Outside the Root Base, the ruins still smoldered, flames painting half the sky red. Under the moonlight, two groups met amid the wreckage.
Tianyi stood at the front, his white eyes as calm as still water.
Fugaku followed behind him, holding a clear glass jar high in his right hand. It was filled with pale green nutrient solution.
Several pairs of scarlet Sharingan floated inside, their three tomoe slowly turning in the liquid, as though staring at everyone present. Every gaze was fixed on that jar.
Fugaku's voice exploded into the night, carrying decades of pent-up anger:
"Lord Hokage! Has the village been conducting human experiments on the clans' kekkei genkai all this time? What exactly is the village trying to do?"
At those words, the clan heads present blanched in shock.
Their gazes fell on the culture vessels, a flicker of killing intent flashing through their eyes.
Danzo's face turned ashen, and panic flickered in his single eye.
He opened his mouth, about to say something-
"Lord Hokage!" Tianyi spoke before he could. Pulling a scroll from his robes, he held it high and beat Danzo to the punch.
"As someone who has distinguished himself on the front lines and earned great victories for the Leaf Village, I ask for no reward from the village.
But why did you send Root ninja to attack me? If I hadn't been strong enough, I would have died on the road!"
He formed hand seals with both hands and barked, "Release!"
Bang! A cloud of white smoke burst out. When it cleared, dozens of severed heads tumbled onto the open ground amid the ruins.
Every face belonged to a Root ninja, but more importantly, the clan heads present recognized many of them.
"That's... a Chunin from my clan!" Clan Head Inuzuka Tsume's