A fresh wound cut deep into his chest, exposing the bone beneath.
"Cough... Cough..." His consciousness was slipping, and his control over his body was deteriorating.
As the battle dragged on, his injuries worsened, blood loss increasing despite the specialized Root medication he had taken. With his arm severely damaged, his ability to perform jutsu was significantly hindered, leaving his combat strength far below its peak.
"Keep stalling him! He won't last much longer... Damn it!" The Mist swordman ninja surrounding him had also noticed his declining state.
Jūzō's excitement grew as he relayed this information to his comrades, but his momentary distraction earned him a fierce counterattack from Danzo, forcing him into a defensive stance.
With a dull thud, Danzo was sent flying by Samehada's strike, skidding across the ground and leaving a long trench in his wake.
"Cough... Cough... Is it over? That old man..." Fuguki Suikazan clutched his chest where a vacuum blade had torn through him, the deep wound making his face pale with blood loss.
Even with their extreme caution, Danzo's desperate counterattacks had inflicted serious damage on them.
"...Cough...Cough..." Blood trickled from the corner of his lips as Danzo forced himself up, swaying unsteadily.
His tattered clothing barely clung to his battered frame, covered in dirt and bloodstains, stripping away all traces of his usual composure and authority.
"..." A worried voice called out as three Genin approached Danzo.
His gaze landed on the wide-eyed, thick-browed Guy...
He couldn't hold on any longer.
Would this create a butterfly effect?
"I can still buy you time... Cough... Run east... Whether you survive or not depends on your luck..."
The idea of Genin escaping from the pursuit of Jonin was laughable. Everyone present knew that.
If Danzo fell, it would be the beginning of their end.
Their voices trembled with fear, despair, and helplessness.
Even the usually oblivious Guy could sense the vast difference in strength after witnessing the battle.
Danzo had no time to comfort them. His body was growing weaker, his head spinning with dizziness...
Summoning the last reserves of his chakra, he wiped his bloodied hand over his wound.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A massive Baku appeared on the battlefield, letting out a thunderous roar that sent shockwaves across the area, toppling trees in every direction. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were caught in the powerful gust.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Danzo unleashed a devastating blast of wind-infused chakra, the spiraling force cutting and tearing through everything in its path. With Baku's assistance, the attack barely reached the threshold of an A+ rank jutsu.
"Now! Run! ...Hm?" Before he could finish his command, Danzo sensed a chakra signature rapidly closing in.
"Guy!"
Before the figure even arrived, a familiar, joyous voice rang out.
A green blur landed on the battlefield—a man clad in the same garish green jumpsuit, his body surrounded by a fierce green chakra aura.
Might Duy had arrived, his Seventh Gate fully opened, the sheer pressure of his chakra distorting the air around him.
With a loud puff, the exhausted Baku vanished from the battlefield.
"You came..." Danzo, unable to hold on any longer, collapsed onto one knee.
"Father! What are you doing here?! They're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! You have to run!" Might Guy's initial joy quickly turned to horror.
"Guy... Do you remember 'self-restraint'?" Might Duy grinned, flashing his signature brilliant smile.
"But..." Guy seemed to realize what was about to happen. He bit his lip, his tears and snot uncontrollably streaming down his face.
"How touching... But don't worry. I'll make sure you die together. First, I'll cut off that old bastard's limbs, then I'll take my time with you..."
The remaining Mist swordsmen, though battered and bloodied, smirked as they laid eyes on the fallen Danzo. Seeing his chakra completely depleted, they finally relaxed.
Danzo, barely able to kneel, felt an overwhelming wave of exhaustion before he completely collapsed.
"Guy, watch closely. This... is youth! Now..."
"Eighth Gate... Gate of Death, OPEN!"
"One Step...!"
In the haze of fading consciousness, Danzo heard a fierce battle cry and the deafening roar of air being torn apart.
...
Half a Month Later – Konohagakure's Northern War Camp
Inside a central tent, Danzo stared at his reflection in the mirror.
His face was gaunt and wrinkled, his right arm tightly bandaged and slung around his neck. The Sharingan beneath his right eye was also hidden under layers of bandages.
Looking at himself, he didn't even know how to react.
This was Danzo, in every sense of the word.
He could feel it—his once-vibrant organs now exuded a sluggish, aged sensation.
"This time, I really lost..."
A set of approaching footsteps interrupted his thoughts.
"Danzo-sama, you need to rest..."
Yakushi Nonō entered the tent, her expression filled with concern as she rushed to his side, ready to assist him.
"I've been stuck in here for a week. I just want to get some fresh air..."
But as she leaned in closer, Danzo found himself feeling uncomfortable. Having Nonō care for him so closely for half a month—especially the week since he regained consciousness—was nothing short of humiliating.
Years of carefully cultivated authority had crumbled in an instant.
"I knew you wouldn't stay put. Look what I brought for you!" She beamed, pulling out a cane from behind her.
Danzo's eye twitched. This was truly Danzo in his final form.
"You don't like it?" she asked, her tone soft yet questioning.
"Don't treat me like one of your orphans." Danzo's voice carried its usual stern authority, though deep down, he felt helpless. Taking the cane, he slowly stepped out of the tent.
"Yes, Danzo-sama..." She followed closely behind, a rare glint of playfulness in her gaze.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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