Seeing that it was Danzo who had seized his wrist, Uchiha Suigiku hurriedly asked, "Danzo-sama, are you unharmed?"
Danzo's expression was grim.
Beneath the bandages no one could see, the three tomoe in his right eye had already faded into a dull, lifeless gray. The sealing formula layered over the bandage concealed everything—even Uchiha Suigiku noticed nothing unusual.
Faced with Uchiha Gogo's Mangekyō technique, Danzo had been forced to use Izanagi to evade death.
He only had one Sharingan.
That revival had cost him his sole chance.
With or without a Sharingan, the difference to Danzo was enormous.
He began calculating immediately. He would need to approach Orochimaru again. More eyes. Many more.
With his current Wood Release-enhanced physique, if he could implant a dozen three-tomoe Sharingan, he could secure a dozen resurrections.
During the Uzushio War in the Second Shinobi World War, Danzo—then supreme commander—had ordered Aburame Ryoma and others to collect more than a dozen three-tomoe Sharingan.
Three-tomoe Sharingan were perfect consumables.
The more, the better.
Yako watched Danzo stop Suigiku from killing Uchiha Gogo.
Understanding flashed through his mind.
Sharingan had to be harvested alive.
Dead eyes were useless.
Danzo's free hand extended again, talon-like fingers stabbing toward Gogo's eye socket.
At that instant—
A Water Severing Wave shot in, slicing horizontally toward Gogo's throat.
If it struck, Gogo's head would fly—several stories high.
Danzo reacted instantly, shifting from a claw to a block.
Another seal-less technique—
Wood Release: Violent Spear Tree!
The Water Severing Wave cleaved halfway through the erupting tree. The resilient Wood Release barely held it back—saving Gogo.
"Suigiku! Stop Fox!" Danzo barked.
"White Ram! Golden Eagle! Stop Uchiha Suigiku!" Yako shouted at the same time.
The battlefield plunged into chaos.
A chaos so twisted it was almost absurd.
Danzo, who wanted to gouge out Gogo's Mangekyō, was desperately protecting him.
Yako, who opposed Danzo, was trying with all his might to kill Gogo.
Suigiku, obeying Danzo, attacked Fox relentlessly.
White Ram and Golden Eagle, obeying Fox, attacked Suigiku with equal ferocity.
At the eye of the storm, Uchiha Gogo suddenly realized—
He was briefly safe.
He stared in confusion.
No matter how he looked at it—
Everyone's face screamed hunger.
Some wanted his eyes.
Others wanted his life.
Gogo laughed softly.
So Clan Head Uchiha Kagen had been right.
Danzo's temper flared. He unleashed one of the most elite Wind Release techniques in the shinobi world.
Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere fired like bullets, hammering against Semi-Absolute Defense: Spiral Serpent, sending sprays of water into the air.
Wind Release: Vacuum Wave sliced toward Fox's midsection. One blade slipped around Spiral Serpent—
But it failed to pierce Absolute Defense: Bronze Light.
Fox's Water Severing Wave was too lethal.
Danzo was forced to repeatedly use Violent Spear Tree to shield Gogo.
Far away, prone on the ground, Uchiha Tōka finally understood what was happening.
Danzo and ANBU were fighting—
Over how to dispose of his brother.
Danzo wanted the Mangekyō.
ANBU wanted him dead.
From beneath the earth, the voice returned:
"Remember the bell test from Academy graduation?
Your brother is the bell.
They're fighting over him.
His eyes… are irresistible."
"What do I do?!" Tōka cried toward the unseen voice. "How do I save him?! Someone—save us!"
Silence.
Then—
A wooden spear erupted from the ground and pierced through Gogo's back.
Tōka's entire body shook.
Why had the situation shifted again?
The wooden spear bloomed inside Gogo's body—
Like a hedgehog.
Over a dozen wooden spikes burst through his chest.
At that density—
No organ could have survived.
Yako had finally seized an opening and used the Impalement Technique.
The next moment—
Guruguru burst from underground, crouching beside Uchiha Tōka.
Yako's head snapped toward him.
Uchiha Tōka saw his brother's organs torn apart.
He understood.
His brother was dying.
"AHHHH!!!"
His scream tore through the clearing.
The three tomoe in his eyes spun violently.
Golden Eagle turned in shock.
His Eight Trigrams chakra sealing—
Had been forcibly blown apart?
Tōka rose to his feet.
Golden Eagle's chakra vanished from his tenketsu as if erased.
Behind him, Guruguru thought:
Madara-sama said your talent surpasses your brother's. Don't disappoint him.
Your brother was half a failure.
You, Uchiha Tōka, are the chosen one.
Uchiha Gogo coughed thick blood.
Too much.
Wave after wave.
He slowly turned his head.
His dying gaze met Tōka's.
Relief flickered in his eyes.
His little brother's eyes—
The three tomoe fused.
Becoming Mangekyō.
They resembled Gogo's—four spiraling arcs converging at the pupil.
But between the arcs, four black circular marks now appeared.
Danzo saw it too.
He slashed away more of Fox's Earth Spear Forest with Vacuum Blade.
"Fox! I order you to stand down!"
Yako stood firm, righteous and resolute.
"Uchiha Gogo murdered an ANBU. I have just assumed the vice-captaincy. I will not tolerate it. Uchiha Gogo must die."
We're in the right.
What is there to fear?
If this reached the Hokage, Yako's stance was airtight.
Even the Uchiha could not refute it.
As for Danzo gouging eyes—
That had nothing to do with him.
How would he know harvested eyes could still be used?
Gogo's vision blurred.
He raised a trembling hand, pointing weakly at his own eyes.
Blood bubbled from his lips as he whispered hoarsely:
"Take them… Tō… don't leave them… to Konoha…"
Tōka remembered the clan rumors.
Throughout history, famed Uchiha brothers—
One always died.
The other survived.
Never an exception.
Whispers had spread that Uchiha brothers were destined to slaughter one another.
Tōka had always scoffed.
Gogo had raised him.
More father than brother.
Now, watching his brother dying—his final wish being to entrust his eyes—
Something inside Tōka snapped.
Darkened.
Guruguru murmured at the perfect moment:
"Only Madara-sama can oppose Konoha. Only he can grant you revenge. Go to him. He's been waiting for you…"
Tōka grabbed Guruguru's wrist.
"I want revenge! REVENGE!"
The spiral mask opened—
And collided into him.
It became wooden armor.
Wooden spikes pierced into Tōka's flesh, modifying his body through Wood Release.
He screamed in agony.
Yako's heart sank.
Wood Release armor. Spiral mask. Hashirama cells stimulation.
This was practically a miniature Obito.
"Endure it," Guruguru whispered. "You'll need the Mayfly Technique to escape. Without it, Konoha will hunt you down."
Once Tōka steadied, Guruguru spoke again from within the mask:
"Your brother's injuries are fatal.
But I can fulfill his final wish.
We'll take his eyes. We won't leave them for Konoha."
Seeing Tōka's newly awakened Mangekyō, Yako felt a chill.
It wasn't the full moon yet.
Too risky to gamble.
Unknown Mangekyō abilities were dangerous.
Best observe.
Right on cue, Danzo launched a Wind Release ambush at Yako.
Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves blasted him a hundred meters away.
Yako crashed into a tree, biting his lip until blood flowed.
"Such powerful Wind Release!"
At least forty percent genuine.
Vacuum Serial Waves could cut through Susanoo.
Intersecting wind blades carved cracks into Bronze Light.
If it broke—
His chest would be shredded.
Two hits. That was his limit.
White Ram and Golden Eagle withdrew once Fox was blown clear.
Danzo relaxed slightly—
Then rushed toward Gogo.
Hurry.
If the pupils dilated, even Mangekyō would be useless.
Now empowered by Guruguru, Tōka's chakra and taijutsu surged into Kage-tier.
Danzo's claw closed in—
Three centimeters.
His vision was suddenly filled with a white fist.
His face distorted violently.
He was blown away.
Yako's thoughts flashed—
Damn. Why is he flying toward me?
Should I strike?
Golden Eagle's Byakugan was wide open.
No chance.
Danzo slammed his kunai into the ground midair, grinding to a halt and carving a deep trench.
His cheekbones and upper jaw were clearly fractured.
After that punch—
He grew cautious.
His Sharingan was gone.
No more trump card.
Guruguru spoke again.
"Tōka… Konoha reinforcements are coming. I can only take you.
Your brother's having a final surge. Take the eyes. We leave."
Gogo saw the Mangekyō in his brother's mask.
Peace touched his heart.
He pointed again at his eyes.
Guruguru, seeing Tōka hesitate, acted.
Wooden vines extended—
And plucked out both of Gogo's eyes.
Danzo flickered in—
Reaching for the Mangekyō.
Tōka pulled back.
Danzo feinted—
Then lunged for Tōka's own eyes.
Guruguru laughed.
"Shimura brat. Cowardly bloodline. You've grown into something truly disgusting."
Wooden spikes shot from the mask—
Piercing Danzo's palm.
He recoiled in pain.
Tōka's body sank into the earth.
Danzo tried to pursue—
Too late.
He spun around, fury blazing.
"Fox! What were you doing?!"
I was cultivating Eternal Mangekyō, Yako thought calmly.
If things went smoothly—
Next time they met, he could harvest a Mangekyō without blindness or side effects.
In that moment—
Several figures flickered in.
Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Mitokado Homura.
Yellow Dog.
Mitokado Homura saw Gogo's corpse and said sharply:
"Block Uchiha Kagen! Seal all information! Nothing leaks!"
Yako glanced at Golden Eagle, who led injured ANBU to intercept the Uchiha.
Yellow Dog turned to him.
"Fox. What happened?"
Yako replied evenly:
"Yellow Dog-sama. One moment. There is still an Uchiha ninja hiding in that house's restroom."
Uchiha Jun—the Police Force interrogation chief—had witnessed everything from a bathroom window.
Now every high-ranking official looked toward him.
His scalp went numb.
He quickly formed seals—
Preparing to summon a ninja crow.
Danzo moved first.
A kunai pierced the wall—
And embedded itself into Uchiha Jun's skull.
Uchiha Suigiku saw Danzo kill another Uchiha.
His body trembled.
His head lowered deeply.