Asuma Sarutobi

Kazuma examined several intelligence reports recovered from the corpses of Root members.

"Hmm?"

He suddenly spotted a familiar name within the documents.

This caused Kazuma to raise an eyebrow.

"Asuma Sarutobi? To think he is the biological son of the Third Hokage?"

A cruel smile immediately spread across his face: "This is interesting."

"Asuma is a Guardian Shinobi; if he were to personally crush that senile old man, the scene would surely be spectacular."

Such an act, regardless of success or failure, would deal a heavy blow to the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.

While still some distance away from the Daimyo Palace, a sudden surge of killing intent erupted from the dense forests on both sides of the road.

"Itachi, stay alert!"

Might Guy let out a low shout, his thick brows furrowed tightly.

Before his voice had even faded, several kunai came whistling through the air toward him.

"Hmph, petty tricks!"

Might Guy curled his lips, revealing his sparkling teeth.

His figure blurred instantly, moving with a speed difficult for the naked eye to track as he sidestepped or lowered his body, letting the kunai graze past him.

Simultaneously, he let out a shout of "Leaf Whirlwind!," kicking directly at the enemy who had thrown the kunai from the treetops.

With a dull "thud," this "wandering ninja" was sent flying several yards by Might Guy, only stopping after snapping a large tree in half.

However, the next second, more wandering ninjas armed with various weapons surrounded Might Guy.

Might Guy shook his leg and raised a thick brow.

"You wandering ninjas actually dare to attack us ninjas of Konoha!"

"Senior Guy, be careful!"

Uchiha Itachi did not choose to support Might Guy, instead remaining firmly on guard by the carriage containing the Third Hokage.

The kunai in his hand was already prepared.

In the blink of an eye, he had already dispatched several wandering ninjas who were charging toward the carriage.

Ao, watching from atop the carriage, felt a flicker of admiration in his eyes at the agile movements of Uchiha Itachi.

There was no need for him to intervene in such minor skirmishes.

Just then, the ground shook violently.

Several wandering ninjas performed hand seals in unison: "Earth Release: Earth Spear Spike!"

Countless sharp earthen spikes suddenly erupted from the ground, raining down toward Might Guy. At this critical moment, "Earth Release: Multiple Earth-Style Wall!"

Two yellow earthen walls rose from the ground, precisely blocking all the attacks from the earthen spikes for Might Guy.

"Senior Guy."

Seeing this, Uchiha Itachi finally breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes locked tightly on the wandering ninjas lurking hungrily around them.

Kakashi appeared at Might Guy's side.

"You guys don't look like ordinary wandering ninjas."

"It seems you are here for the Third Hokage inside the carriage."

Might Guy loosened his wrists, preparing for a slaughter.

He let out a low shout: "Eight Inner Gates: Fifth Gate of Limit, Open!"

A stream of green chakra erupted from his body, and Might Guy transformed into a green whirlwind, charging into the midst of the wandering ninjas.

"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"

Cries of agony erupted one after another throughout the forest.

Though those rogue ninjas were fearless and reckless, they were utterly defenseless against Might Guy, who had opened the Eight Inner Gates.

Just then, a figure suddenly lunged toward Uchiha Itachi.

However, before the assailant could get close, he was struck by Yatsuhashi and shattered into a pile of scattered mud and sand.

It turned out to be an Earth Clone sent by a rogue ninja.

"Watch out."

Yatsuhashi had appeared beside Uchiha Itachi before anyone noticed.

Beneath the Eagle Mask, a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan stared at him coldly.

At first, Uchiha Itachi thought the one who saved him was the Anbu Uchiha Shisui, who also wore a mask.

But upon closer inspection, he realized it was not him.

The moment their eyes met, Yatsuhashi's cold, ruthless gaze made Uchiha Itachi's heart jolt.

He looked at Yatsuhashi's Three-Tomoe Sharingan and grew inwardly vigilant.

The Anbu member wearing the Eagle Mask before him exerted a sense of pressure that did not even lose to the head of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Fugaku.

The battle quickly drew to a close.

Might Guy, having opened the Eight Inner Gates, was like a green beast, crushing the remaining enemies with absolute power.

Meanwhile, Kakashi used the kunai in his hand to reap the lives of the rogue ninjas like a ghost.

Might Guy watched Kakashi's actions and shouted, "Wait a second, Kakashi!"

Kakashi's kunai finished off another fallen rogue ninja, his voice devoid of any ripples, "Guy, how can you call out the name of an Anbu member currently on a mission?"

"This is the mission we accepted; we cannot leave any survivors, especially enemies who know our whereabouts."

Seeing this, Uchiha Itachi also quickly moved to finish them off, executing the rogue ninjas around the carriage who had lost the ability to move.

He looked at Yatsuhashi, "No problems here, all enemies have been annihilated."

Yatsuhashi looked coldly at the bloodstains on Uchiha Itachi, who was still so young.

Truly a natural-born evil brat of the Uchiha Clan, he thought to himself.

Uchiha Itachi looked at the scar over Kakashi's left eye and couldn't help but ask, "Your Sharingan... you didn't awaken it yourself, did you?"

"Yeah."

Kakashi had no intention of hiding it.

Uchiha Itachi asked with confusion, "Don't you find it strange to possess power that isn't your own?"

"You are not a member of the Uchiha Clan. But because you possess the Sharingan, you can use the same power as the Uchiha Clan. Which side do you consider yourself a ninja of?"

Kakashi walked over with a smile, "I have never thought about such a question. This Sharingan was entrusted to me by a friend; it reminds me never to forget my comrades."

"Alright, Uchiha Itachi."

Might Guy spoke up, breaking the heavy atmosphere, "Let's continue moving forward!"

In the distance, the towering silhouette of the Daimyo Palace was already faintly visible.

A carriage moved slowly along the road.

Yet, behind the carriage, it left behind many corpses of rogue ninjas.

"Ugh..."

The rogue ninja let out a miserable shriek, but was subdued by Uchiha Yatsuhashi in an instant, losing all ability to resist.

He tossed the man aside by the road with a casual flick of his wrist.

Not far away, Uchiha Itachi was expressionlessly delivering the final killing blows.

They had lost count of how many times they had been ambushed by rogue ninjas like this.

"Might Guy!"

Uchiha Yatsuhashi shouted coldly, calling out to Might Guy, who was still locked in combat with a swarm of rogue ninjas.

Meanwhile, Ao, who had remained motionless on the carriage, watched the two figures standing on the road ahead.

For the first time, his eyes began to turn serious.

"Chidori!"

Accompanied by a shrill, bird-like cry, Kakashi's figure streaked past like a bolt of lightning, instantly clearing away all the enemies surrounding Might Guy.

As the dust settled, the four of them stood in front of the carriage.

And blocking their path was none other than Asuma Sarutobi, wielding his twin blades, and Chiriku, holding his staff.

Both men had waist cloths emblazoned with the character for "Fire" tied around their waists.

That was the mark of the Guardian Shinobi.

One had to understand that those who became Guardian Shinobi were the elite of the elite.

And the Twelve Guardian Ninja were the most outstanding twelve among them.

Asuma exuded an air of arrogance and unruliness.

He swept his cold gaze over the group, lingering for a moment on Might Guy's conspicuous green spandex suit, then passing over the blood-soaked Uchiha Itachi, before finally fixing his eyes on Kakashi and Uchiha Yatsuhashi.

The familiar fluctuations of chakra from these two caused a slight tremor in his heart.

"Kakashi... and Uchiha Yatsuhashi?"

Back at the Ninja Academy, the three of them had been classmates.

Even though Kakashi and Uchiha Yatsuhashi had both donned masks to become members of the Anbu, that familiar chakra made it easy for Asuma Sarutobi to identify them.

The Uchiha Yatsuhashi who had once occupied the bottom spot in the academy, the dead-last who needed a special recommendation from Orochimaru just to graduate...

He never expected that after only a few years of not seeing him, he would now be just like Kakashi, having become an excellent Anbu ninja.

Asuma Sarutobi's voice was cold and distant, "Tell the old man to go back.

The Daimyo's decision will not change, and there is no need for you to go in and suffer humiliation."

Inside the carriage, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, slowly lifted the curtain for the first time.

He and Ao stood together before Asuma Sarutobi.

The pipe that never left Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand was trembling slightly at this moment.

"Asuma..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was aged and weary, "I want to hear it from the Daimyo himself. Even if it is the worst possible outcome, I must hear him say it to my face."

"There is no need for that, old man."

Asuma Sarutobi's eyes sharpened, and the Chakra Blade in his hand instantly flared with a blinding blue light.

"The Daimyo has already decided."

Asuma Sarutobi assumed a standard combat stance, "He sent me to tell you the final result: the Hokage system of Konoha ends here."

Beside him, Chiriku also formed a seal with one hand.

A faint golden glow of chakra began to shimmer around his body.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched as Asuma leveled his blade at him.

"Asuma, is this your resolve?"

"No!"

Asuma coldly corrected him, his icy gaze devoid of the slightest waver.

"I am carrying out the orders of the Daimyo. As a Guardian Shinobi, this is my resolve."