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The number of those bizarre creatures was too great. Considering the sacrifices that would occur during capture and their sheer numbers, it was discovered that Konoha's tens of thousands of ninjas might not be able to fully capture and control them.

If even one or two escaped, incidents like entire villages being wiped out could happen more than once.

If a single bizarre creature were to appear within a city and not be controlled in time...

Everyone present could imagine the consequences if such a thing occurred.

But what was even more dire was that because the Daimyo and other nobles were too wary of ninja strength, the number of ninjas stationed within the major cities was extremely scarce. They would be unable to react and make the correct choices even if a bizarre creature appeared.

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at the clock on the wall; it was already evening. He looked again at the various clan heads who were still discussing.

"Everyone, it's getting late. We'll stop here for today and continue tomorrow."

In just one afternoon, only a general direction had been established. Details were out of the question. Moreover, this was not something that could be resolved in a day or two.

The clan heads exchanged glances and then departed one after another.

Finally, only Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and the Third Hokage remained in the conference room.

There were still some matters they needed to discuss further.

Just then, a Ninja Crow flew to the window and pecked at it with its beak, making a bang bang sound.

Hearing the noise, the Third Hokage's expression tightened. He looked at the Ninja Crow and stood up abruptly.

He recognized this Ninja Crow.

"Hiruzen, is it that thing?"

Seeing the Third Hokage's expression and then looking at the Ninja Crow outside the window, Danzo guessed what had happened.

"That's right," the Third Hokage confirmed.

"Let's go." Danzo was very interested in those bizarre creatures, but unfortunately, the Third Hokage kept them under tight control, preventing him from touching them. This was a perfect opportunity to witness just how powerful these strange things were.

The group immediately set off for the outskirts where the merchant had been placed.

The Third Hokage and the others did not conceal their movements. The clan heads who were still on their way home naturally saw them. After a moment's thought, they decided to follow.

Meanwhile, in a makeshift dirt hut on the outskirts.

The merchant had woken up and was trembling, clutching his blanket. He muttered, "It's coming, it's coming..."

At the same time, he looked with terrified eyes at the gradually darkening ceiling.

Although sealing jutsu had been placed around the dirt hut and on the roof when it was built, these sealing jutsu were only meant to delay. They were never intended to capture this bizarre creature.

Capturing these bizarre creatures still relied on the Sealing Squad.

Swish swish swish~

As the suddenly appearing ropes began to erode the sealing jutsu on the roof, the ninjas around immediately threw out pre-prepared ropes covered in sealing jutsu, ensnaring the descending ropes.

The special ropes, once they ensnared the ropes, turned black at a visible rate and became old and rotten, as if they hadn't been used for ten years.

But this was not in vain; at least they had managed to catch it.

Just then, the ninjas holding the ropes suddenly let go.

"What's going on? Why did you let go?"

It was so close! As long as they controlled this rope, the Sealing Squad could seal it, and the mission would be complete. Why let go at this moment?

"Ah!!!"

His answer was a scream.

Then, a ninja dressed all in black was hoisted into the air by a rope.

Seeing this, the ninjas around immediately drew their blades, attempting to cut the rope, but discovered that the rope was unbreakable!

Not long after, the ninja who was suspended was strangled to death by the tightening rope, his neck snapped. The headless corpse fell to the ground with a dull thud.

Witnessing such a tragic scene, the ninjas around became furious. Disregarding everything else, since their blades were useless, they unleashed their ninjutsu one after another, pouring attacks onto the rope.

They felt good unleashing their ninjutsu, but the result was that the rope sustained no damage.

The ninjas in black clothes gasped for breath. While they were still stunned, the ropes descending from the sky changed from one or two to hundreds!

At the same time, whether it was an illusion or not, the surrounding environment seemed to have become darker.

Even if the sun had completely set, it shouldn't be this dark, right?

But the ropes in the sky gave them no time to think. If they were careless and got caught by a rope, they would surely die.

Their attention focused on dodging the ropes, they failed to notice that not only had the sky grown too dark, but corpses had appeared beneath their feet...

"Where is everyone?"

The Third Hokage and the others, who had arrived first, looked around at the empty space.

"Hokage-sama, the merchant has also disappeared. However, we found bloodstains inside the dirt hut. Judging by the amount of blood, the merchant is already dead."

Waving for the ninja to step back, the Third Hokage looked at a patch of bloodstains on the ground ahead. Besides the merchant's, there was only this patch of bloodstains. There were also a few lengths of special rope.

Based on the scene, besides the merchant, a ninja also died at the time.

But where are the people?

Judging from the broken ropes, they indeed clashed with that bizarre rope, and one ninja died. But why did everyone disappear?

This was beyond the Third Hokage's understanding.

Danzō, seeing this strange situation, was also speechless.

Although he didn't see eye-to-eye with the Third Hokage, he was aware of his brainwashing abilities. This meant these ninjas couldn't have defected. Especially not a mass defection.

If that bizarre creature escaped and they pursued it, why were there no clues left behind?

And from the scene, it looked more like they had vanished suddenly.

The Third Hokage also considered this, which made him feel even more troubled. If that thing could instantly transfer over twenty excellent ninjas, it meant it might be more difficult to deal with than he thought.

At this moment, most of the clan heads arrived, and one by one, they came forward to inquire about the situation.

The surrounding Anbu immediately reported truthfully.

But for some reason, the Third Hokage felt something was off.

"Where is the Hyuga Patriarch?" The Third Hokage finally realized what was wrong. Hyuga Hiashi was not among the clan heads who had arrived.

Not only Hyuga Hiashi, but not a single Hyuga clan member was present.

Perhaps the Hyuga Clan had something going on and were tied up.

The Third Hokage didn't think much of it. After all, at this moment, it was more important to figure out what exactly happened at the scene.

One thousand meters away from where the bizarre creature appeared, Hyuga Hiashi, with his Byakugan activated, looked intently towards the spot where the creature had appeared.

In his Byakugan, not far from him, there was an area filled with an evil power.

The diameter of the area enveloped by that power was about five hundred meters. The Third Hokage and the others were currently in the center of it.