Wood Release Rampage on the Commercial Street, Sosuke's Blessing and a Strike at the Heart

Night had fallen deep. Konoha's bustling eastern commercial street should have been asleep by now, but it had become a living hell.

Boom!

The hard bluestone pavement suddenly buckled upward before exploding apart. Rubble and dirt flew in every direction as several rough, twisted gray-brown roots covered in barbs burst from the ground like wild pythons, instantly piercing the shops on both sides.

"Ah—!"

Piercing screams tore through the night. Commoners sleeping soundly were jolted awake by the thunderous collapse of their homes and scrambled into the streets. By the light of fallen streetlamps, they saw the horrifying figure standing amid the ruins.

It was a malformed monster wrapped entirely in a woody shell. It had no facial features, only a gaping, blood-red mouth filled with fangs. A dark-red cursed seal on its chest flashed madly. With every flash, more violent vines sprang forth, lashing indiscriminately at every building and living thing around it.

"Help! What is that monster?!"

"Wood Release... It's Wood Release! The Senju clan is going to kill us all!"

Amid the chaotic crowd, several men dressed in coarse linen clothes but possessing unusually sharp eyes seized the chance to scream at the top of their lungs. They were Root suicide operatives whom Danzo had planted long ago, frantically stirring up the commoners' emotions under cover of darkness and panic.

Fear was a contagious poison. Once the words "Wood Release" and "Senju clan" were thrown out, the commoners who had once held the Senju Divine Palace in awe were instantly filled with despair and hatred.

"Form up! Suppress it with Fire Release!"

With an angry roar, Uchiha Fugaku arrived at the scene with dozens of elite police force members. Watching the rampaging Wood Release, Fugaku's eyelids twitched wildly as cold sweat instantly soaked his back. But he