Konoha's Genius is a bit Ordinary?

At the Hokage's Inauguration Ceremony

The rooftop of the Hokage Tower was now occupied by only two figures: Natsuro and Danzō. Tsunade and Sasuke had left earlier during the fight.

There was no reason for them to stay any longer, this was Natsuro's stage. Their presence might even become a hindrance.

Even though the entire Hokage Tower had been reinforced with multiple layers of barriers, it was still challenging to withstand the intensity of attacks exchanged between Natsuro and Danzō.

"How are you able to account for so much?" Danzō asked, his tone carrying a defeated bitterness.

"No great mystery," Natsuro replied calmly. "Your heinous deeds made this ending inevitable. You should've seen it coming."

Danzō suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. "Heinous deeds? All I ever wanted was the position of Hokage! And yet none of you ever gave me a chance!"

"Are you sure you were never given a chance?" Natsuro asked, fixing Danzō with a piercing stare.

Danzō froze, Natsuro's figure suddenly merging with the shadow of his old teacher.

Yes, hadn't he been given a chance? During the Shinobi World War, their teacher, the Second Hokage, had devised a test to select his successor. The plan involved one of them acting as a decoy to lure the enemy away, giving the others time to escape.

At the critical moment, Danzō had hesitated, afraid of death, even though he'd initially intended to volunteer.

It was Hiruzen Sarutobi who stepped forward instead, volunteering as the decoy. That decision earned him the title of Third Hokage.

Had he not hesitated back then, perhaps it would have been Danzō standing in Hiruzen's place all those years ago.

That was the closest Danzō had ever come to becoming Hokage, yet he had let the opportunity slip through his fingers because of his own fear.

"So, there was a chance," Natsuro said, seeing the recognition in Danzō's eyes. "If you hadn't resorted to underhanded schemes to seize the Hokage seat, you were the closest contender to begin with. But you never cherished those chances."

"Silence! I don't need a brat like you lecturing me!"

Snapping out of his memories, Danzō was infuriated, his fury a mask for his shame. He lashed out in rage.

"Wood Style: Wood Spiked Spear!"

From Danzō's right arm, a massive wooden spike erupted, thrusting toward Natsuro with devastating force.

Natsuro, unfazed, calmly drew his Ink Sword. The blade began to radiate an ethereal white light that extended outward, growing with intensity.

"Taijutsu Art: Vacuum Slash."

With a single swing of the glowing blade, Natsuro's attack met the incoming wooden spear.

In an instant, the massive wooden structure was sliced cleanly apart.

"Impossible!" Danzō's eyes widened in disbelief. That was Wood Style, the legendary technique of the First Hokage. How could it be so easily dismantled?

But reality was undeniable. Natsuro had the power to sever even the mightiest wood jutsu with his Vacuum Slash.

The ethereal white sword cleaved through the Wood Spiked Spear without losing momentum, continuing forward and slicing through Danzō's body, splitting him in two.

"This strike," Natsuro said, his voice resonating over the scene, "is your punishment for desecrating the legacy of the First Hokage by misusing his cells."

A moment later, Danzō reappeared, his body restored by the power of Izanagi.

But as he materialized, Natsuro was already waiting.

"Taijutsu Art: Chidori Blade!"

This time, Natsuro's sword was enveloped in lightning, its crackling energy resembling the chirping of a thousand birds. Without giving Danzō a chance to react, he swung the blade, cutting him in half once again.

"This strike," Natsuro said, his voice colder now, "is your punishment for killing the Uchiha and coveting the power of their Sharingan."

Watching this scene, Sasuke's lips curled into a rare smile. Natsuro's words and actions struck a chord deep within him.

For a moment, Sasuke was lost in thought, memories of his family and the warm smiles of his parents and relatives flashing before him.

While he hadn't delivered the killing blow himself, Natsuro's act felt like partial retribution for the Uchiha clan.

But Sasuke knew that for the rest of the vengeance, he would have to act himself.

The intensity of his emotions triggered an unexpected reaction. His Sharingan flared to life, the tomoe spinning wildly.

Unbeknownst to him, Sasuke's Sharingan had reached the cusp of evolution. While it hadn't yet ascended to the Mangekyō stage, he could feel that he was just one step away.

I will forge my path to the Mangekyō in my own way, Sasuke resolved. Not through loss like Itachi's path, but by proving his ideals wrong.

Meanwhile, Natsuro was unaware of Sasuke's epiphany. His focus remained on Danzō, who lay lifeless before him once again.

Calmly, Natsuro prepared his next technique, ready to deliver another judgment.

Being killed by Chidori Blade was undoubtedly more excruciating than Vacuum Slash.

Vacuum Slash was a pure and clean severing technique, while Chidori Blade inflicted pain with every jolt of electricity coursing through the target. Danzō's two halves, charred and smoking, bore testament to the agony inflicted.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Danzō demonstrated a variety of deaths.

He was incinerated to ashes by a Fireball Jutsu, impaled into a sieve by countless kunai, and had every cell in his body shredded by a Wind Style: Rasenshuriken.

Each execution was more brutal than the last, and Danzō's repeated "resurrections" left him with no time to recover.

It seemed as if Natsuro possessed infinite power and an endless arsenal of techniques.

By now, it wasn't just Danzō who had grown numb; the clan leaders watching below were also overwhelmed.

They realized that each of Natsuro's techniques was far beyond anything they could withstand. Without Danzō's ability to "revive," they would have been instantly annihilated.

Even if they united their entire clans against Natsuro, they doubted they could stop him.

As they mulled this over, bitter smiles crept across their faces. It became clear that Natsuro's public execution of Danzō wasn't merely about justice, it was also a demonstration of power, a warning to anyone who might challenge him in the future.

And they had no choice but to acknowledge it. Witnessing such overwhelming strength, they were utterly cowed.

"Shizune, is the Hokage Tower really this sturdy?" Tsunade asked, amazed that the building had survived Natsuro's relentless attacks unscathed.

"Every one of Natsuro-sama's strikes is executed with near-perfect control. The attacks barely even touch the building," Shizune replied, her gaze filled with admiration for Natsuro, who floated gracefully in the air like an unshakable force of nature.

"I can see that much," Tsunade muttered. "But I remember the Hokage Tower being far less durable. Even my punches could leave it full of holes."

"Maybe it's thanks to the barrier team?" Shizune ventured uncertainly.

"The barrier team is that capable? Why didn't I know this?" Tsunade mumbled before turning her attention back to the scene.

For a moment, Tsunade felt a twinge of sympathy for Danzō. Izanagi had proven utterly futile, and instead of sparing him, it only prolonged his suffering.

If it were her in Danzō's position, she would have voluntarily ended the jutsu by now. There was no surviving against Natsuro, enduring such torment was pointless.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood silently, conflicted as he watched his old comrade die repeatedly, only to return again and again. Each death was more gruesome than the last, and the sight was beginning to wear on him.

Hiruzen had resolved to let justice take its course, but seeing Danzō's repeated suffering left him questioning whether it was enough.

"Maybe it's time to end this. He's paid enough for his crimes," Hiruzen thought, about to speak up.

But before he could, Asuma interrupted.

"Old man, don't even think about it," Asuma said, his tone firm.

Hiruzen hesitated.

"Hah, I knew it," Asuma said, exhaling smoke from his cigarette. "You were about to stop this. Don't be foolish. Natsuro isn't the kind to leave things half-finished. Besides, if Danzō isn't executed, this entire situation will spiral out of control."

Hiruzen fell silent, glancing around. The crowd's fervor was palpable, filled with admiration for Natsuro.

His strength, his decisiveness, his refusal to tolerate evil, everything about him was awe-inspiring.

Each time Natsuro executed Danzō, he had a justified reason, and no one could find fault with his actions.

Cruel? Perhaps. But the audience's emotions were already inflamed. No one cared about the finer details anymore.

"Grandpa…" A small hand tugged on Hiruzen's sleeve. Konohamaru looked up at him, worry written across his face.

Finally, mustering his courage, the boy said, "Grandpa, I think Natsuro-nii-san is doing the right thing. Someone like that doesn't deserve forgiveness."

"Is that so?" Hiruzen murmured, stunned.

He closed his eyes, his expression pained, and let out a heavy sigh.

"If even Konohamaru says so… then I suppose it's settled. Danzō… it's time for you to leave us."

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Currently on Chapter 293 - Obito Begins Preparation