Danzo sighed, tightening his grip on the chakra-charged kunai as he gazed at Itachi with conflicted eyes.
"If this is truly the end, I just want to say one thing to you, Itachi. Thank you. What you sacrificed went far beyond your life—it surpassed what any ninja, even I, have ever given. Your Will of Fire has never been extinguished."
These words were ones Itachi had never heard before. He had sacrificed his family, love, career, and reputation for Konoha, living in darkness under his brother's hatred and exile. Yet no one had ever thanked him.
A wave of emotions surged through Itachi. There was no turning back now. This fight needed an end—there was no use in a stalemate.
Just as he prepared to shift into crows once more and launch another attack, Danzo's Sharingan detected the faintest movement.
In that instant, he saw a single tear trace down Itachi's face.
At this moment, Danzo suddenly realized just how utterly drained he was.
Perhaps, after over sixty years of struggle and battle, it was time he finally rested.
Let the younger generation guard their own world.
"This is for Sasuke!" Itachi's voice rang out from behind Danzo, accompanied by a shrieking cry of a bird.
"Chidori!"
It was too late! This time, the Chidori aimed straight for his heart.
Danzo knew there was no escaping this time—not even in his prime could he dodge such lightning-fast strike.
In the blink of an eye, Danzo plunged the kunai into his own abdomen as Itachi's right hand pierced through his chest.
The searing pain nearly choked Danzo, but at the same time, he heard Itachi's muffled groan.
He succeeded—his kunai deeply wounded Itachi, as deeply as it pierced his own flesh.
Danzo could feel his control over the transplanted Wood Release cells gradually slipping away.
He was now in a race against time—would he die from Itachi's fatal blow, or lose control of Wood Release and turn into a tree?
Perhaps becoming a tree rooted at the heart of the desert wasn't such a bad fate, but he still had unfinished business.
He had to fulfill his long-held wish—to groom the next Hokage, ensuring his legacy endured.
With that thought, Danzo gripped the kunai tighter, while using his free left hand to fiercely grab onto Itachi's arm.
Itachi's right arm was pinned, trapped inside him. His own wounds also continued to drain his strength, like his arm being nailed firmly to Danzo.
"It's over, Itachi..." Danzo struggled to say, extending his hand, releasing the seal on his chest, and pressing it toward his Sharingan. "You can't escape. Though you possess the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, you lack Madara's strength—you cannot break free from [Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique]!"
Four black runes burst from his body, enveloping both him and Itachi within a massive black sphere.
The sphere began frantically absorbing everything around it—sand, rocks, trees—and eventually, even Itachi's body was pulled inside.
Itachi shut his eyes, accepting his fate with quiet resolve.
"Mom, Dad, Sasuke… I'll come see you soon…"
After everything had finally settled down, Danzo's lifeless body lay sprawled on the ground, blood staining the sand around him.
His body lay undisturbed under the moonlight for a long time.
Black Zetsu rose up from the ground and looked at Danzo's body as he spoke:
"Never thought Itachi Uchiha would actually suffer defeat twice."
The white Zetsu standing beside him added:
"Even with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan's power, he had already lost the will to fight. Since his battle against the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, his fighting spirit had completely faded."
They walked up to Danzo, preparing to take away his body.
"The contaminated water made it impossible to retrieve the bodies—we couldn't salvage Kisame's remains. We'll just have to return Samehada to Lord Madara," Black Zetsu said as he hoisted Danzo's corpse onto his shoulder. "Lord Madara also told us to bring this one's body back… Not sure what his intentions are." He muttered under his breath before vanishing into the sand.
******
Late that night, Naruto found himself back in the familiar sewer-like labyrinth—his Mind World—a place he thought he'd never see again.
Sighing deeply, he walked toward the iron cage. He already knew why he was there.
"What do you want now?"
The Nine-Tails still had its eyes closed, but it clearly sensed Naruto's presence.
"I think we need to talk," it replied calmly—an unexpected tone that didn't match Naruto's memory of its usual loud and temperamental self.
"You're serious?" Naruto asked doubtfully, biting his lip in frustration. "I thought after our last conversation there was nothing more to say. And I already told you—don't drag me down every time you see some strange eye pattern and start trembling like a leaf. I'm fighting for both our lives right now!"
Even now, Naruto still didn't believe the fox had changed its mind.
"There are things you need to know—things that might change your perspective," the Nine-Tails said slowly. "Your frog mentor's plan—to activate Sage Mode through fusion—is impossible. You've already fused with me. Any further attempt to fuse with you will result in total failure."
Naruto struggled to contain his fury.
If he couldn't fuse with either Fukasaku or Shima the Sages, then he wouldn't be able to use Sage Mode in actual combat.
So all the grueling training he'd endured at Mount Myōboku had been for nothing?
"How is that supposed to change my mind? It only makes me angrier!" Although his heart was in turmoil, he forced himself to stay calm.
"That's true under normal circumstances… But have you ever wondered where your incredible growth comes from?"
The Nine-Tails finally opened its eyes, staring directly at Naruto.
Seeing Naruto's stunned expression, the fox felt a flicker of satisfaction—it was rare to catch the unpredictable brat off guard.
"I get what you're implying. So now you've finally decided to keep quiet—what a rare occurrence!" Naruto shot back. "Didn't you always say you didn't need me?"
After all, who could have imagined that the Nine-Tails had actually learned how to harness natural energy?
Naruto clamped his mouth shut and forced himself to stay calm.
He had never even considered such a possibility. The yellow eyes, the distinctive horizontal pupils, and the orange pigmentation around the eyes... All of these were unmistakable indicators of natural energy.
"Alright, I'll admit I was a bit too hard on you back then," he sincerely apologized, then pointed directly at the Nine-Tails and declared firmly, "But for this final battle, I will definitely use the Sharingan!"
******
Meanwhile, in the distant Sunagakure, a group of ninja discovered the corpses of Fu, Torune, and Kisame.
At this point, the deadly insects had lost their vitality due to the absence of hosts, and the lake water was once again safe.
"What should we do now?" a Chunin asked after inspecting the bodies, turning to the Jonin leading their squad.
The battlefield bore traces of an intense clash.
Two of Konoha elder Danzo Shimura's personal guards and Kisame Hoshigaki—one of Akatsuki's elite—lay dead before them.
Yet aside from the signs of combat and bloodstains, Danzo himself, however, was nowhere to be found.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>