Fugaku Uchiha: The Innately Evil Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju?!

Chapter 22: Fugaku Uchiha: The Inherently Evil Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju?!

Hyuga Hiashi paced back and forth, his anxiety growing with each passing moment.

Just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps reached his ears. He turned and spotted the Shinobi Hero, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had shed his iconic Hokage robes and donned battle gear.

Beside him stood the root of the Root organization, Shimura Danzō.

In addition, Shikaku and other Jonin from the Ino–Shika–Chō clans were present, along with Fugaku Uchiha and Hizashi Hyuga—nearly half of Konoha's high-end combat power had gathered in that moment.

Hiashi's heart swelled with relief:

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi-sama, had finally arrived!

And he'd brought so many powerful ninja, even members of the Uchiha Clan... Though the Uchiha were prone to madness, their strength was undeniable!

With all these Konoha ninja here, surely they could rescue his daughter from that mysterious ninja in the Forest of Death.

No sooner had Hiashi thought this than he heard Hiruzen's commanding voice:

"The Anbu Captain, Mitarashi Zixiao, has briefed me on the situation.

"Medical ninja, immediately transport the Kumogakure envoys lying on the ground to Konoha Hospital!"

"Yes, sir!"

A squad of medical ninja swiftly grabbed stretchers and set to work.

Hiruzan nodded slightly, then turned to Hiashi. "Head of the Hyuga Clan, based on your Byakugan's observation... is the one who kidnapped Hinata and our Konoha villager Roman still in this forest?"

"Yes, still there!"

Hiashi nodded eagerly. "Please, Hokage-sama, save my daughter."

"Your daughter, Hinata Hyuga, is a member of the Hyuga Clan, and a citizen of Konoha—a new leaf growing on this great tree of Konoha. Where the leaves dance, the fire burns ever brighter!

"In short, I will not stand by and watch her be kidnapped by a ninja from outside Konoha!

"Danzo, Fugaku, Hiashi... and all of you, follow me into the Forest of Death!"

"Yes, sir!"

Konoha's high-ranking ninja obeyed the spirited middle-aged Shinobi Hero, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and activated the Body Flicker Technique, charging into the Forest of Death.

All of this was observed by Hinata Hyuga and Roman, who were at the forest's core.

"More people are coming." Roman, after a careful scan with his Byakugan, made a serious judgment aloud: "Your father's Chakra is among them, and these newcomers all have substantial Chakra reserves—at least the level of a standard Jonin!

"Especially the leader; his Chakra volume is an entire tier above a typical Jonin."

Hinata lowered her head in thought for a moment, then analyzed, "That's likely the current Third Hokage of Konoha, the strongest Hokage written about in the school textbooks—Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Roman paused, then a grin spread across his face. "Seems the commotion we caused experimenting with ninjutsu in the Forest of Death was quite significant... enough to draw the Third Hokage and a host of Konoha's Jonin here."

Hinata frowned slightly. "What do we do now?"

"Keep experimenting, of course—test the power of the techniques!" Roman said matter-of-factly. "After all, we've only tested the Vacuum Attack so far.

"You learned the A-rank Water Release Ninjutsu, Great Waterfall Technique, and the equally A-rank Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique in the Hyuga Main Family's secret chamber through the Oceanids talent of the Hydro Archon Furina—and we haven't tested their power yet!

"Now's the perfect chance to gauge the might of these two Water Release Ninjutsu!

"With Hiruzen Sarutobi leading the attackers, he should be able to protect everyone."

"Alright." Hinata said. "I'll use the simpler Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique."

Roman: "Then I'll use Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique."

The moment the words fell, both of their hands began rapidly weaving hand seals.

Seconds later, Hinata finished her seals first. She took a deep breath, gathering Chakra in her throat, her cheeks puffing out.

At the peak of concentration, she parted her lips.

Rip!

In an instant, a broad water jet, like a high-pressure water gun, shot from Hinata's mouth, slicing through countless trees in the Forest of Death with immense force and blinding speed.

It surged for hundreds of meters, forming a massive waterfall wave dozens of meters high, as if connecting to the sky itself...

Soon, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, detected the incoming waterfall wave and swiftly assessed it in his mind:

An enemy ninjutsu attack!

An A-rank Water Release Ninjutsu, Great Waterfall Technique?

No... it's more than just an A-rank technique. The volume and speed of the water are far too abnormal—it's reached the level of an S-rank Water Release Ninjutsu.

Could this unknown enemy be unleashing the power of an A-rank Water Release Ninjutsu at nearly S-rank potency?

Could it be that another Water Release genius like the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, has emerged in the ninja world?!

Hiruzan's sharp mind raced through many thoughts before he prepared to use Earth-Style Wall to intercept the incoming Water Release Ninjutsu.

"Hokage-sama, allow me."

The head of the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku Uchiha, stepped forward and rapidly wove hand seals.

Then, taking a deep breath and gathering Chakra in his throat, he unleashed the Uchiha Clan's strongest Fire Release Ninjutsu: Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation.

Phew.

Fugaku Uchiha exhaled a torrent of flame vast as the ocean's tide, igniting countless withered leaves and branches in the Forest of Death, casting every face in a stark, crimson glow.

The next instant, these searing flames met a waterfall as immense as the sea itself. Scorching heat clashed with frigid water, white steam erupting with a sharp, sizzling hiss.

The temperature at the scene skyrocketed.

But that wasn't the most critical part. The most critical part was that the endless cascade of water kept surging forward, steadily overwhelming the Great Fire Annihilation technique of Fugaku Uchiha, the clan head of the Uchiha.

!!

Fugaku's eyes flew wide, disbelief flooding his gaze.

He hadn't expected that he—the Uchiha Clan's most accomplished master of Fire Release—would step forward to showcase the clan's power before the assembled shinobi of Konoha, only to end up humiliated. Even his signature Fire Release technique was being suppressed!

What the hell—how could a mere A-rank Water Release technique wield such overwhelming force?!

Could it be that the enemy lurking in the Forest of Death was the reincarnation of that inherently wicked Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju?!