"One-Sword Style: Mirror Flame!"
The instant Danzo hesitated, Akihito's blade was already upon him.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!"
Danzo didn't dodge. He countered head-on.
With Izanagi, any fatal injury could be rewritten. Even if reduced to ashes, he could restore himself.
Slash!
Danzo was cleaved in two—
Only to reappear moments later, unharmed.
At the same time, Akihito's body was riddled with wind bullets like a sieve—
Yet blazing flames instantly regenerated the damage.
Danzo's Izanagi nullified Akihito's sword strikes.
Akihito's Flame Chakra Mode nullified Danzo's ninjutsu.
But Izanagi had a time limit.
Flame Chakra Mode barely drained chakra at all.
The longer this dragged on—
The worse it became for Danzo.
Desperation
Danzo lunged recklessly.
If he wanted victory—
He had to land a killing blow before Izanagi expired.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
Blades of compressed wind tore forward.
Akihito leapt skyward—
With Sharingan precognition, he dodged effortlessly.
"One-Sword Style: Soul Sever!"
Akihito slashed for Danzo's neck.
Danzo did not dodge.
Instead, he grabbed Akihito's throat.
Crack—
Danzo's head flew off—
Yet Izanagi rewrote reality again.
He reappeared before Akihito, smirking.
"Trying to trade blows with me?"
"You're far too naïve."
Hand seals flashed.
"Curse Seal: Binding!"
Black markings spread across Akihito's body.
Danzo had risked everything earlier to apply a sealing curse at close range.
Akihito froze in place.
Danzo grinned viciously.
"Caught you."
He reached for Akihito's sword—
Akihito sighed.
How many times have I seen this scene now?
Danzo truly lacked creativity.
Susanoo erupted around him.
The Tengu-armored form shattered the curse instantly.
"Not good!"
Danzo retreated with Wind Release, gliding backward midair.
Akihito aimed at him.
"One-Sword Style: Dragon Pierces the Heart!"
Danzo's face twisted.
Moments ago, he had deactivated Izanagi to conserve time.
If that strike landed now—
He would truly die.
"Wood Release: Violent Spear Tree!"
A massive tree burst upward, blocking the thrust.
Danzo barely escaped death.
He immediately reactivated Izanagi.
Akihito frowned.
So close.
Forbidden Wood Release
With Izanagi protecting him, Danzo unleashed a suicidal technique.
"Wood Release: Root Explosive Burial!"
A forbidden jutsu he himself couldn't control.
Without Izanagi—
He would die alongside his target.
Even Akihito felt pressure.
Wood Release was no joke.
Madara's Perfect Susanoo had once been smashed into the dirt by Hashirama.
Wood Release could even restrain a Susanoo-armored Nine-Tails.
Danzo was no Hashirama—
But desperation made techniques deadly.
"Right Mangekyō—Epitaph."
Akihito activated his ocular ability.
Through future prediction, he saw the flaw.
Roots exploded outward, devouring everything.
Several Root shinobi, still under genjutsu, were caught and killed.
Danzo didn't blink.
To him, it was necessary sacrifice.
Akihito's disdain deepened.
Danzo always preached self-sacrifice—
Yet never sacrificed himself.
Even Hiruzen had died protecting the village.
Danzo?
A selfish opportunist cloaked in rhetoric.
"Is it over?"
Danzo looked at the towering tree, breathing heavily.
No one should survive that.
"Over?"
Akihito's voice came from behind him.
Danzo's pupils shrank.
Impossible.
At the moment the roots sealed, Akihito had phased out via elementalization and slipped through a gap.
Unscathed.
"One-Sword Style: Shadow Kill."
Danzo was shredded again.
Izanagi saved him once more.
But—
Time was nearly up.
Danzo glanced at the Sharingan embedded in his arm.
His chakra reserves were nearly empty.
Fear crept in.
The last time he'd faced death was during the Second Hokage's final mission.
He had hesitated then—
And lost Hokage to Hiruzen.
This time—
He refused to lose.
Final Gamble
Danzo drew a kunai.
He poured all remaining chakra into it.
"Even if I die with you—"
"I'll take you down!"
Akihito inhaled slowly.
So—
He was finally ready to stake his life.
Akihito infused flames into his blade.
"Next strike ends you."
"Prepare yourself, Danzo."
Danzo checked the remaining Izanagi duration—
About one minute.
You won't one-shot me.
"Cursed Vacuum Blade!"
He fused sealing curse and Wind Release.
Akihito activated Epitaph.
"One-Sword Style: Instant Sever!"
In the realm of time manipulation—
Danzo could not escape.
Both weapons pierced flesh simultaneously.
Danzo smiled.
"You were too impatient."
"Izanagi hasn't ended."
"I win."
Akihito's smile turned strange.
"Is that so?"
"You're the one who lost."
Ripples flickered in Danzo's vision.
When clarity returned—
The Sharingan on his arm had closed.
Izanagi had not activated.
"Why… didn't it trigger?"
"No… could it be—"
Akihito answered calmly.
"You were under my genjutsu."
Danzo trembled.
Rage and fatal injury collided.
He vomited blood.
"Uchiha Akihito…"
"This isn't over!"
Akihito smiled faintly.
Danzo was finished.
Kneeling, unable to stand—
He was no longer the Darkness of Konoha.
Just a broken man.
Collapse of Hashirama Cells
Suddenly—
Danzo screamed.
His right arm, infused with Hashirama cells, began swelling uncontrollably.
Green shoots burst from his flesh.
The Wood Release spiraled out of control.
He could no longer suppress Hashirama's power.
If this continued—
He would be devoured.
Without hesitation—
He severed his own arm.
Blood sprayed.
He panted violently.
He had no strength left.
For the first time—
Retreat entered his mind.
He broke the genjutsu suppressing Root.
"Retreat!"
"Cover me!"
Root shinobi rallied around him.
Akihito sneered.
Fight to the death?
Now you run?
Among Kage-level shinobi—
Only Danzo would flee like this.
Smoke bombs exploded.
Akihito's Sharingan pierced through them.
A flying slash dispersed the smoke.
"Shadow Imitation!"
"Parasitic Insects!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"
Ninjutsu rained down.
Akihito activated Susanoo again.
All attacks were meaningless.
Danzo fled under escort.
"One-Sword Style: Twin Dragon Flash!"
Two squad captains turned back.
"Lord Danzo, go!"
They blocked the slash at great cost—
And charged desperately.
But—
The Akihito before them—
Was only a shadow clone.
The real Akihito was already ahead.
The End
Danzo staggered toward the Root base exit.
Light was within reach.
If he escaped—
There was still hope.
"Yo, Danzo."
"You're slow."
Danzo froze.
Akihito stood in front of him.
"How—"
"You didn't think two trash captains could stop me?"
Danzo's face twisted.
No escape.
Then—
If he must die—
He would take Akihito with him.
Madness filled his eyes.
"Uchiha Akihito—"
"I'll drag you to hell!"
He tore open his robes—
Revealing the sealing formula across his chest.
Reverse Four Symbols Sealing.
The suicide technique.
Akihito's gaze sharpened.
So—
The final curtain—
Was about to fall.
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