Konoha Notes

Chapter 248 Echoes
Shuji glanced at the severed right arm on the ground. He didn't know how many Sharingan Shimura Danzo had at this moment, but he knew that since he first met him three years ago, Danzo's arm had been crippled.

Before the Nine-Tails' rampage, he was still able to walk with all four limbs intact.

Therefore, Shuji guessed that he had started transplanting more Sharingan into himself three years ago, even though Danzo might not have been able to collect many Sharingan before the Uchiha clan was wiped out.

But if he really resists the trial and makes a scene, it won't look good.

That's why Shuji allowed him to fake his death, first consuming the Sharingan that he could directly use.

"Is it Hiruzen?" Danzo asked out of the blue.

He didn't know when his possession of Izanagi was exposed, nor how his Sharingan was discovered.

Xiu Si's arrangement of this whole scheme, targeting his seemingly crippled right hand right from the start, clearly shows he knew his backup plan.

After much thought, only Hiruzen Sarutobi could possibly know all of this.

Only Hiruzen Sarutobi could have made this arrangement.

"Where is Hiruzen?" Danzo pressed on.

"The third generation is still in the Land of Grass."

"You dare not come to see me?" he sneered. "Everything I have done is for Konoha. The so-called betrayal judgment is laughable."

Danzo Shimura struggled, trying to straighten his body, which was bound by tree branches, his eyes fixed on Shuji.

"Does Tsunade, that woman who has been on the run for so many years, have the right to judge me?"

Shuji ignored his question. He nodded slightly to Itachi Uchiha, who silently raised the severed arm.

Shuji turned and walked away. The trees that were entwined around Danzo seemed to come alive, dragging his body and following Shuji's movement.

They walked through the corridor of Shimura's residence and came to a spacious courtyard.

"Step back, ten meters," Xiu Si ordered.

The shadowy members who had been following them like shadows retreated instantly, forming a loose encirclement at the edge of the courtyard, leaving the central open space completely clear.

Only Itachi Uchiha, still holding his severed arm, stood quietly not far behind Shuuji.

The trees binding Danzo loosened slightly, allowing him to at least stand, but still firmly imprisoning his chakra and movement.

The shadow of death loomed over him as if it were a tangible reality, and Danzo thought he no longer cared about death. The scars all over his body were proof of that.

However, as Shuji slowly raised his right hand, a jumble of images rushed into his mind—the competition with Hiruzen Sarutobi, the countless decisions made in the darkness of Root, and finally, the image of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, covering their retreat for his disciples, his resolute back...

"Wait!" Danzo suddenly shouted.

He cannot die like this, he must not be executed in his own yard like a stray dog, bearing the name of a traitor!
His voice was hoarse with excitement.

"Based on the merits I have rendered to Konoha—!"

At least, let him die on the battlefield!
At least, let him do it the way a ninja would...

Before he could finish speaking, several sharp wooden spears suddenly emerged from the seemingly quiet tree surfaces that had been binding him, piercing his torso without mercy!
Danzo's body trembled violently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the stone slab in front of him red.

Intense pain swept through every nerve like a tsunami, and he could clearly feel his life force rapidly draining away with the blood flowing from his open wounds. The wooden spears embedded in his body were even twisting slightly, completely extinguishing his last chance of life.

"In this village," the executioner's voice remained emotionless, "who isn't a decorated veteran, former advisor Shimura?"

"I've already given you a chance."

"More than once."

Danzo Shimura's consciousness was fading; he had one last trick up his sleeve: the Reverse Four Symbols Seal...

However, Danzo did not launch an attack.

This shouldn't be my ending... he thought.

It shouldn't be...

Tobirama-sensei... monkey...

I should have... led Konoha to...

His single eye completely lost focus, his body swayed, and he finally collapsed forward, lifeless. Shuji remained standing there, waiting.

"Five minutes?" he asked.

"Yes, senpai." Itachi Uchiha's voice came from behind.

"Fireball."

After thinking for a moment, he spoke again.

Without hesitation, Itachi Uchiha formed hand seals, took a deep breath, and spat out a blazing fireball that landed on Danzo Shimura's remaining body.

Flames rose and engulfed everything.

Until the center of the courtyard, only a charred mark remained.

The ANBU ninja were ordered to disperse and conduct a thorough search of the Shimura residence. The Shimura clan would not be implicated because of Danzo, but all confidential documents that might remain there must be retrieved.

Itachi presented the severed arm, still covered by a dark sleeve, to Shuji.

"You saw that technique, didn't you, Itachi?"

"Yes, that is Izanagi."

What do you think might be on this hand?

"My senior told me to find an opportunity to cut off Danzo's hand, which means it might be a Sharingan on it," Itachi calmly replied. "It's a Sharingan from the Uchiha clan whose whereabouts are unknown."

"Untie it and take a look."

"Yes."

Itachi deftly ripped off the covering clothing, revealing first the metal restraints.

After removing the restraints, he unwrapped the bandages wrapped around his arm layer by layer.

Shuji looked at the color revealed after the bandage was removed. It wasn't the grayish-white color caused by the erosion of Hashirama cells, but the color of a normal arm.

Only after the bandages were completely removed could one clearly see that three scarlet Sharingan eyes with three tomoe were embedded in the skin from the shoulder to the forearm.

Since the number of transplanted tissues is still small, is it sufficient to use only restraint devices for the time being...?

"What are your plans regarding these Sharingan eyes, senior?" Itachi asked.

Most Uchiha would tacitly return the Sharingan to the Uchiha clan, but he was an exception, having no obsession with the Sharingan itself.

"To be honest, I plan to stay."

"Yes." Uchiha Itachi had no questions and immediately picked up the bandage, preparing to re-wrap his arm.

"Aren't you going to ask why?"

“With your strength, there’s no need for you to covet the Sharingan’s power.” Itachi skillfully wrapped the bandages around his neck. “Therefore, you must have a reason to stay.”

“I don’t know if it’s necessary. It’s just that having them might give me more options at some point in the future.” Shuji looked at his carefully wrapped arm. “That’s all.”

The more he studied it, the more certain he became that the Rinnegan did not simply require the power of the Senju clan and the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.

It is the chakra of Asura and the chakra of Indra.

As for the reaction between the three-tomoe Sharingan and Hashirama's cells, it remains to be seen, and he has no plans to replace his eyes for the time being.

However, it's never a bad thing to have experimental material as a backup.

He had no intention of hiding this from Itachi Uchiha, who followed him, nor from Tsunade.

There's no need for that.

It wasn't that he gouged eyes out of the Uchiha clan members; rather, it was something Danzo left behind—well… in a sense, stolen goods.

　Regarding Danzo: It was established that he was already in a suspended right arm position when he took Shisui's eyes.

　　As for Izanagi, it was initially set that it could only be used by combining the power of the Senju and Uchiha clans. However, when Itachi Uchiha used Izanami, it was revealed that the Uchiha clan had abused Izanagi in the past, and that Madara Uchiha had used Izanagi to fake his death before obtaining Hashirama's cells. Therefore, the idea that Izanagi required the combination of the power of the Senju and Uchiha clans to be used was no longer used.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)