Shinigami in the Ninja World (Re-upload)

Everyone turned toward the voice.

What an audacious statement.

Many ninja were puzzled.

Was there really such a powerful individual in the village who could claim to handle someone of Sasuke Uchiha's caliber with such confidence? The voice was unfamiliar—not one of the more active ninja in the village.

As for the speaker's appearance…

Even more unfamiliar.

Among the gathered jōnin—most of whom were seasoned veterans—very few recognized him.

Who was this man?

There was no sense of relief that a "savior" had arrived. Instead, there was only confusion.

What's more, the man didn't look impressive at all.

Wrapped in bandages from head to toe, he resembled a critically ill patient who had just left the hospital. His presence felt weak, lacking the aura of a seasoned warrior.

As experienced ninja who had survived countless battles, they had a keen instinct:

This man didn't seem powerful.

"Danzo-sama," Shikaku Nara greeted him politely, though his tone was noticeably strained.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

Although he wasn't a member of the Root, he had interacted extensively with the division and knew of Danzo Shimura.

But…

Even when the Third Hokage had died, Danzo hadn't appeared.

Why now?

"Step aside. I'll deal with this unruly individual," Danzo repeated in a calm tone, waving his hand as he strode forward confidently to stand before the gathered Konoha jōnin.

Shikaku Nara hesitated briefly before bowing slightly—more out of formality than respect.

"Danzo-sama? Who is he?" one of the jōnin whispered, clearly baffled. He had never heard of such a figure in Konoha.

"You're aware of the village's senior advisors, correct?" Shikaku replied quietly, his eyes fixed on Danzo's retreating back, still filled with doubt.

The jōnin nodded.

They were familiar with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, the senior advisors who occasionally attended high-level jōnin meetings.

"This Danzo-sama is also one of the senior advisors," Shikaku continued. "He's the head of the Root, a division of the Anbu. Due to the nature of his work, he rarely appears in public, so it's not surprising that you haven't heard of him."

Some were stunned.

They hadn't even known there was such a division within the Anbu. In their understanding, Anbu squads were trained similarly to regular ninja teams, with experienced leaders mentoring newer members in practical combat.

Others had heard whispers…

But they had never witnessed this division in action.

Still, a few immediately thought of "Root," the mysterious organization rumored to exist in Konoha. Some of their friends had joined it and were never the same afterward, cutting ties and becoming entirely different people.

"Does he have the strength to defeat Sasuke Uchiha?" For most, Danzo's identity and background were secondary to the pressing question:

Could he handle the immediate threat of Sasuke Uchiha?

Shikaku thought for a moment. It was a fair question.

As a veteran ninja, Shikaku had seen Danzo fight before.

Back then, during the era of the Second Hokage, before Hiruzen had succeeded him…

Danzo's strength was at the level of a jōnin. He possessed no unique secret techniques or bloodline limits, making him a fairly unremarkable ninja.

Jōnin, yes. But nothing more.

Even in his prime, Danzo had never reached the level of a "Kage." Now, in his old age, with a weakened body and numerous injuries…

Comparing him to Sasuke Uchiha was out of the question. Danzo would struggle even against an ordinary Kage-level ninja or an elite jōnin like Kakashi Hatake.

"Danzo-sama hasn't fought in a long time," Shikaku said after some thought. "I'm not sure. But if he's stepping forward, he must be confident."

He paused, then motioned for Kakashi to join him.

"Still, just in case… we need to prepare for the worst."

Kakashi nodded gravely and followed Shikaku to the side to strategize. Shikaku's words were meant to reassure the others—they couldn't afford to let their doubts damage morale.

But in truth…

Shikaku hadn't expected Danzo to step forward himself.

Logically, when Sasuke came knocking, Danzo should have anticipated this and prepared accordingly.

After all, Sasuke's target was none other than him.

The battlefield quickly emptied, leaving only two people behind.

"Sasuke," Danzo spoke softly. "Hiruzen indulged you far too much, letting you grow arrogant. You fail to see how fortunate you are to remain in Konoha."

Sasuke Uchiha scoffed. "Only someone like you would think staying in Konoha is a privilege."

"Senior Advisor," he sneered. "The Uchiha clan's massacre… you were involved, weren't you?"

Danzo tilted his head, briefly glancing at Shikaku Nara.

Sasuke had already picked up on the slight hint Danzo had inadvertently revealed earlier.

After a moment of silence, Danzo continued, "Indeed, it was related to me. It was on my orders that Itachi Uchiha exterminated his clan. Looking back, it was a mistake to agree to his request to let you live. That decision has led to this disaster."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "So you're the mastermind?"

"Such insolent words," Danzo replied, shaking his head, his tone calm. "You should refer to me as the strategist who solved a great problem. Konoha needs obedient Uchiha. It does not need those who disobey—much less those who pose a threat."

"Sasuke Uchiha, you are a talented child, but your vision and capacity are far too limited. What is a single clan compared to a village?"

"You see things only through the lens of a ninja, not that of a leader. Your life…"

Sasuke cut him off. "Itachi said the same thing to me."

"How typical. The strong always use the same rhetoric to justify oppressing the weak."

Sasuke waved his hand, and Susanoo mirrored the motion, smashing its massive arm into the gates of Konoha, sending up a cloud of dust and debris.

"Now, I'll give you a choice," Sasuke said with a wild grin. Even through Susanoo, his expression was crystal clear—maniacal, hostile, brimming with malice.

"For the sake of Konoha, die. If you commit suicide now, I'll leave Konoha and spare the others."

"Here's a good question," Sasuke taunted. "What's more important: you or the village?"

Danzo, however, was unfazed. He simply shook his head. "Your promises cannot be trusted. And besides, I have the power to deal with you."

Danzo brought his hands together to form seals with calm precision.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"

He took a deep breath, his chest expanding, and then exhaled forcefully.

A massive, invisible sphere of compressed air shot toward Susanoo.

Among the five elemental releases, wind was the most destructive—not fire or lightning. However, it was also rare. Apart from its destructive potential, wind lacked versatility, which made wind-style ninja less prominent than those who specialized in other elements.

Sasuke's killing intent flared.

Moments ago, he had restrained himself, focusing on his entrance and declaration to Konoha. Now, all he wanted was to eliminate the man standing before him.

Susanoo shifted, pulling its massive feet free from the ground. Its ornate, purple armor gleamed as it gripped its twin swords and slashed toward the incoming air sphere.

The clash was deafening. The collision generated a piercing screech and a massive wave of wind that rippled across the battlefield.

Danzo's jutsu had no effect.

His expression remained calm, though his gaze darkened slightly as he leapt back, narrowly avoiding Susanoo's blade.

Once more, he formed hand seals.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave."

This technique, though similar in name to the previous one, functioned entirely differently.

The 'Vacuum Wave' generated fine, sharp wind blades with exceptional piercing power.

Even Susanoo should have been vulnerable to such an attack…

But as the blades struck, the result was negligible. A small patch of Susanoo's ornate armor was scuffed—nothing more. Even with its incredible penetrating force, the technique failed to breach Susanoo's complete form.

Danzo's composure faltered for the first time. His face, partially hidden by bandages, twisted into a grimace of frustration.

He had hoped his abilities would allow him to inflict at least some damage on Sasuke.

But he hadn't expected…

The power of Sasuke's eyes to be this overwhelming.

"One man steps forward, claiming he can deal with me," Sasuke sneered, showing no intention of dodging. With a smirk, he thrust his blade forward.

The sound was sharp and chilling as the sword plunged into Danzo's chest.

Blood sprayed forth, scattering into the air like crimson rain.

"That's all you've got?" Sasuke mocked. "To think the Uchiha clan was wiped out by someone like you."

He raised his other hand, gripping his blade, and swung it downward.

A severed head tumbled to the ground, rolling to a stop.

The jōnin watching from a distance were stunned, caught completely off guard.

Especially those who hadn't known Danzo before now.

He had spoken with such confidence…

Who would have thought he'd be killed in a single exchange?

Shikaku Nara hunched forward, his sharp eyes fixed on Sasuke.

While Danzo's death was shocking, if it meant Sasuke would now leave, it was the best outcome Konoha could hope for under the circumstances. Even though this incident would tarnish Konoha's reputation and complicate future negotiations with Sunagakure…

It was still preferable to having Sasuke destroy the village entirely.

Many ninja hadn't even revealed their trump cards yet. But even if they managed to stop Sasuke using every tool at their disposal… how much would it cost?

Konoha couldn't afford to lose more strength.

As for Danzo…

He hadn't even shown up during Orochimaru's invasion of the village. And now, after feeding them false confidence, his death seemed almost meaningless. Shikaku had long been dissatisfied with him.

Better to lose him than risk the lives of others.

He considered how to frame his thoughts to avoid damaging morale when—

A strange chakra fluctuation rippled across the battlefield.

Those with sensory abilities instinctively turned toward its source.

Shikaku followed their gazes.

It was coming from Danzo's 'body.'

No… not a corpse.

Danzo was standing, alive. His severed head was back on his shoulders, and the blade that had pierced him was now embedded harmlessly in the ground nearby.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.

He was certain his blade had struck true.

Danzo's seals… they weren't for genjutsu.

And even if they were, no genjutsu could deceive the Sharingan.

"Why that surprised look?" Danzo asked, his voice calm, as though nothing had happened. "As an Uchiha, you don't recognize this technique?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, analyzing every detail.

The phenomenon was clearly related to the Sharingan.

But this ability…

No member of the Uchiha clan had ever displayed it. Not even Itachi.

Danzo reached up and pulled away the cloth covering his arm.

"You once asked what happened to the Sharingan taken from the dead Uchiha," he said, his voice steady.

"You should know by now that Itachi didn't have them."

"Now I can answer you."

"They're all here."

With a rustle, the cloth fell to the ground, revealing Danzo's right arm.

The arm was pale, unnaturally white like snow.

But what was most horrifying…

Embedded across the arm were rows upon rows of Sharingan, staring lifelessly.

Only one eye was shut, its dim appearance suggesting it had lost its power.

"The technique I used just now is called Izanagi," Danzo said, his tone soft as he gently touched the shut Sharingan.

"It allows me to rewrite reality itself in my favor—even erasing the fact that I was killed."

"A powerful, terrifying ability, isn't it? Of course, it comes at a cost."

"This ability consumes the Sharingan used to perform it, leaving it permanently blind."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

He had never heard of this technique before... Could it have been sealed away by the elders of his clan because its side effects were too severe?

"Normally, an Uchiha has only two chances in their lifetime to use this technique," Danzo continued, tilting his head. "But I have ten opportunities."

"How can you—"

Before he could finish, Sasuke swung his blade without hesitation.

"Too much talking."

"The only thing impressive is the Sharingan, not you."

"Even with such power, your own strength can't even pierce Susanoo. How can you hope to defeat me?"

Danzo tried to dodge, but his old and frail body was too slow.

The blade pierced his heart, lifting him into the air.

Izanagi activated once again.

Danzo reappeared, alive. This time, he didn't dare speak further, immediately forming hand seals.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A giant orange-furred creature with a long trunk descended, shaking the ground as it landed and shielding Danzo's body.

The beast swung its trunk, preparing to roar deafeningly.

But before it could make a sound, Sasuke's blade struck again, impaling the beast. A burst of white smoke erupted, and the creature disappeared, banished back to its realm by the fatal blow.

Behind the fading beast, Danzo pulled at the bandages covering his head. With a sharp tug, the cloth unraveled, falling to the ground in a coiled heap.

It revealed another Sharingan, identical to the Mangekyō Sharingan Sasuke had seen Itachi use—a Mangekyō Sharingan from an unknown Uchiha, now in Danzo's possession.

Danzo activated the eye.

Kotoamatsukami.

A strange chakra flowed into Sasuke's body—cold, viscous, and invasive.

"Why resist?" Danzo finally spoke, his voice arrogant and smug as though declaring his victory. "Defeating an enemy doesn't always mean killing them."

"Capturing their mind is also a victory."

"From now on, Sasuke Uchiha, you will be my most loyal subordinate. Whatever I command, you will obey without question."

The Mangekyō spun wildly, sending its chakra deep into Sasuke's being.

Danzo had done this before, and now it felt even easier.

He raised his hand and beckoned gently, his voice soft. "Come, my dear child, return to your true father's side."

But Sasuke didn't move. Susanoo remained intact, and his tone was eerily calm. "So, this is your trump card?"

Danzo froze.

The cold, distant, hateful tone wasn't what he had anticipated.

What was going on?

He was certain Kotoamatsukami had activated successfully, and Sasuke was the target.

This was the ace he had staked everything on, sacrificing even a summoning beast to create the opportunity.

"This technique… Itachi used it on me once," Sasuke said, his face twisted in disgust at the mention of his brother's name. "Even he couldn't change my thoughts."

Danzo's eyes widened in disbelief.

His confidence drained entirely in that moment.

The only reason he had dared to step forward, to face Sasuke, and to believe he could turn the tide, was this eye—a Mangekyō capable of manipulating chakra and rewriting perception.

But it hadn't worked?

How was that possible?

"This is why you Konoha ninja are so laughable," Sasuke said, extending his hand as chakra surged into his palm. "Do you know what Itachi, the so-called savior of the Uchiha, tried to make me do with this technique?"

Danzo didn't reply.

"He told me to be loyal to Konoha," Sasuke said with a bitter smile. "Isn't that ironic?"

"An unforgivable traitor preaching loyalty to me."

Sasuke's mocking grin grew even darker. "And you're even more absurd than he was."

"At least he wanted me to serve a cause—a village."

"But you…"

"You, a senior advisor of Konoha…"

"Want me to be loyal to you, not the village itself."

"And you dare talk about vision and leadership?" Sasuke's voice grew colder. "No matter how despicable Itachi was, he stood by his beliefs. What about you?"

"You're nothing but a hypocrite who holds others to one standard and yourself to another."

Sasuke raised his hand high.

"The Uchiha clan perished because of you."

"What a disgrace."

Susanoo didn't strike with its sword. Instead, Sasuke used a binding spell.

"Bakudō #4: Hainawa (Crawling Rope)."

Golden ropes shot out from Sasuke's hand, wrapping tightly around Danzo's right arm.

Danzo struggled, but in the next moment, Susanoo's blade swung down, severing the arm completely.

Sasuke didn't want to see the Sharingan—his clan's eyes—wasted on someone like Danzo.

But…

Izanagi activated yet again.

The severed arm still contained Danzo's chakra. For a ninja, chakra was often more vital than the body itself. With enough chakra, even severe injuries could be mitigated.

One minute later, another Sharingan on Danzo's arm shut forever, its light extinguished.

Izanagi continued to function.

Danzo didn't die, but his composure crumbled entirely.

His final trump card, his most critical ability, had failed.

As Sasuke had said, what was the point of endlessly reviving only to await true death in the end?

And eventually, that moment came.

Danzo's gaze turned toward the Konoha ninja, pleading for help.

But all that awaited him was Sasuke's cold blade.

True death arrived.

Danzo's body fell lifelessly to the ground.

Sasuke dismissed Susanoo and prepared to claim the severed arm. Even if the Sharingan were useless now, they were still part of the Uchiha legacy.

However…

Black threads suddenly emerged from Danzo's corpse, writhing like tar.

Sasuke froze, hovering just above the ground.

The threads spread, consuming Danzo's body and everything else they touched, including corpses and debris.

The jōnin leaped away in alarm, but the unfortunate were swallowed up and sealed.

"Reverse Four Symbols Seal," Kakashi murmured, instantly recognizing the technique. As a disciple of the Fourth Hokage, he didn't know how to use it, but he understood its mechanics well enough. "Danzo had this sealing jutsu on him?"

Shikaku shook his head. "As a senior advisor, he likely carried many secrets. It's not surprising he would have a failsafe like this."

Kakashi didn't respond.

It wasn't the presence of the seal that shocked him—it was that someone like Danzo, who valued his own life above all else, would carry such a self-sacrificial jutsu.

The black threads writhed for a moment longer, draining the last remnants of chakra from Danzo's corpse, then fell silent.

Sasuke remained cautious, floating closer to the ground but not landing.

"He can fly," one ninja muttered with a frown.

Flight was a rare and formidable ability among ninja. Few could achieve it, with the most famous being Onoki of Iwagakure.

Shikaku deliberated for a moment before finally speaking. "Sasuke Uchiha, leave Konoha immediately."

He didn't elaborate.

Any further words would sound like an admission of defeat—and in truth, they were surrendering.

In Shikaku's assessment, defeating Sasuke would require immense sacrifices, far more than the cost of letting him leave peacefully.

There was no point in sacrificing lives for the sake of pride.

"Return the belongings of the Uchiha clan," Sasuke said calmly, pointing his blade. "I will take everything that belongs to my family."

After a moment's hesitation, Shikaku signaled to the others.

A ninja quickly leaped away to retrieve the clan's scrolls and other relics.

When the items were brought to him, Sasuke took them without hesitation. Without a single glance back, he left Konoha behind, indifferent to the destruction he had caused.

Sasuke was gone, leaving devastation in his wake.

…

Half an hour later

A blonde-haired boy stumbled into the scene, his breath ragged from running.

Raising his hand, he called out to the only familiar face in the crowd. "Kakashi-sensei, I heard Sasuke came back! Where is he?"

Kakashi looked up at him but didn't say anything.

A nearby jōnin, staring at the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, couldn't hold back and said, "Sasuke Uchiha came back to the village to kill someone. He killed his target and left."

"Nobody could stop him?" Naruto asked in shock, unable to believe it.

The jōnin shook his head. "Sasuke Uchiha's strength now isn't something that numbers can contain anymore. His very presence is like a natural disaster. Unless…"

Kakashi interrupted him. "What are you trying to say?"

"What do you mean?"

The jōnin immediately fell silent.

Shikaku Nara waved his hand. "Kakashi, take Naruto back."

"Our biggest issue right now is choosing a reliable Hokage."

"We need to think about how to explain these events to the Fire Daimyō and the nobles."

"And we need to figure out how to handle our negotiations with Sand Village."

The incident involving Sasuke Uchiha had far-reaching consequences.

However…

Considering the rarity of the Mangekyō Sharingan, a phenomenon that might not appear even once in centuries, it could serve as a reasonable justification. Treating Sasuke as a figure akin to Madara Uchiha or Hashirama Senju might make Konoha's defeat seem more understandable.

Naruto protested noisily, refusing to leave. He wanted to know more about Sasuke.

Just one sentence wasn't enough to explain things to Sakura.

…

Meanwhile...

Sasuke, who had left the village, found a cave in a remote area. He bought some medical supplies from a nearby town.

Using the Shadow Clone Jutsu, he prepared for surgery.

Personally performing the operation, Sasuke carefully transplanted Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan into his own eyes.

The procedure was difficult, but for someone with the Sharingan, the precise movements required were manageable with enough caution.

When the surgery was completed and the effects of the anesthesia wore off, Sasuke Uchiha attempted to open his eyes.

There were no bandages obstructing his vision.

Instead, what greeted him was the interior of the 2nd Division barracks.

He paused, momentarily stunned.

Had he returned to the Soul Society during the surgery?

That was fine by him.

The only thing he wasn't sure of was whether his newly transplanted eyes had also made it into this world.

He walked over to a mirror and looked at his reflection.

The Mangekyō Sharingan spun in his eyes, their pattern having completely transformed from what they were before.