Chapter 103: Exposing Sarutobi's True Face
Bang bang bang!
Inside Konoha's Forest of Death, sounds of hitting echoed repeatedly.
Sasuke panted heavily, still continuously striking the wooden post before him.
Naruto had left an hour or two earlier than him today, yet he chose to do extra training.
What was that saying again?
Oh right, diligence can make up for lack of talent!
Since my talent can't compare to that guy's, I can only learn from Little Lee and make up for the talent gap through effort.
However, unintentionally looking up, Sasuke saw it was already getting late. Only then did his hand movements stop.
His stamina and chakra had already bottomed out; continuing to train would be overdoing it.
"It's about time to go home, otherwise Mother will start to worry."
Sasuke wiped the sweat from his forehead, then packed his things and walked towards the Uchiha clan grounds at an unhurried pace.
However, he failed to notice a figure crouching on a utility pole behind him, silently watching him with scarlet Sharingan eyes.
With a puff of white smoke, it then suddenly vanished.
...
Pant! Pant!
Uchiha Inabi's chest heaved as he panted heavily, yet he still stared deadly intently at the three opposite him.
This part of the forest was already engulfed in a large fire, traces of Earth Release and Fire Release everywhere.
"Damn it, this guy's hidden strength is actually this formidable?!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke and his two companions were also slightly out of breath, looking at Inabi with utter shock in their eyes.
This level of strength already qualifies as an Elite Jōnin! Yet this guy was actually hiding his strength all along!
Sarutobi Shinnosuke, after all, was also an Elite Jōnin. Facing this situation, he quickly calmed down and exchanged glances with the two ANBU ninja beside him.
The other two nodded with tacit understanding.
Years of coordination had long since fostered an incredibly strong rapport between them.
The three, without prior agreement, began forming hand seals, chakra gathering and circulating within their bodies.
Seeing the three's seals, Inabi's eyes hardened, his heart suddenly sinking.
But only for an instant, then a hint of relief appeared in his eyes.
"Grandfather, I might have to fail your hopes."
My chakra is already insufficient; holding out until now is already my limit.
But the children should have reached the barrier by now. Hopefully, those two can send them out safely.
Since that's the case, let me also light my own flame.
Thinking this, Inabi's expression became resolute, his hands beginning to form seals rapidly.
He even surpassed and caught up with the speed of Shinnosuke's team's seals.
Meanwhile.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's team had also finished their seals, chakra gathering in their throats.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"
"Wind Style: Great Tornado!"
A fire dragon shot out from Shinnosuke's mouth. The Wind Release from the two behind him directly fanned the flames, taking this Fire Release's power up another level!
Relying on this move, they had already slain countless enemies.
Facing the imposing fire dragon rushing towards him, Uchiha Inabi also spat out a Fire Release jutsu.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Loud Singing Technique!!"
Four fire dragons simultaneously attacked Shinnosuke's team from four directions: above, below, left, and right.
This move required exhausting all his chakra – this was Inabi's life-risking move!
However, the instant the two attacks collided,
The four fire dragons only held for a few seconds before dissipating like burnt-out flames, turning into specks of fire that vanished into mid-air.
"Still not enough? If I had known, I wouldn't have slacked off in normal times..."
Inabi gave a bitter smile, then closed his eyes, just standing there, quietly waiting for the fire dragon to rush towards him.
Just as Sarutobi Shinnosuke thought he was unavoidable and death was certain,
"Not a bad ninjutsu. Seems you've learned two or three-tenths of Sarutobi Hiruzen's jutsu fusion. But..."
An appreciative voice came from the side. A figure suddenly blocked Inabi's front.
He was heard saying in a calm tone: "But it's a pity. If Sarutobi Hiruzen stood before me using his Five Natures Technique, perhaps then I might choose to dodge."
With that, under Sarutobi Shinnosuke's astonished gaze,
The masked man was seen slowly raising his left arm, palm aimed directly at the fire dragon.
Whoosh!!
The fire dragon howled past, but when it was several meters from the masked man, as if hitting some obstacle, it directly turned into flames and bypassed the masked man and Inabi behind him.
"This..."
Uchiha Inabi knelt on the ground, looking up at the person before him with horrified eyes.
For a moment, he felt Ame-no-Minakanushi's figure was incredibly tall.
The flames gradually died down. Sarutobi Shinnosuke's face, however, suddenly changed. He subconsciously leaped away from his original spot.
Crash!
In an instant, two large heads flew out directly, blood gushing forth.
The bodies of his two ANBU teammates slowly collapsed to the ground, their blood dyeing the scorched black earth scarlet.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who had dodged the blow in advance, looked at the gruesome wound stretching from his right shoulder to his left abdomen, a trace of horror flashing in his eyes.
"This is... Wind Release?!"
Just a light breeze blowing past, yet like a blade, it directly sliced off heads.
Is this really ninjutsu?
But there was no more time for him to consider.
Taking advantage of the opening as the masked man killed his two teammates, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, brandishing his Wind Release-covered saber, used Body Flicker to slash straight at the masked man.
"Sarutobi Shinnosuke, your death holds some value for me."
Menma's calm voice fell. Several more wind blades condensed before him.
Immediately, a faint buzzing sound was heard. Shinnosuke only felt a cold glint flash before his eyes.
The wind blades flew towards Shinnosuke like an inescapable net.
Rustle rustle rustle!!
"You... who... exactly... are you..."
An unwilling look appeared on Sarutobi Shinnosuke's face. His body seemed unharmed.
But the next second, dense, very regular lines of blood appeared on his body surface.
Splat!
Countless chunks of flesh scattered on the ground. Hundreds of meters of land were covered in blood clots and minced meat; only a pile of human body parts remained scattered on the ground.
This bloody scene almost made Uchiha Inabi, long accustomed to battlefields, vomit.
The ability simulated from the Kurama clan's Kekkei Genkai, using Yin Release Power to guide the wind of the natural world.
Although not as unrestrained as the Kekkei Genkai itself, it was still silent and incomparably sharp.
"With Sarutobi Shinnosuke dead, Naruto should seize this opportunity, right?"
Menma paid no attention to Inabi's thoughts, instead walking directly to the sealing barrier.
At this time, Yakushi Nonō and Kurama Unkai were waiting there with over forty children.
"Lord Master."
"Lord Master."
Menma waved his hand, then looked towards the sealing barrier before him, a light smile playing on his lips.
"Release!!"
As his voice fell, a gap five people wide appeared in the barrier.
Nonō and Unkai, seeing this, exchanged glances, smiles appearing on both their faces.
As long as they get out of the Konoha barrier, then no one can find them. The escape route was prepared long ago.
"Nonō."
Menma pointed to Uchiha Izumi nearby, instructing: "Take her with you. If anything abnormal happens midway, remember, show no mercy."
Uchiha Izumi's talent wasn't bad; she also had the potential to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
But if she, like those Uchiha clansmen, couldn't see the situation clearly, Menma would absolutely show no leniency.
Nonō looked at the wretched Uchiha Izumi, nodding lightly: "I understand."
After they left, Menma watched their retreating backs, then opened the storage scroll behind him, revealing numerous signal flares inside.
Immediately, with a swish sound, countless sparks, trailing flames, rose into the night sky.
Boom boom boom!!
In an instant, signal flares of various colors exploded in the dark night sky.
The brilliant, dazzling light lingered long in the night sky.
In that moment, the originally quiet Konoha instantly boiled over.
"Will of Fire?"
Menma sneered coldly: "Even if you pin the blame on Danzō, not everyone in this village is a fool."
He knew Sarutobi Hiruzen wouldn't allow anyone to come reinforce at this critical moment.
But this was an overt plot.
If he chose to exterminate the Uchiha, then the existence of the Konoha higher-ups as the instigators would inevitably be exposed.
The biggest reason Sarutobi Hiruzen could sit firmly in his position wasn't his military strength, but the support of the ninja clans and countless Konoha villagers behind him.
In terms of popular support, the Uchiha had long fallen behind Sarutobi Hiruzen by more than just a little; this was also the fundamental reason for the Uchiha clan's failure in Konoha's political struggles.
They were Sarutobi Hiruzen's true source of power.
But, when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves; creatures mourn their own kind.
Since Sarutobi Hiruzen could exterminate the Uchiha clan in advance to maintain his own rule,
Then in the future, it's hard to guarantee it wouldn't happen a second time.
Sarutobi Hiruzen would lose the trust of most ninja clans.
If he chose self-preservation, then there would absolutely be no second chance to exterminate the Uchiha.
This was a consequence the Konoha higher-ups couldn't bear.
"Choose to muddle through with the mistake, or choose to sacrifice the chariot to save the king?"
A mocking smile appeared on Menma's face.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, make your choice.
...
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Tower.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood by the office window, looking towards the Uchiha clan grounds, slowly exhaling a smoke ring.
However, after watching by the window for a good while, a puzzled look suddenly appeared on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face.
"Why does it feel... a bit quiet?"
There was no change in the direction of the Uchiha clan grounds; it was as peaceful as usual.
Could Itachi's strength already be sufficient to eliminate all Uchiha clansmen silently?
Instead...
"Why are there chakra fluctuations in the direction of the sealing barrier? Are Uchiha clansmen trying to escape?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen turned his head towards the Uchiha sealing barrier, flicked the ash from his pipe, pondering inwardly.
Could they have run into some trouble?
Logically, there shouldn't be any experts in the Uchiha clan now, right?
"I remember... Shinnosuke's squad is still patrolling over there..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent for a moment, an ominous premonition rising in his heart.
He immediately turned around, just about to send someone to investigate,
Swish~
Boom boom boom!!
Multicolored tail flames rose into the night sky, exploding and illuminating the entire night.
Among the signal flares were calls for help, calls for support, and even signals for retreat.
But no matter what signal, it was enough to attract the attention of the entire village.
"What's going on? Why is someone calling for help??"
Sarutobi Hiruzen froze on the spot, mouth slightly agape. Illuminated by the multicolored lights, he looked particularly comical.
Reacting, his face instantly changed drastically. He immediately realized something was seriously wrong.
"Damn it! Danzō, that idiot!!"
(End of Chapter)
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