Seeing the crazed Danzo and the Root ninjas charging forward, ready to sacrifice themselves, Shikaku had no choice but to give up on further persuasion. He unhesitatingly commanded the Jonin squad, in cooperation with the Anbu and the Uchiha Police Force, to meet them.
Itachi, standing beside Shikaku, said softly, "Shikaku-senpai, I need your cooperation."
Shikaku glanced at Itachi and nodded. "Alright."
Clang—
The sound of kunai colliding rang out.
In the blink of an eye, the distance between the two sides had shrunk to less than thirty meters due to the frenzied charge of the Root ninjas.
Several Anbu, armed with standard longswords, had just intercepted the first wave of attack when they were once again breached by the suicidal assault of a dozen Root ninjas.
The Jonin squad's target, however, was Danzo, who had been cowering in the rear. Unfortunately, Danzo was still guarded by ten Root ninjas.
Among them, Fu occasionally used his secret techniques to interrupt some Uchiha Police Force members who were trying to bypass the Root and confront Danzo directly.
Inoichi, in conjunction with Choza, countered an attack from a Jonin who had been taken over by the Mind Body Switch Technique. Then, he charged straight towards Fu.
"Fu! Are you still going to be so stubborn?!" He shouted at Fu Yamanaka, who was about to cast another secret technique.
Fu retreated and leaped, dodging Inoichi's attack. He said coldly, "Only Danzo-sama is Konoha's hope."
He then intended to bypass Inoichi and return to guard Danzo. After all, Inoichi was not an ordinary person. Confronting him now meant he couldn't possibly look after Danzo.
Inoichi's temples throbbed at Fu's words. He wouldn't let him have his way. He stepped forward to re-engage.
Although Danzo was charging like a madman towards Itachi, he was observing the ninjas sent by Hiruzen's side, who were circling his Root subordinates.
He couldn't help but sneer, thinking, 'Is it because they are wary that many Root members are their own clansmen, so they dare not kill them? Hiruzen's subordinates are truly foolish.'
Danzo then bit his finger and quickly formed hand seals.
Summoning Technique!
A gigantic baku, a dream-eating beast, appeared on the field. Its trunk-like nose at the front roughly swept past the Uchiha Police Force members who were blocking Danzo's path. Then, it charged rapidly towards Itachi's direction.
Danzo intended to use the Summoning Beast's immense size advantage to quickly seize Itachi's Mangekyo.
Shikaku crouched low, his hands raised, intending to use the Shadow Imitation Technique to intercept this giant Summoning Beast. However, the charging baku suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Then, it opened its fanged maw and took a powerful inhale towards Shikaku and Itachi. A powerful suction force enveloped Shikaku and Itachi.
Danzo shouted like a madman, "Come here!"
The next second, the ground was pulled up and torn apart by the powerful suction, carrying Shikaku and Itachi towards the baku's gaping mouth.
Shikaku quickly formed hand seals with both hands.
Ninja Art: Shadow Gathering Technique!
The shadow beneath Shikaku seemed to come alive, transforming into tentacles that pierced through the earth and firmly rooted themselves into the ground. One of these tentacles bound Itachi. This finally halted the powerful suction of the baku.
Itachi, in the same instant, formed hand seals and exhaled a fire dragon, formed by Chakra compressed to its extreme, from his mouth.
Fire Release: Dragon Flame Release Song Technique!
Four massive fire dragons erupted from Itachi's mouth, striking the gigantic baku from all directions: above, below, left, and right.
Boom—!
Upon impact, the massive fire dragons exploded, and scorching flames incinerated the baku.
Despite the baku's immense size, its defense was rather ordinary. Moreover, it was fire damage.
It immediately howled in pain from being scorched by Itachi's Dragon Flame Release Song Technique.
"Awoo—!"
Bang!
The baku's summoning was canceled.
Danzo didn't even spare a glance at the burning baku as it retreated, forming hand seals again, while taking a deep breath.
Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!
Danzo's mouth was like a machine gun, continuously spitting out compressed waves of Wind Chakra, which shot towards Itachi with extreme penetrative power.
Worried that his technique would restrict Itachi's movements, Shikaku immediately released his secret technique. At the same time, Itachi used the chunks of earth that had just been sucked into the air by the baku. He continuously leaped on them, dodging Danzo's attack.
Meanwhile, he continuously spat out fireballs, scattering and striking towards Danzo. Danzo could only stop and leap to dodge.
Swish!
Having just avoided Itachi's fireballs, Danzo was hit in the back by a shuriken carrying flames.
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
By this time, Itachi had landed, his hands moving as if manipulating something, lifting and releasing.
The fireballs, which Danzo had initially dodged, seemed to home in, returning from all directions to attack Danzo.
"Chakra threads!"
It was then that Danzo realized what Itachi was doing and tried to jump to escape.
Ninja Art: Shadow Sewing Technique!
Shikaku, who had been waiting for a long time, seized the opportunity when Danzo's path was controlled by the fireballs. His shadow materialized into a dozen rope-like strands that quickly shot out to grab Danzo's ankles as he jumped. Then, like vines, they bound Danzo's limbs.
Itachi, who was manipulating the Chakra threads, immediately released his Chakra, his hands moving in a flurry. The shuriken, now without the flame enhancement, all returned to his hands.
"Excellent technique and Chakra control." Shikaku, maintaining his Ninjutsu with an upright finger, couldn't help but praise Itachi's fluid movements.
"Thank you, Shikaku-senpai." Itachi bowed and replied calmly, then said no more.
"Inoichi!"
Seeing this, Shikaku immediately shouted to Inoichi, who had already dealt with the criminal of his clan.
Inoichi quickly ran over and shouted at the struggling Danzo, "Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique!"
Danzo's pupils dilated, and he immediately stopped struggling.
Itachi waved his hand, signaling the Anbu, who had been waiting for a long time, to step forward and pull out a scroll.
"Release!"
The item sealed within the scroll shot towards Danzo. It transformed into a shackle, firmly binding Danzo.
Seeing that the mastermind had been apprehended, Shikaku immediately shouted on the field, "Danzo has been captured! All Root ninjas, surrender immediately!"
Then, Shikaku pulled out a kunai and held it against the neck of the now unconscious Danzo.
The Root ninjas had all been brainwashed by Danzo. Without this method, Shikaku was afraid that these Root ninjas would continue to fight to the death.