Chapter 62 : Similar Excuses

As soon as Kazuhiko uttered those words, Danzo's pupils contracted violently.

His cheeks involuntarily trembled, and he considered delivering a few harsh words. However, his years of combat experience immediately alerted him to the impending danger.

"This is bad!"

In the blink of an eye, Kazuhiko transformed into a streak of lights, appearing behind Danzo.

"Unbelievably fast! How is this possible?"

Danzo barely caught sight of a flash of yellow before realizing that a massive foot was rapidly expanding in his vision.

"Substitute..."

Before he could complete the hand seals, there was a resounding crash as a gaping hole appeared in the floor of the Uzumaki clan's meeting hall. 

Danzo's left half of the face was gruesomely embedded under the wreckage.

Splinters of wood pierced Danzo's skin, causing crimson blood to trickle out.

"Uh...uh..."

He struggled to speak, but with dirt and sawdust covering half of his face, it proved futile. Kazuhiko's left foot firmly pinned down the exposed half of his face.

The fit was perfect!

On the sidelines, Koharu was utterly astonished by Kazuhiko's actions. She seemed paralyzed, as if under the effects of a body-immobilization jutsu, standing there motionless.

Her mouth hung open in disbelief as she stared wide-eyed at the surreal scene unfolding before her, far beyond her comprehension.

In the instant Kazuhiko approached, the rushing wind reached Utatane Koharu's ears, tousling her snow-white hair.

She watched Kazuhiko materialize in front of her as though by teleportation.

"How is this possible? Such incredible speed! Danzo was incapacitated in an instant!"

"It's inconceivable! Is this an illusion?"

Whether it was Kazuhiko's formidable power or his brash attitude toward them, Utatane Koharu found it difficult to process.

When the Uzumaki clan members present heard Kazuhiko's words, many couldn't help but reach for the desserts on the table and comment one after the other.

"That's our Kazuhiko-sama for you! Let me tell you, there's no way to evade that speed."

"Kazuki, did you see anything? I had my eyes wide open, but I couldn't see a thing—just a faint flash, and Kazuhiko-sama had passed by."

"Kazuhiko-sama excels in everything, but his ending was just too swift to comprehend."

Utatane Koharu was no longer aware of the other voices; her attention was focused on Kazuhiko and Danzo at his feet.

After a long pause, she regained her composure, akin to a frightened groundhog that had been abruptly caught.

"Ah... Kazuhiko, you're audacious..."

Kazuhiko furrowed his brow, turning to face Utatane Koharu, who resembled an enraged shrew.

Her shrill outburst grated on his ears, and he found it rather tedious. Wasn't there anything new to say?

Before she could finish her sentence, "Crack!" Kazuhiko slapped her across the face with force, leaving a noticeable imprint.

"Silence, old hag!"

Utatane Koharu was sent airborne by Kazuhiko's strike.

"Bang!" She slowly lifted her head and landed on the ground with a resounding thud. Her face was now swollen like a pig's head.

She gazed vacantly ahead, blood flowing from her mouth, her mouth missing four or five teeth.

Her ears were ringing, and the sudden slap had left her disoriented. The metallic taste of blood and the stinging pain on her face finally convinced her that this was no illusion.

However, Kazuhiko had already moved on, shifting his attention to Danzo beneath his feet.

As Danzo stared up at him with intense hatred through his exposed right eye, his mouth was muffled by dirt and sawdust, rendering him speechless.

"You preached so much about how the weak should respect the strong. Now that you're beneath my feet, I warned you in advance, yet you failed to evade. Who do you think holds the power now?"

Kazuhiko taunted.

"Look at how arrogant you were before, but just a few words from me had you groveling in the Land of Whirlpools."

"I thought you were so formidable, but it appears not."

"Hey, why aren't you speaking? Oh, my apologies, I forgot—you can't speak now."

Kazuhiko suddenly released his grip and delivered a kick that sent Danzo flying several meters away, landing right next to Utatane Koharu.

Utatane Koharu, now fully alert, exchanged glances with Danzo.

For a moment, neither of them recognized the other.

Danzo's left face was covered in blood and sawdust, with a clear footprint on his right cheek, courtesy of Kazuhiko.

Utatane Koharu's face resembled a bloated pig's head.

Having lost four or five teeth to Kazuhiko's slap, her facial muscles had collapsed.

The two individuals locked eyes with each other, a heavy silence punctuated only by their tears.

Finally, they averted their gaze from Kazuhiko, their heads hanging low. They couldn't bear to meet his eyes any longer.

In this moment, they came to a profound realization of Kazuhiko's immense strength. They had no chance against him, and it was clear that Kazuhiko cared little about Konoha's opinion.

They possessed no grounds for arrogance whatsoever, especially if Kazuhiko were to lose his temper and decide to kill them. 

Even if Konoha were to seek vengeance, it would mean the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools. But remaining here and facing their death would indeed be a significant loss and a foolish choice.

"I still have a duty to advise Konoha. Konoha still relies on me. I am the darkness of Konoha, and I cannot allow myself to perish. I must endure this humiliation," one of them murmured.

"I am Konoha's advisor, and I cannot afford to die. Hiruzen still needs me! I am a ninja, and for the sake of Konoha, I must persist," echoed the other.

Though they didn't exchange words, their inner thoughts mirrored each other. Even in their justifications, their minds were remarkably alike. It was truly astonishing...

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