Destroy

Once again refusing the three women's offer to serve him in bed, Uchiha Zhuang ordered everyone to rest and restored the room to its original state. He vaulted over the courtyard wall and stealthily made his way toward Daikokuya.

The night sky was clear and cloudless. Under the moonlight, rows of neatly arranged houses stood in quiet silence. Uchiha Zhuang arrived at Daikokuya, where the lights were still on, and circled the perimeter to inspect the area. He dismantled the bell wires and chakra-sensitive tripwires before slipping into the residential quarters. Listening at each door, he heard someone softly muttering to himself in the innermost room where the light was shining—it sounded like Hatano Yu. Peering through a crack in the door, he saw Hatano Yu counting banknotes. His eyelids were drooping as if he were about to fall asleep, yet his hands continued to count the money with practiced agility. Uchiha Zhuang pushed the door open directly. The old man saw someone enter and, with his back to him, closed the door securely.

His dim, aged eyes could not immediately make out the intruder's features. Uchiha Zhuang walked slowly toward the old man, grabbed him by his ridiculous hairstyle, and whispered, "So it was you, this Old Turtle, who wanted to get your hands on my things? Hmm! Are you looking to die?" He delivered two fierce slaps, one after the other, to Hatano Yu's face, causing it to swell up instantly. "Was someone pulling your strings, or did you want to swallow my property yourself, hmm!? If you tell a single lie, I will cut off your head and wipe out your entire clan." Uchiha Zhuang's ruthless expression terrified Hatano Yu. He had never imagined that the youth who seemed somewhat naive back then would now be so vicious and bloodthirsty. He had originally wanted to befriend him, but greed had clouded his judgment, leading him to trick that foolish woman into transferring all the money into his secret account. Now that the creditor had come knocking, he might even lose his life tonight.

"Lord Samurai, please listen to me, this was all that woman's doing! I am innocent!" "It was Hanako, wasn't it?" "Sodane (Yes), it was that wretched woman. She tricked me into transferring your money into her name, and she was even planning to run away in a few days. I was just about to send someone to find you and report this news. That detestable servant, daring to betray her own master—she truly deserves to die, chushiu (damn it)." Hatano Yu gritted his teeth as he spoke; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was the master of the house.

"I see. Then I have wronged you, Lord Hatano Yu. I wonder, under whose name is Daikokuya registered?" Uchiha Zhuang asked with an apologetic look. Seeing Uchiha Zhuang back down, Hatano Yu felt his heart ease and said leisurely, "Daikokuya has a long history. The one who founded it is none other than the renowned current head of the Iga School, Lord Momochi Sandayu. The ninjas of the Iga School are different from the chakra-using ninjas popular in the world today. They are all masters of the five true paths of the ninja: food, scent, medicine, spirit, and body. They look down upon and despise such crooked paths as chakra."

It was the first time Uchiha Zhuang had heard that there were ninjas in the ninja world who did not use chakra; it was truly novel. "Then, I wonder, are such ninjas powerful? Could they defeat a samurai like me?" Uchiha asked gently. Hatano Yu looked Uchiha Zhuang up and down and said, "Naturally, it would be effortless, Lord Samurai. In narrow alleys and houses, a dozen samurai like you wouldn't be able to defeat a single Iga School ninja of the same rank."

"Sodana (I see)." "Sodane (Indeed)." "I wonder if I might borrow something from you, Lord Hatano Yu." "Whatever the Lord Samurai desires, feel free to take it." "I would like to borrow your head." With that, a kunai appeared in Uchiha Zhuang's hand, and he lunged forward to strike. Hatano Yu was worthy of being called the Old Turtle of Tanba; he did not panic in the face of danger. He quickly pulled a pair of jade discs from his robes and held them above his head. Uchiha Zhuang hurriedly stopped his hand, then lowered the kunai and looked at Hatano Yu. "What, do you still expect money to save your life at a time like this?" Hatano Yu chuckled, "I don't know if money can save my life, but I am a veteran retainer of the Iga School head and the former patriarch of the old Hatano clan in the Iga region. If you kill me, you will face endless pursuit." "Old man, you are quite something. To have lived to such an old age and retired peacefully in the Iga region, where territory is small and clans are numerous—you are truly no ordinary person."

Uchiha Zhuang smiled faintly, sheathed the kunai with a backhand motion, and took the jade discs. He examined them carefully; they were shaped like a pair of Jade Qilin, so lifelike that one couldn't help but love them—they were absolute treasures. A look of heartache flashed across Hatano Yu's face as he said, "This is a treasure I accidentally found in a shipwreck in the Land of Waves years ago. Consider it a gift of apology; I wonder if you are satisfied." "I think this thing looks like a child's toy from a night market stall. How could something like this buy the life of the noble Patriarch Hatano? That was my good friend, my good partner!" "Then what do you want?" the old man asked impatiently. "Don't misunderstand, old man, I mean you need to add more money!" Uchiha Zhuang said with a rogue-like attitude. He rummaged through Hatano Yu's clothes until he finally found the secret account stubs, then said, "This is a black market account, isn't it? Unregistered, right?" "You know, so why ask?" Hatano Yu replied impatiently.

His expression turning stern, Uchiha Zhuang said seriously, "You framed me, nearly took all my wealth, and even wanted to secretly find out where I was to kill me, old man. Your hands are truly dirty. I can let bygones be bygones, but I still have to make my stance clear. I have taken your wealth, so your life is spared, but the fact that Daikokuya wanted to eliminate a small fry like me—this grudge cannot be wiped away by these trinkets of yours. Tonight, this Daikokuya will surely be reduced to ruins."

The old man's mouth hung open in horror, wanting to say something, but he could not make a sound. With a Body Flicker, Uchiha Zhuang arrived at the highest point of Daikokuya, slowly activated his Sharingan to observe the situation in the courtyard, and then used all his chakra to perform the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique! A massive fireball with a diameter of over fifteen meters formed, then slowly pressed downward. The violent collision between the fireball and the courtyard generated a powerful shockwave; many tiles, doors, and windows were blown away, and the fish pond in the courtyard evaporated instantly. A series of explosions followed, and the entire Daikokuya rumbled and shook. Everyone in the compound woke up, thinking an earthquake had occurred, and ran toward the street. Within a moment, the entire Daikokuya was engulfed in a sea of flames, and the largest and most luxurious building in the town was burned to the ground. Hatano Yu, slumped on the ground, was beyond tears, while the other staff stared blankly as the fire consumed what used to be Daikokuya.

In the distance, Uchiha Zhuang, who was speeding away, looked back at the fire that had turned half the starry sky red and smiled. He hoped they had taken good fire prevention measures for the streets. The "Ninja World Arsonist" vanished from the streets and disappeared into the darkness.