Outside Konoha, a sea of fire surged into the sky. Thick smoke coiled like black dragons, staining half the heavens red.
The air was thick with a scorching stench that made it hard to breathe.
Kakashi and Jiraiya, who had just returned to the village, stood on high ground outside Konoha. As they stared at the blazing village before them, shock and disbelief filled their eyes.
"What... happened?"
Jiraiya's expression was extremely grim...
"I'm afraid something beyond our imagination has happened in the village..."
The fire only grew fiercer, as though it intended to swallow all of Konoha's hope.
At the same time, in the center of the village, a massive torrent like a waterfall poured down from the sky. The surging waters attempted to extinguish the blazing sea of Withered Wood Style flames completely.
What was shocking was that in the areas covered by the Water Style technique, the flames were not extinguished. Instead, as though encouraged, they burned even more violently and spread at a frightening speed.
At that moment, Tobirama, dressed in black, rapidly descended from the sky. The instant his feet touched the ground, countless withered branches eerily rose around him and lunged wildly at his body as though they were alive.
Tobirama swiftly formed hand seals, and razor-sharp water blades shot from his fingertips, severing every incoming dead branch in an instant.
However, Tobirama's expression abruptly changed in the next moment.
He clearly sensed that these seemingly frail dead branches were bizarrely absorbing his chakra at an astonishing speed, immediately filling him with wariness.
Seeing that powerful Water Style...
Kakashi stopped in his tracks...
"Why? What exactly is going on with this fire?"
"Look at those trees..."
Jiraiya suddenly pointed at the patch of eerily growing dead trees within the village, his voice tinged with surprise and uncertainty...
"Could these trees... be the First Hokage's Wood Style?"
The dead trees had already spread from inside the village to beyond it...
Kakashi frowned in thought, but when he approached those dead trees...
He felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy and familiarity, as though the dead trees instinctively avoided him and instead attacked the other ninja.
In the center of the village, Senju Tobirama was exerting himself to the fullest with Water Style. His silver hair whipped wildly between the waves and flames, large beads of cold sweat rolling down his forehead, his expression terrifyingly grave.
"Damn it! This power..."
Tobirama gritted his teeth and muttered.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood beside Tobirama and stared at the unstoppable disaster before them. "Teacher Tobirama... is this still Wood Style...?"
Tobirama's brows tightened at those words. He slightly turned his head and looked at the disciple in whom he had once placed such high hopes, disappointment and a sigh flashing through his eyes.
After a moment of silence, he said, "More accurately, this is an entirely new kind of Wood Style. It is completely opposite to my brother's Wood Style, which is filled with life and vitality. Perhaps it would be more fitting to call it Withered Wood Style."
"Withered Wood Style..."
Hiruzen froze for a moment, quietly repeating the unfamiliar term.
Tobirama looked toward the distant forest of wildly burning dead trees and explained 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 exact opposite, steeped in the aura of death and decay."
"Especially once it is ignited, these dead trees burn like dry kindling. Even the most powerful Water Style can only barely slow the spread of the flames; it cannot extinguish them completely."
Before he had even finished speaking, Tobirama swiftly formed hand seals again. Waves of water surged forth, driving back the dead trees that continuously lunged at them, yet an indescribable unease rose in his heart.
Tobirama knew very well that even if Danzo had transplanted Hashirama's cells, his talent and abilities should not have been enough for him to create such a bizarre and powerful new Kekkei Genkai.
So...
It was still related to Uchiha Yuan...
"Evil Uchiha brat!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face filled with deep pain and helplessness.
Danzo...
Why did you have to go this far...
Was it all because of your obsession with becoming Hokage?
Not far away, vast swathes of dead trees continued to expand madly, spreading like grotesque tentacles. The flames had already rapidly spread toward the borders of the Land of Fire.
In the emergency, every jonin in Konoha quickly gathered and formed hand seals, unleashing Water Style techniques in an attempt to suppress the spreading inferno.
Yet even with the combined strength of every jonin in the village, they could only slightly slow the flames. They simply could not eliminate the madly burning dead trees.
Kakashi, acting alongside Jiraiya, looked at the dead trees before him as a strange feeling welled up inside him.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Kakashi slowly extended his hand and carefully touched a burning dead branch beside him.
The instant his fingertips made contact with the dead wood, a series of vivid and lifelike images abruptly flooded his mind.
It was as though time had reversed. He saw the fierce battle that had erupted between Danzo, Senju Tobirama, and the Third Hokage.
Those memories were crystal clear. Every detail was so real that it was shocking, as though he had personally taken part in it all.
Still reeling from the shock, Kakashi cautiously channeled his chakra into the dead branch...
To his surprise, he discovered that these dead trees, originally filled with destructive intent, resonated with his chakra in a strange and profound way.
The feeling was wonderfully strange, faintly carrying an indescribable intimacy and familiarity.
These dead trees seemed able to return to him the chakra they had just drained from the other Konoha ninja, rapidly restoring vigor to his slightly exhausted body.
This bizarre power stirred uncontrollable waves in Kakashi's heart.
Just as he and Jiraiya remained lost in confusion, Tsunade hurried over to them.
"Tsunade, what exactly is going on?"
Jiraiya asked anxiously.
Tsunade shook her head. "I don't know either, but an order suddenly came from the Hokage's office declaring Danzo a rogue ninja."
"Danzo is a rogue ninja? Why?"
Tsunade sighed. "I haven't received the reason yet, but the situation is serious. We need to see the old man immediately."
At that moment, several black shadows flickered into view. A number of Anbu ninja appeared before the three of them, their tones respectful yet urgent. "The Hokage is waiting for you three. Please come with us."
The three exchanged glances and immediately followed the Anbu to the designated location without hesitation.
Not long afterward, they arrived at a secluded clearing.
The atmosphere there was exceptionally heavy and oppressive. Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in place with grief written across his face, while a mysterious figure in a black cloak stood silently in the shadows beside him.
"Old man, what happened?" Jiraiya was the first to ask anxiously.
Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.
At that moment, the man in black slowly stepped forward and said in a low, calm voice, "Let me tell you."
As soon as he finished speaking, he slowly pulled back the hood of his cloak, revealing a face that left Tsunade and Jiraiya standing frozen as though struck by lightning.
"Second Grandpa..."
Tsunade whispered tremblingly, her face full of shock and disbelief.
However, when Tobirama saw Kakashi, his expression instantly changed!
"Monkey, what is going on? Why is there still an Uchiha clansman here?"
Before you continue