The massive Five-Tails kept its best running form even at full size. One small step from Han covered the same ground as a jonin's Body Flicker.
Now he was sprinting all-out on all fours, kicking up dirt and trees so thick that no one could get close.
Every Leaf shinobi still standing looked stunned. Iwa's ambush had come out of nowhere, and their retreat was just as sudden and ruthless.
Han had gone full tailed beast just to run faster.
"Taiichi, you're not chasing?"
The voice came from beside him. Taiichi turned and saw a blood-soaked ninja with one arm hanging useless and dark circles under his eyes.
"You're… Mimura Yagami? The commander?"
Taiichi almost didn't recognize him. The man was a mess—more than ten wounds of every size across his body.
"Yeah. Not commander anymore. Danzo's in charge now," Mimura said, voice flat with exhaustion.
"Danzo? That coward who ran the second things got ugly? Look around. How many Root ninjas do you still see?"
Taiichi had noticed it the moment he arrived. Plenty of Leaf shinobi had survived the Tailed Beast Bomb, but some had slipped away without a sound. Only Root members would abandon everyone else to follow Danzo's orders like that.
In plain terms, Danzo had used the other Leaf ninja as shields to buy time for himself and Root to escape.
Mimura and the surviving shinobi finally understood. They scanned the field and didn't spot a single Root ninja left.
The camp erupted.
They were ready to die if ordered to hold the line. But not like this. Not betrayed without warning.
"That son of a bitch! We trusted him!"
"Some commander he turned out to be!"
"Root was never on our side. They just used us as meat!"
Taiichi watched the anger spread and knew his words had done their job. But they still weren't safe.
"Mimura Jonin, this is an emergency. You're taking command. Get everyone moving.
Iwa just pulled back, but they'll be back soon. The camp can't survive another fight. Give the order."
"Yeah, Mimura Jonin. Lead us," the others agreed.
Taiichi could have taken over himself, but he wasn't from this front and he was still just a kid. People respected him, but they'd hesitate to follow a boy into another battle.
"Fine. I won't argue." Mimura's exhaustion vanished. He stood straighter and started snapping out orders.
"Inuzuka Hikaru, take four squads and scout the perimeter. Make sure we don't get hit again."
"Yamanaka Hideo, inventory supplies. Salvage everything we can. We're pulling out soon."
"Suzuki, search for the wounded and the dead. Bring everyone in."
When he finished, Mimura turned to Taiichi. "Taiichi, I hear your medical ninjutsu is the best we've got. Help the medical team. Save who you can."
"No problem, Commander Mimura. It's what I'm here for."
Taiichi flashed away without another word.
Mimura watched him go and shook his head. Tsunade's student really was something—decisive, loyal, and completely focused on the Will of Fire.
But Taiichi didn't go to the medical camp. His real body appeared high in the sky, more than ten kilometers from the battlefield.
A shadow clone was already handling the medical tents. There were too many wounded for the healers to manage alone.
The scene shifted to Danzo.
When the Tailed Beast Bomb came screaming in at close range, Danzo's soul nearly left his body. He cursed Iwa for being suicidal and dove aside without giving a single order.
It was a rushed, smaller Tailed Beast Bomb, but it was still a Tailed Beast Bomb. The explosion blasted everything nearby into the air.
The Leaf shinobi who had gathered at Danzo's signal took the worst of it.
Danzo himself only survived because he fled early and stayed just outside the blast radius.
When he steadied himself and looked around, his heart turned to ice. Over a hundred Leaf ninja who had rallied to him were dead or dying. The whole camp was chaos.
In the distance, Han had recovered and was already pulling Iwa forces back together. Danzo knew the battle was lost.
He had to save as much Leaf strength as possible—more importantly, save Root's strength. Otherwise this defeat wouldn't just cost him his seat. He'd be held fully responsible.
"Terai, give the order to Root. Retreat now. Regroup at Outpost 8 in the Land of Fire."
Without looking back, Danzo fled the camp.
In his mind the camp was already gone. The entire force was scattered and Iwa still had a jinchuriki. The only thing that mattered was preserving his own power.
Of course "his own power" meant Root. Regular Leaf shinobi could make the necessary sacrifice for the village. Konoha would remember their contributions.
Danzo ran without hesitation. Terai relayed the order and caught up fast.
The two fled through the forest like death was right behind them.
Neither noticed the figure watching from over a thousand meters in the air, tracking every move.
When Taiichi's real body appeared, the shadow clone dispersed in smoke, leaving a Flying Thunder God kunai behind.
Taiichi caught the kunai and looked down at the two fleeing men with a cold, satisfied smile.
This was what they called reaping what you sow.
Danzo had written his own ending.
As western front commander, Taiichi couldn't have touched him before—not while he held the lives of over a thousand Leaf shinobi in his hands.
If anything happened to Danzo, the entire western front might have collapsed. That was why even after Danzo tried to kill Yohei, everyone had been forced to swallow their rage.
But now? Danzo's arrogance after one so-called victory had exposed every weakness. Iwa's ambush had nearly broken the front.
And then Danzo had fled with Root first, throwing away every shield he had.
Taiichi wasn't about to waste this perfect chance.
His chakra sensing stayed locked on the pair. Taiichi flew ahead and landed in their path, hiding in the undergrowth along the route they had to take.
A few minutes later Danzo and Terai passed right by his hiding spot. Taiichi held his breath and emptied his mind so his killing intent wouldn't give him away.
The second they passed the large tree he was behind, Taiichi moved.
He flashed forward with Body Flicker, short blade aimed straight at Danzo's neck from behind.
Even if Danzo dodged, Taiichi's follow-up would finish it.
But at the last instant a figure appeared in front of the blade—Terai, throwing himself into the path.
The loyal jonin took the killing blow meant for his master.
The delay gave Danzo time to react.
He Body Flickered to a tree and turned to face the masked, transformed Taiichi.
"An Iwa ninja? Since when does Iwa have a swordsman this strong?"
Danzo wasn't panicking yet. He was still a top-tier shinobi. The ambush had caught him off guard, but in a straight fight he could at least run.
Taiichi twisted the blade, ending Terai's life, then charged Danzo without a word.
He knew villains died when they talked too much. He wasn't a villain, but he wasn't giving his enemy any chance to trace this back to him.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
No hand seals. A violent hurricane full of wind blades tore toward Danzo. Taiichi followed right behind, watching for any opening.
Danzo wasn't slow. He formed three seals and released his own raging wind.
Wind against wind.
The two storms collided and formed an even fiercer gale. Trees were ripped from the ground. Stray wind blades flew in every direction.
The jutsu clash was even. Danzo's wind release was no joke.
Taiichi didn't slow down. He cut through the flying blades with his short blade and closed the distance.
He thrust the blade straight at Danzo's heart, wind chakra extending the edge another ten centimeters.
Danzo met him head-on. The earlier clash had left cuts on his body. He understood now—this enemy's wind release was better than his.
But close combat? He wasn't backing down either. He blew chakra into his kunai. The plain blade glowed blue-green, the edge extending into a wind blade.
Blade met kunai in a furious exchange. The short blade had the advantage in close range. After five exchanges, Danzo was forced onto the defensive.
Chakra from their clashing weapons turned into wind blades that shredded the ground around them.
His ninjutsu was inferior. His taijutsu was losing. Danzo was starting to understand how dangerous this "Iwa ninja" was.
He pushed hard during a clash and leapt back, breaking contact. While still in the air, he bit his finger and formed seals.
Boar—Dog—Bird—Monkey—Ram. Summoning Technique.
A massive cloud of white smoke appeared. The giant tapir Baku materialized beneath Danzo.
Without needing orders, Baku opened its huge mouth. A powerful suction pulled in dirt, rocks, branches, and leaves.
Taiichi wasn't impressed. He didn't dodge. While running, he formed seals.
Earth Release: Earth Core Turnover.
The ground beneath Baku vanished. The entire section of earth dropped over ten meters, taking Baku and Danzo with it.
Earth Release: Mud River.
The land in front of Taiichi turned into a river of mud that poured into the pit. In seconds, the ten-meter hole was filled.
Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears.
Inside the mud, stone spikes formed—not shooting upward, but inward, filling every inch of the pit with dense rock spears.
From above, Taiichi heard a scream. Then the mud pit sank as Baku canceled the summoning.
From appearance to disappearance, Baku had lasted maybe fifteen seconds before Taiichi drove it off with three jutsu.
Through chakra sensing, Taiichi felt Danzo playing dead underground. He didn't hesitate. He formed more seals.
Earth Release: Earth Mountain Rise.
A volcanic mound rose. Mud and dirt erupted from it—along with Danzo, who had been pretending to be dead.
The moment Danzo felt the earth rising, he knew he couldn't hide anymore. As he was ejected, he endured the pain from his wounds and finished his seals.
Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves.
A stream of wind blades shot toward Taiichi. Taiichi wasn't stupid enough to block them—Danzo's vacuum series could cut through Susanoo armor.
He Body Flickered repeatedly, escaping the range, then clapped his hands. A barrage of wind blades formed in the air.
Each one was weaker than Danzo's, but there were a lot of them.
Danzo was starting to panic. This Iwa ninja was too strong—wind release, earth release, swordsmanship, all at the highest level. Why hadn't Iwa used someone like this earlier?
He dodged the wind blades desperately. Then an idea hit him.
Masterful swordsmanship. Short blade user. Master of multiple nature transformations.
This wasn't an Iwa ninja.
This was Matsushita Taiichi.
"Matsushita Taiichi! It's you! Are you betraying the village? Attacking me?!"
Danzo was hysterical. He swung his kunai wildly to block a cutting wind blade, eyes bulging as he screamed in Taiichi's direction.
Taiichi just sneered and didn't bother answering. He hadn't expected Danzo to recognize him at the end, but it didn't matter. He'd never shown this level of earth release before.
He flashed forward, slipping past Danzo's desperate kunai swing. His short blade flicked once across Danzo's throat.
Danzo clutched the wound with one hand, rage and unwillingness filling his eyes. His other hand reached toward Taiichi like he was still trying to grab him. He staggered forward.
Taiichi knew exactly what that meant. Even dying, Danzo was trying to take him down with him.
He formed seals and slammed his hands to the ground.
Earth Release: Mountain Earth Technique.
Two massive hemispherical rock slabs rose on either side of Danzo and slammed together, crushing what little life remained in the traitor.
Taiichi heard the wet crunch of a body being flattened.
Danzo was dead.