…
Bang!
A dark figure was kicked back, slamming against the cliff face before sliding down about 20 meters. Using chakra concentrated in his hands, he managed to cling to the cliff and stabilize himself mid-fall.
Sarutobi Hiruzen crouched on the cliffside, panting heavily. His battle-worn uniform was in tatters, stained with blood. He looked utterly defeated. Even Enma, who had transformed into his battle form, had been struck by a Rasengan and returned to the summoning realm.
Every inch of his body ached as he stared up at Danzo, who gazed down at him from above.
At that moment, a bitter mix of emotions churned within him. He had lost—and lost decisively. In terms of taijutsu, chakra, and ninjutsu, Danzo had surpassed him at every turn.
With a complicated expression, he finally spoke:
"Danzo… letting you run unchecked was my greatest mistake."
Danzo looked down at him, unimpressed.
"Do you still not see it, Hiruzen? Neither your ideology nor your strength can lead Konoha any longer."
"You're old, Hiruzen. You will no longer be an elder of Konoha, nor the head of the Sarutobi clan."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with determination. His voice grew firm.
"You don't get to decide my mistakes, Danzo. Let's let our teacher be the judge."
He pressed his hands together.
Danzo's eyes narrowed, a flicker of tension crossing his face.
Damn old man—he's ready to die to take me with him.
"Hiruzen, when it comes to sealing techniques, I surpass you. Even with the Reaper Death Seal, I'm confident I can escape it."
Hiruzen froze, his hands stopping mid-seal. He stared at Danzo in shock.
"How do you know about the Reaper Death Seal? That's a secret only the Hokage knows… Was it Minato?"
Seeing Hiruzen stop the jutsu, Danzo sighed in relief.
"Did you forget where all these sealing techniques came from?"
"Kushina?" Hiruzen's face darkened with defeat. His trump card had been exposed too easily.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two dark figures dropped down from above. When they were about 100 meters away, they slowed their descent by gripping the cliff face with chakra.
"Danzo-sama…"
It was Uchiha Shisui and Pakura.
Together with Danzo, the three formed a semi-circle, cornering Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The air grew suffocatingly hot. Even breathing stung the lungs. Four deep-red fireballs floated around Pakura, her heat-distorted figure wavering like a mirage.
Meanwhile, Shisui's massive, dark-green skeletal Susanoo loomed behind him, as if it had emerged from the cliff itself. Its flaming green eyes locked onto Hiruzen with an unyielding stare.
"Scorch Release Kekkei Genkai…"
"Mangekyo Sharingan… Susanoo?"
Two Kage-level shinobi.
Even as exhausted as he was, Hiruzen's sharp eyes caught the gravity of the situation.
"How can this be…?" His confusion shifted to shock. Everything today was shattering Hiruzen's worldview.
When had Konoha gained so many Kage-level shinobi without him knowing?
"Hiruzen, just go home. Konoha's growth has far surpassed your imagination. Minato can lead the village through any challenge."
Danzo initially wanted to mock him with You don't know the true strength of Konoha, but he was wary of pushing Hiruzen to the brink. Killing him would likely provoke Minato's wrath.
Danzo thought it best to let Hiruzen see reality and retire peacefully to spend time with his grandchildren.
Feeling the weight of the three formidable auras bearing down on him, Hiruzen slowly unclenched his fists.
Danzo knew the matter was settled.
Though Sarutobi Hiruzen was a master of many jutsu, Danzo believed his greatest skill was compromise.
"But what you're doing will drag Konoha into the abyss. The Fire Daimyo's ministers are already considering abandoning Konoha."
"Oh? Then we'll replace the Fire Daimyo's ministers."
Danzo's casual tone reignited Hiruzen's fury.
"Do you even realize what you're saying, Danzo? If Konoha interferes with the Fire Nation's leadership, the other Great Nations will pounce on us!"
"Then we'll grow Konoha to a point where none of the other nations dare act."
Seeing Hiruzen's stormy expression, Danzo continued.
"If you could truly see the future, we wouldn't be here today. We're both old now, Hiruzen. It's time to trust the younger generation."
Danzo took a deep breath. There were moments when he wanted to kill Hiruzen or be killed by him just to end it all. Convincing a stubborn old man was far too exhausting.
"Trust your own judgment. Minato will handle everything. After all, you were the one who chose him back then."
…
In the end, neither of them managed to convince the other, but the outcome wasn't bad.
Sarutobi Hiruzen reluctantly agreed to step down. His ANBU were taken back under the village's control.
This political struggle, as usual, had been resolved through combat.
The only regret was that several of the Fire Nation's Twelve Guardians had escaped, including Asuma, who had left Konoha with them.
The Sarutobi clan elected a new clan head and contributed five elite jonin to the village—a major concession.
Even Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu stepped down as elders and gracefully accompanied Hiruzen into retirement.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Read more than +100 chapters and support me on Patreon
Patreon(.)com/Jixo