"Expansion Jutsu: Cannonball!"
Unwilling to sit back and wait for death, Akimichi Torifu channeled his Chakra into the power of Yang Release. His body suddenly swelled enormously, tearing apart his Jonin vest. His head and limbs retracted inside his body, forming a huge black ball of flesh that came rolling toward Uchiha Takeyasu.
Stout tree trunks along its path were crushed like willow fluff, doing nothing to slow Torifu's unstoppable advance.
"Of the six of you, it seems you're better at fighting to the death than Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
Uchiha Takeyasu gazed at the Yang Release Chakra coiling around Torifu's body. The man's Chakra reserves were astonishing; ordinary Ninjutsu attacks would be crushed and swept away if they struck him.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Not bothering to test the waters with low-level techniques like the Great Fireball, Uchiha Takeyasu's Mangekyo spun as he molded Chakra and spat out three flames that danced like raging dragons. Under his control, they stretched their bodies through the air with ease, then attacked Torifu from the left, center, and right.
Boom!
The immense shock wave from their collision swept through like a typhoon, making Uchiha Takeyasu's clothes flap wildly. Tachibana, nestled in his arms, cowered inside his collar, only her shifty eyes showing as she excitedly watched the incoming Cannonball.
The flames scattered everywhere, setting the nearby trees alight. Amid the blazing inferno, the enormous Cannonball gradually ground to a halt. With a roar of "Super Expansion Jutsu," Torifu transformed into a fat giant more than twenty meters tall. His sheer weight could crush a hillock over ten meters high, and his shadow completely engulfed Uchiha Takeyasu.
"Super Push Hand!"
Torifu's enormous palms grew another size, pressing down like two overlapping mountains. The crushing pressure made it hard for Uchiha Takeyasu to breathe, while the air around him compressed tightly. It felt as if he were underwater, every movement requiring far more effort than usual.
"Yang Release secret techniques really are nothing to scoff at."
Tachibana looked up at Uchiha Takeyasu, who was still smiling, and blinked her catlike eyes. She wasn't worried in the least. Ever since the boy had become a ninja, no matter how difficult his circumstances, he'd always carved out a bright path.
"Too bad you picked the wrong enemy."
"Amenotokotachi!"
His left eye's ability was like a complete, panoramic map; his right eye's ability let him teleport across it. The two complemented each other perfectly.
"How is this possible?!"
"This is Space-Time Ninjutsu, like Teacher Tobirama's Flying Thunder God!"
Astonished, Torifu saw Uchiha Takeyasu suddenly appear on his shoulder. By the time he tried to cancel the "Super Expansion Jutsu," it was already too late. All his Chakra was concentrated in his two palms, and the force of his attack had driven his body lower.
He knew Uchiha Takeyasu wouldn't die beneath his "Super Push Hand." He'd anticipated that Takeyasu might dodge to the left or right, clash head-on with Ninjutsu, or even shamelessly burrow underground to hide. The one possibility he hadn't considered was Space-Time Ninjutsu.
All his contingency plans had come to nothing. The star of death was already shining above his head!
The Akimichi Clan specialized in overwhelming their opponents with brute force. Their huge bodies brought tremendous strength, but at the cost of agility. They often missed their targets, leaving themselves wide open.
If only I had allies from the Yamanaka and Nara Clans here. Then I'd only need to attack the target they marked.
Had my clan made a mistake when they sent me under Teacher Tobirama's command?
If I'd formed an Ino-Shika-Cho team with the others, like our elders did, we might've stood a chance even against a Mangekyo Uchiha!
Knowing his end had come, and that Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other two wouldn't escape Uchiha Takeyasu either, Torifu's thoughts raced through his mind. His palms slammed into the ground, and thunderous booms erupted all around him.
As the earth shook, dust billowed into the sky. Uchiha Takeyasu drew his Katana, and the ultimate cutting force of Wind Release Chakra transformed into a translucent gleam along its blade.
"Uchiha Style: Wind Cutter Slash!"
Uchiha Takeyasu flicked his wrist. A fine thread of light flashed and vanished, and blood spurted from Torifu's neck. His enlarged body shrank back to normal in the blink of an eye. Like Kagami Uchiha, he died by decapitation.
The Ascension Points he gained confirmed it. With the system around, nobody could pretend to be dead right in front of him.
"Lord Takeyasu, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others ran that way."
After Torifu's death, Tachibana happily licked her master's chin. She swore on her honor as a Ninja Cat that she wouldn't tell anyone about the Space-Time Ninjutsu he'd just used. But she'd make sure to spread the word about today's battle, so everyone would know just how amazing her master was!
"Yeah, my Tachibana is sharp and clever."
"Meow~"
With a simple Earth Release technique, he buried Torifu and laid him to rest. Uchiha Takeyasu felt some affection for an enemy like him. Even the proud Uchiha wanted steadfast allies who would always stand by his side.
Right, and I need to get my hands on the Akimichi Clan's secret techniques too. This kind of super-secret technique is essential for any man in a way. There's no rule in the Ninja World that says a man can only have one partner for life.
"Lord Takeyasu, hurry, or they'll get away."
"They won't escape."
Pulling his wandering thoughts back, Uchiha Takeyasu strode forward.
Torifu won't make it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other two were racing through the forest. They could no longer hear the earth-shaking commotion behind them, and the giant Torifu had become was nowhere to be seen. They all knew what that meant.
With grave expressions, the three considered their options.
Nobody wanted to die if they could help it.
So whether they survived the Butcher of Humans' pursuit would come down to luck.
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both realized the same thing: if one of the three was bound to die, Hiruzen Sarutobi was more likely to be killed than the two of them combined.
The shrewd Hiruzen Sarutobi realized it too, judging by the silence behind him. He sighed inwardly. Things had come to this, and the team's trust had already fallen to pieces. There was nothing more he could say.
"Let's split up. Even if only one of us makes it back, that's enough."
"We have to expose Uchiha Takeyasu's schemes—no, the Uchiha Clan's schemes. Everyone in Konoha needs to know that the Uchiha Clan openly colluded with Kumogakure and murdered the leaders of both villages. Add that to their previous rebellion, which Teacher Tobirama suppressed, and the Uchiha Clan won't have a foothold in Konoha Village."
"Danzo and Torifu won't have died in vain."
With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly sped up, heading along the route closest to Konoha Village.
That bastard!
Following Hiruzen Sarutobi would make him an easy scapegoat. With no other choice, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance, then split off and fled by a longer route.
"They're just struggling in their death throes."
Uchiha Takeyasu had honed his tracking skills through countless hunts and escapes, and his ability was master-level. He quickly realized the three had split up to flee.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Two Shadow Clones went after Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, while Uchiha Takeyasu followed Hiruzen Sarutobi's Chakra trail all the way.
With his tremendous speed, Uchiha Takeyasu blocked Hiruzen Sarutobi's path at the forest's edge.
The Konoha Ninja Army was stationed just ten kilometers away. If Hiruzen could get out of the forest, he'd receive support in no time. Then the Uchiha Clan would be denounced by everyone, and he could ascend to the Hokage Position.
I can't let my emotions get the better of me now.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted. He gripped his Adamantine Staff and looked at Uchiha Takeyasu, speaking in a low voice. "Takeyasu-san, do things really have to come to this?"
"Teacher Tobirama already designated me as the Third Hokage. If you let me leave, I promise the Uchiha Clan will have a seat in the Konoha High Command. You could even become the Fourth Hokage one day. At your age, Takeyasu-san, you have a real chance."
As Hiruzen Sarutobi kept dangling promises before him, Uchiha Takeyasu's gaze flickered. Memories from his two Shadow Clones had already returned to him, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Seeing that, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled too.
"I'm smiling because I've already killed Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. What are you smiling about?"
Uchiha Takeyasu looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose expression had turned utterly grim, as though he'd come home to find his wife sleeping with a whole group of men. He spoke with a smile. "You're the last one left in the Kage Guard. You should get going soon, so your dear companions won't be lonely on the road."
"Besides, once I've killed all of you, who but me could claim the Third Hokage's seat?"
"The Uchiha Clan's blade is still sharp!"
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