Naruto: Growing Stronger Through Healing

Pfft!

Homura and Koharu suddenly spewed mouthfuls of blood, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief, their expressions frozen as if time itself had halted.

"Danzo, you—"

They tried to say something more, to curse him, to question him, or perhaps to beg, but Rinne Path–White Zetsu twisted the kunai mercilessly. The blade ground deep, crushing their hearts without the slightest hesitation.

A shattered heart could not be saved—not even by a god.

The two elders who had monopolized the power of Konoha's Advisors for decades collapsed where they stood, their lives ending in unwilling silence.

They died with resentment unresolved, with bitterness and fury burning in their final moments.

Even in death, their eyes remained wide open, staring fiercely fixed on Danzo.

"Danzo!!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's furious roar echoed throughout the Root base, shaking the walls themselves.

He could hardly believe what he had just witnessed.

Danzo—his old comrade of decades—had dared to slaughter lifelong friends right in front of him, without hesitation, without remorse.

"Are you insane, Danzo?!"

Faced with Hiruzen's rage, Rinne Path–White Zetsu merely let out a cold, contemptuous laugh.

"They were nothing more than two useless pieces. I should have killed them long ago," he said indifferently. "Now, it's your turn, Hiruzen."

Hearing those words, Sarutobi Hiruzen's complexion darkened further, his eyes burning with suppressed fury.

"All of this… for the Hokage position?" Hiruzen demanded grimly. "You would personally murder comrades you've known for decades just for power?"

"The Hokage seat should have been mine from the very beginning," Rinne Path–White Zetsu replied, his voice low and venomous. "If you hadn't stolen it from me, Konoha would have unified the entire Ninja World under my rule long ago."

As he spoke, both of his hands rapidly formed hand seals.

"Today, I will prove to Teacher Tobirama that I am the true Hokage!"

Before the last word faded, he slammed both palms hard against the ground.

Sssssss!

Exploding tags—countless of them—erupted to life.

It turned out that a massive explosive trap had already been buried deep within the Root base long ago, prepared for this very moment.

Rinne Path–White Zetsu detonated it without hesitation.

"Hiruzen, atone for your past mistakes! From today onward, Konoha will be ruled by me!" He laughed madly as the explosions erupted.

Seeing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his last remaining hesitation toward Danzo vanish completely.

The man before him was no longer his old friend. He was a traitor. A madman.

"Danzo, you've completely lost your mind," Hiruzen said coldly. "Since that is the case, today I will cleanse you for Teacher Tobirama myself!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The exploding tags detonated in rapid succession, but Sarutobi Hiruzen reacted instantly, erecting powerful Earth Release ninjutsu to block the blast.

When the dust settled, he stood unharmed—an adamantine staff already clenched in his hand.

At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen was no longer holding back. He was ready to fight in earnest.

Boom!

He thrust the staff forward. In an instant, it extended at terrifying speed, smashing straight into Rinne Path–White Zetsu.

This was a blow capable of knocking the Nine-Tails out of Konoha itself.

If Rinne Path–White Zetsu had not already been dead, his body would have been utterly destroyed.

Wind Release: Cutting Wind Technique!

Rinne Path–White Zetsu immediately formed a single hand seal. A violent surge of wind compressed into an impossibly sharp blade and shot forward.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils shrank sharply.

"When did Danzo learn to use a single hand seal to release a jutsu…?"

In that instant, the man he had known for decades felt utterly unfamiliar—like a complete stranger wearing Danzo's face.

Even so, Hiruzen barely managed to dodge the wind blade at the last moment.

Seizing that opening, Rinne Path–White Zetsu threw down a smoke bomb and vanished into the shadows.

Having already succeeded in provoking Hiruzen into developing a true killing intent toward Danzo, there was no reason to remain any longer.

"Did he escape…?"

"Immediately issue a death order on Danzo!" Sarutobi Hiruzen roared. "Mobilize all Anbu—he must be killed without exception!"

At his command, the Anbu moved at once.

"Hiruzen, are you alright?" The adamantine staff in Hiruzen's hand reverted to its true form—the Monkey King, Enma.

As both a summoned beast and a close friend, Enma looked at Hiruzen with concern.

Hiruzen did not answer. He silently walked over to the lifeless bodies of Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu.

Countless emotions churned violently within his heart. He could not understand how everything had descended to this point.

In that moment, it felt as though Sarutobi Hiruzen had aged ten—no, twenty years in an instant.

"Utatane… Koharu…" After a long silence, he crouched down and gently closed their staring eyes.

"May you both rest in peace."

Seeing his master's posture, Enma could only step forward quietly and place a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Meanwhile…

Inside Konoha Prison…

Danzo lay resting inside his cell.

Suddenly, the silhouette of Rinne Path–Orochimaru appeared.

Sensing an intruder, Danzo jolted awake. When he recognized Orochimaru, he first let out a breath of relief—then immediately erupted in anger.

"Orochimaru! Where have you been hiding all this time? Why did the mission fail?!"

Facing his accusation, Rinne Path–Orochimaru gave a cold, mocking laugh.

"Danzo, you really have a big heart," he said lazily. "You've turned Konoha upside down, and you still have the leisure to nap here."

"What…?" Danzo froze, his face blank with confusion.

Before he could process the words, Rinne Path–White Zetsu appeared as well.

No longer disguised as Danzo. Now, he wore the face of another Root ninja—codename Rei.

"Lord Danzo, the plan has failed. You must flee immediately."

"What plan?" Danzo looked even more bewildered.

"It was you, Lord Danzo," Rei said solemnly, "who sent Mu to deliver the order. We were instructed to assassinate the Hokage, and both Advisors have already been killed."

"The mission failed. You have been marked as a traitor by the Hokage. If you don't flee now, the Anbu will be upon you."

Those few sentences caused Danzo's complexion to change drastically.

"I was just taking a nap…" he muttered in disbelief. "How did everything explode the moment I woke up?"

"How could I possibly give such an order?!"

"But the facts are right in front of you," Rinne Path–Orochimaru said with a playful grin. "I never expected that meeting you once would lead to such a spectacular performance."

His words only made Danzo's face grow uglier. For the first time in his life, Danzo felt completely speechless.

Being blamed for something he had never done—it was truly painful.

"Damn it!" Danzo roared in rage. "If I ever find out who framed me, I will never forgive them!"

Without another word, he fled alongside Rinne Path–Orochimaru. Moments after they left Konoha Prison, Anbu forces descended in pursuit.

"Criminal Danzo spotted!"

"And the rogue Orochimaru as well—do not let them escape!"

"We must kill them and avenge the two Advisors!"

Before the shouts finished, a storm of attacks erupted.

Shuriken. Kunai. Fire Release. Water Release.

A full-scale lethal assault—without mercy.

Seeing this, Danzo finally understood that Orochimaru and Rei had been telling the truth.

"Lord Danzo, hurry and escape!" Rinne Path–White Zetsu declared. "I'll hold them here!"

Displaying absolute loyalty, he stayed behind to cover Danzo's retreat.

Danzo hesitated for only a moment—then followed Orochimaru without question.

Rinne Path–White Zetsu used his own flesh to block the Anbu's attacks, his body torn apart until he was nearly reduced to a skeleton.

Fortunately, he was Rinne Path–White Zetsu. Using the power of the Hell Path, he was able to revive.

With Rinne Path–Orochimaru's assistance, Danzo finally escaped from Konoha.

Upon receiving this news, Sarutobi Hiruzen flew into a towering rage. He immediately declared Danzo an S-rank Rogue Ninja of Konoha.

Without delay, he dispatched Hatake Sakumo to lead a pursuit team.

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