The entire plaza before the Hokage Tower was plunged into a deathly silence, broken only by the sound of the wind whipping through cloaks. Two factions faced each other, one side representing the will of the Hokage, the other, the darkness that had sunk its roots deep into the village.
"It's too late to turn back, Minato," Danzō said, his voice still terrifyingly calm. "You are too soft to lead this village in times of turmoil. The likes of the Uchiha need an iron fist. Everything I did was for the stability of Konoha."
"Was your stability built on lies, manipulation, and the corpses of innocent children?" Minato retorted, the fury in his voice impossible to hide.
"You have no proof," Danzō smirked.
"You're mistaken."
A new voice rang out. From behind Minato, Kenji stepped forward. He was no longer masked. Under the moonlight, the face of the Jounin who was believed to be dead appeared, resolute and without a trace of fear.
Fugaku and the Uchiha were stunned. The rat who had broken into their headquarters, the one they had hunted everywhere, was a hero whose name was etched on the Memorial Stone.
Kenji held up the scroll in his hand. "I have the proof right here, Danzō-sama."
He unrolled the scroll, his firm voice echoing across the plaza. "A report on the experiment to transplant the First Hokage's cells into twelve orphan children. Eleven died. The sole survivor was recorded under the codename 'Kinoe.' All bearing your signature and seal."
He continued. "And this, a report on your Root members monitoring the birthing place of Uzumaki Kushina on the very night of the Nine-Tails' attack, with a specialized Root kunai found at the scene."
Every word from Kenji was like a hammer blow, shattering Danzō's calm facade. The expressions of Fugaku and the Uchiha shifted from astonishment to absolute fury. They had been deceived. Their hatred had been used and manipulated by another. Their true enemy was standing right before them.
"You... you know too much," Danzō whispered. He knew he had lost the political game. There was only one option left.
"Root!" he roared. "Eliminate them all! For a strong Konoha!"
Instantly, dozens of Root members charged forward like moths to a flame.
"Uchiha! Reclaim the honor of our clan!" Fugaku also roared, and his warriors, their Sharingan blazing, clashed with Root's army.
"Anbu! Protect the Hokage!" Kakashi commanded.
A full-scale battle erupted right in front of the Hokage Tower.
Kenji and Kakashi immediately faced Danzō's two bodyguards. Kenji, with his countless Shadow Clones, held down Fuu with unpredictable teleportation techniques. Kakashi, with Raikiri in hand, engaged in a breathtaking battle of speed against Torune and his poisonous insects.
Fugaku, in his rage, unleashed his full power. His Fire Style incinerated a corner of the plaza, clashing directly with Danzō's sharp Wind Style techniques.
But the focal point of the battle was Minato.
He did not join the chaotic fray. He had only one target.
Flash!
A yellow streak of light. Minato vanished.
He reappeared directly behind Danzō. "It ends now, Danzō."
The cunning old man turned, his right arm now unsealed, revealing a grotesque collection of dozens of Sharingan eyes. He was about to use his final forbidden jutsu, Izanagi.
But Minato was faster. He had, at some point, already thrown his Flying Thunder God kunai behind Danzō.
Rasengan!
A powerful, swirling sphere of blue chakra formed in Minato's hand. He didn't teleport to the kunai. He teleported the Rasengan there.
WHOOSH!
The sphere of chakra appeared instantly behind Danzō, giving him not even a fraction of a second to react. It struck him squarely, its power destroying everything.
Danzō Shimura, the darkness of the Leaf Village, was defeated.
With their leader fallen, the remaining Root members were quickly overwhelmed and apprehended. The battle ended as quickly as it had begun.
Dawn broke, casting its first rays of light upon a plaza scarred by battle, but with no more significant loss of life.
An agreement was made. Danzō's crimes would be kept secret to avoid causing panic throughout the shinobi world. The Root organization would be reformed and placed under the Hokage's direct control.
Fugaku walked up to Minato. He bowed his head, an act no one had ever seen before. "Hokage-sama, we were wrong. Thank you for showing us the truth."
"No," Minato said. "We were all wrong. From this day forward, there will be no more division in the Leaf Village."
In that historic reconciliation, no one noticed a lone figure quietly departing.
Kenji looked back at his village from a distant hill. He had completed his mission. He had helped bring about a new dawn. But he knew the world would never know his name.
He smiled.
For a shadow, to be able to see the light was reward enough.
He turned, and vanished into the forest, returning to his silent patrol, forever the anonymous guardian of the Will of Fire.