The Reaper's End, a Youth Shakes Konoha Alone, Danzo's Killing Intent

The sinister aura of the Reaper Death Seal slowly dissipated into the void.

The phantom of the Death God vanished completely, taking the souls of the First and Second Hokage with it and sealing Orochimaru's hands.

The chakra shockwaves filling the sky gradually subsided. Above the shattered ruins of Konoha, there was only deathly silence, broken by howling winds that whipped dust through the air.

Half of Konoha had already been reduced to rubble. Houses had collapsed, streets had crumbled, and towering ancient trees had been uprooted, leaving a devastating sight of ruin.

Even though Uchiha Mu had deliberately restrained his own power during the fierce battle, doing everything he could to protect the village beneath his feet.

The aftershocks of a battle beyond Kage level were still too terrifying to be completely controlled.

This Konoha Crush Plan had ultimately dealt Konoha a devastating blow.

Every ninja present remained frozen in place,

their eyes locked on the slender figure of the youth at the center of the battlefield. None of them even dared breathe too loudly.

The youth's clothes were spotless, and the immense aura around him slowly withdrew as his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan gradually closed.

The pressure of his five Kekkei Genkai vanished completely, yet the imposing aura of someone who had stood against the two founding legends of the shinobi world

still blanketed the entire battlefield, shaking everyone to their core and leaving them unable to meet his gaze.

No one dared forget the earth-shattering battle they had just witnessed.

Only fifteen or sixteen years old, Uchiha Mu was one of the last two surviving Uchiha orphans after Konoha's massacre of the clan.

He had relied on no outside aid and received no help from any clan.

With only his own strength, he had wielded five heaven-defying Kekkei Genkai,

unleashed the third-stage Humanoid Susanoo, and grasped his exclusive divine weapon, the Susanoo Fangtian Halberd.

He had faced head-on Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage who founded the shinobi world, and Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage.

Sage Art Wood Release, the Flying Thunder God Forbidden Technique, space-time ocular techniques, bloodline secret arts, Eight Gates taijutsu, and tailed beast power collided madly.

After dozens of exchanges, neither side had gained the upper hand. They had fought to a deadlock, evenly matched in every way!

This battle completely overturned everyone's understanding.

After all, the Uchiha Clan had been massacred years ago.

In the entire shinobi world, of the vast Uchiha Clan, only Uchiha Mu and Uchiha Sasuke remained—two lonely youths.

Itachi had defected from Konoha and become a rogue ninja. The Uchiha Clan bore the disgrace of betraying their clan and had been suspected, despised, and excluded by the world.

No one had expected that the long-destroyed Uchiha Clan could still produce such an unprecedented, peerless genius!

Naruto's mouth hung open, his face filled with fervent worship as his entire body trembled with excitement.

He looked at Uchiha Mu's figure,

his eyes sparkling. This was the strongest person he had ever seen. By himself, he had protected Konoha and stood shoulder to shoulder with the legendary Hokage!

Sasuke stood amid the crowd, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan trembling slightly as enormous waves surged through his heart.

He had always been immersed in the pain of his clan's destruction and his hatred for Itachi, thinking only of becoming stronger and taking revenge.

But only now did he understand that, as fellow members of the Uchiha Clan,

Uchiha Mu's strength had long surpassed his by countless times. He was an existence Sasuke would have to look up to even if he exhausted everything he had.

Jealousy, unwillingness, and shock intertwined, making Sasuke clench his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms and drew blood, yet he did not notice at all.

Temari stood among the Hidden Sand Village ninja, her azure eyes fixed on Uchiha Mu throughout the entire battle. Her heart trembled as her feelings surged.

With no clan to rely on and no elders to protect him, he had shouldered Konoha's life-or-death crisis alone and faced two legendary Hokage head-on.

That strength, that spirit, that solitary pride utterly captivated her. Her heart and eyes were filled only with that aloof, upright figure.

All her worries had dispersed, leaving only admiration and affection etched into her bones. No one would ever be able to replace him in her heart again.

Might Guy, Asuma, Kurenai, and the other Konoha jonin all wore solemn expressions, their hearts filled with awe.

As they looked at Uchiha Mu, their hearts were full of complicated emotions and guilt.

In the past, Konoha's higher-ups had suspected the Uchiha Clan, excluded them, suppressed them, and guarded against them. In the end, the clan had been wiped out, leaving only two youths adrift in the world.

Everyone had believed that the Uchiha Clan had completely declined and would never rise again.

Yet now, it was this Uchiha youth, forgotten by the world and treated coldly by all, who had turned the tide and saved all of Konoha!

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was covered in injuries and barely clinging to life as Konoha medical ninja supported him firmly.

His clouded eyes looked at Uchiha Mu, filled with guilt, relief, and amazement.

He felt guilty over the Uchiha Clan's tragic fate and guilty that Konoha had failed to protect these two youths.

He felt relieved that, in Konoha's hour of crisis, a youth had stepped forward to protect the village.

And he was even more stunned by Uchiha Mu's heaven-defying talent. Five Kekkei Genkai, a perfect Humanoid Susanoo, strength comparable to someone beyond Kage level—he could be called the greatest in the shinobi world in a thousand years!

"Uchiha... Mu..."

The Third Hokage murmured, his heart overwhelmed with emotion.

With this youth here, Konoha would not fall. The Will of Fire would surely be passed on!

Orochimaru's hands had been completely sealed by the Reaper Death Seal, his meridians severed. He could no longer form hand seals or cast ninjutsu, and more than half his strength had been crippled.

His face was deathly pale, his expression twisted with both fear and wariness. His eyes greedily stared at Uchiha Mu, yet he no longer dared linger for even a moment.

"Pfft!"

Orochimaru spat out a mouthful of blood, then turned and fled the Konoha battlefield in a miserable state with Kabuto Yakushi, moving at extreme speed.

Hatred surged in his heart, but he also knew that in his current state, there was nothing he could do to Uchiha Mu unless he revealed more of his hidden cards.

"Uchiha Sasuke, do not disappoint me!"

The cold voice faded into the wind as Orochimaru escaped Konoha completely and disappeared into the depths of the forest.

The entire Konoha Crush Plan was declared a complete failure.

Orochimaru had suffered a crushing defeat and fled. The Third Hokage was gravely wounded and near death, while the reanimated bodies of the two Hokage had returned to the Pure Land.

The only victor, and the most dazzling presence on the battlefield, was Uchiha Mu!

After a moment of deathly silence, the entire battlefield erupted.

The way every ninja looked at Uchiha Mu changed completely.

The coldness, suspicion, and disdain from before all transformed into awe, worship, and submission!

No one dared bring up the Uchiha Clan's former disgrace again,

and no one dared look down on this Uchiha youth who had no one to rely on.

With an invincible bearing, he had swept aside every powerful enemy and used absolute strength

to wash away the Uchiha Clan's humiliation and earn the respect of everyone present!

"He won... He really won! He defeated the First and Second Hokage!"

"He is Konoha's hero, the hero of the entire shinobi world!"

"The Uchiha Clan actually produced such a peerless genius. He's too monstrous!"

Voices of discussion and praise echoed throughout the ruins.

Uchiha Mu's expression remained indifferent, his features cold and calm. There was not the slightest trace of pride or emotional fluctuation.

To him, this battle had merely been a casual effort.

He did not need the world's praise, nor did he need Konoha's gratitude. He cared even less about the honor or disgrace of a clan.

Among all things in this world, only one's own strength was fundamental.

Space-time power flowed faintly around him. Standing alone atop the ruins, he was peerlessly aloof, like a god descended into the mortal world.

Yet in the shadows of the battlefield, a cold, murky gaze stared fixedly at Uchiha Mu, filled with killing intent and apprehension.

Shimura Danzō hid in a corner of the ruins, his face so grim it seemed water could drip from it as killing intent churned in his heart.

Even in his dreams, he had never expected Uchiha Mu to be this powerful.

He had intended to use Orochimaru's chaos to kill with a borrowed blade, letting the First and Second Hokage slay the Third Hokage so he could seize Konoha's power for himself.

But he had never expected Uchiha Mu's sudden emergence to completely ruin every one of his plans!

A survivor of a massacred clan,

with no support whatsoever, yet possessing strength so terrifying that it surpassed every powerhouse in the world.

More importantly, he was proud and unrestrained, utterly impossible to control. He was a massive obstacle to Danzo's ambitions!

"Uchiha Mu, I cannot let you live!"

Danzo's killing intent surged as he clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with sinister malice.

He secretly mobilized Root ANBU operatives,

quietly laying a net from which there would be no escape. A plan for absolute execution had already formed in his heart—to erase Uchiha Mu completely amid Konoha's ruins.

He would never allow an Uchiha youth to obstruct his path to claiming the position of Hokage!

Uchiha Mu's gaze turned faintly cold. He instantly sensed the killing intent lurking in the shadows, and a disdainful sneer curled across his lips.

He had long seen through Danzo's filthy thoughts.

Since Danzo was courting death of his own accord, Uchiha Mu did not mind personally removing this cancer from Konoha.

An assassination targeting Uchiha Mu was about to descend in silence.