Traitors Caught Red-Handed

Late at night, pitch-black clouds obscured the moonlight, obscured the moonlight, casting Konoha beneath an oppressive shadow.

Only scattered streetlamps remained in the village, like sparse stars in the night sky, providing a negligible amount of light.

Inside a dark basement, more than a dozen figures appeared especially sinister beneath the dim yellow light.

A man wearing a jonin flak jacket said excitedly, "Haha, that tyrant actually intends to take on the four great ninja villages at once. What an arrogant fool. He'll definitely fail."

However, another man shook his head bitterly. "But with Konoha's current strength, it may well be capable of facing the Ninja World."

"The resurrected First Hokage and Second Hokage, as well as Lord Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade, and Lord Orochimaru in their prime—along with that terrifying man—even if the other four ninja villages join forces, they may not be a match for them."

"Lord Shinnosuke, how can you say something so discouraging? Have you forgotten the tragic state of our clansmen that night? Forgotten their wails?" a Sarutobi Clan jonin shouted. Intense unwillingness overflowed from him; the muscles in his face were taut, and the flames of revenge flickered in his eyes.

"I haven't dared forget for a single moment!" Shinnosuke Sarutobi froze as that sea of blood rose before his eyes. Then he gritted his teeth and spoke.

After that night's disaster, fewer than one in ten Sarutobi Clan ninja remained. Even though, judging from those images, the vast majority of them had brought it upon themselves, that did not comfort the others. Instead, it made them even angrier.

"Even with Konoha's strength, if it is besieged by the four villages, its combat forces will be stretched thin. That's when it will be our turn to take the stage," another jonin said excitedly.

Among the