Leaving a Legacy for the Sarutobi Clan

Chiya smiled, ignoring these products of Yin-Yang Release. He turned and walked slowly out of the room, bumping right into Asuma, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

Seeing the corpses of his clansmen lying in pools of blood in the courtyard, Sarutobi Asuma snatched up his two signature chakra blades and charged forward.

He was effortlessly dodged by Chiya, who flashed aside.

"Who are you? What exactly have you done to my clansmen? Where is Konohamaru?" Asuma demanded sharply.

Because he had never met Chiya, he did not recognize the latter's identity.

Not to mention that Chiya was currently wearing an Anbu mask.

"As the saying goes, seeing is believing, hearing is hearsay. The brat is inside; why don't you go in and see for yourself?" Chiya pointed out Konohamaru's location in a calm tone, showing no urgency to strike.

Upon hearing this, Sarutobi Asuma ignored Chiya's presence and used a Body Flicker technique, appearing abruptly in the room. Seeing Konohamaru lying on the floor, pale-faced, blood-soaked in his lower regions, and unconscious, he fell to his knees with a thud. His eyes were hollow, his expression one of shock and loss, "Konohamaru..."

Chiya stood at the doorway, arms crossed, and said with breezy indifference, "Ara, my apologies, son of the Third Hokage, Jonin Sarutobi Asuma, for letting you see such a bloody scene."

Having said that, a playful arc lifted the corner of his mouth as he added, "At the very least, I should have sliced him into pieces so you wouldn't have to see him in such pain."

"Bastard, I'll kill you!" With a roar, Sarutobi Asuma grabbed his chakra blades again, coated them with wind-style nature transformation chakra, and charged at Chiya.

Crack— The wooden door was shredded instantly by the wind-style chakra blades as if it were made of paper.

Chiya hopped back into the courtyard with extreme ease, teasing with a detached expression, "Don't bluster; it only makes you look weak and incompetent."

Sarutobi Asuma was enraged, his eyes instantly covered in blood-red. He tossed his chakra blades into the air and performed hand seals rapidly. Just as he was about to unleash Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning, a giant tree suddenly erupted from the ground, binding his limbs.

Clang— The chakra blades fell to the ground. Sarutobi Asuma, having lost the ability to move his limbs, looked at Chiya in disbelief, his mind reeling in shock, "This is... Kurenai's genjutsu, Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind. Who exactly are you?"

"Ara, did you finally recognize it? Let me introduce myself: Chiya, Fujiwara Chiya. Sarutobi Asuma, son of the Third Hokage, right? Do you want to see my blade? This Kyōka Suigetsu."

"Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."

Chiya drew the blade at his waist, first habitually releasing Kyōka Suigetsu.

Then, he walked slowly toward Sarutobi Asuma.

He had no intention of killing him.

Since he had promised to leave a legacy for Sarutobi Hiruzen, how could he break his word?

"You bastard, my father cultivated you so well and even had Kurenai teach you genjutsu, yet you return evil for good and slaughter my entire Sarutobi Clan!"

Watching Chiya walk toward him like a god of death descending, Sarutobi Asuma shrieked hysterically. Extreme resentment, hatred, and fear brought his mind to the brink of collapse as he attempted to break free from Chiya's genjutsu.

Unfortunately, how could he possibly break free from Chiya's genjutsu?

"You seem to have misunderstood one thing: Sarutobi Hiruzen never did me any favors."

As he spoke, Chiya's blade fell. Accompanied by a flash of blood, Sarutobi Asuma was no longer whole.

The dual agony of soul and flesh caused him to look up and howl, screaming in pain.

Chiya was quick-handed; he took the remaining Mother-Child River from his system inventory, turned it into a water bullet, and shot it into Asuma's mouth, then kicked him dozens of meters away until he fell completely unconscious.

"What did you just feed him?" A giant pitcher plant emerged from the ground, and Black Zetsu asked.

"Something good, of course. Do you two want a taste?" Chiya removed his mask, staring at Zetsu with a half-smile.

"What a twisted human," Black Zetsu felt a chill in his heart and said to Chiya, "The matter is finished now. Are you leaving Konoha? Things on Madara and Itachi's side are almost over as well."

"How much time have I spent?" Chiya asked Black Zetsu.

"Starting from the annihilation of the Shimura Clan at 6:40, 35 minutes have passed. It is now 7:15," Black Zetsu said.

"No rush. Regardless, I promised Uchiha Itachi that I would meet up with him at seven. Although I am late, witnessing a major event like the Uchiha Clan's annihilation is not something to be missed."

Leaving these words behind, Chiya put his Anbu mask back on and vanished from the Sarutobi family compound.

Night fell.

Tonight, Uchiha Sasuke was kept behind by Ninja Academy teacher Umino Iruka for special training.

Iruka had only received orders from the higher-ups to provide Sasuke with special guidance.

Neither he nor Sasuke had any idea how deep the water behind this really was.

Under the beautiful full moon, Uchiha Itachi crouched on a utility pole in the Uchiha compound, his scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan emitting a bewitching, dangerous light.

In the next instant, he vanished from the spot.

Because he had waited for Chiya in vain, he feared the plan had changed and chose to act early.

At the edge of the Uchiha compound, five Anbu members led by Sarutobi Shinnosuke were already lurking in the shadows.

They were waiting outside to capture any survivors other than Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke.

Chiya was also their target.

They were all members of the Sarutobi Clan, the type Sarutobi Hiruzen trusted most, and they would never leak a word of what happened.

Even elites like Kakashi were not allowed to participate.

Listening to the incessant screams coming from within the Uchiha compound, one of the Sarutobi family Anbu said to Sarutobi Shinnosuke, "Captain, it looks like the slaughter has begun. But why haven't we seen Fujiwara Chiya go in? Wasn't it said that he and Uchiha Itachi would annihilate the clan tonight?"

"Could it be that he discovered something and took Uchiha Izumi out of Konoha?"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke shook his head, "Impossible. We have been monitoring this place the whole time; Fujiwara Chiya could not have slipped past our eyes with Uchiha Izumi."

"Captain, what should we do now? The agreed-upon time has already passed, and Fujiwara Chiya still hasn't shown up. Should we notify the Clan Head? What if he abandoned Uchiha Izumi and fled on his own?" the Anbu continued to ask.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke pondered for a brief moment before saying, "Hmm, you make a valid point. Shizuka, go report this matter to Father; we will continue to keep watch here." The latter part of his sentence was directed at his wife.

"I understand." Sarutobi Shinnosuke's wife nodded, disappearing from the spot with a Body Flicker.

However, the very moment her figure surged into the air, a black shadow suddenly streaked past her.

Accompanying it was a blade of light, cold and bone-chilling.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke's wife didn't even have time to let out a scream before her head was severed, falling straight down into the hiding spot of Sarutobi Shinnosuke and his three subordinates.