Death Descends!

Those words utterly shattered Hiruzen Sarutobi's illusions.

Fugaku spoke coldly as well.

"Lord Hokage, please leave. From this day onward, Uchiha blades will only be drawn for ourselves!"

Their unequivocal stance completely cut off any path of compromise for the Konoha Leadership.

Hiruzen Sarutobi collapsed to the ground, his face ashen. Everything was too late.

Meanwhile,

On the eastern side of Konoha, at the Kumogakure Delegation's residence.

The sprawling, luxurious estate was brightly lit.

In the spacious reception hall, the Raikage's envoy, Lei Zang, lounged arrogantly in the seat of honor, holding a cup of Konoha's finest wine, his face full of smugness and arrogance.

More than a dozen elite Kumogakure ninja sat around him, devouring meat and drinking bowl after bowl of wine. The atmosphere was unbearably arrogant.

"Hahaha! Lord Lei Zang, that was a brilliant move!"

A Kumogakure Jonin flattered him eagerly.

"We only had to find some excuse to declare war on Konoha, and that old coward Hiruzen Sarutobi was scared out of his wits! Now all of Konoha's civilians are forcing the Uchiha to hand someone over!"

Lei Zang drained his cup in one gulp and sneered disdainfully.

"Konoha's higher-ups had their spines broken by the Third Shinobi World War long ago."

"As long as we put on a little pressure, they'll wag their tails and beg like dogs."

"Once Konoha hands over that brat Itachi Uchiha tomorrow, we'll not only dig out his Sharingan, but also demand ten times the war reparations from Konoha! Kumogakure has this chunk of fat in the bag!"

"Lord Raikage is wise! Long live Kumogakure!"

The Kumogakure ninja raised their cups and laughed wildly, unaware that Death's scythe was already at their throats.

A deafening crash rang out.

Just as the Kumogakure group was reveling in triumph,

The estate's two heavy wooden doors shattered into countless splinters that shot into the hall!

"Who's there?!"

Lei Zang's face changed drastically as he sprang from his seat.

The smoke and dust cleared.

Lu Ming, clad in a black imperial robe, stepped expressionlessly into the Kumogakure delegation's hall.

His Kurenai Mangekyō Sharingan glowed with a soul-chilling Kurenai light in the night as he looked over every Kumogakure ninja present.

"I'm here to kill."

Lu Ming's voice was thick with killing intent.

When Lei Zang recognized the newcomer's attire, he froze for a moment before realizing who Lu Ming was.

"You're the Uchiha's new clan head?!"

Relying on his status as the Raikage's envoy, Lei Zang pointed at Lu Ming and roared.

"You've got some nerve, breaking into the Kumogakure Delegation's residence!"

"You're openly provoking a war between our nations! Do you believe Lord Raikage will lead his army here and flatten Konoha?!"

Facing Lei Zang's arrogant threats, Lu Ming did not even blink. He merely sneered.

"Provoking a war?"

Lu Ming walked forward step by step, killing intent spreading around him.

"From the moment you Kumogakure trash dared lay hands on my Uchiha people in Konoha's streets, dared try to kill Itachi and Sakura..."

"The war had already begun!"

Lu Ming was utterly enraged.

Kumogakure's arrogance had completely crossed his bottom line.

Anyone who dared touch those he wanted to protect had to pay in blood.

"You arrogant brat! Kill him!"

Lei Zang flew into a rage, drew the lightning blade at his waist, and gave the order to kill.

More than a dozen elite Kumogakure ninja erupted with violent Lightning Release chakra and charged at Lu Ming with savage roars.

Yet Lu Ming did not draw his sword. He did not even raise his hands to form seals.

He merely looked coldly at the charging Kumogakure ninja and stomped his right foot heavily against the ground.

Immense Earth Release chakra flowed from beneath Lu Ming's foot into the earth.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

As Lu Ming spoke,

The entire delegation residence's hard bluestone ground

Turned into a bottomless swamp of churning dark-brown mud in less than half a second!

"Ah! What's happening?!"

"My feet won't come out! Help!"

The Kumogakure ninja at the front were caught completely off guard. Losing their balance, they all plunged into the swamp.

The mire possessed a terrifying suction force. No matter how madly they struggled or how fiercely they unleashed Lightning Release chakra, it was useless. Instead, their bodies sank rapidly deeper into the swamp.

Even Lei Zang, who stood farther back, had both legs swallowed by the mud and could not move!

"This... this is impossible!"

Lei Zang's eyes widened as he stared at Lu Ming standing at the swamp's edge.

What had he just seen?!

No hand seals required.

He had not formed even half a seal!

This Uchiha clan head

Had actually used sheer chakra control to cast an A-rank Earth Release ninjutsu capable of changing the terrain!

Every Kumogakure ninja trapped in the mire stopped struggling.

They stared wide-eyed at Lu Ming.

They were completely stunned by the terrifying power of the legendary Lu Ming, who could use A-rank ninjutsu without forming seals.

With both legs trapped in the swamp, Lei Zang relied on his status as the Kumogakure Delegation's envoy and roared viciously.

"Uchiha Lu Ming, you dare attack us? Are you insane?!"

"Lord Raikage will definitely lead his army to flatten Konoha and slaughter every last one of you Uchiha!"

Lu Ming's gaze was icy. He could not be bothered wasting words on the dead.

He did not even raise a hand, much less form seals, as Fire Release chakra within him erupted explosively.

"Fire Release!"

A seal-less cast!

Raging, high-temperature flames poured from beneath Lu Ming's feet into the churning Swamp of the Underworld.

The perfect fusion of earth and fire!

In an instant, the dark-brown mire boiled violently, releasing pungent white smoke.

The Swamp of the Underworld instantly became a hell of rolling lava!

"AAAAAHHHH!"

Piercing screams tore through the night sky.

The elite Kumogakure ninja trapped in the mud had their legs instantly swallowed by lava thousands of degrees hot. The moment flesh touched the lava, it vaporized.

"Help! My legs! My legs are gone!"

"Devil! He's a devil!"

More than a dozen elite Kumogakure ninja struggled frantically in the lava, but the more they struggled, the deeper they sank. Within mere seconds, several had been burned completely to ash, leaving not even bone fragments behind.

The only remaining Kumogakure subordinate standing at the edge of the perimeter, caught by the Swamp of the Underworld's outer edge, was frightened out of his wits.

A combination ninjutsu without hand seals,

Such godlike chakra control utterly crushed Kumogakure's pride.

At the center of the lava, Lei Zang's eyes turned a Kurenai hue as violent Lightning Release chakra burst from his body without restraint.

"Lightning Release Chakra Mode: Lightning Release: Lightning Armor!"

A blue suit of lightning armor desperately resisted the lava's erosion.

Lei Zang forcibly pulled free his legs, which had been burned black.

"I'll kill you!!!"

Lei Zang gathered all his chakra into his right fist. The lava beneath his feet exploded as he lunged directly at Lu Ming's face.

"Lightning Release: Lariat!"

This was Kumogakure's proud secret of taijutsu.

With an aura of destruction, Lei Zang's fist slammed viciously into Lu Ming's chest.

"Die!"

Lei Zang's face filled with wild delight. He was certain this strike would smash the arrogant Uchiha clan head before him to pieces.