At the same time, Kaito's mind moved—and the entire Thunder Abyss erupted into chaos.
Countless lightning arrows surged down like a torrential downpour, falling toward Danzo in a devastating barrage!
Danzo had only just advanced a few steps when he was instantly pierced through—his body riddled like a sieve.
As the final Sharingan on his right arm slowly closed, Danzo resurrected once again through Izanagi. But before he could make a move, the Thunder Dragon—waiting patiently—struck.
Its enormous crimson maw opened wide and swallowed Danzo whole.
And just like that, Shimura Danzo was completely annihilated by Kaito.
With a single thought from Kaito, the red arcs of electricity in the abyss—including the massive thunder serpent before him—dispersed like mist, dissolving into pure elemental energy.
All that remained were scorched remains and blistering heat, radiating like molten lava.
A blackened corpse tumbled down from the sky, right from where the serpent had been moments before. Kaito caught it, and his figure shot upward in a streak of lightning.
The corpse in his arms was none other than Danzo himself.
By the time Kaito soared above Katsuyu, the thunderstorm had dissipated. Even the dark clouds overhead had cleared, revealing the full moon's glow.
That was the sequence of events leading to this moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face twisted in horror as he looked at Danzo's charred body tossed before him. His hand clenched tightly around his pipe, and his pale expression darkened further with barely contained rage.
His gaze remained fixed on Kaito—sharp, unreadable.
Kaito stood calmly, arms crossed over his chest, his presence unwavering atop the giant slug. His composed demeanor carried the oppressive air of a man standing above all.
In this moment, it felt as though Madara Uchiha himself were standing alone against the Allied Shinobi Forces.
"Go! Find Lady Tsunade!" Hiruzen's voice was hoarse, as if all strength had left his body.
Kaito clapped his hands lightly. "Then... goodbye, old man."
With that, the enormous Katsuyu vanished. In the next breath, Kaito's body transformed into lightning—and he disappeared from sight.
The Earth-style shinobi quickly filled in the pit. Wherever possible, the bodies were retrieved and sent to the Memorial Stone for burial.
Hiruzen's words signified that the events of the night had come to a close.
As he departed, the remaining shinobi exchanged looks before silently dispersing.
As trained ninja, they understood what should and shouldn't be spoken aloud. But the events of tonight—this confrontation—none of them would ever forget. Nor would they forget the lone figure who stood above them all.
Root's headquarters had been obliterated—reduced to a gaping abyss. Every member of Root was eliminated, and Danzo Shimura, the senior advisor of Konoha, had been reduced to ash before their very eyes.
And yet, the Third Hokage let the boy walk away unharmed.
The cause of it all? Danzo dared to provoke the two women closest to that boy.
Tonight, Konoha learned a hard lesson—and added two more names to the list of people not to cross: Hyuga Hinata and Yamanaka Ino.
Anyone who dared to target them in the future would remember this blood-soaked night.
The male shinobi regarded the event with awe—seeing Kaito as a prodigious powerhouse. Young, fearsome, and clearly dangerous.
But the kunoichi… they thought differently.
Many of them saw Kaito as a hero—or even a secret crush. They envied Hinata and Ino, and more than a few were jealous of their bond with him.
Even in a world governed by strength, there remained a subtle, lingering gap between men and women. It had always been this way in the ninja world.
Yet Kaito's power, his decisive action tonight, and most of all—his unwavering will to fight for the ones he loved…
Countless kunoichi found themselves drawn to him.
Some even wished they were a few years younger, just to have a chance to steal Kaito's heart—and maybe bear his children.
Among them, Kurenai Yuhi stood out. She was utterly captivated.
From Kaito's tender care toward Hinata and Ino, to his utter destruction of Root tonight—he embodied everything she'd imagined in a childhood fantasy.
---
Inside the Hokage's Office, Konoha's old council—once known as "F3"—sat in silence. The air was heavy with unease.
Koharu Utatane's eyes were red, and her voice trembled with fury. "Why did you let Kaito go?! Did Danzo die for nothing?!"
Hiruzen, pipe in hand, sighed heavily. His gaze was distant. "What choice did we have? Danzo's gone. Are you suggesting we kill Kaito in return?"
"Even if we tried, with that strange body-flicker technique—and the strength he displayed tonight—who in Konoha could defeat him? Kakashi? Asuma? Guy?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "Even if we succeeded, how many elites would we lose in the process? Konoha isn't strong enough to afford that kind of sacrifice right now."
"So we just let it go?!" Koharu growled, her fists clenched.
Danzo had been her comrade for decades. Though they'd done questionable things in the shadows, their bond ran deep. Now he'd died in his own territory—and they could do nothing?
"How can we let this go?"
"We need to focus on stabilizing the Yamanaka and Hyuga clans," Hiruzen said gravely.
Koharu scowled. "Appease them? Why? And both clans are made up of sensory-type shinobi. When you arrived—Danzo was still alive! Why didn't they warn you?!"
Her voice trembled with fury and suspicion as she glared across the table.
---
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