Super Explosion

The Shimura Clan's storage room was where they kept their wealth. It covered more than fifty square meters and even bore the Shimura Clan's crest.

The moment Qingcheng entered the storage room, he saw more than a dozen large crates. They contained either money, ninjutsu, or Root's stockpiled supplies.

Excitement filled Qingcheng's flawless face as he said gratefully, "Thanks for the Shimura Clan's gift package. It's not that we Uchiha can't afford it—it's just that the Shimura Clan offers better value."

Qingcheng immediately took out a Sealing Scroll and stored all the crates inside. Then he began looting the cabinets and tearing up the floorboards.

Qingcheng carefully inspected the room again, checking for hidden compartments and the like.

Qingcheng searched the clan head's storage room from top to bottom. Even the floor had been ripped open, yet he found nothing else.

Just then, clan head Shimura Kumano returned to the clan head's residence.

Seeing signs that someone had entered the room, he was instantly alarmed and shouted, "Who dares cause trouble in the Shimura Clan? Lord Danzo is one of Konoha's higher-ups!"

After saying that, Shimura Kumano drew Shuriken in both hands, his face tense as he stared fixedly at the storage room.

The storage room was separated from the clan head's main hall by only a wall, so Kumano's rapid breathing reached Qingcheng's ears.

Hearing that pounding heartbeat, Qingcheng thought, So this is all the Shimura Clan's head amounts to. I'd better give you a quick death, so you won't suffer later.

Qingcheng's eyes snapped open, his scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan locking onto Shimura Kumano beyond the wall.

He softly called out, "Sharingan Genjutsu: Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes."

Qingcheng's immense spiritual power burst forth and assaulted Shimura Kumano as his scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan began to spin.

In an instant, Shimura Zhengxiong's face filled with terror. All he could see in his mind was a pair of scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

His body was nailed to a cross, unable to speak or move.

Seeing that Kumano had fallen for it, Qingcheng instantly launched twenty Shuriken using Uchiha Shurikenjutsu. Even the kunai could curve through the air.

Shimura Kumano did not even have time to scream before the Shuriken turned him into a bloody mess.

Shimura Kumano's entire body was covered in Shuriken—his head, face, and chest—making him look like a bright-red hedgehog.

Looking at the dead Shimura Kumano, Qingcheng snorted. "Don't be impatient. The Sarutobi Clan will be next soon enough."

Qingcheng then rushed to the Shimura Clan's war reserve warehouse. Two Shimura Clan ninja stood guard at the entrance, but a single Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes brought them both down. He followed up with two Shuriken, driving them straight through their heads.

The two Shimura Clan Chunin died instantly as Shuriken pierced their heads.

Qingcheng continued looting the warehouse. The Shimura Clan's military supplies included more than sixty thousand Explosive Tags, large quantities of Shuriken and darts, and the most expensive Soldier Pills on the market.

Qingcheng stored all the Explosive Tags, Shuriken, darts, and Soldier Pills in his Sealing Scroll.

Qingcheng thought, More than sixty thousand Explosive Tags alone would cost over six million Ryo. Konan's six hundred billion Explosive Tags are absurdly extravagant. If I stole all of those, I'd become the richest man in the ninja world.

Seeing that the Shimura Clan had been picked clean, Qingcheng prepared to make his move and let Shimura Danzō experience the pain of having his clan destroyed.

Qingcheng shouted, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" With a bang and a puff of smoke, four Shadow Clones appeared.

The four Shadow Clones each carried two thousand Explosive Tags. They leaped high into the air and rapidly threw Shuriken with Explosive Tags tied to them, sending them flying toward every part of the Shimura Clan compound.

Qingcheng shouted again, "You trash of the Shimura Clan! You still want Danzo to become Hokage? The Hokage seat will belong entirely to the Sarutobi Clan from now on! Die!"

Qingcheng quickly formed hand seals, his fingers dancing nimbly as he growled, "Fire Release: Dragon Flame Release Song Technique!"

Qingcheng threw open his mouth and expelled a ball of red flame. The crimson fireball instantly transformed into three enormous fire dragons that charged straight toward the Shimura Clan's buildings.

In an instant, the sky lost its color. A towering blaze erupted, followed by a thunderous boom. The three fire dragons and two thousand Explosive Tags sent flames bursting everywhere throughout the Shimura Clan compound, reducing it to ruins.

The massive explosion was like a missile strike, shaking all of Konoha. Everyone heard the thunderous blast as the ground trembled, and they saw flames rising from the Shimura Clan's territory.

Many Shimura Clan ninja were swallowed by the flames, while some civilians were fortunate enough to survive the explosion.

Yet after such a horrifying blast, the surviving Shimura clansmen wept uncontrollably, staring blankly at their clan as they shouted, "Who was it? Who attacked the Shimura Clan?"

The terrifying explosion shocked Konoha's residents, and they all cried out, "Whose clan was hit by an explosion? How could it be so loud?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting in the Hokage's Office when he suddenly heard the booming explosion. His heart lurched as he asked in panic, "What happened? Who attacked Konoha?"

Four ANBU ninja knelt on one knee and calmly reported, "Lord Hokage, the Shimura Clan has suffered a terrifying attack. Their territory has been blasted into ruins, and many clansmen were killed by Explosive Tags, leaving no bodies behind."

The Third Hokage was instantly shocked and said angrily, "Who attacked the Shimura Clan? Send out the medical ninja immediately. Go rescue the Shimura Clan survivors!"

The ANBU members respectfully replied, "Understood, Lord Hokage." With that, the four ANBU ninja vanished with a whoosh, using the Body Flicker Technique.

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have aged ten years. He took several deep drags from his pipe, exhaled thick rings of smoke, and said gravely, "Was it you, Uchiha Itachi? Have you begun taking revenge on Danzo?"

Then the Third Hokage called out, "Have those two Uchiha Clan members made any moves?"

Soon, two ANBU members came before Hiruzen Sarutobi, knelt on one knee, and respectfully reported, "Lord Third Hokage, Uchiha Qingcheng is bathing. Second Pillar is at the training ground practicing the Uchiha Body Slam. There have been no other abnormalities."

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked with a puzzled expression, "How is Naruto?" A white-haired ANBU ninja calmly replied, "Naruto is very calm. He only looks at the Fourth Hokage's photo every night."

Hiruzen Sarutobi calmly asked, "How is Naruto doing at school? Is anyone still bullying him?"

The white-haired ninja replied indifferently, "No one bullies Naruto anymore. The Ninja Academy students have begun playing with him and acknowledge that Naruto will become Hokage, because he is the Fourth Hokage's son."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, "That child's background is very complicated. When Minato entrusted him to me, Naruto was already thin and frail. I was afraid he would suffer retaliation, so I concealed his identity."

If Qingcheng heard those words, he would burst out laughing. "Konohamaru has been your grandson, Hiruzen Sarutobi, for more than ten years, and no one has tried to assassinate him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had held the Hokage position for at least thirty years, yet Sarutobi Asuma had never been assassinated by other ninja.

Minato Namikaze had not even served as Hokage for a full year, yet Naruto was supposedly at risk of assassination. That was simply absurd.

Every time Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Naruto, he left behind five thousand Ryo. Yet little Naruto could not even buy food with that money, because those Konoha villagers mixed sand into the food.

Then they threw the food in Naruto's face and cursed at him, "Eat yourself to death, you Nine-Tailed Fox! Why don't you just die? Why didn't the Third Hokage burn him to death?"

Hearing the Third Hokage's words, the white-haired ANBU ninja showed no reaction and merely replied softly, "I understand, Lord Hokage."

The Third Hokage looked at the white-haired ninja, whose emotions were clearly unsettled, and said softly, "Kakashi, you must blame me for not revealing Naruto's identity immediately, don't you?"

Kakashi simply replied, "I will obey all of Lord Hokage's orders. I have no objections."

The Third Hokage said kindly, "What happened to your father was all caused by Danzo. You must never believe Shimura Ken's nonsense."

Kakashi respectfully replied, "This subordinate understands." However, a seed of doubt had been planted in Kakashi's heart. He always felt that the matter was not so simple.