Although Yahiko and Nagato already knew that today's events were part of a trap set by Uchiha Ren for Shimura Danzō, they had no idea how Ren intended to carry it out.
So when they arrived and saw Hanzo attack Danzō immediately—
Both of them were completely stunned.
For a moment, they simply stood there in a daze.
In truth, Uchiha Ren had been forced to act.
Although he had manipulated Hanzo of the Salamander into cooperating with Danzō, the latter never truly trusted Hanzo.
From the moment they met, Danzō had maintained a constant level of vigilance toward him, leaving Hanzo no opportunity to strike.
But when Yahiko and Nagato appeared—
Danzō finally showed a brief moment of distraction.
For someone as cautious as Danzō, this kind of opening was extremely rare.
Opportunity knocks but once.
So Uchiha Ren did not hesitate.
He immediately controlled Hanzo and launched the attack.
Even so, Danzō still reacted at the final moment, barely avoiding a fatal blow.
"You… why?!"
Sheltered behind a group of Root shinobi, Danzō clutched his wounded shoulder while a subordinate treated him. His voice was filled with disbelief as he questioned Hanzo.
He simply couldn't understand it.
Why would Hanzo attack him?
How dared Hanzo attack him?
After all, Shimura Danzō was a Konoha elder and Hokage advisor—one of the highest-ranking figures in the village.
Did Hanzo not fear Konoha's retaliation?
Hanzo's eyes flickered slightly as he snorted.
"Danzō… this operation of yours did not receive Hiruzen Sarutobi's approval, did it?"
"You privately stirred up conflict in the Land of Rain battlefield. Do you really think Hiruzen would defend you?"
"Would he truly plunge Konoha back into war… for your sake?"
The series of questions left Danzō momentarily stunned.
Given what he knew of Hiruzen—
The answer was likely no.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had long since lost his sharpness. For the sake of so-called peace, he would choose compromise every time.
And this mission had been conducted against Hiruzen's wishes.
If something went wrong and Danzō died here—
It would simply be a wasted death.
Realizing this, Danzō's face darkened.
Hanzo continued,
"Hiruzen Sarutobi is a Hokage who always considers the greater good."
"Without your restraints, Danzō, Konoha under his influence would become even more… accommodating."
"While chaos might bring certain advantages to the Land of Rain, a Konoha that 'considers the bigger picture' would bring even greater benefits."
Danzō's expression grew uglier.
He had already understood Hanzo's reasoning.
Among Konoha's so-called "High Council Four"—
Hiruzen SarutobiHomura MitokadoKoharu Utatane
were all softline moderates.
Only Shimura Danzō himself represented the hardline faction.
As long as peace could be maintained, the other three were willing to sacrifice certain interests.
Even with Danzō still around, they had already conceded far too much.
If he were gone—
They would likely concede even more.
For surrounding nations, such a Konoha would be the ideal neighbor.
Hanzo's decision was therefore perfectly logical.
The only question troubling Danzō now was:
How did Hanzo know Konoha's internal political situation so well?
Could it be that there was a traitor within the village?
"I underestimated you…"
Danzō said coldly, his eyes filled with malice.
"But achieving your goal won't be that easy."
He prepared to order the Root shinobi beside him to attack—
But before he could speak, his expression suddenly changed.
Something was wrong.
"You noticed?"
Hanzo smiled faintly.
"My attacks aren't so easy to evade."
"Lord Danzō! The blade was poisoned!"
The Root shinobi treating him cried out in alarm.
The severed arm's wound had already turned dark purple, the poison rapidly spreading.
With his skill, he couldn't even identify the toxin—let alone neutralize it.
"Danzō, today is the day you die."
Hanzo raised two fingers, preparing to attack again.
"Attack! And don't let that brat escape!"
Even in this moment, Danzō hadn't forgotten Nagato's Rinnegan.
Dozens of Root operatives immediately split into three groups.
One group stayed behind to guard Danzō.One group rushed toward Yahiko and the others below.The majority charged straight at Hanzo.
"Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation!"
Hanzo clasped his hands together.
He had no choice but to activate the explosive tags he had secretly planted earlier.
Although Danzō had ordered Root to monitor Amegakure, Uchiha Ren, hiding in the shadows, had remained completely outside their surveillance.
After confirming the meeting location yesterday, Ren had quietly come here and laid numerous traps.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A chain of explosions erupted.
Dozens of explosive tags burst out of the ground, flying toward the Root shinobi.
In an instant, the entire valley was swallowed by a sea of flames.
"Why are you still standing there?! Run!"
Hanzo had deliberately avoided placing traps near Yahiko's position.
Now he shouted at them.
Only then did Yahiko's group snap out of their shock.
They immediately turned and fled toward the valley exit.
"Don't let them escape!"
Several battered Root shinobi burst through the flames and chased after them.
Yahiko carried Konan in his arms and kept running without slowing down.
Nagato suddenly stopped.
Turning around, he faced the pursuing Root operatives and raised his hand.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A powerful repulsive force erupted outward.
Caught off guard, the pursuing Root shinobi were blown backward.
However, Nagato had not yet fully mastered the Rinnegan's power.
The technique's force was still limited.
The Root shinobi quickly regained their footing.
With no other choice, Nagato stayed behind to buy time for Yahiko and Konan to escape.
Meanwhile, Hanzo had no time to worry about them.
At that moment, he himself was facing the combined assault of dozens of Root shinobi.
"Poof!"
Under the assault of several Root operatives, Nagato's body suddenly burst into a cloud of smoke.
"A Shadow Clone?!"
The Root shinobi froze in confusion.
Their target from the very beginning had been Nagato.
But the real Nagato had never appeared.
Now they had lost their objective entirely.
"Smart move."
From afar, Hanzo noticed the scene and silently praised the tactic.
His hands began forming seals rapidly.
Now that only enemies remained on the battlefield—
He no longer had anything to hold back.
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