Uchiha Fugaku sighed. He hadn't expected Sarutobi Hiruzen to still be plotting to pin the blame on others, even at this point. He rubbed his fingers together, signaling toward Kage Rock in the distance.
After receiving the signal, Uchiha Izuna grinned at once. Then his body vanished from Kage Rock, and he charged toward the Hokage Building.
"Uchiha Fugaku, are you saying I'm wrong? You started a newspaper and filled it with made-up stories, trying to turn the villagers against me so you could lay the groundwork for your coming coup d'état, right?" Sarutobi Hiruzen said coldly.
Uchiha Fugaku didn't answer. He stood there with a stern face, looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen with disdain and contempt. Inwardly, he cursed the old man for being a real piece of work.
The villagers had calmed down, too. They looked from Uchiha Fugaku to Sarutobi Hiruzen, unsure what to do.
Just then, a voice rang out. "Well, Lord Hokage, aren't you putting on quite the display of authority? So the villagers have questions and want to ask you about what happened. Does that mean you're going to put on a show of concern in public, then act differently behind their backs?"
At that, everyone made way. Uchiha Izuna walked in from outside with his hands behind his back, looking every bit like a street thug from Konoha.
Uchiha Fugaku had been about to criticize Uchiha Izuna's clothes, but then he remembered that Uchiha Izuna now controlled the clan. So he contentedly shut his mouth and watched his son's performance.
Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. He had a feeling that the boy had orchestrated everything today—humiliating him and turning his once-flawless image into something full of holes.
"What right does a child like you have to speak in a situation like this?" an Anbu Ninja immediately snapped, then glanced at Uchiha Fugaku, who was standing off to the side.
Uchiha Fugaku merely gave him a look, and the Anbu Ninja was dragged into an endless illusion.
Sarutobi Hiruzen saw the whole thing. His pupils contracted. He hadn't expected Uchiha Fugaku to be so brazen this time, daring to attack the Hokage's Anbu.
At the same time, fear rose in his heart. Yes, he was afraid. His body was already failing, and to deal with Uchiha Fugaku in the prime of his life, he could think of only one move.
But using that move would kill him, too. He didn't want to die. He had his own selfish desires; he was enamored with life and power. He took a deep breath, preparing to speak.
But Uchiha Izuna laughed. "I have no right to speak here? Sarutobi Hiruzen, you've got some nerve talking to me like that!"
With that, Uchiha Izuna took his first step. He stopped concealing his chakra and unleashed it!
A deep, sea-blue chakra, vast and heavy as the ocean, instantly flooded the entire Hokage's Office! Every clan head present felt their heart tighten. This chakra...
The disdain and contempt on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face vanished, replaced by solemnity and pressure. He had seen chakra with this density and volume before: the First, Hashirama Senju.
The First was usually all smiles and treated everyone with kindness. But sometimes, the Second had his older brother, Hashirama Senju, teach the children in his place.
One of those lessons was called "Feel the Chakra Pressure of the Strong." It was meant to prevent them from being caught helpless when facing a powerful enemy and having no choice but to offer their necks.
Young Sarutobi Hiruzen had made the most progress in that lesson. But it had probably been forty years since he'd experienced chakra pressure like this.
He hadn't been on a battlefield for thirty years, and his physical abilities and chakra reserves had steadily declined. Now, facing chakra like this from ten-year-old Uchiha Izuna, all he could do was resist with a grave expression.
"Ding. Detected that Sarutobi Hiruzen once underwent Hashirama Senju's training and has some resistance to Super Kage-level chakra. Uchiha Madara's chakra alone can only shock and pressure him; it is not enough to crush him."
"Ding. Scanning Sarutobi Hiruzen's abilities."
"Ding. Scan complete."
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, Third of Konoha. He once held a Will of Fire as strong as the First's, but years of comfort and privilege have caused his Will of Fire to waver."
"His strength has declined significantly. At his peak, he could reach Super Kage Level. After thirty years of stagnation, he is now upper-middle among Kage Level fighters."
"Chakra quantity: A rank. Ninjutsu power: A+–S rank. Forbidden jutsu rating: S rank or higher."
"Hidden skill: Dead Demon Consuming Seal. Can only be used once. At the cost of his life, he makes a pact with the Shinigami, who will take his enemy's soul!"
The system gave Uchiha Izuna a full rundown of Sarutobi Hiruzen's past, current condition, and threatening abilities, reminding him to be careful.
In truth, Sarutobi Hiruzen's ordinary ninjutsu couldn't hurt Uchiha Izuna at all. But Dead Demon Consuming Seal could be a nuisance.
What kind of idiot had invented a jutsu that amounted to a one-for-one trade?
(Tobirama Senju: ...)
"A hero among the young, indeed! I never expected the Uchiha Clan to have such a talented young man. No wonder—no wonder Fugaku dared to act so boldly today." Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was calm. His eyes stayed fixed on Uchiha Izuna as he edged toward him without a word.
Uchiha Izuna's pupils narrowed. Was the old bastard planning a sneak attack? He stretched out his hand and clenched it in the air toward the Anbu Ninja.
A giant blue Susanoo hand seized the man and pulled him over. Uchiha Izuna kept his eyes locked on Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped in his tracks. He stared at Uchiha Izuna in astonishment. Was the kid really that cautious?
"Third, step back. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to take Susanoo for a stroll through the Sarutobi Compound." Uchiha Izuna looked coldly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen finally faltered. He hadn't shown any reaction when a thousand people pointed fingers at him, nor when faced with Uchiha Izuna's explosive Super Kage-level chakra. But when Uchiha Izuna threatened him with the Sarutobi Clan, he wavered.
So Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped back. He looked at Uchiha Izuna with a pleading, ingratiating expression.
He knew of Susanoo's existence. History books recorded that it could rival the First Hashirama Senju's True Several Thousand Hands.
He had never seen it, but he had sparred with Hashirama Senju. He'd been unable to fight back, and even the contest of Taijutsu and ninjutsu had left him feeling as if he were standing at the edge of an abyss.
And that was before the true secret technique, True Several Thousand Hands! If Uchiha Izuna used Susanoo, he could probably erase the Sarutobi Clan from existence!
Before you continue