Watching a purple-black hue rapidly spread across Danzo's face, Minato let out a derisive laugh. The poison worked efficiently, a testament to the lethality of the Nano-toxic Insects. In the blink of an eye, Danzo was completely consumed by the swarm, his body dissolving into the mass of biting pests.
The next second, a cold glint of steel attacked from behind Minato. The sensation of displaced air warned him of the incoming strike. Danzo's figure appeared behind Minato, thrusting a Kunai toward Minato's neck with a desperate, lunging motion!
Puchi!
The sound of flesh tearing echoed through the chamber. Minato raised a hand with casual indifference; Danzo's arm was severed with a clean cut, the hand still clutching the Kunai flying high into the air. Blood sprayed in a crimson arc as the limb tumbled away.
Enduring the intense pain, Danzo finally noticed that a Lightsaber had appeared in Minato's hand at some unknown point. The blade of pure energy hummed with a terrifying intensity, casting a golden glow over Minato's cold features.
Damn it! What kind of Ninjutsu are these? Danzo's mind raced, struggling to comprehend the strange, light-based powers that defied traditional logic.
Another flash of golden light, and Danzo's head went flying. The execution was swift and lacked any mercy. Minato no longer had the interest to keep dragging this out. His figure flickered into mid-air, arms crossed, as a dazzling radiance bloomed from his palms.
"Yata Mirror Orb!"
Minato's voice resounded through the cavernous base, and in the next instant, countless light bullets fell like a torrential rain, scattering toward the crowd below! Each projectile was a concentrated bead of high-energy light, moving too fast for the average eye to follow.
"Not good! Scatter, quickly!" A Ninja from the Nara Family shouted, his voice cracking with fear as he realized the scale of the impending destruction.
A smile curled on Minato's lips. "Scatter? I'm afraid this isn't very easy to dodge—"
Boom, boom, boom—
In an instant, the Root Base was reduced to a living hell. The light bullets exploded upon contact, tearing through stone and flesh alike. The sounds of explosions and screams were incessant, filling the air with the cacophony of a massacre.
The newly resurrected Danzo was caught in the carnage and had no choice but to consume another Resurrection Coin. The 100% health restoration felt like a mockery as he was immediately subjected to the ongoing bombardment.
After a while, the explosions subsided, leaving behind a ground covered in severed limbs and the severely wounded. The smell of ozone and charred remains hung heavy in the air. Seeing that the people of Root were mostly dead, Minato didn't finish them all off; his attention was primarily focused on Danzo.
The once-again resurrected Danzo looked at Minato, panting heavily, his heart filled with dread. He leaned against a crumbling pillar, his clothes tattered and soaked in blood. He had never seen the Minato of this world use similar Moves, but the Minato before him clearly had means beyond just the Flying Thunder God.
"Wait, hold on a moment—" Danzo raised a hand, his expression earnest. He looked like a man trying to bargain for his life while still maintaining a shred of dignity. "You've misunderstood. I didn't bring you here to cause conflict."
"What a joke. Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are, Danzo Shimura?" Minato gave a light scoff. To him, the man's lies were as transparent as glass. "You only know how to play with conspiracies and schemes—things that can't see the light of day. Perhaps you don't know, but as early as five years old, I already killed you once."
Hearing this, Danzo's pupils suddenly constricted. The revelation sent a shock through his system. He hadn't expected it to be like this. No wonder this guy knew about Izanagi. It was a secret that should have been impossible for an outsider to grasp so intimately.
"Fine, first time a stranger, second time an acquaintance. For the sake of us being old friends, just take your own life." Minato tilted his chin up, his contempt plain to see. He spoke as if he were granting a small favor to a bothersome pest.
Danzo's face twitched; he found that this Minato was truly incredibly impolite. He was used to the respectful, if strained, interactions with the leadership of Konoha. Even though they were both Minato Namikaze, the Minato of his world would never say such sharp words; even when dealing with enemies, he wouldn't insult them.
"What? Unwilling? After all, I am the Fourth Hokage—" As Minato spoke, a glint of amusement flashed in his eyes. He delighted in peeling back the layers of Danzo's self-importance. "For a coward like you, who doesn't even dare to cover a retreat and only knows how to strike at your own village comrades, this kind of death is already a great honor."
As those words fell, Danzo's body suddenly stiffened. The accusation hit him where it hurt most—his pride as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf. His remaining left eye bulged with rage, as if a sore spot had been poked; bloodshot veins instantly crawled across his eye.
"What did you say?" Danzo's face was distorted. "Nonsense! You damn brat, you—"
Slap!
The sound was sharp and heavy. Minato's figure descended from the sky, a kick stomping Danzo's head into his chest cavity! The force was immense, instantly crushing the life out of the old man's physical vessel.
In the blink of an eye, Danzo resurrected again through the power of the Sharingan on his arm. However, he didn't rush to attack Minato. He simply stood there, trembling.
Perhaps because the gap in strength was too vast, he had already given up on the idea of attacking Minato, instead hysterically questioning him: "Who told you that? Was it Hiruzen?"
Minato was momentarily speechless. He stared at the broken man before him, feeling a wave of genuine pity mixed with disgust. Are you still thinking about your Hiruzen at a time like this? Konoha-style bonds are truly terrifying—
Looking at Danzo's half-crazed state, Minato silently raised his hand, a dazzling light blooming from his fingertip. He wouldn't leave anything to chance this time.
A few minutes later, Minato had his hands behind his back, floating weightlessly out of the Root Base. The facility behind him was silent, a tomb for those who had followed a shadow. He then slowly looked up toward a certain direction, his gaze piercing through the distance.
At the same time, in the meeting room of the Hokage Building. Hiruzen Sarutobi and the two Advisors felt a sudden chill as they saw Minato's gaze through the crystal ball. It felt as though he was looking directly into their souls from across the village.
"I've changed my mind." Minato said indifferently, his voice carrying clearly through the scrying jutsu. "Announce Uzumaki Naruto's identity before dawn. Otherwise, you can all die—including your families."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was grim. The pipe in his hand trembled slightly. Utatane Koharu's eyes flashed with shock and anger; just as she was about to say something, she was held back by Homura Mitokado.
"Homura, you—"
"Danzo is dead." Homura Mitokado said with a solemn face, interrupting Utatane Koharu. He knew the weight of that reality.
"From the looks of it, he wiped out the entire Root by himself. Are you sure you want to provoke such an existence? Not to mention he has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique; we have no choice." Homura's voice was flat, resigned to the inevitable power dynamic.
"Homura is right." Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, the sound echoing the weariness of a man who had lost his closest ally and his leverage in a single night. "Let this matter end here. We'll wait until Jiraiya returns before discussing it further."
Utatane Koharu fell silent for a moment and could only let out a dejected sigh in the end. She hated being backed into a corner, but the logic was sound.
Homura Mitokado was right; they were the ones who provoked the other party first. The fact that he hadn't charged over to wipe them out was already very restrained. They were dealing with a monster wearing the face of a hero.
"Let's go to Root and take a look." No longer spying on Minato, Hiruzen Sarutobi put away the crystal ball and left the room.
If nothing unexpected happened, his old friend should be thoroughly dead by now. There would be no more resurrections for Danzo Shimura.
On the other side, Minato arrived at Naruto's house and rang the doorbell. He smoothed out his clothes, the cold killer vanishing and being replaced by a gentle, friendly traveler. Soon, a series of hurried footsteps came from inside. Naruto, barefoot, rushed to open the door for Minato.
"Minato? Why are you here?" Naruto's voice was full of surprise and a hint of loneliness that he tried to hide.
"I have nowhere to go for the time being, so I can only stay with you for a few days. Is that okay?" Minato smiled warmly. It was his most practiced mask, one that radiated safety and kindness.
"Of course!" Naruto's eyes lit up. He stepped aside to let the older man in, his excitement palpable.
Minato walked into the room; it was a mess. He scanned the small apartment with a critical eye. Pots and pans were piled up in the kitchen sink, a heap of opened and unopened instant noodle cups, a kettle, and leftover milk cartons sat on the table.
He stepped into the bedroom to take a look; cultivation scrolls, clothes, and miscellaneous items were strewn all over the floor, and the bedding on the bed was in disarray. It was the home of a child who had never been taught how to live.
Naruto scratched his head with a dry laugh. "Hehe—home alone, I didn't really tidy up. Wait a bit, I'll clean it up now."
"I'll do it." Minato shook his head. He didn't even use a Clone, simply starting to tidy up in an unhurried manner. He moved with a methodical grace, picking up the trash and organizing the clutter.
Even though Naruto was only his child from a parallel world, seeing the other party so unable to take care of himself, Minato couldn't help but feel a bit conflicted. It was a strange sensation, a flicker of genuine emotion in his hollow chest.
Naruto watched Minato's figure as he tidied the room, a strange emotion flowing through his heart. It was a warmth he didn't quite understand, a feeling of being looked after. He remembered their previous conversation, and a flash of inspiration suddenly crossed his mind.
"Um—Minato, you just said you knew my mom? Then do you know my dad?" The question was soft, filled with a yearning that Naruto had carried his whole life.
Minato's movements paused slightly as he washed the dishes. The clinking of ceramic stopped. He turned to look at Naruto with a warm smile, his eyes soft and inviting.
"Strictly speaking, the one I know is your mother from my world. I told you before, I come from a parallel dimension. Our two worlds are like a mirror, with similar trajectories of development."
"For example, in my world, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki are a couple, and it's the same in this world. Kushina Uzumaki married the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze."
Minato's tone was gentle, soothing the boy's confusion with a calm explanation. "So in a sense, I am your father."
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