisted with rage and fear.

"Nothing much, just giving you a chance to live. How does it feel, knowing that starting tomorrow, you’ll be a rogue ninja, my dear Danzo?" Aizen sneered.

"You bastard! I bled and sweat for Konoha! You can’t do this to me!" Danzo screamed, on the verge of insanity. Becoming a rogue ninja meant he would never achieve his dream of becoming Hokage.

"None of that will change your fate. After spending your life scheming against others, it’s time for you to experience being the victim of a scheme," Aizen said with a mocking smile.

For added cruelty, Aizen used his Sharingan to extract the Root's curse seal from Danzo’s tongue and replant it before throwing him into his system's storage.

Danzo's fate was sealed. The next time he appeared would be in three years, not for power, but as a tool to sharpen Sasuke’s visual prowess.

After leaving the Root base, Aizen decided not to go straight to Tsunade, who was still in the Hokage Tower, or to Kurenai, who was tending to injured Konoha ninjas at the hospital. Instead, he returned to the hot spring inn where he and Pakura were staying.

It was already evening, and the vast Konoha was bathed in a golden, serene sunset.

When Aizen arrived, Pakura sweetly began to help him remove his Akatsuki cloak. But just then, the ring on Aizen’s hand emitted a long-forgotten pull.

Aizen and Pakura exchanged a glance and sat down cross-legged on the tatami, forming hand seals to enter their projection state.

It was the same dark cave, the same pitch-black space.

At the center stood a solitary lantern, emitting a faint light.

One by one, the Akatsuki members’ phantoms appeared around it.

"Hey, everyone, how have you all been?" Aizen said, greeting the members with his usual casual tone.