With a single blow, the man who called Asuma a beast was smashed to pieces, and a cloud of blood mist mixed with broken bones and flesh exploded.
"Asuma is my son. If you want to kill him, then I will kill you!"
After taking down one person, Hiruzen Sarutobi's staff was already over ten meters long.
Hiruzen Sarutobi the staff with both hands, looked expressionlessly at the guy who said Asuma had been bribed by the village, and then swung it again, saying...
"Bought off by the village? Remember, I am the Third Hokage of Konoha!"
As expected, before he could finish speaking, the man exploded.
The others tried to escape, but Hiruzen Sarutobi them down one by one, his efficiency far surpassing Asuma's.
In less than a minute, apart from Hiruzen Sarutobi, there wasn't a single person left standing in the arena.
"Slap, slap, slap!"
A round of applause was followed by the sound of footsteps.
"Advisor Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength is truly among the best in Konoha; he hasn't diminished at all!"
Ren praised him with a beaming smile.
Upon seeing Ren emerge, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained completely unaffected by the insincere flattery.
Count one or two?
What I really want to knock on is your head!
Hiruzen Sarutobi could only think about it in his mind. Knowing it was impossible, he finally asked.
"You've gotten what you wanted, can you please let Asuma go?"
Ren nodded, then took a camera from a ninja behind him and handed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"No problem, Asuma Jonin is an excellent ninja who inherited the Will of Fire, and he will continue to shine for Konoha!"
After receiving it, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately opened it and began reading it from beginning to end.
Ren waited quietly. He hadn't actually done anything. Asuma had just appeared on his own; his target had never been Asuma.
Even because of Asuma, who insisted on adding more scenes for himself, Ren had to make some extra arrangements.
After examining it carefully, Hiruzen Sarutobi unleashed a burst of Chakra, instantly shattering the camera into pieces.
Looking at Asuma lying on the ground, Hiruzen Sarutobi was also filled with grief. His left hand was ruined and beyond saving.
There wasn't a single unscathed spot on his body; even after he recovered, his face was covered in scars, making him look like a demon.
The culprit who caused all this was right in front of him, but Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't have the courage to take action. He would only be throwing his life away and would not benefit himself. In fact, it would only cause Asuma to suffer more in the future.
I'm sorry, Asuma, as your father, I was powerless to protect you!
Despite the immense grief in his heart, Hiruzen Sarutobi showed no sign of it, slowly crouching down beside Asuma and speaking softly.
"Asuma, live on, you are not a sinner!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi on Asuma, who had been a rebellious child since childhood, believing that Asuma would eventually become sensible as he grew older.
Hiruzen Sarutobi guessed the beginning, but not the ending.
Asuma has indeed become more sensible, but the price she paid was too high.
"You discovered that I was resentful about losing the Hokage Position and attempted a coup, and you led the elite Sarutobi Clan to fight to the death to stop me, ultimately thwarting my plot and preventing the coup!"
After telling Asuma the script he had fabricated, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Ren with a pleading look in his eyes and asked...
"Is it alright, Fifth Hokage?"
Even if he was unwilling, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no choice but to put aside his pride. He knew that he was just an actor, while Ren was the director.
Once you've been shameless enough, it'll be much easier to be shameless the second time.
Furthermore, this was no longer about Konoha; it was simply a father setting aside his dignity for his son's future. Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't hesitate much and directly discarded his dignity.
"Of course, Advisor Sarutobi, no problem at all. In order to nip danger in the bud, someone always has to make a sacrifice. Although I firmly believe in the Will of Fire, I never force others to sacrifice themselves. I acknowledge your Will of Fire, as Hokage!"
Ren had no objection to this, but some people thought otherwise.
"Fifth generation, it's useless, the village is full of..."
Asuma hadn't forgotten his experiences during his time away; rumors were circulating throughout the village that the Sarutobi Clan was planning a coup.
Asuma found Ren and Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions of distorting the truth with just a few words both disgusting and pointless.
Asuma was interrupted by Ren with a broad smile before he could finish speaking.
Ren's words caused Asuma's body aches to overwhelm him with a sudden chill, and he was on the verge of a breakdown.
"Jonin Asuma, don't worry, those are just things you heard!"