This time, it was truly a public outcry. Not to mention the major Ninja Clans, the smaller Ninja Clans on the verge of collapse were truly enraged. Their numbers were the second largest in Konoha, so there were even more people who were hostile to Danzo.
"Danzo, you~!" The Third Hokage stumbled, almost losing his footing. He hadn't expected Danzo to be so deranged. He thought at most Danzo would just seize some Forbidden Techniques, but he never imagined Danzo was also researching Wood Release and Hashirama cells.
"Tuanzang Old Thief!! Die for me!! Insulting Shodai(1st)-sama's remains, privately researching Wood Release!!"
"Bang~!" The moment Jiraiya was about to grab her, Tsunade stomped the ground, shattering it, and appeared in front of the Danzo who was under genjutsu. She punched towards Danzo's chest.
Several Root members had already jumped out to shield Danzo. Three Root members were instantly pulverized by Tsunade's punch, and then her fist slammed into Danzo's chest.
A bone-cracking sound, so grating it made one's teeth ache, was heard as Danzo directly smashed through more than a dozen walls of the Shimura Clan's compound, before being buried by the debris.
As for Tsunade, looking at her blood-soaked body, images of her boyfriend and brother dying tragically before her eyes flashed in her mind. She collapsed weakly, thankfully caught by Jiraiya, who had quickly arrived.
"Jiraiya~, take me back. I~ don't want to be here." Tsunade's voice was weaker than ever before. She didn't want to see any of this, this decaying, corrupt Village. She just wanted to escape.
"I'll take you." Jiraiya held the powerless Tsunade. He, too, was tired of such a Village. His resolve to find the Child of Prophecy grew even stronger.
He firmly believed that the Child of Prophecy could change the Village's current situation and bring peace to this chaotic Ninja World.
"Tsunade~! Jiraiya~! I~!"
The Third Hokage was utterly exhausted. For the first time, he wondered if he was truly old. Had the Village really become corrupt?
"Teacher, there's no need to say more. I just hope you handle this matter justly to appease the public's anger."
Having said that, Jiraiya, holding Tsunade, disappeared with a Body Flicker Technique, leaving the Third Hokage isolated and helpless.
The house ruins were cleared away. Danzo, who had been crushed by the collapsed building, was still alive, though his sternum was completely shattered and his lungs were bleeding internally. However, because he had transplanted some Hashirama cells, the power of Yang Release sustained his vitality and healed his injuries.
This punch also woke him up from Uchiha Chiri's genjutsu. Before, he had been immersed in the genjutsu Chiri wove, where he became Hokage.
"Danzo! Why are you conducting human experiments and Wood Release research? These are explicitly forbidden by Teacher! Do you know that?!"
As the only female in the six-person team, Utatane Koharu was the most indignant about Danzo's complete lack of boundaries.
"Hmph! Everything I do is for Konoha. To protect Konoha, no means are too extreme. As the Root of Konoha, to absorb nutrients for this great tree of Konoha, these are all necessary. What if I fall into a Shura Hell?!"
Danzo tore off the sealing bandage on his right arm. Visibly, the skin on this section of his arm was paler, a characteristic of transplanted Hashirama cells.
At this moment, Danzo had almost completely recovered from his injuries, but without the Sharingan to resist the Hashirama cells and the suppression of the sealing bandage, the Hashirama cells in his right hand were gradually going out of control.
But Danzo already had a plan. He summoned a bandage inscribed with sealing runes and re-wrapped it around his right hand, completely disregarding the furious gazes of the countless people watching him.
"For Konoha? I don't think so, do you? You're just after the monkey's Hokage position."
Uchiha Chiri looked at the sorrowful and enraged Hiruzen Sarutobi, scoffing at Danzo's shameless words.
"Danzo, do you have anything else to say?"
The Third Hokage knew he could no longer lightly punish Danzo; otherwise, it would inevitably backfire. Whether it was killing teammates, coveting Bloodline Limits and Forbidden Techniques, or human experiments and researching Hashirama cells, all were enough to warrant Danzo's death.
"Hmph! What did I do wrong? To protect Konoha, what's wrong with using some radical methods? If Shodai(1st)-sama knew his cells could protect Konoha, then he would definitely agree. Those infants dying to protect Konoha are also worth it!"
Danzo didn't believe he had done anything wrong. What was wrong with letting them sacrifice for the fire will? Shouldn't they sacrifice for the fire will? If they didn't sacrifice for the fire will, were they even Konoha Ninja?
"Danzo Old Dog! The fire will is worth us sacrificing for, but not being sacrificed. Each of us has the right to choose whether or not to sacrifice. Not sacrificing doesn't mean not loving Konoha; it's simply because our living helps Konoha more. Forcing others to sacrifice, that's not the fire will I recognize, nor will it be recognized by everyone."
Ling had to step forward at this point. This was the moment to gain goodwill and prestige, so she couldn't back down. She, Uchiha Ling, was the spokesperson for Konoha Ninja, and she would not yield.
"Hmph! Evil Uchiha brat, you don't understand what the fire will is at all. You are just a selfish brat for the Uchiha Clan!"
Seeing another Uchiha step forward, and it was that most detestable brat, Danzo immediately retorted furiously.
"I don't understand the fire will, but it's your fire will that I don't understand. Everyone recognizes Shodai(1st)-sama's fire will, and it's this fire will that made us put down our struggles and gather together."
"And you, you are the selfish one. Under the guise of the fire will, you seize Bloodline Limits, plot for Forbidden Techniques, research forbidden things, conduct human experiments—the ultimate beneficiary of all these is yourself, not 'for Konoha' as you claim. You are the true woodworms of Konoha!"
"If we're talking about sacrifice, then why can't the one who sacrifices be you, but rather those Ninja who truly shed their blood and sweat for Konoha? What have you sacrificed for Konoha? Can you represent the fire will and make people sacrifice? Is a fire will that makes people be sacrificed still the fire will?"
As soon as Ling finished speaking, many Ninja felt a deep resonance and applauded enthusiastically. They could sacrifice, but they could not be sacrificed; that was a desecration of the fire will and an insult to them.
I, Uchiha Ling, am usually not good with words. Today, I really outdid myself, mainly because cursing Danzo Old Dog felt so satisfying.
Danzo's face was grim. He still didn't believe he had done anything wrong. A worldview deeply ingrained for decades could not be changed by a few words.
"Alright! In the name of the Third Hokage, I sentence Danzo to have his Chakra pathways abolished and to be imprisoned in the Konoha Anbu prison for all eternity."
The Third Hokage made what he considered a very severe punishment, but it did not satisfy many Ninja. However, intimidated by the Third Hokage's long-standing authority, they dared not say much.
Ling and Uchiha Chiri also expressed no strong feelings, because for Danzo, becoming a cripple and being imprisoned meant he could never become Hokage. Knowing Danzo's obsession, the two understood that for Danzo, living like this was more painful than death.
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