Chapter 92: Danzō

Huff...

Danzō, having been away from active combat for many years and now seventy years old, lacked the agility of his prime. Similar to his encounter with Sasuke in the original story, Danzō faced impending attacks not due to choice, but due to the constraints of Izanagi. It was reminiscent of that battle, where dodging was rendered futile in the face of this unique technique's power.

Sato's Kunai strike seemed imminent, yet Danzō remained unmoving, allowing the Kunai to pierce him. Then, defying death through Izanagi's manipulation, he reappeared several feet away. Seizing the moment, he exhaled with intent and unleashed aWind Release: Vacuum Sphere. This onslaught of wind blades targeted the trio of 'Satos,' with Danzō's Mangekyō Sharingan whirling in pursuit of the genuine Sato. Despite his efforts, the ferocity of Sato's Body Flicker Technique surpassed the speed of Danzō's attack.

The wind blades met distortion as they passed through the illusory forms of the three 'Satos.' Danzō's Sharingan arm closed once more, indicating the dwindling duration of Izanagi—four minutes remaining. Unfazed, the three 'Satos' promptly resumed their assault and claimed Danzō's life. However, Danzō reversed his fate yet again, reappearing nearby.

Summoning Baku to his aid, Danzō's plans were thwarted by Sato's mesmerizing Sharingan. The beast succumbed to the illusion, its once fierce gaze replaced by the Mangekyō Sharingan's intricate pattern. Defeated, Baku vanished into the Summoning Realm.

Witnessing this display of power, the lurking White Zetsu clone mused about Sato's potential possession of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Danzō, on the other hand, marveled at Sato's mastery of illusion and instantaneous body manipulation.

In an unexpected turn, another surge of pain coursed through Danzō's neck. Izanagi activated once more, bringing Sato into view. Another minute passed, intensifying the pressure on Danzō's heart. With only two Sharingan remaining on his arm, Danzō confronted the three approaching 'Satos' head-on, a firm resolve taking hold.

With determination, Danzō called forth his Wood Style, causing a branch to erupt from his right arm. Swiftly, the branch transformed into a colossal tree, ensnaring Danzō and the three 'Satos' within its embrace. Unbeknownst to them, Danzō embarked on a bold plan. He activated Izanagi, evading the tree's grasp and observing as the two virtual Shadow Clones vanished, leaving only one 'Sato.' With his right eye aglow, Danzō unleashed the formidable Distinguished Heavenly Gods technique(Kotoamatsukami), casting it upon the entrapped Sato.

A brilliant scarlet light erupted from Danzō's eye, piercing through Sato's defenses. Sato, shrouded in a golden radiance, exhibited a momentary stillness before succumbing to the tree's confinement. The golden light, akin to the sun's brilliance, penetrated Sato's consciousness, seeking to alter his very being.

In the aftermath, Sato's countenance turned vacant, and he was sealed within the tree's body. An enigmatic smile graced Danzō's aged face, as he observed his triumph unfold before him: "... Victory."

"Is that the Kotoamatsukami? What an utterly terrifying Sharingan technique!"

Witnessing the astonishing turn of events, even the White Zetsu clone couldn't help but be amazed.

"Argh..."

Just as the White Zetsu clone believed Danzō had secured victory, a sudden cry pierced the air.

Abruptly, a hand materialized out of thin air, its index finger ruthlessly piercing through Danzō's right eye, extracting Uchiha Shisui's prized sharingan.

And alongside this apparition came Sato himself.

"How... how is this even possible!?"

Danzō, his eyes gouged and bleeding, instinctively sought to invoke Izanagi once more, attempting to rewrite the grim reality of his eye's removal.

However, his efforts were in vain this time—izanagi's manipulations refused to yield to his will.

In a perplexing twist, despite a three-tomoe Sharingan remaining on his arm, the minute he had previously allotted for Izanagi had seemingly been mysteriously restored.

The questioning sneer of Sato, now in possession of Uchiha Shisui's right eye, assumed the guise of "Uchiha Naraku," pride and disdain evident in his demeanor. "An outsider like you, even with the Mangekyō Sharingan, how much power can you truly unleash?"

Click——

Almost as if in answer to Sato's taunts, the world before Danzō disintegrated into shards, revealing his right arm, bereft of all ten Sharingan.

"Illusion... this is an illusion..."

Danzō's voice trembled as he seemed to grasp the truth, his realization sending shivers down his spine.

His right arm, now unencumbered by the Sharingan's influence, was seized by a sudden upheaval of his Hashirama cells.

Swiftly, Sato manipulated Wind Style Nature Transformation, cleaving off Danzō's right arm with a swift, surgical precision. Then, with a deft motion, he applied an array of spell runes onto Danzō's body, wresting control away from him.

"I won't grant you the solace of a swift death," Sato declared, a sneer tainting his tone.

True to his word, Danzō found himself ensnared within Sato's illusion, known as the "010" technique, a concept parallel to Sasuke's manipulation of Danzō's perception of Sharingan numbers in the original story.

Danzō, his once formidable strength now greatly diminished, remained oblivious to the passage of time, relying solely on the number of Sharingan upon his arm as a temporal marker.

As fate would have it, Danzō fell prey to Sato's masterful illusion, his consciousness ensnared.

However, the Sato ensnared by Danzō's Wood Style was none other than Sato's Wood Clone—not his actual form.

While hidden within the invisibility of the Mayfly Technique, Sato had melded with a towering tree, rendering him imperceptible to both White Zetsu's clone and Danzō alike.

From this vantage point, Sato's Wood Clone was dispatched to launch a surprise assault upon Danzō, ensuring it would draw the brunt of Danzō's Kotoamatsukami attempts.

To circumvent the impending conclusion of Izanagi's effect, Sato meticulously orchestrated his strategy. With a fusion of silence and teleportation techniques, he inched closer to his unsuspecting adversary, utilizing his heightened perception to gouge out Danzō's eyes.

Such was Sato's brilliant tactical maneuver.