While Ethan was still hung up on why his Susanoo was pink, Danzo on the other side had already been shaken to the point of questioning his existence.

But no matter his mental state, it didn't stop Itachi and Sasuke from ganging up on him.

If Tsunade had previously hesitated about whether or not to kill Danzo, that hesitation vanished completely the moment Danzo used Wood Style, confirming Ethan's earlier claims.

The Sharingan, the First Hokage's cells, and Danzo being one of the key figures behind the death of Kakashi's father—unknowingly, an atmosphere of "Danzo must die" filled the room.

In the end, he was indeed beaten to death without suspense.

Izanagi is an incredibly powerful forbidden jutsu that turns fatal situations into mere illusions. But there's a reason it's labeled forbidden—after using Izanagi, the Sharingan used is completely blinded, rendered useless.

Danzo had multiple Sharingan implanted in his right arm, but the strain of maintaining so many was immense, especially for a non-Uchiha. Even with the First Hokage's cells enhancing his body, he couldn't implant Sharingan on every inch of his arm without consequence.

His limit was ten Sharingan, plus the Mangekyo Sharingan in his eye socket. Any more would become a liability instead of an asset.

If it had been Sasuke alone, he might have needed to explore and test before figuring out how to deal with Danzo, just like in the original story.

But with Itachi present, Danzo lost the information advantage. Itachi knew exactly what Izanagi was. And with the current power gap, they didn't need any elaborate strategy. He simply used Susanoo to wear Danzo down—he just had to kill him repeatedly.

Ethan watched the whole process and only stepped in when Danzo tried to self-destruct at the end. He didn't give him the chance, casting a genjutsu to momentarily daze him and stop the activation of the Four Symbols Seal.

Besides stopping him, this genjutsu forced Danzo to rewatch his life from an outsider's perspective. He witnessed the ripple effects of everything he had done, including events that hadn't happened yet, such as the next great Shinobi World War. Ethan spoiled it all.

Ethan didn't know if Danzo realized his mistakes. He did it just to humiliate him while he still had a breath left. The "for the sake of the village" mantra he kept repeating was nothing more than an excuse to serve his own interests.

Of course, given how shameless Danzo was, Ethan didn't expect him to admit anything. But it didn't matter anymore—he was dead.

The final blow came from Sasuke and Itachi working together. Watching the brothers' Amaterasu flames burn Danzo to ashes, leaving not even a trace, the room fell into a brief silence. Tsunade, as the Hokage, was the first to speak.

"Ethan, how long can your jutsu last?"

"How long does Hokage-sama need it to last?"

Tsunade really wanted to know how long Ethan could maintain such a terrifying jutsu, one that had essentially enveloped all of Konoha. If there was no time limit…

Judging by Ethan's response, even if there was a limit, it wouldn't be ending any time soon. Meaning he could sustain it for a significant duration.

"Keep it up until morning. Just to confirm, your jutsu really won't hurt civilians, right?"

"At most, they'll feel a bit tired or weak tomorrow. Nothing serious... Of course, if you want certain people to 'die from illness,' that's not hard either."

They definitely couldn't tell the villagers the truth tomorrow. A sudden outbreak of plague would be a convenient explanation. Some people dying from illness wouldn't raise suspicion.

"You've really thought this through."

"As a loyal subordinate, I must always think on behalf of Hokage-sama."

If Ethan had been even a little more serious, Tsunade might've believed him. But with his laid-back attitude and not even looking at her properly, it was obvious he was just saying whatever.

Tsunade's forehead veins throbbed again. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

Then she turned away from Ethan and gave Kakashi orders.

Of everyone present, Kakashi was the only one she could freely assign. His rank and popularity were well established, making him the best candidate to mobilize Anbu for cleanup.

Although Itachi had been a prominent Anbu member, he now had a criminal label, and that status wouldn't be easily erased. Even though he had returned, it would be difficult for him to step back into the light. He could only continue to work from the shadows.

Besides, he had just returned to the village. He couldn't handle these tasks right away.

As for Sasuke, he was still just a young Genin. While capable in battle, he wasn't suited for political cleanup work and didn't have the qualifications or standing to command the Anbu.

So while Kakashi went to mobilize the Anbu, Itachi and Sasuke stayed by Tsunade's side. Ethan followed Kakashi, responsible for waking up the key personnel. After all, if everyone was still unconscious from his Wood Style, who would clean up the mess?

It wasn't a difficult task. It just required running around with Kakashi. By the time Kakashi had roused everyone and was leading the cleanup of Danzo's remnants, Ethan had already returned to the Root base.

He was curious what Tsunade and the Uchiha brothers talked about while he was gone. But Itachi had already changed into a standard Anbu uniform and was wearing a mask. He blended in with the other Anbu members who had been awakened and called in to assist the Hokage.

The Root base was enormous. If it were just Tsunade and the two Uchiha, a full sweep would've taken too long.

But with a full Anbu team, the pace picked up significantly. Evidence of Danzo's crimes was uncovered one after another. The more Tsunade saw, the more shocked she became, and the more certain she was that killing Danzo had been absolutely the right decision.

Especially the records of his collusion with multiple outside factions. They made Tsunade so furious that she smashed who-knows-how-many things.

At that moment, Ethan happened to be nearby, muttering, "Told you. Just flip Danzo's hideout upside down, and you'll find all the evidence you want."

Tsunade shot him an angry glare. Even though he was right, she still found it annoying.

But thinking it through, Danzo was gone, and this evidence could also help her take down a few other old relics. Her mood improved.

"Hmph. Let's see how smug those arrogant old fossils are now."

Given how blatant Danzo had been, there was no way the rest of the village's upper ranks were entirely unaware. Many had been complicit. Now, Tsunade could finally deal with them.

Konoha was changing.

That morning, one explosive piece of news after another spread through the village.

Shimura Danzo was found to have colluded with Orochimaru and multiple other forces, attempting treason. He was personally executed by the Fifth Hokage. The rogue faction 'Root,' including Danzo, was completely wiped out.

The two advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, were removed from their posts for their negligence in the Danzo incident.

Several major clans expressed dissatisfaction with the Fifth Hokage's actions, but it was meaningless. They had all been frightened by Ethan's Wood Style. They knew if Ethan wanted them dead, he could wipe them out in minutes.

Homura and Koharu realized something was off the moment they woke up that morning. They understood Tsunade was no longer someone they could pressure. To protect their families, they accepted the Hokage's terms and obediently retired.

It was at this point that the major clans realized something terrifying: this young man Ethan, who had only graduated from the Ninja Academy just over a year ago and had no notable background, was actually someone whose power rivaled the First Hokage.

With Ethan supporting her, Tsunade essentially replicated the Senju clan's dominance from the early days of Konoha. Even if anyone was dissatisfied, they had to swallow it and obey her orders.

Although she had been Hokage for over half a year, it wasn't until today that Tsunade truly felt like a Hokage. Her commands were executed without obstruction. That made her feel proud, but also frustrated. If Ethan hadn't insisted on taking out Danzo, she might not have reached this point even after decades in office.

Only now did she realize how much these prestigious clans had been hiding. She became even busier than when she first took office, trying to sort out Konoha's true "strength" and "assets."

And she certainly didn't forget Ethan.

"Jonin Ethan, the Hokage has appointed you as the new village advisor. The position takes effect starting tomorrow."

"???"

Ethan, who had returned to the Uchiha residence to mooch off food and lodging, paused mid-bite and looked at Itachi, who suddenly appeared in full Anbu gear. He silently put down his chopsticks.

"When did I become a Jonin? And what is this about being an advisor? I thought after making such a mess, she'd send me somewhere remote just to be done with me."

"Hokage-sama said… when the Advisor has nothing to do, they can do whatever they want. As long as they can be contacted, it's fine."

"..."

(To be continued.)

◇◇◇

◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.

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