The Evil Uchiha Brat

Outside Konoha, a sea of fire surged into the sky, thick smoke spiraling like a black dragon and staining half the heavens crimson.

The air was saturated with a suffocating, scorched stench.

Kakashi and Jiraiya, having just returned to the village, stood on the high ground outside the perimeter, staring at the blazing village with eyes full of shock and disbelief.

"What... exactly happened here?"

Jiraiya's expression was ghastly.

"I fear the village has suffered a catastrophe beyond our imagination..."

The fire grew more intense, seemingly intent on devouring every shred of hope within Konoha.

At the same time, in the central area of the village, a massive torrent of water, like a cascading waterfall, poured down from the sky, the overwhelming deluge attempting to extinguish the raging sea of Withered Wood flames.

What was shocking was that in the areas covered by the Water Style, the flames were not extinguished; instead, they burned even more violently as if stimulated, the fire spreading with rapid ferocity.

Just then, Senju Tobirama, clad in black, descended rapidly from the sky. The moment he touched the ground, countless withered, rotten branches rose eerily from the earth, lunging toward his body as if they possessed a life of their own.

Tobirama quickly formed hand seals, and razor-sharp water blades flew from his fingertips, severing the lunging withered wood in an instant.

However, the next moment, Tobirama's expression shifted abruptly.

He clearly sensed that these seemingly fragile withered branches were strangely absorbing his chakra, and at an astonishing speed, causing a sense of wariness to rise in his heart.

Seeing that powerful Water Style...

Kakashi stopped in his tracks...

"Why? What is going on with this fire?"

"Look at those trees..."

Jiraiya suddenly pointed at the eerily growing withered wood within the village, his voice tinged with suspicion...

"These trees... could they be the Wood Style of the First Hokage?"

The withered wood had spread from inside the village to the outside...

Kakashi frowned in thought, but as he approached the withered wood...

He felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy and familiarity, as if the withered wood instinctively avoided him, turning instead to attack other ninjas.

In the center of the village, Senju Tobirama, who was exerting his full power in Water Style, had his silver hair whipping wildly between the waves and the flames. Large beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and his expression was grave to the point of being terrifying.

"Damn it! This power..."

Tobirama muttered through gritted teeth.

Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stood beside Tobirama, looking at the unstoppable disaster before them: "Master Tobirama... is this still Wood Style..."

Hearing this, Tobirama furrowed his brows, turned his head slightly, and glanced at the disciple he had once held high hopes for, a trace of disappointment and a sigh flashing through his eyes.

He remained silent for a moment: "To be precise, this is a brand-new form of Wood Style. It is the exact opposite of my brother's Wood Style, which is full of life and vitality. Perhaps it is more appropriate to call it Withered Wood Style."

"Withered Wood Style..."

Hiruzen was stunned, repeating the unfamiliar term in a low voice.

Tobirama looked toward the frantically burning forest of withered wood in the distance, explaining with a grave expression...

"My brother's Wood Style symbolizes vitality and hope; it can create and protect everything. But this Withered Wood Style is the complete opposite, permeated with the aura of death and decay."

"Especially once ignited by flames, these withered woods act like dry kindling; no matter how powerful the Water Style, it can only barely delay the spread of the fire, never fully extinguishing it."

Before he could finish, Tobirama quickly formed hand seals again, and waves of water surged forth, beating back the encroaching withered wood, yet a nameless anxiety rose in his heart.

Tobirama knew very well that even if Danzo had transplanted Hashirama's cells, given his aptitude and ability, he would not have been able to create such an eerie and powerful new Kekkei Genkai.

Therefore...

It still had to do with Uchiha Yuan...

"That wicked Uchiha brat!"

Hearing this, a look of deep pain and helplessness appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face.

Danzo...

Why did you have to go this far...

Is it truly just because of your obsession with the Hokage position?

Not far away, large swaths of withered wood continued to expand wildly, like hideous tentacles, spreading incessantly as the fire raced toward the borders of the Land of Fire.

In this emergency, all the Jonin in Konoha gathered quickly, forming hand seals to unleash Water Style in an attempt to suppress the spreading inferno.

But even with the combined strength of all the village's Jonin, they could only slightly slow the fire, unable to completely eradicate the frantically burning withered wood.

Kakashi, acting in coordination with Jiraiya, looked at the withered wood before him, but a strange feeling welled up in his heart.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Kakashi slowly extended his palm, cautiously touching a piece of burning withered wood beside him.

The moment his fingertips made contact with the wood, his mind was suddenly occupied by a series of clear and vivid images.

As if time had been reversed, he saw the great battle that had erupted between Danzo, Senju Tobirama, and the Third Hokage.

Those memories were vivid, every detail so realistic it was shocking, as if he had been a participant himself.

Shocked, Kakashi tentatively injected his chakra into the withered wood...

Unexpectedly, he discovered that these dead branches, which had been filled with a sense of destruction, resonated with his chakra in a strange and profound way.

The sensation was marvelous, even faintly revealing an indescribable sense of intimacy and familiarity.

These withered branches seemed capable of feeding back the chakra they had just absorbed from other Konoha ninja, allowing his slightly exhausted body to rapidly regain its vitality.

This eerie power caused a wave of turmoil to rise involuntarily within Kakashi's heart.

Just as he and Jiraiya remained lost in confusion, Tsunade hurried to their side.

"Tsunade, what on earth is going on?"

Jiraiya asked anxiously.

Tsunade shook her head and said, "I don't know either, but an order suddenly came from the Hokage's office declaring Danzo a missing-nin."

"Danzo a missing-nin? Why?"

Tsunade sighed, "I haven't received the reason yet, but the situation is grave. We must go see the Old Man immediately."

At this moment, several dark shadows flickered, and a few Anbu ninja appeared before the three of them, their tone respectful yet urgent: "The three of you, the Hokage is waiting for you. Please follow us."

The three exchanged glances and, without hesitation, quickly followed the Anbu to the designated location.

Before long, they arrived at a secluded clearing.

The atmosphere here was unusually heavy and oppressive. Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in place with a face full of grief, while a mysterious figure in a black cloak stood in the shadows beside him, silent.

"Old Man, what exactly happened?" Jiraiya was the first to ask anxiously.

Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

Just then, the figure in black slowly stepped forward and said in a low, calm tone, "Let me tell you."

As soon as the words fell, he slowly pulled back the hood of his cloak, revealing a face that left Tsunade and Jiraiya standing there as if struck by lightning.

"Second Grandfather..."

Tsunade whispered tremblingly, her face full of shock and disbelief.

However, when Tobirama saw Kakashi, his expression changed instantly!

"Monkey, what is the meaning of this? Why is there an Uchiha clansman here!"