With things like this going on, those clan shinobi would never come back to protect him. Even if some people thought there was something wrong with the diary, they wouldn't act rashly.
After all, there was no evidence proving that Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't killed his teacher to seize power!
That was what Uchiha Kazuto wanted: to turn Hiruzen Sarutobi into a complete loner who no longer served Konoha's interests. He killed Danzo, eliminating Hiruzen's last source of support, and imprisoned the two advisors, leaving Hiruzen utterly alone.
He used extreme pressure, in Hiruzen's name, to drive a wedge between the entire village and Lord Hokage. Everyone wanted him dead, wanted him to step down from the Hokage's seat.
Boom!
Fight! Fight! Fight!
The enormous Susanoo withstood Hiruzen Sarutobi's various Ninjutsu head-on, pounding him relentlessly.
Buzz!
The next moment, an enormous baton appeared in the giant Susanoo's hand.
"It's over, Hiruzen Sarutobi! For the sake of the village, you will fall!"
Uchiha Kazuto gripped the baton. It was his Divine Artifact, a truly miraculous baton.
The baton could intimidate an enemy's mind, interfering with their Chakra control and Ninjutsu. And when it struck, even though it seemed to land only one blow, its target would suffer the powerful impact of six strikes. After being hit, the enemy would also feel intense pain, and the flow of energy inside their body would be disrupted.
Thwack!
The baton became a blur as it swung toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Summoning Technique!
Hiruzen Sarutobi swiftly formed hand seals. The next moment, the smoke cleared, and Enma, summoned to his side, transformed into the Adamantine Staff, which Hiruzen raised high.
Boom!
The enormous baton slammed directly into the staff. Though it was only one blow, it unleashed six terrifying impacts, driving Hiruzen Sarutobi straight into the ground.
But before Hiruzen Sarutobi could react, a shrill, anguished, despairing scream rang out from the Adamantine Staff in his hands.
Pain beyond the limits of the body's tolerance struck Enma. The nearly indestructible staff began to writhe, then finally slipped from Hiruzen Sarutobi's grasp, reverted to its true form, and lay on the ground, wailing in despair and agony.
It hurt! It hurt so much!
Enma hadn't been injured at all. He was simply in too much pain—pain beyond the limits of the body's tolerance.
"Old friend, what's wrong?"
At the sight, Hiruzen Sarutobi leaped over and looked at Enma with concern. Unfortunately, Enma was now in no state to pay him any attention.
Creatures with overly sensitive pain nerves could literally be scared to death by pain.
Whoosh!
Just then, the enormous baton swung toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, who quickly dodged.
Still, the baton grazed his arm.
Thwack!
Six powerful impacts surged into his arm, which burst apart. Pain—horrifying pain beyond the limits of the body's tolerance—erupted through him.
At that moment, he finally understood what had happened to Enma.
Unfortunately, it was too late!
He crashed to the ground and let out a shrill, despairing scream.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi! The end of your path as a rogue shinobi is here!"
The next moment, Uchiha Kazuto raised the baton and relentlessly beat Enma, who was lying nearby. Six strikes a second—thirty-six strikes in six seconds. Well, actually, it wasn't six strikes a second. It was even more.
"Roar!"
Enma let out a desperate roar, then passed out. His body hadn't suffered a single injury, and he was so focused on the pain that he couldn't even think about ending the Summoning Technique.
Uchiha Kazuto released Susanoo and appeared beside Hiruzen Sarutobi. He grabbed Hiruzen by the throat, then conjured a Chakra Scalpel and swiftly severed the tendons in his arms and legs. After that, he took out a rope and tied Hiruzen up.
It was over!
"Everyone, stop! I've captured the rogue shinobi Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
Uchiha Kazuto shouted.
Not long afterward, Hiruzen Sarutobi lay on a guillotine atop a tall platform in Konoha Square. Uchiha Kazuto stood beside him, looking grief-stricken, a rope in his hand.
The villagers had gathered below the platform, watching the scene with excitement and fervor.
"Kill him! Kill him! Kill that accursed Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"Kill Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"Kill the rogue shinobi Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
The villagers shouted and cheered in excitement. That naturally evil old Hiruzen was finally going to die!
On the guillotine, Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed down at everything with a bitter, sorrowful expression. He couldn't understand how things had come to this. Everything had been fine before.
With Uchiha Kazuto's help, all of Konoha had seemed so full of life, thriving with countless possibilities. How had he, the Hokage, suddenly ended up facing death?
And you people—hadn't you always said you were completely loyal to me?
How had your attitude changed so much? Now you all wanted him dead?
This wasn't right! Were all your respect and so-called loyalty before just lies?
And you shinobi—when you shouted your loyalty to me every day during the Study Corps, whenever I came to give a speech, why did none of you believe him now? Why did none of you believe that he wasn't a traitor?
Something was wrong!
Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't understand it at all. He looked at Uchiha Kazuto. Kazuto's face was filled with sorrow, solemnity, and... disappointment. It was disappointment in him as Hokage, disappointment that he had betrayed the village and gone against the Will of Fire.
Damn it! What was going on?!
"Kazuto, this is all fake! How could I have done those things? I've given so much for the village! How could I be a traitor to the village?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted. Even now, he still hadn't realized that everything happening was Uchiha Kazuto's doing. He couldn't help it—Kazuto had been far too good at keeping up his act. He had always seemed so loyal, as if he would gladly give his life for the village and the Hokage.
Yet it was precisely that loyalty that, upon learning the truth, would cause him to break down and turn against the Hokage with all his might. Things had gone too far in the other direction, and it all fit Uchiha Kazuto's persona perfectly.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, even now, you still want to make excuses? It's no use. You can't fool me anymore. I was truly blind back then!"
Uchiha Kazuto shook his head.
Before you continue