The Hidden Mysterious Figure?

Above the forest in Konoha's back mountain, rain poured down...

The nine green flames fired by Uchiha Gōka shot into the distance like the nine tomoe of the Sharingan.

Because of the ferocious attacking power of the "Nine-Slope Tomoe."

Nine explosions rang out through the forest behind Konoha.

Large swathes of the forest were destroyed, trees were incinerated, and the earth shook violently...

Uchiha Gōka's powerful ocular techniques—Amaterasu, Susanoo, the Nine-Slope Tomoe, and others—caused an enormous commotion.

The entire Konoha Village could feel the ground trembling and hear the violent explosions.

Uchiha Gōka suddenly realized:

"The ocular techniques of the Nine-Tomoe Mangekyo Sharingan are even more powerful than I imagined."

"The destructive power of these ocular techniques, and the commotion they cause, exceed my expectations."

"Not good. This will definitely alert the ANBU ninja!"

Based on the memories of his previous life, Uchiha Gōka knew that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, often used the Telescope Technique to monitor the village.

However, using the Telescope Technique to remotely monitor a specific person through a crystal ball required knowing that person's chakra characteristics.

Fortunately, Uchiha Gōka was merely a civilian. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, did not even know who he was, much less understand his chakra nature.

Therefore, Uchiha Gōka was not worried about being monitored by the Third Hokage's Telescope Technique.

"As long as the ANBU ninja don't discover me, no one will know I caused the destruction in the back mountain!"

After testing the Nine-Tomoe Mangekyo Sharingan and unleashing the ocular technique Nine-Slope Tomoe, Uchiha Gōka did not waste a moment. He quickly left along an untraveled path, heading out of the forest...

After activating the Nine-Tomoe Mangekyo Sharingan, Uchiha Gōka's strength had greatly improved.

He moved through the woods far faster than before.

Not long after Uchiha Gōka left,

nine ninja clad in black outer robes and white animal-like masks appeared near the abandoned Uchiha training ground.

Seeing the vast stretch of forest before them reduced to level ground, the nine ANBU ninja were utterly stunned!

"What kind of power could cause the destruction of such a vast area of forest?"

"This... what exactly happened?"

"What is this black flame?"

"The black flames are burning fiercely even in the heavy rain, and they can't be extinguished?!"

"Look at those hills in the distance—they were actually blasted flat?!"

"Could there be invaders?"

"No, we must report this matter to Lord Hokage as soon as possible!"

After patrolling the abandoned training ground for a while, the nine ANBU ninja found no suspicious individuals.

Then, after taking out a scroll and using a sealing technique to seal away a small cluster of burning black flames,

the nine ANBU personnel departed...

At dawn, in the Hokage's office in Konoha.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held a pipe in his mouth as he listened to the ANBU ninja's report.

"How could the forest behind Konoha's back mountain have suffered such extensive damage?"

"Judging from the traces at the scene, this destruction should all have been caused by ninjutsu."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was known as the Professor of Ninjutsu.

Yet even he could not determine what kind of ninjutsu could cause such widespread devastation all at once.

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was racking his brains in confusion,

an ANBU ninja suddenly recalled, "Lord Hokage, we saw a type of black flame at the scene."

"This flame could not be extinguished."

"We sealed those flames inside a scroll."

The ANBU ninja's words immediately piqued Hiruzen Sarutobi's curiosity.

The ANBU ninja took out the scroll and released the seal.

A small cluster of pitch-black flames appeared before everyone's eyes.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, narrowed his eyes and stared at the black flames...

Danzo Shimura, his forehead and right arm wrapped in bandages, shoved the door open and rushed inside.

"Hiruzen, what the hell are you doing?"

"I was lying at home asleep. How did such a huge commotion break out in Konoha's back mountain?"

"Now, many people in Konoha Village have been woken up."

"The entire Konoha Village knows that an unknown incident occurred in the forest behind the back mountain."

"How are you even doing your job as Hokage?"

In truth, Danzo Shimura had also sent Root ninja to investigate as quickly as possible.

However, the Root ninja had found nothing.

So Danzo Shimura stormed into the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's office to vent his fury.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the vicious-faced Danzo Shimura and said gravely:

"We are investigating this matter."

At that moment, Danzo Shimura noticed the black flames on the ground. "This... this is???"

"These are the black flames recovered from Konoha's back mountain."

"What exactly are these black flames?"

"I've never seen them before either, but they should have been released by some kind of ninjutsu."

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura were both completely baffled, unable to make sense of the black flames before them.

Danzo Shimura hardened his heart.

"Could Konoha have been infiltrated by invaders?"

"Or was this done by someone from the Uchiha Clan?"

"No matter what, such a formidable figure has appeared in Konoha, yet you, as Hokage, know nothing about it."

"Hiruzen, as Hokage, you cannot escape blame."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wore a dark expression. "I will get to the bottom of this matter!"

"I never expected Konoha to be hiding such a powerful mysterious figure."

"Just who could this mysterious figure be?"

"Are they from Konoha Village? Or from outside Konoha Village?"

Danzo Shimura fell into thought.

"I don't think they're from Konoha Village."

"If such a terrifying figure existed within Konoha Village, I think... we would have noticed long ago."

Danzo Shimura possessed a vast Root intelligence network and knew the movements of Konoha Village's genin, chunin, and jonin like the back of his hand.

Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly, showing his agreement with Danzo Shimura's view.

"Mm! The destruction in Konoha's back mountain was unlikely to have been caused by someone within Konoha Village."

"No matter what, we must uncover the identity of this mysterious figure hiding in the shadows."

"We absolutely cannot allow unknown dangers to disrupt the village's peace and tranquility."

Immediately afterward, Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered the ANBU ninja:

"Starting today, deploy more ANBU personnel and intensify patrols."

"Once you discover any suspicious individuals, report it immediately!"

At this moment, Danzo Shimura suddenly remembered that tomorrow was the day of the Uchiha Clan's clan head election.

"Tomorrow, the Uchiha Clan will hold its clan head election."

"The Uchiha Clan has always been a destabilizing factor in Konoha Village."

"Tonight, the forest behind Konoha Village's back mountain suffered widespread destruction."

"Nothing can go wrong with the Uchiha Clan's clan head election tomorrow!"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, took a puff from his pipe.

"Mm, I'll send people to maintain order at the scene."