Uchiha vs. Konoha

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and said softly, "It seems we have reached a point of no return."

"The Uchiha must never leave Konoha. On this point alone, I cannot grant your request."

"Anbu, move."

Compared to Shimura Danzō, Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared to be the one more lenient toward the Uchiha.

But in reality, the supreme leader of Konoha at this moment was none other than him.

The Uchiha Clan was, in fact, exterminated under his watch.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

Five ghostly figures appeared in the Hokage's office without the slightest warning.

These individuals were elite Anbu ninjas under the direct command of the Hokage, each wearing a different animal mask, their auras sharp and lethal.

And this was merely the beginning.

As these five elite Anbu, clearly of captain rank, appeared, the entire Hokage office was long since blanketed by ninjutsu. The walls, ceiling, floor... even the space outside the windows began to ripple like water.

Figure after figure emerged in silence, like a black tide, rapidly and methodically occupying every corner and every strategic point in the room.

Five full Anbu squads had arrived.

Each squad captain was a Kage-level ninja far exceeding the elite Jonin rank, supported by five veteran Jonin and ten special Jonin.

In total, nearly one hundred and fifty of the most elite Anbu ninjas.

They made no unnecessary sounds and displayed no emotions, simply standing there in silence, some kneeling on one knee, others hidden behind pillars.

Every one of them was like a cold, unfeeling killing machine.

This was the true face of the Konoha Anbu, and these ninjas were the foundation of the village's reputation as the greatest in the ninja world.

An Anbu squad, with a captain as the core commander, supported by experienced veteran Jonin and Jonin capable of executing various tactics and providing support, functioned in perfect coordination.

Furthermore, their teamwork was impeccable; as a complete unit, they were comprehensive enough to surround and kill an ordinary Kage-level ninja.

It could be said that the Anbu, belonging solely to the Hokage, was a war machine that could be activated at any moment.

Faced with this overwhelming display of force, the breathing of Uchiha Yashiro and Inabi hitched, cold sweat beading on their foreheads as their Sharingan spun frantically, attempting to lock onto every possible threat.

But there were too many enemies, they were too strong, and their coordination was too tight.

They had no doubt that if a fight broke out, they and the acting clan head and Elder Qiantang behind them would be completely annihilated in the first wave of attacks.

On Uchiha Qiantang's calm, unruffled face, the wrinkles seemed to deepen. He slowly scanned the army of Anbu that had suddenly appeared and could only sigh in resignation.

Even after the Nine-Tails Incident, which claimed countless elite ninjas, the war machine that was Konoha continued to operate with meticulous precision.

And Hiruzen Sarutobi, set against the backdrop of the massive pressure exerted by the full force of the elite Anbu, carried an extreme sense of intimidation as the Hokage.

Surrounded by the heavy encirclement of Anbu ninjas, Hiruzen Sarutobi said to Uchiha Du Yang:

"I will still allow you to retract your previous statement. As long as you do not mention leaving Konoha, I will still allow the Uchiha to negotiate with me."

"I can swear in the name of the Hokage: as long as the Uchiha harbor no ulterior motives, I will absolutely ensure your safety."

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not say more, wanting Du Yang to recognize the reality of the situation.

The elite Anbu force before them, capable of destroying several small and medium-sized ninja villages in an instant, said everything that needed to be said.

This was not a discussion; it was an ultimatum.

Konoha could not allow the Uchiha to break away; it was a headache they would rather avoid even if the Uchiha Clan were to rebel.

Even if the Uchiha Clan did not want to stay with them, they could never be allowed to leave.

If they insisted on leaving, then they would have to be slaughtered to the last man; the Uchiha bloodline could not be allowed to flow out.

That was the importance of a Kekkei Genkai.

For the sake of the Byakugan, Konoha had nearly gone to war with another powerful ninja village.

The office was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard, with countless cold gazes focused on the four Uchiha, the pressure enough to cause an ordinary ninja to suffer a mental breakdown.

Yet, Uchiha Du Yang remained composed, speaking up: "As expected of the Anbu, to have so many elites."

"And this doesn't even count the strength of Konoha's various ninja clans and the many other ninjas."

"It seems the education of the Will of Fire over the years has been quite successful."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's accumulated prestige was too deep, and coupled with the ruthless Danzō, a single order from him was enough to destroy any ninja clan in Konoha.

Du Yang's response was this:

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, my answer is... don't even think about it. The Uchiha will definitely withdraw from Konoha."

Seeing the other party act in such a manner, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed sharply, alarm bells ringing in his heart.

Danzō's single eye narrowed instantly, and a sharp shout escaped his lips: "Take everyone into custody immediately."

However, it was already too late.

Uchiha Du Yang slowly turned back around, as if speaking to himself:

"The Uchiha have no other path left; the only ending for the Uchiha remaining in Konoha is to have their bones picked clean and be hunted to extinction."

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, I saw through your hypocrisy long ago; your so-called promises are worth nothing."

"Are you pitying the Uchiha? No, you simply want the Uchiha to continue wagging their tails and begging before you."

"Arrogant fool, kill him."

Danzo could no longer restrain himself; with a point of his cane, the Root operatives behind him and a portion of the Anbu loyal to him erupted into action instantly.

Kunai, shuriken, and the light of ninjutsu wove together into a net of death, shrouding Du Yang and his three companions.

Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to intervene, but it was already too late.

Uchiha Yashiro and Inabi let out a wild roar, their three-tomoe Sharingan spinning frantically as they prepared to throw their lives away to block the onslaught.

A brilliant light erupted from Uchiha Qiantang's cloudy, aged eyes, and his withered palm was already raised.

However, Uchiha Du Yang's movements were faster than anyone else's reaction.

And he had merely activated his Mangekyou Sharingan.

Deep within those black pupils, the color was no longer ordinary darkness; the pattern of the Mangekyou had emerged.

Du Yang finally utilized the dojutsu of his Mangekyou Sharingan, known as Cicada Song.

The moment this dojutsu kills an opponent, it carves the Seal of Cicada Slough into their body using ocular power, reversing the paradox of life and death, forcibly stripping them from the state of death and reshaping the concept of their existence.

The instant they are resurrected, the past memories of the resurrected are thoroughly tampered with to a certain degree.

Their existence depends entirely on the ocular power support of the caster.

At the same time, two figures appeared to his left and right.

The person on the left, with black hair and black eyes, a cold and youthful face, dressed in Anbu attire with a short blade hanging naturally from his hand, was none other than Itachi Uchiha.

However, this was not the Itachi Uchiha of the past, but an Itachi Uchiha whose memories had been thoroughly tampered with.

The current Itachi Uchiha harbored a bone-deep hatred for Konoha, and a bone-deep hatred for the Third Hokage and Danzo.

The person on the right, with a tall frame and a dignified face, dressed in the dark-colored attire of the Uchiha clan head, was none other than Uchiha Fugaku.

Like his son Itachi Uchiha, his memories had also been tampered with, and he harbored a bone-deep hatred for Konoha.