The Kurama Clan Was Massacred, My Konoha Friendship

Hyuga Shin smiled gently and waved his hand.

"It's fine, Miya. There's no need to be so polite between us."

"You're so noisy... I've recovered. Let's continue."

"Eh... We're still fighting?"

"Of course. It'll be good if we can improve our combat strength even a little before we go to the battlefield together."

"Don't train too hard right after eating..."

"You're so annoying! Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

"Don't go spraying little flames everywhere!"

"I... Cough, cough, cough... Damn it, my injuries haven't fully healed. The jutsu's power is a little weaker..."

Meanwhile, in another corner of Konoha.

The Kurama Clan was in complete chaos.

"Immediately! Report to the Hokage at once! This is definitely a provocation..."

"It was either Kumogakure or another village!"

"Tell the Hokage that the few members of the Kurama Clan who had awakened the Kekkei Genkai are all dead..."

"The killer... was extremely cruel!"

Most of the Kurama Clan members had weak constitutions. At this moment, they stared at the corpses before them with tears streaming down their faces!

The corpses were in terrible condition. Their wounds were neat, but that only made the scene even more bizarre.

The clan members were overcome with grief and rage.

Everyone knew that the Kurama Clan had once been a shinobi clan on par with the Uchiha Clan.

It had declined only because awakening the Kekkei Genkai was far too difficult.

Even so,

no one had expected them to be slaughtered so casually!

The remaining members of the Kurama Clan hurriedly sent an envoy to the Hokage's office building, hoping the Hokage would find the killer as soon as possible, avenge the dead clan members, and give the Kurama Clan justice!

Inside the Hokage's office building, Hiruzen Sarutobi was reviewing documents. Upon hearing about the Kurama Clan's tragedy, his expression instantly turned grave, and he immediately ordered the Anbu to summon the other Hokage Advisors for a discussion.

"Sigh... The Kurama Clan..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew about this clan. Their Kekkei Genkai was extraordinarily powerful and was known as Super Illusions. It could manipulate a person's five senses and make them suffer real injuries.

According to Konoha's records, the Kurama Clan's former geniuses had even been able to achieve the inconceivable feat of interfering with reality.

That was no longer merely genjutsu, but some even more powerful force.

Unfortunately... the Kurama Clan had already been in decline for a long time.

"Who was it?"

"Who would attack the declining Kurama Clan?"

"If it was an enemy, then they casually invaded Konoha... If it was someone from Konoha, then does that mean an internal force is attacking a shinobi clan?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression grew increasingly solemn.

Soon, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō arrived to discuss a response.

"This is definitely a provocation against Konoha! We must investigate this thoroughly, find out who did it, and then kill him!" Danzō shouted furiously, slamming one hand hard against the table.

"Kumogakure is currently at war with us, so they're the prime suspect. But we can't rule out the possibility that another village is taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble..." Utatane Koharu analyzed with a frown.

Mitokado Homura also spoke up. "It's possible... The other villages want to drag Konoha into the conflict first and escalate the war further."

Danzō sneered. "War is unavoidable. Hiruzen, whether this was done by someone from the village or someone from outside, it can only be classified as a conspiracy by outsiders!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment, then fixed his sharp gaze on Danzō.

"Why are you looking at me?" Danzō froze. Then, realizing something, he grew furious. "Hokage, you don't think I did it, do you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi tilted his head toward him, his eyes seeming to ask, Is it impossible?

From Hiruzen Sarutobi's political perspective, it was not impossible that someone from the village was responsible for what had happened to the Kurama Clan.

They had only recently decided to sacrifice Hyuga Shin to ease the pressure of the war.

Now Danzō had immediately insisted that this was definitely the work of a despicable outsider, a conspiracy by outsiders intended to escalate the war.

"Hiruzen, you've gone too far." Danzō rebuked him angrily. "The Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai is fundamentally difficult to pass down. Let alone whether it has any research value—even if it does, that value exists only in theory. Aside from the legendary interference with reality, the Kurama Clan is merely a severely weakened version of the Uchiha. Studying the Kurama Clan would be less worthwhile than studying the Naturally Evil Uchiha Clan."

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly withdrew his gaze.

Only then did he light a cigarette, take a slow drag, and exhale a ring of smoke.

"Have the Anbu investigate this matter with all their strength... They must obtain clues in the shortest possible time. At the same time, strengthen Konoha's security to prevent similar incidents from happening again."

"Send condolences to the Kurama Clan and arrange the deceased's funerals. Also provide them with some financial compensation. Of course... the medical compensation should be somewhat higher. Although the Kurama Clan may not need it..."

"If the investigation yields no results after three days, classify it as the work of outsiders."

"Also ask the Kurama Clan members whether they saw the assailant... Bring me the information, and I'll sign a top-level wanted order."

"Konoha must protect the interests of its shinobi clans."

Meanwhile.

Hyuga Shin and Uchiha Miya trained for two hours before walking out of the woods, panting heavily.

Uchiha Miya's legs had gone completely weak, and Hyuga Shin had to support him.

Afterward, the two went to eat. While they were eating, they heard some villagers discussing the Kurama Clan.

A village was not large, and its social classes were clearly divided.

Civilians and shinobi formed the two broad categories.

Among civilians were poor farmers, ordinary civilians, and the wealthy. Among shinobi were Civilian Ninja and shinobi from the clans.

Konoha had been established around the shinobi clans.

The Kurama Clan had once been a family on par with the Uchiha Clan. Yet now, someone had broken into their territory and killed the limited number of people who had awakened the Kekkei Genkai. It was truly lamentable.

"The weak will be slaughtered. That's only natural..." Uchiha Miya sneered.

"Don't put it like that... It's too cold." Hyuga Shin sighed.

"I'm only stating the truth."

"The Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai is extremely unique, but... why kill them instead of abducting them? Could it be that the other party wasn't after the Kekkei Genkai?"

Within Hyuga Shin's body, in the Sea of Corpses and Blood mindscape,

Su Nuo revealed a savage grin...

He had no interest in the so-called "Konoha Friendship" between Hyuga Shin and Uchiha Miya.

At most, it had surprised him a little.

Normally, hardly anyone could tolerate someone with Uchiha Miya's habit of insulting his friends.

But Hyuga Shin, who had absorbed all the negative emotions, could tolerate him. After Hyuga Shin accepted him unconditionally, Uchiha Miya's fur had been smoothed down, and he no longer bristled.

As for the Kurama Clan...

Well, he had been the one who killed them last night.

After escaping from his imprisonment, Su Nuo had immediately gone to kill several members of the Kurama Clan.

There was no particular reason. He mainly wanted to see whether the Kurama Clan members could break through their limits when faced with death.

They had failed to break through.

So Su Nuo had maliciously dressed himself like Gojo Satoru and killed those weaklings with a few slashes.

As for their illusions, Su Nuo had wrapped himself in his powerful Yin Cursed Energy... completely rendering himself immune.