Take a step back and let the other party succeed?
"No, absolutely not!"
In that instant, both Danzo on the altar and Kagami below it arrived at the same answer in their minds.
Even if their own Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan could not evolve, they absolutely could not allow the other party to evolve the Rinnegan first. Neither of them could afford the consequences of the other obtaining the Rinnegan.
With the ritual having progressed to this stage, even Kagami was beginning to find Danzo’s current strength difficult to gauge.
Setting aside the various Kekkei Genkai fused into his body, the newly awakened Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan in Danzo’s eye sockets alone posed an enormous threat that Kagami could not afford to ignore!
If Danzo went a step further and obtained the Rinnegan, coupled with his current position as Acting Hokage, the situation in the shinobi world would inevitably undergo uncontrollable changes.
Furthermore, the Bloodline Fusion Ritual, which possessed the potential to create gods, would be completely exposed to the world as a result of Danzo’s reckless meddling.
Whether it was the disruption of the current situation in the shinobi world or the complete exposure of the Bloodline Fusion Ritual’s enormous potential, neither was something Kagami could tolerate!
Compared to Kagami, however, Danzo had even less room to retreat.
Having always been someone who assumed the worst of others, Danzo understood his own predicament perfectly. If Kamigami’s Homura allowed her Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to evolve first, he would undoubtedly die without even a place to be buried!
As their gazes met for that fleeting instant, both men immediately understood.
This was a confrontation in which neither retreat nor compromise was possible!
"DIE!"
Danzo slammed his palms together with a sharp clap, no longer holding anything back as he unleashed every last bit of chakra in his body.
BOOM...
As Danzo released all his chakra, it surged outward almost as though it had taken physical form, instantly sweeping in every direction. Amid a thunderous rumble, even the altar beneath his feet collapsed under the impact!
And with the support of that enormous amount of chakra, the dark-red Susanoo projected from Danzo’s body underwent another transformation.
The dark-red Susanoo, just like Kagami’s golden Susanoo after being enhanced by his Mangekyo Sharingan’s dojutsu, suddenly expanded in size.
At the same time, a pair of wings emerged from the back of the dark-red Susanoo.
However, unlike the golden Susanoo, it did not grow an additional pair of arms. Instead, its head underwent a bizarre transformation. Not only did a pair of sharp horns emerge from its forehead, but countless razor-sharp fangs gleaming with a bloody light also protruded from its mouth!
Viewed from a distance, Danzo’s dark-red Susanoo resembled not a deity, but rather a hideous, terrifying demon!
"A Complete Body Susanoo!? He’s already mastered the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan so quickly?"
Kagami’s heart tightened.
Even members of the Uchiha clan needed time to adapt and familiarize themselves with their newly awakened Mangekyo Sharingan. Thus, he was extremely surprised that Danzo had mastered the use of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan so quickly.
At the same time, he sensed that the strength of Danzo’s dark-red Susanoo had seemingly doubled compared to before.
In an instant, it reversed its disadvantage in their contest of strength and began overpowering his golden Susanoo!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...
The fierce clash between the two Complete Body Susanoo left the volcanic cavern increasingly unstable. Amid the successive thunderous explosions, it seemed as though the entire volcano was shaking.
"This is getting more and more interesting!"
Watching from a distance, Orochimaru curled his lips into a smile, his expression still perfectly composed, as though he had yet another trump card up his sleeve.
Meanwhile, the Root shinobi hiding at the other end of the cavern were completely at a loss. They had no idea whether they should step forward to assist Danzo or evacuate the cavern, which could collapse at any moment...
...
Outside the volcanic cavern.
Watching the Konoha shinobi in the chakra transmission array collapse one after another, Kakashi could no longer restrain himself.
He could not simply stand by and watch so many comrades from his own village sacrifice their lives in vain.
Even if it meant opposing Acting Hokage Danzo and bearing the charge of betraying the village, he had to act!
Having made up his mind, Kakashi reached into the ninja tool pouch at his waist.
Whoosh...
With a sharp sound of something cutting through the air, a specially shaped kunai embedded itself in the ground beside the feet of the Root squad captain operating the chakra transmission array.
The sudden appearance of the kunai startled the Root squad captain, who instinctively looked down at his feet.
Swish...
At that very instant, a figure flashed into existence directly in front of the Root squad captain.
"You...!?"
Before the Root squad captain could finish speaking, he discovered that an arm crackling with lightning had pierced straight through his chest.
His face was filled with disbelief. Despite possessing jonin-level strength, he had actually been killed in a single exchange!
"Enemy attack!"
"Everyone, be careful!"
"Was that the Flying Thunder God Technique just now?"
With their attention focused on the increasingly violent tremors of the volcano, the Root shinobi only now began reacting.
Warning cries and startled shouts rang out one after another...
...
Inside the volcanic cavern.
Under the overwhelming pressure of the dark-red Susanoo, Kagami’s golden Susanoo was slowly retreating, nearly forced into a corner.
There was no doubt that in a contest of pure strength, Kagami’s golden Susanoo was no match for Danzo’s dark-red Susanoo.
Or rather, at present, there was probably no Susanoo capable of overpowering Danzo’s dark-red Susanoo in terms of sheer strength.
In that regard alone, Danzo’s dark-red Susanoo was absurdly powerful!
"This is bad..."
As he was forced back step by step, Kagami began to feel anxious.
He could vaguely sense that Danzo was gradually recovering from his disadvantage in their struggle for the Power of All Creation, turning the situation in his favor.
This meant that, in terms of proximity to evolving into the Rinnegan, the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan in Danzo’s eye sockets had begun overtaking his own!
Focusing his attention on Danzo’s eyes, Kagami discovered that the distortion of Danzo’s Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan was becoming increasingly pronounced.
Even the crimson background of his eyes was beginning to change.
All the signs indicated that Danzo’s Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan was evolving into the Rinnegan!
Countless thoughts raced through Kagami’s mind as he considered every possible way to stop Danzo.
Meanwhile, Danzo, who could also sense that he had gained the upper hand, wore an expression of wild ecstasy. He believed that he was now only one step away from becoming a god!
A few breaths later, concentric ripples resembling those of the Rinnegan appeared across Danzo’s Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
However, the background color of his eyes remained the Sharingan’s signature crimson, though even that crimson was gradually undergoing a transformation!
"Hahahaha! In the end, this old man has won! I am the true ruler of the shinobi world!"
Standing atop the ruins of the altar, Danzo threw his head back and roared with laughter.
But just at that moment, the chakra supply from the chakra transmission array abruptly ceased.
All fusion, all evolution—
Everything was interrupted in an instant...