Clang—!
Blades clashed.
Danzo's swordsmanship was indeed formidable. Though no longer young, his strength hadn't waned much; if anything, it had even improved a little.
No doubt, the result of years spent dealing in the shadows.
And yet…
Strength is always relative.
To most jōnin, Danzo's Wind Release techniques, swordsmanship, and taijutsu were undeniably powerful. Add to that the eerie abilities of his summoned beast, the dream tapir, and his arsenal gained a sinister edge.
But—
Against Kyoichi, none of that mattered.
Even with the use of the Respiratory Activation Technique.
After all, it was Kyoichi who created it. How could he not understand all its mechanisms and counters?
Danzo's speed doubled. With every swing of his blade, he occasionally fired off Vacuum Bullets, blending ninjutsu and kenjutsu into a surprisingly dynamic assault.
And yet…
Before long, he realized something was wrong.
That smell…
Poison?
His expression changed in an instant. He quickly cut off his breathing, but in the very next second, a wave of weakness washed over him.
"Heh… like I said—if I was willing to spread it, I already had ways to counter it. The fact that you didn't even consider that and thought you could die gloriously using my own technique… really, it's just pathetic."
Kyoichi had stopped moving, simply watching him.
Danzo's eyes widened in disbelief.
Why… you?!
"You must be wondering why I'm not affected, right?" Kyoichi smiled slightly. "Alright, I'll tell you. The truth is—"
Danzo's face darkened, but he wasn't flustered. He was buying time.
But—
Whoosh!
Wind howled—the next moment, Kyoichi was right beside him.
Danzo immediately launched a counterattack. Though poisoned, he still had some strength left, and his chakra flow was mostly intact. He could still fight back.
However—
The more he moved, the more the weakness intensified.
Meanwhile, Kyoichi—
He pulled out the Executioner's Blade.
A heavy slash swept out.
The clash knocked Danzo's sword from his hands, sending it flying.
Danzo quickly dodged.
But the poison was taking hold—his movements grew sluggish, and without the Respiratory Activation Technique to support him, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. With danger closing in, he could no longer afford hesitation.
He activated it again.
Respiratory Activation Technique!
But—
Kyoichi wasn't slow, either.
Danzo's boost came from the breathing technique, but Kyoichi had used Opening Gate from the Eight Gates and enhanced it with Lightning Release chakra stimulation—his speed exploded, and he smashed Danzo to the ground.
Danzo was confused.
Why?
Even if Kyoichi had taken the antidote in advance, shouldn't the breathing technique still affect him to some extent?
Why didn't it?
The answer was simple—Kyoichi wasn't using the Respiratory Activation Technique at all. He was using the Eight Gates Opening Gate and lightning-style stimulation to replicate the same effect, with no side-effects from the poison.
At that moment—
Wood began sprouting up around Danzo, wrapping around him from all sides.
Wood Release!
Ka had stepped in.
Kyoichi wasn't surprised.
Danzo had brainwashed Ka thoroughly, making him believe that Orochimaru's experiments had ruined his life and that Danzo had saved him.
That kind of twisted gratitude led to unshakable loyalty.
However—
This level of Wood Release…
Boom!
With a single finger—
Under Monster Strength, the wooden pillars shattered instantly.
In the next instant—
Kyoichi formed hand seals and slammed both hands onto the ground. Trees and vines exploded into growth from the earth, transforming the area into a lush forest in the blink of an eye. At the same time—
A child, no more than five or six, was dragged from the soil by the vines and scrambled madly through the undergrowth.
But—
Within seconds, the vines ensnared him.
At the same time—
Danzo and several members of his Root team were also bound by vines.
"You?! Impossible! Your Wood Release—how can it be this strong?!"
Danzo was stunned.
This Wood Release… Though not on the level of Senju Hashirama, it was far more refined than Yamato's mere wooden constructs—more vibrant, more alive, and closer to the original.
Could it be…
"Heh… I see now," Danzo sneered. "You people who act all noble and self-righteous—turns out you're no different from me. You covet Hashirama's cells just the same."
Though poisoned and bound, Danzo still clung to his rhetoric.
In fact—
He even found Kyoichi laughable, believing that no matter what mask of justice people wore, everyone lived in darkness just like him.
But—
Kyoichi only smiled and replied calmly,
"Don't use your narrow mindset to judge me. Honestly? Wood Release isn't nearly valuable enough for me to risk implanting something as dangerous as that."
"Oh, please," Danzo scoffed. "If I hadn't allowed Orochimaru to continue researching Wood Release, you'd have nothing today. Every success requires a sacrifice—"
"Then why wasn't that sacrifice you?"
Kyoichi stepped forward.
His current Wood Release couldn't rival Hashirama's—it wasn't enough to summon something like the "Nativity of the World of Trees," nor could each plant independently absorb chakra.
But—
Binding enemies with vines? That was more than doable.
And after trapping them—
Countless sheets of paper fluttered into the air.
"I'd suggest you all stay still," Kyoichi said coldly. "These are all explosive tags. Move a muscle, and you'll die."
Then—
He stepped in front of Danzo and forced him to his knees using a vine.
"Defeating you was easier than I thought. Your talent and strength aren't lacking… but unfortunately, you chose the wrong path. All you ever cared about was your schemes and backroom plots."
From above, Kyoichi looked down upon him.
This kind of perspective, this posture—utterly infuriated Danzō, yet he was powerless to do anything about it.
"Angry? Isn't this the way you usually look down on others? Let's go back to the question I asked earlier. Everything demands sacrifice, right? So why not you? Are you more important than everyone else?"
"Of course I am. Without me, Konoha—"
"Sorry, but without you, Konoha would actually be better off. Unfortunately for you, you won't get to see it."
There really wasn't much left to say to Danzō.
He was the type who clung to his convictions.
Once he set his mind on something, he wouldn't change it.
Kyoichi flicked his finger. Sheets of paper burst forth and swirled around Danzō, encircling him completely.
The next instant—
Sealing Technique!
A flurry of intricate sealing patterns flowed from Kyoichi's fingertips and rapidly spread over Danzō's body. Even as he was being sealed, Danzō couldn't understand how Kyoichi had pulled it off—or rather, he could understand, but simply couldn't believe it.
Even without using the Breathing Technique, Kanda Kyoichi was still faster than him!
With Danzō handled, Kyoichi turned to the remaining Root operatives.
True to their training, even when caught in the web of explosive tags, the Root teams still fought desperately to escape.
Kyoichi showed no mercy.
If you struggle—then I'll just send you on your way.
BOOM!
The one resisting the hardest was instantly swallowed by a violent blast.
"I did warn you not to move..."
He looked at the last one still squirming—Yamato.
"Kid, do you think Danzō is your savior? If so, you're wrong. Yes, Orochimaru conducted the experiments, but have you ever stopped to wonder—"
Kyoichi crouched down. Yamato was now the only one left still able to move, even if barely.
Staring into his eyes, Kyoichi continued.
"Orochimaru may be one of the Legendary Sannin, but even he had limited access to forbidden jutsu and classified data. Only the Hokage and the ANBU Commander can touch that level of intel."
"So how did Orochimaru get his hands on information about Wood Release?"
"And tell me this—how did Danzō know where to find you? Even Lord Third had no idea Orochimaru was running those kinds of experiments."
Kyoichi gave a small smile and formed a hand seal.
A Five Elements Seal flared out, immediately disrupting Yamato's chakra.
From that moment on...
Using Wood Release or Earth Release was nearly impossible. Breaking free? Even less likely. What remained—was whether he could come to terms with the truth.
Yamato had been furious at first. He believed Kyoichi had hurt Danzō, had harmed his savior.
But…
As Kyoichi's words sank in...
Doubt began to take root.
And yet…
Years of conditioning kicked in, forcing Yamato to suppress that doubt, to believe that Kyoichi was just lying.
But then...
Kyoichi, after sealing his chakra, simply let him go—and pulled out a scroll.
Yamato hesitated.
Kyoichi could have killed him at any time. Yet now…
After a moment of pause, he reached out and accepted the scroll.
It was intel.
A confession from Orochimaru, detailing the full extent of the experiments, along with supporting documentation—materials that proved every word written therein.
Danzō had secretly requisitioned data on Wood Release and Hashirama's cells.
Yamato's jaw dropped. He couldn't process it.
He and fifty-nine other children had suffered under the Wood Release research project. All this time, Danzō had told him it was Orochimaru who'd done it, and that Danzō himself had rescued him from the lab—a hero.
But the truth?
The evidence was clear…
It had all been orchestrated with Danzō's support. Orochimaru was merely the one carrying out the deeds. The true mastermind... was Danzō.
He couldn't calm the storm inside.
"The adult world is terrifying," Kyoichi said quietly. "Especially when it's full of men like him. That's why... what you see isn't always the truth."
He reached out and gave Yamato a gentle pat on the head.
Yamato looked completely lost. He didn't even think to resist. Meanwhile, Danzō was sealed under three layers—Sealing Jutsu, Paper Jutsu, and Wood Release. He couldn't even speak, let alone escape.
As for the remaining Root members…
Some were still at the base.
The ones here were all completely bound in explosive tags. Anyone who dared move would be blown to bits, just like the last guy.
"You…?" Yamato murmured awkwardly.
He wasn't used to talking—Danzō had been the only one he ever really spoke to.
"Relax," Kyoichi said, "I don't need you to prove Danzō's guilt. What would a kid like you even know? Your very existence... is proof enough."
With that, he stood and began walking toward Danzō.
From the shadows, Hyūga Hei emerged. His expression was dazed as he surveyed the forest clearing—then, his heart clenched with shock.
Wood Release.
And not the kind Kazamatsuri Toshiki used for farming.
This was true, combat-ready Wood Release ninjutsu.
Just how many trump cards did Kanda Kyoichi have?
It took him a while to snap out of it. This wasn't the time for questions. Kyoichi had subdued the enemy—now it was his turn to help.
He descended from the trees and tapped Yamato's chakra points, sealing his chakra completely.
Then…
He fired a signal flare.
Kyoichi didn't stop him. They did need backup.
After all...
With this many people, the two of them couldn't possibly get them all back alone.
Before long—
An ANBU support team arrived.
They'd already been on their way, but…
Even with the early start, by the time they got there, all they found was a forest of vines and a Root squad completely immobilized by explosive tags.
On the ground, wrapped tightly in a cocoon of vines—
That was Danzō?
The ANBU exchanged strange looks.
Kyoichi-sama was just…
Too clean and efficient. They hadn't even been needed. Their presence was basically just for transport. And this level of Wood Release? Far surpassed Kazamatsuri Toshiki's.
"Bring them back," Kyoichi said. "If you don't have to kill, don't. But if any of them try anything—eliminate them."
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone nodded and moved to carry out the order.
Kyoichi then used Earth Release to open up a path through the ground.
"I'll send a shadow clone to return with you. Meanwhile, I'm going to check their base—see if there's anything valuable left behind."
"Yes, sir!"
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