Three Hundred Million to Hire Outside Help

Before these Root Organization ninja could even touch so much as the hem of Uchiha Kyu's clothes, they were subjected to unimaginable agony. Their bodies were crushed by an irresistible spatial force and exploded on the spot.

Blood splattered everywhere. Death came silently.

The subordinates Danzo had brought were all elite ninja from the Root Organization, yet they were all dead within less than a minute at Uchiha Kyu's hands.

"Bastard."

Danzo glared at Uchiha Kyu with a hateful expression, especially at those Mangekyō Sharingan, which scratched right at his deepest desire.

He had lost nothing more than a few subordinates, but he was about to gain a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.

This deal was no loss.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others were stunned on the spot. They had considered the possibility that Uchiha Kyu had a backup plan waiting for them, but they had never imagined that he possessed Mangekyō Sharingan.

"This..." Fugaku Uchiha's expression was incredibly complicated. Amid his shock was a hint of gratification, while his conflict carried a trace of regret.

"Is that all?"

The Mangekyō Sharingan in Uchiha Kyu's eyes radiated arrogance as he slightly tilted his head toward his opponents, his tone seeming somewhat dissatisfied.

Space Crushing was one of his Mangekyō Sharingan abilities. There were not many people in the Shinobi World who could resist it.

But the use of power was fundamentally equivalent in cost. The chakra and ocular power it consumed prevented him from using this ability without restraint.

If he wanted to use it freely, he would have to upgrade to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Judging by his current progress, he still needed a little more time.

"Sarutobi, if you still refuse to act, Uchiha Kyu will become a disaster for all of Konoha."

"Before he fully matures, we must eradicate him completely."

Shimura Danzō quickly moved to Hiruzen Sarutobi's side. If he wanted those Mangekyō Sharingan, he would need Hiruzen Sarutobi's help.

"And Fugaku Uchiha, now is the time to prove that you were not involved. Act immediately and prove your innocence."

Shimura Danzō was more than happy to see the Uchiha Clan fight among themselves. So what if they had Mangekyō Sharingan? With all of Konoha's strength gathered together, even Mangekyō Sharingan could not withstand it.

At his words, Fugaku Uchiha's expression grew even more conflicted.

The fact that his son was being held at the other man's side had already made it clear: if he acted, it would mean the other side would kill the hostage.

Fugaku Uchiha, who regarded Itachi as his pride, simply could not make a move.

"Fugaku, if you find it difficult, then forget it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Fugaku Uchiha and spoke a consoling sentence with feigned guilt.

Fugaku Uchiha fell for exactly that. Full of apology, he hurriedly bowed. "Lord Third, please give the Uchiha Clan a chance. This rebellion does not involve the entire Uchiha Clan."

"Kyu, you've gone too far this time."

Fugaku Uchiha looked at Uchiha Kyu with killing intent. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan seemed on the verge of connecting into one, but he ultimately restrained himself, unwilling to expose it and make Konoha even more suspicious of the Uchiha Clan.

"Too far?"

"Cousin, aren't you even a little curious why, after I've been fighting for so long, no one from the clan has come to notify you?"

Uchiha Kyu gave a faint, cold laugh, silently calculating the timing of Uchiha Ying's operation.

He was here to buy time for Uchiha Ying. That side was the true objective of this operation.

"Why?" Fugaku Uchiha's heart trembled. Could it be that the clan had secretly reached an agreement with Kyu without telling him?

Uchiha Kyu merely sneered and offered no explanation. "Of course, just as you think."

"Fugaku, step back."

Seeing that Fugaku Uchiha's expression was off, Hiruzen Sarutobi hurriedly pulled him behind him. Even if he could not make Fugaku Uchiha fight, he could not allow him to defect at the last moment.

"All ninja, heed my command! Kill the rebels involved in this uprising, and you will be richly rewarded!"

The current situation no longer allowed Hiruzen Sarutobi to hesitate. Only by eliminating this man as soon as possible could the village return to peace.

"Kill!!!"

"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame."

Uchiha Kyu formed hand seals stylishly with one hand, and a terrifying fire release surged forth like blazing flames descending from the heavens, sweeping toward his opponents.

"Water Release: Water Linked Wall."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had not expected his opponent's fire release ninjutsu to be so terrifying. He flashed forward and formed hand seals to counter it with water release.

Water and fire were incompatible, consuming each other as vast amounts of steam spread in all directions.

"Stay close to me. Don't fall behind."

Taking advantage of the steam covering the surroundings, Uchiha Kyu swiftly glanced at the utterly motionless night sky, then led Huo Uchiha and the others toward the forest behind them.

Shikaku Nara cried out, "Not good! They're trying to escape!"

"Danzo, take your people and chase that way. I'll pursue them from this side."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had no intention of letting them escape the village and hurriedly ordered them to split up and widen the encirclement.

Danzo gave a cold snort and led a portion of the Konoha ninja to flank them from the other side.

"Clan Head, what should we do now?"

Huo Uchiha, who knew nothing of the operation's true objective, looked deeply anxious and utterly lost.

Uchiha Kyu ignored him, instead calculating the chances that Uchiha Ying's operation would fail.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had not appeared. That meant Uchiha Ying's team had taken on more risk.

According to his original plan, he alone was meant to hold off both the Third and Fourth Hokage. Of the Legendary Sannin, only Orochimaru remained in Konoha. The only people capable of threatening Uchiha Ying's squad were Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze.

Seeing that the clan head had said nothing, Uchiha Okamoto turned and comforted Huo Uchiha. "Don't worry. Just follow orders."

"This is all within the clan head's plan."

"I understand."

Huo Uchiha finally put his mind completely at ease. As long as the clan head had everything under control, even dying here would be worth it.

"Captain, they've arrived."

At a concealed location outside the Sarutobi Clan Grounds, an Uchiha Jonin cautiously approached Uchiha Ying to report on the mission.

Four figures dressed in black robes patterned with red clouds silently appeared atop the treetops.

This plan was too massive to rely on their own people alone. Naturally, Uchiha Kyu had sought outside help.

"This is the reward for this mission. All three hundred million are in here."

Following the plan, Uchiha Ying handed the scroll containing three hundred million ryō to the purple-haired woman at the head of the group.

"Can we begin?"

Konan accepted the scroll expressionlessly, her voice incomparably cold.

"You can begin."

Uchiha Ying did not care about her attitude. As long as she completed the task assigned by the clan head, that was enough.

An invisible, unfathomable barrier silently appeared around the Sarutobi Clan Grounds.

Four S-rank rogue ninja began an unrestrained slaughter within the Sarutobi Clan Grounds.

The night was at its darkest, filled with bloody shadows and flashing blades.

The Sarutobi Clan Grounds underwent a true massacre, with special attention paid to the younger generation of the Sarutobi Clan.

"These people are truly terrifyingly strong."

Watching the scene from the darkness, Uchiha Ying could not help but sigh.

No one could have imagined that the Uchiha Clan would be this insane. Uchiha Kyu had seized this opportunity to make a major move.

Konoha possessed deep foundations, beyond comparison with any single clan. So they would begin by weakening Konoha's next generation. As one side waned and the other rose, Konoha would face a gap between generations.

Only then could the Uchiha Clan gain genuine breathing room and use strength to break through the shackles imposed by Konoha's entrenched upper ranks.

The Naruto World was not large, and the most fertile lands and resources all lay under the Land of Fire's rule. Konoha itself relied on the Land of Fire, absorbing its nourishment to grow stronger.

Leaving Konoha was not Uchiha Kyu's desire. Only losers would think of leading their entire clan in rebellion and escape.

Not to mention that the Uchiha Clan was one of Konoha's founders. The Senju Clan existed in name only now, so the Uchiha Clan should rightfully control Konoha.