Chapter 196: The Night of the Sarutobi Clan's Annihilation

By the Naka River.

Following the orders of the Fifth Hokage, Danzo, a group of Konoha's ANBU was in pursuit of Tsunade, launching an attack on her.

She was accused of conspiring with the Uchiha clan, posing a threat to Konoha's peace.

However, the battle proved to be more challenging than the ANBU had anticipated.

Tsunade, once one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, might not have been as powerful as Orochimaru or Jiraiya, but she was no pushover. She was undoubtedly at the Kage level.

Now, she not only possessed the Sharingan from the Uchiha but also mastered the Yin Release Illusion Technique from Dan, boosting her abilities even further.

As the Sharingan in Tsunade's eyes rapidly rotated, it allowed her to foresee the enemy's attack patterns, effortlessly dodging their moves.

With a powerful chakra-infused punch, she unleashed illusions that left a mesmerizing afterimage. One of the ANBU members, caught off guard, was immediately blown away by her attack.

He screamed in agony as his ribs shattered and internal organs ruptured. After crashing into several trees, he lay dead.

As Tsunade continued her onslaught, no ANBU could withstand a single punch from her, and many were thrown into the Naka River.

"Halt! Or we'll kill her!"

A shout echoed, drawing Tsunade's attention to two ANBU members holding Shizune hostage. Injured and with her clothes torn, Shizune's neck was pressed with a kunai, blood oozing out.

"Go, Lady Tsunade... don't worry about me," Shizune managed to say before being knocked unconscious by one of the ANBU.

"I detest threats," Tsunade coldly retorted. While she wouldn't willingly surrender, she also couldn't bear to see Shizune harmed.

As she hesitated, a series of swift sounds pierced the air. Flat stones, spinning at high speeds, emerged from the opposite forest, skimming the river's surface.

Were they skipping stones? No, they were shurikens.

These stones were aimed at the ANBU members.

"Watch out!" A shout from one of the ANBU captains warned the others. He tried to deflect the incoming stone with his blade, but the stones were enveloped with a layer of Yin Release chakra, causing illusions to anyone who set eyes on them.

Caught off guard, the captain was momentarily paralyzed. In that split second, a stone pierced through his heart, exiting through his back, and embedded itself into a tree.

He collapsed, his mask shattered, revealing a face filled with shock.

Similar fates befell the other ANBU members.

Stones, with deadly accuracy, took the lives of several ANBU, including those holding Shizune hostage.

"Find and eliminate the attacker!" was the order given.

Four ANBU members charged towards the opposite forest. Moments later, screams echoed, only to be abruptly silenced.

A chilling silence ensued, suggesting something monstrous lurking in the shadowy forest.

Seeing this, the remaining ANBU realized their mission had failed. Opting to minimize losses, they retreated without hesitation.

Tsunade didn't pursue. Instead, she rushed to Shizune's aid.

Using her medical ninjutsu, Tsunade treated Shizune's wounds and then looked solemnly towards the opposite side of the Naka River.

From the forest, a man of average stature with a plain face slowly emerged and approached across the river.

"Who are you?" Tsunade inquired with a guarded tone, eyeing the stranger cautiously.

Though he had just helped, it was unclear if he was friend or foe.

The man's facial bones and muscles began to shift with a series of crackling sounds. When the transformation concluded, a familiar face appeared: Uchiha Dan.

"You're... alive?!" Tsunade exclaimed, her eyes wide in astonishment, though deep down, she might have expected this.

"Were you hoping I'd be dead? Sorry to disappoint," Dan retorted, approaching Tsunade and turning his attention to the unconscious Shizune.

The next moment, his Mangekyo Sharingan activated, locking onto Shizune's gaze and releasing a genjutsu wave. Shizune's expression turned blank as she fell under Dan's illusion.

"What are you doing?" Tsunade demanded, her brow furrowing.

"Calm down. I'm just checking if she's a Konoha spy," Dan explained, lifting the genjutsu once he was satisfied with his assessment.

They needed to leave the area quickly.

"If you return to Konoha now, they'll label you a traitor. You won't survive," Tsunade advised Shizune, patting her shoulder. Tsunade couldn't leave Shizune behind, especially since she had been targeted for relaying messages to her.

"My apologies, Lady Tsunade," Shizune expressed remorsefully, assuring that she would follow Tsunade loyally.

"We need to find Fugaku. After that, we'll..." Tsunade trailed off, uncertain of their next destination. From now on, they wouldn't just be pursued by debt collectors but also shinobi from Konoha and the other major villages.

At this moment, Dan snapped his fingers, summoning a crow, which quickly landed on his hand.

"This crow is my nephew's summon. If you're unsure where to go, let it guide you to the Uchiha clan," Dan suggested with an indifferent tone. He had yet to learn Tsunade's Yin Seal technique, so he couldn't let her get away just yet.

"I'm not going there," Tsunade huffed, turning away with folded arms.

Shizune sneakily glanced at Tsunade, then, with an apologetic smile, discreetly took the crow from Dan, hiding it in her coat. She curiously inquired, "Lord Dan, won't you accompany us?"

"I've yet to see the end of this show," Dan replied with a faint smile, his face morphing back to its previous unremarkable appearance. He then drifted away, heading towards Konoha.

...

In Konoha, atop the Hokage Monument.

Since Danzo's ascension as the Fifth Hokage, access to the Hokage Monument had been restricted. Inside it were explosives left by the previous leader's carelessness. If detonated, the explosions would cause a massive landslide, burying the entire village. It was Danzo's trump card.

Danzo, leaning on his cane, stood atop the monument, overlooking Konoha, watching the village's reconstruction progress. A sense of satisfaction crossed his aged face.

This was his village. Under his leadership, Konoha would flourish. Though currently misunderstood, Danzo believed that one day, the villagers would recognize the sacrifices he made for Konoha's sake.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure, masked like a ninja, appeared behind Danzo, kneeling to report, "Hokage-sama, Tsunade has escaped. Apart from Shizune, she has an unknown accomplice who ambushed the ANBU, resulting in heavy casualties."

The informant was Danzo's trusted aide, codenamed "Shadow", now serving as the chief of the ANBU.

After a brief silence, Danzo replied, "Let her go."

Tsunade, though a nuisance, wasn't pivotal. Her escape was inconsequential; driving her away sufficed. However, Danzo was more preoccupied with another matter...

"What movements have there been among the major ninja clans in the village?"

Today, due to dissatisfaction with Danzo's peace treaty signed with the Four Great Ninja Villages, ninjas and villagers initiated a massive protest. Although Danzo suppressed it, he didn't believe the unrest would dissipate easily. These individuals might have been quieted for now, but they were certainly plotting further actions in the shadows.

As expected...

"The Sarutobi clan seems to be plotting something, led by the jonin Asuma Sarutobi," reported Shadow.

"Asuma? Hiruzen's younger son, huh," Danzo sneered coldly.

To him, the Sarutobi clan was currently the biggest instability within the Leaf Village, reminiscent of the former Uchiha clan. Under Hiruzen's leadership, the Sarutobi clan had grown to become the village's largest in terms of population, boasting the highest number of ninjas. Danzo had recently demolished the Sarutobi clan's territory, causing numerous casualties, and had subsequently imprisoned the Third Hokage. Naturally, the Sarutobi clan held a deep grudge against him. Even if the clan showed no overt actions, Danzo intended to neutralize this ticking time bomb, with the assault planned for tonight.

As dusk settled and the night enveloped the village, a cloud veiled the moonlight, casting deeper shadows on the land. This night was destined for significant events.

Within the Sarutobi clan's territory, amidst rustling tree leaves and shifting shadows, Asuma gathered with the clan's elite, as well as ninjas from smaller families like Kurenai and Yugao, plotting their move against Danzo.

Suddenly, Yugao Uzuki, a purple-haired ANBU member with a white mask, rushed in, informing Asuma and the others that Danzo was at the ANBU base. Yugao was Hayate's girlfriend and was acting as an insider for Asuma's group.

Even after becoming Hokage, Danzo had reshuffled the ANBU, but due to limited time, he couldn't cultivate enough loyalists. Hence, many ANBU members outwardly pledged loyalty to Danzo while remaining true to the Third Hokage.

"We should seize the opportunity and strike swiftly," Yugao proposed.

"Let's wait a bit longer," Asuma cautioned.

Soon after, a small green frog emerged from a well within the courtyard, handing Asuma a scroll spat from its mouth — a message from Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya-sama says he will make the first move, creating a diversion in the village to distract the ninjas from the Four Great Villages. We'll then seize the opportunity to infiltrate the ANBU base," Asuma explained their strategy, invigorating everyone present.

The objective of this uprising was to overthrow Danzo, reinstating the Third Hokage. Under Hiruzen's leadership, they planned to nullify Danzo's unequal treaties and fight against the enemy to the very end.

An hour later, loud noises erupted as Jiraiya's Giant Toads descended from the sky, causing chaos within the camps of the Four Great Villages. Equipped with immense sage chakra, they possessed combat capabilities rivaling the Tailed Beasts.

Jiraiya, in Sage Mode with the two Great Toad Sages Ma and Pa, unleashed a potent combination of oil, wind, and fire techniques. The principle behind this technique amplified the fire with wind, which in turn ignited the oil, creating a scorching wave that consumed everything in its path.

Countless enemies, unable to escape in time, were obliterated by the inferno, leaving not even bones behind. Such was the power of sage techniques.

From the enemy ranks, two formidable figures darted towards Jiraiya — the duo from the Hidden Cloud Village, A and Bee. They had previously defeated Jiraiya. However, during that battle, Jiraiya hadn't tapped into his Sage Mode.

Would the outcome be different this time?

Facing the advancing Fourth Raikage, A, and Killer Bee, Jiraiya's eyes sharpened. He immediately leaped into a toad-like stance, with limbs grounded. His white hair lengthened and hardened, shooting out like a torrential downpour.

Sage Art: Hair Needle Barrage.

Whiz, whiz, whiz.

Countless hair needles relentlessly fired at the A-Bee duo, and even with A's Raiton armor and Bee's Tailed Beast cloak, they struggled to withstand the onslaught.

After pushing them back, Jiraiya slapped his hand on the ground.

Sage Art: Swamp of the Underworld.

Instantaneously, a massive swamp spanning hundreds of meters appeared beneath the Shinobi Alliance, swallowing thousands in its depths.

With his sheer might, Jiraiya single-handedly stalled the entire alliance. This was the true power of Jiraiya, the Pervy Sage.

Meanwhile...

"Attack!"

Seizing the opportunity while Jiraiya distracted the enemies, Asuma and his team burst out from the Sarutobi territory, heading straight for the ANBU base.

The journey was a bloody battle.

With the help of insiders, they successfully stormed the base, soon locating Danzo. Inside a secret chamber, Danzo stood leaning on his cane, seemingly unphased by their arrival.

"Danzo, you betrayed our village for your own gains, serving the Four Great Ninja Villages as their pawn. For Konoha's sake, we will take you down today!" Asuma declared with fervor.

"Really?" Danzo replied calmly, turning to face them. "It's a shame you lack the capability."

Almost instantly, members of the Hyuga clan led by Hiashi and the Police Force emerged from the shadows behind Danzo, blocking Asuma and his team. On top of that, ninja from the Four Great Villages appeared outside the chamber, encircling them.

The situation was dire.

Asuma's face paled, realizing they had been baited.

Danzo had intentionally positioned himself as the lure, drawing them into a trap.

In desperation, Asuma shouted to Hiashi, "Hiashi, you know full well Danzo's crimes against Konoha. Why side with him? Is this the choice of the Hyuga clan?"

Hiashi responded coldly, "Maintaining Konoha's peace is our duty. Danzo's treaties, though controversial, saved the lives of thousands of ninjas and civilians in Konoha."

In Hiashi's view, even if Asuma succeeded in overthrowing Danzo, Konoha's situation wouldn't improve. It might even hasten its destruction. To protect the village, the Hyuga clan sided with Danzo this time.

Both parties believed in their righteousness, and neither could be swayed. Thus, the dispute had to be settled by force.

"Attack!"

At Hiashi's command, members of the Hyuga clan and the Police Force launched their assault, igniting an intense battle.

On a nearby rooftop, a figure observed the fray.

"The Sarutobi clan is doomed," he mused, watching as Asuma's forces quickly dwindled amidst the chaos.

The night seemed destined to mark the end of the Sarutobi clan.

Suddenly, a kunai, with an exploding tag attached, whizzed from behind, aiming for the observer.

He dodged, but the explosion engulfed him in flames and smoke.

"Did we get him?"

"If he can't dodge that, he's just a small fry."

"Clean up the perimeter enemies like this. No need for a head-on clash."

As the smoke cleared, several ninjas wearing Mist headbands appeared, including Mei Terumī, Ao, and Chojuro.