81-85

Chapter 81: Enduring Hero (Vote Request!)

Why did he want to kill the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Juzo Biwa had pondered this when he infiltrated the secret prison. The reason was simple: it was all for the sake of the village! Even though he was forced to betray the Hidden Mist after failing to assassinate the Mizukage, his original intent had always been for the village, to give the Hidden Mist a better future.

So,

Upon learning that the Leaf Village was going to war with the Hidden Mist,

Juzo planned to assassinate the deposed Third Hokage. By acting as an ally of the Uchiha clan, he could provoke Konoha’s internal conflicts, knowing well that the Uchiha had been ostracized for a long time. Whether he succeeded or not, his actions would stir up the infighting that Konoha was known for.

His logic seemed flawless, perfectly smooth.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, once I kill you, I can return to my village as a hero, wielding Samehada." Juzo's elusive voice echoed through the dense fog, heard not only by Hiruzen but also by Kakashi and Asuma Sarutobi, who were engaged in battle.

Samehada?

The name sparked a memory in Asuma's mind. After returning to Konoha, he had done some homework and knew what had transpired recently. The Hidden Mist's envoys had originally used Samehada as an excuse to threaten Konoha, which eventually led to his father’s downfall!

"Is this Uchiha’s doing?"

In the mist, Hiruzen's voice was deep.

"Isn't it obvious? Who else but Uchiha?" Juzo, wielding his beheading blade, silently approached Hiruzen from behind. Seizing the moment when Hiruzen was distracted by speaking to his distant water clone, Juzo swung his sword at Hiruzen’s neck.

But—

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not so easy to kill!

*Earth Style: Earth Spear!*

The sword did not sever Hiruzen’s seemingly fragile neck but instead struck something as hard as diamond, chipping Juzo's beheading blade. Juzo's eye twitched—was this the power of a true ninja hero?

What kind of earth style was this? Was he fighting a Hokage or a Tsuchikage?

At some point, Hiruzen had grabbed a piece of iron railing from the prison gate and, with a breath, infused it with wind-style chakra, transforming it into a sharp blade.

This was—

*Wind Style: Vacuum Blade!*

Just as Juzo moved to retreat, Hiruzen, already prepared with his wind-imbued blade, turned and slashed. The swift and precise strike left a deep gash on Juzo’s arm, blood splattering.

If not for Juzo’s quick reaction, using the length of his blade to force Hiruzen back, he might have lost his arm.

“Phew! He’s strong!”

Juzo retreated, cold sweat running down his back.

Hiding again in the mist, Juzo could feel his heart racing. The brief exchange had shown him a power different from the Fourth Mizukage, who had mastered the power of the tailed beast. His limited vocabulary couldn’t fully describe how terrifying Hiruzen was, but words like "sharp," "precise," and "unfathomable" came to mind.

“Mist concealment… what a troublesome technique!”

Hiruzen, now holding his ethereal wind blade, scanned the surroundings. The thick fog rendered his eyes useless, and his ears couldn't detect Juzo’s movements, though the clangs of Kakashi and Asuma’s battle echoed nearby.

“Mist concealment combined with silent killing… It seems I learned that move back in the day.”

With that,

Hiruzen formed a single hand seal, softly muttering:

“Mist Concealment Technique!”

To Juzo’s disbelief, the already dense mist became even thicker, swirling like ocean waves. Visibility dropped to zero; it was as if they were engulfed in a sea of clouds. Without touching his eyes, Juzo could see nothing.

But that wasn’t the only issue.

The mist now carried strange chakra, severely disrupting Juzo’s ability to sense Hiruzen’s position.

"Splish!"

The sound of water splashing.

Juzo realized his water clone had been destroyed. Unfortunately, water clones didn’t bring back information like shadow clones, so Juzo had no idea how it had been defeated. However, one thing was clear: Hiruzen was as strong as a monster!

This sixty-year-old ninja hero might be old, but he hadn’t grown weak enough for anyone to underestimate him!

Barrier techniques, fire style, earth style, wind style, water style… The sheer variety of skills left Juzo in awe, making him realize just how terrifying and formidable the "ninja hero" truly was. It was now clear that this assassination attempt was doomed to fail.

Yet—

He was unwilling to retreat!

A strange obsession drove him forward, making him refuse to flee even knowing he couldn’t win.

Juzo didn't feel anything strange about this, instead steeling himself. He resolved that even if he died here, he would take a piece of Hiruzen with him. He canceled the mist concealment technique and leaped onto the rock ceiling above.

With a sharp “clang,” Juzo thrust his beheading blade into the rock wall,

Forming hand seals, he shouted:

“You're dead!”

The mist churned,

Hiruzen’s wind blade parted the fog as he charged at Juzo, aiming straight for his chest.

“Not so fast!”

Two Juzo clones appeared, swinging their massive blades to slash Hiruzen in half.

*Clang!*

Hiruzen's sword shifted swiftly, deflecting the beheading blades. His rotating sword light entwined itself around the two water clones, slicing them into puddles.

Hiruzen’s swordsmanship was also extraordinary!

His mastery of the Leaf-style swordsmanship had few equals in Konoha today!

But—

The few seconds the water clones bought were enough. Juzo had completed his hand seals and shouted:

*Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!*

This A-rank water style was a trump card for nearly every Mist ninja, including Juzo. Though he was one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, his beheading blade's only special ability was absorbing blood to regenerate itself, offering no other combat enhancement.

This Great Waterfall Technique was one of his best moves!

His chest swelled and contracted as he released a flood of water like a collapsed dam, a massive wave crashing down. This technique relied on the sheer weight of water to crush the enemy, capable of toppling buildings.

Hiruzen, who had just destroyed the two water clones, couldn’t dodge in time and was hit head-on by the water surge.

But then—

The impassive face of Hiruzen dissolved into a pool of water, merging with the torrent.

Water clones weren’t exclusive to the Mist!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 82: Ambush

"Water Clone?"

Juzo Biwa's face turned pale.

A simple water clone was actually able to use Wind Release techniques. Such mastery of ninjutsu was beyond his understanding. If the one before him was a water clone, where was the real Sarutobi Hiruzen? His eyes started darting around as he quickly pondered the situation.

At that moment, a torrent of water rushed down, clearing the mist that filled the narrow space. Kakashi and Sarutobi Asuma, who had been fighting, were forced to stop. Kakashi quickly used an Earth Release jutsu to sink underground, easily avoiding the raging flood.

Asuma, however, wasn’t so lucky. Specializing in Wind and Fire Release, he didn’t have the ability to burrow underground. He had no choice but to leap onto the rock ceiling, fleeing from the water as it chased after him. Once the water dispersed into the corridors, reducing its strength, he began running back the way he came.

"Kirigakure... The Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"

Kakashi peeked his head out from the rocky wall, suspiciously eyeing Juzo Biwa, who was wielding the executioner’s blade. He had overheard the conversation between Sarutobi Hiruzen and Juzo earlier, but honestly, he didn’t really believe Juzo’s claims of working with the Uchiha.

If the Uchiha were that dumb, they would’ve been wiped out long ago!

But still, he couldn’t help but wonder why Juzo was here. Why try to assassinate Hiruzen instead of targeting the current acting Fifth Hokage? It didn’t make sense.

Of course, it didn’t need to make sense to him. He had no intention of dwelling on it. He reminded himself why he was here. His mission was revenge, to kill Hiruzen and honor his father’s memory. It was also to release the frustration that had been festering in his chest.

"Fine! Let this guy keep testing the waters!"

Revenge was his own mission. He didn’t want to rely on anyone else, much less work with someone from Kirigakure.

Just then...

The sword light flashed again.

"Konoha-Style Kenjutsu: Dance of the Crescent Moon!"

From the flood below and the walls on both sides, three Sarutobi Hiruzens leapt out, each wielding a wind-infused sword, attacking Juzo from three directions—left, right, and above. This was one of the secret techniques of Konoha’s swordsmanship, a deadly move where the user and two clones strike the enemy’s vital points simultaneously.

It was an incredibly dangerous technique, especially in such a confined space with little room to maneuver.

"If it’s a sword fight, I’m not afraid of anyone!"

Juzo was from Kirigakure.

In that bloodthirsty village, he was among the elite, having climbed to the top of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen by leaving countless corpses in his wake. Although Sarutobi Hiruzen's power made cold sweat drip down his back, the sense of danger only fueled the killing intent swelling within him.

Worst case scenario, he dies! There was nothing to fear!

Having made up his mind in an instant, Juzo swung his executioner’s blade and, with a body-flicker technique, slashed at the Hiruzen on the right. His powerful strike cleaved through the water clone, but the real Hiruzen, in the middle, took the opportunity to leave a deep, bone-exposing wound across Juzo’s back.

Blood sprayed like a fountain.

Konoha-Style Kenjutsu: Dance of the Crescent Moon was not so easily countered, especially when executed by Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as “The Ninjutsu Master.”

But it wasn’t over yet.

"Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears!"

Just as Juzo landed on the wall, a premeditated attack struck him. Rock spears shot up from the ground, piercing through Juzo’s foot and skewering his calf. Blood and flesh were ripped apart by the jagged rocks, and the air was instantly filled with the stench of blood.

This brilliant attack decided the outcome of the battle in an instant.

Both water clones disintegrated into puddles.

It turned out that the entire Dance of the Crescent Moon had been executed by water clones. The real Sarutobi Hiruzen had been hiding underground the entire time. Now that the fight was settled, he slowly emerged, holding his wind sword, standing on the rippling water, maintaining a safe distance from Juzo, who had lost the use of his legs.

"The fight is over."

Hiruzen stared at Juzo. "Tell me, who sent you to kill me? Answer truthfully, and I’ll make your death quick!" He didn’t truly believe in any conspiracy between the Uchiha and Kirigakure. As a seasoned politician, he suspected Juzo’s earlier claim was just an attempt to sow discord within the village.

What he really wanted to know was the identity of the mastermind. Not knowing who wanted him dead would leave him constantly on edge.

As he spoke, Hiruzen subtly cast a genjutsu.

But—

When his genjutsu took hold of Juzo, an unexpected reaction occurred.

"Ahhhh!!!"

Juzo let out a heart-wrenching scream! Blood gushed from his eyes, which turned from black to a glaring crimson, forming a strange, six-pointed pattern like a windmill. Hiruzen froze in confusion for a split second, then felt a chilling cold run through his body.

Uchiha!

It really was the Uchiha!

"Uchi—"

All of Hiruzen’s words, anger, and frustration were crushed under the overwhelming power of the Uchiha’s eye technique, pulling him into an inescapable illusion. At the same time, Juzo’s right eye ruptured completely, like a rotten grape, mixing with blood as it fell.

In the final moment before being pulled into the illusion, Hiruzen threw his wind sword with all his might, piercing Juzo's abdomen.

"Urgh—"

Juzo coughed up blood.

With his right eye gone, both legs crippled, and his abdomen pierced, his consciousness began to fade. His mind, now foggy, tried to recall why he was fighting Hiruzen. Ah, that’s right... He had to kill Sarutobi Hiruzen. Only by doing so could his village win the coming war against Konoha!

He had to kill Sarutobi Hiruzen. He had to kill Sarutobi Hiruzen...

The obsession planted deep in his mind kept him standing.

Juzo squeezed out the last of his strength, ignoring the pain all over his body, and with a final effort, he leaped, swinging the heavy executioner’s blade down toward Hiruzen’s neck!

This time, Hiruzen wouldn’t be able to harden his body with Earth Release.

And so...

Blood splattered in the air.

Kakashi, arriving just moments too late, stood frozen, staring at the scene before him, unable to say a word.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 83: Hiruzen Funeral

Elite agents from the corpse-handling squad meticulously inspected Danzo Shimura's body, inch by inch, from head to toe. As for the clan leaders who had vowed to investigate the clues, they all stood idly by, not bothering to lend a hand.

Danzo had been lying in bed for so long that any secrets he had were long gone.

Even his organization, Root, had been thoroughly dismantled. Members from the various clans were sent back to their families, and those who were orphans were taken in by the ANBU. Eventually, Root's base was completely taken over by the ANBU, and the current secret prison was a remodeled Root base.

Sougen stood nearby, coldly observing everything, but his mind was elsewhere.

He was waiting,

Waiting for news from Juzo Biwa.

With Juzo's skills, it was clear he couldn't defeat Hiruzen Sarutobi. What Sougen was really waiting for was the hidden trap he'd placed on Juzo to come into play. As long as that trap didn’t fail, Hiruzen Sarutobi would certainly meet his end this time.

As time slowly passed, it didn’t take long.

Just as the corpse-handling squad was working on Danzo's body, Sougen suddenly felt a strange sensation in his eyes.

It was as if he were drowsy, and he slowly narrowed his eyes as if to take a nap.

Behind his eyelids, his crimson eyes revealed the pattern of a six-pointed windmill. His consciousness fell into an illusion—a familiar courtyard, complete with a rock garden, a pond, stone lanterns, and a small bamboo grove. However, unlike before, there was now a massive cherry blossom tree in the courtyard.

A cherry blossom tree in full bloom, though all its petals had fallen.

"Where is this?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

He vividly remembered preparing to interrogate Juzo Biwa when he suddenly noticed that Juzo's right eye had transformed into a strange Sharingan, different from the usual three tomoe pattern. Realizing that Juzo's assassination attempt must be linked to the Uchiha clan, he was ready to act.

But before he could say anything, he had thrown his Wind Sword, and in the next moment, he found himself here in this courtyard.

"Lord Third Hokage."

"We meet again!"

Sougen's figure emerged from behind the giant cherry blossom tree.

"As I expected, it’s you, Uchiha Sougen... So this is the power of your Mangekyo Sharingan?"

Hiruzen wasn’t surprised to see Sougen. In fact, if it weren’t Sougen here, he would’ve been shocked. He narrowed his eyes, watching Sougen. "I never imagined the Uchiha’s eye techniques could be implanted in an outsider. That’s truly hard to defend against!"

"It's not as easy as you think, Lord Third. The technique 'Transcription Seal' has many limitations. To bear the power of a Mangekyo Sharingan, at least a three-tomoe Sharingan is required. A regular eye would go blind after just one use of a Mangekyo's power."

"Juzo Biwa—his right eye is probably already destroyed by my ocular power."

Sougen explained with a smile.

"It seems I lost fairly this time."

Though he said that, the gloom in Hiruzen's eyes couldn’t be shaken.

Lost fairly?

Impossible!

Juzo was nothing more than a minor figure, not even worth expending much chakra. Hiruzen had many techniques he hadn’t even used yet, saving them to deal with traitors like Uchiha Sougen, Hyuga Hiashi, and Aburame Shibi.

Yet now,

Everything had crumbled in an instant.

Falling at the hands of someone like Juzo, even if it was Sougen pulling the strings, was hard to swallow. If he had known Juzo was working with Sougen, he would’ve been more cautious of the Uchiha's genjutsu and wouldn’t have fallen into Sougen's trap so miserably.

But—

"The victor writes history. What’s fair or unfair?" Sougen said softly.

If fairness mattered, half the ninjas who died in the three great ninja wars would likely think their deaths were unjust!

Hiruzen had no words.

He, too, had fought his way through piles of corpses. He understood that Sougen was right. Many had died without ever using their trump cards, and asking if their deaths were fair was meaningless.

Going to battle and withholding your strongest techniques, only to be killed—there was nothing unfair about that. It simply meant they weren’t skilled enough.

"Looks like I’m truly old now."

Hiruzen sighed with a complicated expression.

Sougen couldn’t care less about Hiruzen's inner turmoil. He clapped his hands softly, looking at Hiruzen, whose body was half-buried in the ground. "If you have no other questions, Lord Third, I’ll be sending you on your way now."

"What do you plan to do to Konoha?" Hiruzen asked, already realizing his situation. He had secretly tried many times to break free from his restraints, but every attempt failed. Even though he knew he was under a genjutsu, there was no way to escape it. He now understood that this was his end.

In his final moments,

It wasn’t his deceased wife, his children, or his clan that came to mind—it was Konoha!

"I’ve said it many times already: Uchiha is Konoha’s Uchiha. Konoha is also Uchiha’s Konoha. The village was founded by both the Senju and Uchiha clans during a time of chaos. There’s no reason for the Uchiha to betray or destroy Konoha. Rest assured, Lord Third—Konoha will only grow stronger!"

"Konoha, under the Uchiha..." Hiruzen muttered, looking at the green shoots sprouting from his shoulders. He felt a sudden, unstoppable weakness as the tender shoots grew at an alarming rate, their roots intertwining through his body, sapping his spirit.

In no time, a towering tree with dense green leaves had formed. Thousands of pale pink flower buds hung heavily from the branches, swaying gently in the wind.

"Sapping others' spiritual energy—is this the true nature of your ocular technique? Is this how you took down Danzo as well?"

"That’s right!"

Since Hiruzen had deduced the truth on his own, Sougen didn’t deny it.

"And... what is your other ocular technique?" Hiruzen remained calm, showing no signs of panic despite being wrapped tightly in tree roots, with only his face exposed. "I’ve read the research left behind by the Second Hokage. The Mangekyo Sharingan's abilities always come in pairs. This genjutsu is only one of them, right? What’s the other?"

"The Second Hokage, huh? He truly was a master of forbidden techniques. His research on our clan’s Sharingan runs deep... But I have no reason to reveal my secrets to you!" Sougen chuckled. "Nowadays, even the dead can’t keep secrets. So please, rest in peace! Don’t bother trying to uncover my mysteries any further!"

Snap!

Sougen snapped his fingers.

In an instant,

The entire cherry blossom tree bloomed, and moments later, its petals began to fall. The petals drifted down like rain, and with them, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s energy and life faded away. As the final petal floated to the ground, the last spark of life left his eyes, and his body turned into a dry, hollow shell.

In the courtyard, two cherry blossom trees stood side by side.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 84: Uchiha Chihaya*

Sougen blinked slightly as his eyelids slowly lifted, revealing his dark, ink-black eyes. They seemed a bit dazed, as if he had just taken a brief nap. He quickly scanned his surroundings, his gaze eventually landing on Yamanaka Inoichi, who was whispering nervously to the temporary Fifth Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, what’s happened?" Hyuga Hiashi asked.

"A major incident," Akimichi Torifu replied, his expression as serious as ever.

A major incident? What could it be at this moment? Hiashi raised an eyebrow. Without using his Byakugan, he couldn’t know what was happening on Sarutobi Hiruzen's side. However, if Kakashi Hatake really did manage to kill Hiruzen, it wouldn’t be surprising. After all, he is the son of Konoha's White Fang. Unfortunately, this likely means Kakashi won't survive this either.

"The former Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was just killed!" Akimichi Torifu announced slowly, confirming what many had already suspected. Yet hearing it directly from the temporary Fifth Hokage still caused a wave of fake shock and disbelief to sweep over the group, with exaggerated reactions like "This can’t be!" or "Impossible!"

The acting was over the top and insincere, but everyone present was firmly anti-Sarutobi. As long as they didn’t laugh out loud, they were safe.

"Did you capture the intruder?" Aburame Shibi asked.

His insects were capable scouts, though unlike the secret techniques of the Yamanaka and Hyuga clans, they took time to return and relay the information to him, so he wasn't fully aware of the situation.

Before Akimichi Torifu could respond, Hiashi, who had already activated his Byakugan to peer into the distance, wore a shocked expression.

"That’s... the Executioner’s Blade? From the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist? Juzo Biwa? What’s going on?"

"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen?" Sougen asked, confused.

Even Shibi’s usual calm demeanor shifted slightly, his furrowed brow barely hidden behind his sunglasses.

"It wasn't Kakashi Hatake who killed the Third Hokage. It was Juzo Biwa, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist," Akimichi Torifu said, raising his voice to stop further questions. "We'll explain more once we’re on site. Right now, we need to hurry over there!"

This explanation silenced the crowd’s curiosity.

Torifu wasted no time. He immediately set off down the hallway, running swiftly despite his considerable weight, moving with agility that showed no signs of age.

A group of shinobi followed close behind him.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the scene, stepping onto the wet ground still slick from water release techniques. This was the location where Sarutobi Hiruzen had been killed.

"Kakashi!!!" a voice bellowed in rage, echoing through the hallway.

Sarutobi Asuma was charging at Kakashi Hatake, wielding a metal bar wrapped in Wind Release chakra, slashing at him wildly.

Fueled by fury, Asuma’s emotions had completely overtaken his rational mind. He had been forced far away by Juzo’s Water Release, and by the time he returned, he found his father beheaded, with Juzo dead nearby and Kakashi standing over both corpses.

Asuma’s anger surged uncontrollably.

No matter how rebellious he had been, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still his father.

Trying to keep his rage in check, Asuma demanded answers from Kakashi. But Kakashi, standing there like a lifeless scarecrow, seemed lost in thought and didn’t hear a word.

Unable to hold back any longer, Asuma gripped the already battered metal bar tightly, the Wind Release chakra spinning faster and sharpening the blade-like edge. He attacked again, charging at Kakashi.

But Kakashi, although seemingly a lifeless scarecrow, wasn’t actually powerless.

Sensing the killing intent, his body responded instinctively, parrying Asuma’s attacks with his short sword.

However, something was different this time. Kakashi’s offensive power had weakened considerably. He stayed purely on the defensive, never once striking back. Just as the fight was reaching a stalemate, Akimichi Torifu’s group arrived on the scene.

"Kakashi Hatake! Asuma Sarutobi! Both of you, stop!" Torifu ordered sharply.

Asuma, blinded by rage, ignored the command, while Kakashi, having heard it, was unable to break free from Asuma’s relentless attacks. Asuma wasn’t an amateur; being part of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve wasn’t just because he was the Hokage’s son.

Asuma was by no means weak.

Although Kakashi was a bit stronger, it wasn’t enough to overpower Asuma quickly, especially given Kakashi’s reluctance to fight.

Seeing his words fail to stop the battle, Torifu’s face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, "Seize them both!"

Without specifying any names, the order made it clear that anyone present could execute it.

Before anyone else could respond, Sougen turned to the figure standing behind him. "Chihaya, you handle it."

"Understood!" Uchiha Chihaya, who had been quietly standing there, drew her sword and leapt into action.

As a prodigy of the Uchiha clan and a beauty in her own right, Chihaya possessed not only the clan’s signature Fire Release but also Wind Release, a rare and deadly combination that greatly enhanced her cutting ability with her chakra blade.

Having trained in swordsmanship since childhood, she had also spent countless hours mastering Wind Release techniques.

Now was the time to showcase her hard-earned skills.

Her Sharingan activated, glowing red as she observed the battle between Kakashi and Asuma. As she closed in, she caught a brief opening.

Without hesitation, she used the Body Flicker Technique and entered the fray, her sword already enveloped in Wind Release chakra.

With one swift, seamless strike, like a perfectly executed dance move, she sliced through Asuma’s battered metal bar, disarmed Kakashi’s short sword, and even cut a piece of the stone ceiling above them. The two combatants were forced apart.

Kakashi, relieved to stop fighting, lowered his sword, allowing the approaching Anbu to capture him without resistance.

Asuma, still enraged, tried to continue but found himself locking eyes with Chihaya’s crimson Sharingan. In that instant, he realized his mistake—he had lost control of his emotions and, worse, had made the foolish error of looking an Uchiha in the eyes.

As expected, a genjutsu took hold, ensnaring him in a mire of illusions. The Anbu subdued him easily.

Chihaya sheathed her sword smoothly, returning to her place behind Sougen, maintaining her cool and aloof demeanor.

"Your clan truly is full of talent," Torifu remarked with admiration.

"You flatter us. Chihaya still has much to learn and requires further training," Sougen replied modestly, though his tone carried a hint of pride.

In truth, this was a calculated display of Uchiha strength, a reminder to their allies of their power, ensuring continued loyalty and respect.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 85: The End of an Era (Vote, please!)

After restraining the chaotic Kakashi Hatake and Asuma Sarutobi, the group finally turned their attention to the scene of the death of the former Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The scene was complicated, even causing Sougen to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Hiruzen’s headless body lay in the middle of the hallway, a large pool of blood staining the floor. His severed head wasn’t far from his body, with a bloodied executioner’s blade lying nearby. The body of Biwa Jūzō was also close to Hiruzen’s corpse.

From the scene, everyone could deduce what had transpired.

Looking at the stone spear embedded in the wall, stained with blood and bits of flesh, and then at Jūzō’s mangled legs, it was easy to imagine how Hiruzen had used Earth Release to pierce Jūzō’s feet. Hiruzen clearly had the upper hand in their battle.

After all, other than the severed neck, Hiruzen’s body had no other injuries.

On the other hand, Jūzō’s arms, back, and legs were covered with fresh wounds, showing that he had taken quite a beating. This raised a key question: How had Jūzō, who was clearly losing, managed to turn the tables and behead Hiruzen?

From the positions of the bodies, it seemed that Jūzō, despite his severely injured legs, had suddenly sprung up and decapitated Hiruzen with one swift strike. While this explanation seemed logical, something about it was clearly wrong.

Hiruzen wasn’t a wooden post.

How could he just stand there and let Jūzō behead him?

Given Hiruzen’s abilities, even a fully healthy Jūzō wouldn’t have easily injured him, let alone a wounded one.

Unless, of course, Hiruzen had been unable to move, unable to dodge or defend against Jūzō’s attack.

Everyone present was a seasoned warrior, having survived the battlefield countless times. Their experience and instincts led them to focus their attention on Jūzō’s hollow right eye. If something unusual had happened, it was likely tied to that eye.

“Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi,” said Akimichi Torifu.

He turned to the two, now kneeling on the ground with their arms pinned behind their backs, held by the ANBU like prisoners.

“Tell me, what really happened here?” Torifu asked.

If anyone knew what had occurred, it had to be these two.

“It was him! Kakashi Hatake conspired with the Mist ninja to kill the old man!” Asuma shouted, glaring at Kakashi with the fury of a beast, as if he wanted to tear a chunk out of him.

Kakashi, however, remained indifferent, his cold, emotionless eyes betraying none of the vitality expected of someone his age. After Asuma finished yelling, Kakashi finally spoke in a calm, quiet voice: “I don’t know.”

“Jūzō was losing badly. The Third Hokage had already secured victory and was interrogating Jūzō, trying to find out who had sent him to assassinate him. Suddenly, for some unknown reason, Jūzō’s right eye burst in a horrific manner, and the Third Hokage seemed to be caught by some kind of immobilization genjutsu. He couldn’t move and was beheaded by Jūzō in that moment of vulnerability.”

“You probably want to know what kind of technique Jūzō used to immobilize the Third Hokage, but I’m sorry. Everything happened so quickly! So fast that I couldn’t even grasp what was going on. By the time I realized what had happened, it was too late to change anything. I can only guess that it was a technique similar to a paralysis genjutsu.”

And just like that, Hiruzen Sarutobi was dead.

Asuma’s chance to avenge his father was gone.

The motivation driving him forward disappeared. He had no intention of defecting from the village to become a rogue ninja. Rather than flee, he preferred to die as a Konoha shinobi. So he chose to surrender without resistance, allowing the ANBU to subdue him.

“A paralysis genjutsu, huh? But immobilizing someone like Hiruzen… an ordinary genjutsu wouldn’t cut it,” Akimichi Torifu muttered, staring at Jūzō’s empty eye socket in silence.

Had Jūzō used a forbidden technique that sacrificed an eye?

Or was it some other unknown method?

The ninja world was full of strange and mysterious forbidden jutsu, both ancient techniques passed down from the past and new innovations created by geniuses. Figuring out what Jūzō had used would not be easy.

“Inoichi, check it out. See if you can find anything.”

The Yamanaka clan’s mental techniques were renowned for their versatility, offering abilities like sensory perception, information transmission, and the ability to invade and read the memories of both the living and the dead. The ability to extract memories from the dead was particularly unique in the shinobi world.

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” Yamanaka Inoichi responded respectfully.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he knelt beside Jūzō’s body, placing his hand on Jūzō’s head and closing his eyes, attempting to extract the memories.

As the Yamanaka clan’s head and strongest member, Inoichi was revered by intelligence ninjas throughout the shinobi world—many of whom weren’t even from Konoha.

After just five minutes, Inoichi opened his eyes and removed his hand from Jūzō’s head.

“Well?” Akimichi Torifu pressed.

“From what I’ve gathered, Jūzō wasn’t under anyone’s orders, nor was he working with anyone. In fact, he planned to frame the Uchiha clan to provoke internal conflict within Konoha, hoping that this would give the Mist an advantage in their war with the village.”

As Inoichi relayed this information, his expression grew complex. Was Konoha’s internal strife so well known that even other villages could exploit it? And, once again, the Uchiha were the target.

He glanced at Uchiha Sougen, only to find the young clan leader looking back at him. Startled, Inoichi quickly averted his gaze, realizing he might have overreacted.

Sougen hadn’t even activated his Sharingan.

Inoichi lowered his head and continued, “As for how Jūzō immobilized the Third Hokage, I’m afraid I couldn’t find out. Jūzō’s memories had unnatural gaps, likely erased before the mission, and I couldn’t recover them.”

“Oh, and one more thing: Jūzō is now a rogue ninja. He attempted to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage to overthrow his regime but failed, forcing him to flee the village and become a rogue.”

Jūzō’s mind had contained a wealth of information, but for now, Inoichi could only reveal what was most relevant.

“He was still thinking about his village, even after becoming a rogue ninja?” Akimichi Torifu grumbled in displeasure. “Inoichi, you’ve done well. Thank you.”

“I was just doing my duty,” Inoichi replied as he stepped back.

Torifu hesitated for a couple of seconds before turning to Sougen. “Sougen-kun, it looks like we’ll need to launch the war against the Mist sooner rather than later.”

“That’s my view as well,” Sougen replied with a smile.

His teeth gleamed with a bloodthirsty light.

With Danzo dead and Hiruzen Sarutobi gone, even though tensions between the Uchiha clan and the village hadn’t fully eased, Sougen felt a sense of relief. For now, his mind was free of distractions, allowing him to fully focus on preparing for the upcoming war with the Mist.

So, it was time to celebrate the Uchiha clan’s liberation from their chains—with the blood of the Mist!

(End of Chapter)