Once the herd mentality took hold, there was no stopping it.
Within moments, thirty or forty villagers had gathered around Shuofang Si-men and women, young and old, every face filled with panic.
Shuofang Si walked at the head of the group, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
The Konoha troublemaker brigade, move out.
When the crowd surged up the stairs leading to the rooftop, the ninja guarding the perimeter of the Four Violet Flames Formation froze.
An Anbu wearing an animal mask flashed into their path. After confirming they weren't under a genjutsu, he spoke in irritation.
"What are you doing here? Lord Hokage is fighting right here! Hurry up and get to a shelter!"
The villagers behind Shuofang Si immediately erupted.
"The road to the shelter is too dangerous!"
"How are all of us supposed to get there? With so many ninja here, wouldn't this be the perfect place for you to protect us?"
"The Third is right next to us! Where's your will of fire?"
"Aren't you Anbu supposed to be the strongest? Can't we just wait here?"
The clamor gave the Anbu a headache. He raised a hand to disperse the crowd by force, but another Anbu stopped him.
The other man whispered into his ear, "Forget it. They're all ordinary villagers, and it's too late to evacuate them now. We might as well let them stay outside. With the Four Violet Flames Formation here, they can't get in anyway."
"But..."
"Just warn them not to touch the barrier. One of our men has already been burned."
The Anbu gritted his teeth, then turned to Shuofang Si and the others and snapped, "You can stay here, but don't touch the barrier! It'll burn you. An Anbu has already been injured. Do you understand?"
The villagers naturally nodded again and again, then obediently found a spot outside the barrier with a clear view.
Shuofang Si stood at the front of the crowd, folded his arms, and began enjoying the battle inside.
Within the Four Violet Flames Formation, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi faced Orochimaru.
Three coffins rose from the ground. Hiruzen Sarutobi had firmly suppressed one, but the lids of the other two still opened.
Amid the swirling dust, two figures slowly emerged.
The Anbu were the first to react. A young Anbu sucked in a sharp breath, his voice terrified. "What kind of jutsu is this? Could those two be..."
A more experienced masked Anbu beside him fell silent for several seconds before speaking in a trembling, disbelieving voice.
"Lord First Hokage Hashirama Senju and Lord Second Hokage Tobirama Senju..."
Those words were like a stone dropped into water.
In an instant, the surrounding villagers erupted.
"The First and the Second?!"
"How is that possible? Didn't they die long ago?"
"That traitor Orochimaru actually dared to desecrate the previous Hokage!"
"But the Third will definitely win, right? He's the strongest Hokage!"
"Of course! The Third will definitely defeat that traitor! Go, Lord Third!"
"Exactly! The Third has protected Konoha for so many years. What hasn't he weathered?"
A gray-haired old man shuffled forward, leaning shakily on his cane.
"I've lived long enough to see the village under the First and Second Hokage. Those really are the two of them."
"The Third has held office the longest and given the most to the village."
"Just look at him. At his age, he still has to take to the battlefield himself..."
A middle-aged woman beside him chimed in, "Exactly! Lord Hokage won't even retire because of us. He's still risking his life at his age."
"That's the will of fire-burning yourself to light up the village!"
"Long live the Third!"
No one knew who started it, but scattered cheers began rising from the crowd.
Though their fear remained, these villagers sang his praises loudly at the mention of the Third Hokage.
Listening to their chatter, Shuofang Si's smile grew wider and wider.
Konoha was the largest village in the Shinobi World, overflowing with talent. So why would they all watch the aging, weakened Third die inside that barrier?
Those four Sound Ninja maintaining the barrier were only Chunin.
Only Might Guy had been foolish enough to try to charge in, and Kakashi had held him back.
These people were far too good at reading the room. They all shouted such pretty words, but none of them actually saved the Third, huh?
In that case, let me throw some fuel on this lovely show.
He took two steps forward to the front of the crowd and drew a deep breath.
"Ha. What a joke."
That single remark instantly shattered the atmosphere of praise and adulation among the villagers.
For a moment, everything stopped. Countless disbelieving eyes turned toward Shuofang Si, filled with anger and shock.
But the dead silence lasted only an instant. A second later, the villagers and ninja around him all turned livid, glaring fiercely at him.
"What did you say, you little brat?" the old man who had spoken earlier spat.
Like the opening strike of a team fight, the old man's words unleashed a storm of furious abuse.
"Kid, what nonsense are you spouting? Say that again if you've got the guts!"
"How dare you! Lord Hokage is protecting the village, and you're standing here laughing? Have you got no conscience?"
Yet Shuofang Si laughed again, louder and even more brazenly.
He raised a hand and pointed at the Third Hokage inside the barrier, a mocking look on his face.
"I'm laughing at how stupid you are."
"You're still praising the Third? You've been completely brainwashed by the will of fire, and you don't even realize it."
The scene fell silent for a moment.
Then the entire crowd exploded.
"What did you say?!"
"You ungrateful bastard! Do you know what Lord Hokage is doing right now? He's risking his life to protect us!"
"You thankless wretch! The enemy is being held back instead of wreaking havoc on Konoha, and that's all thanks to Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi, the strongest Hokage!"
"What would a brat who's barely grown any hair know?!"
"If it weren't for Lord Hokage, do you think you could stand here passing judgment? Get out!"
"Where did this stray dog come from? Get out!"
The crowd's emotions ignited in an instant, waves of furious shouting crashing toward Shuofang Si.
Some clenched their fists, while others picked up stones from the ground. A few burly men even advanced several steps, looking ready to teach this "ungrateful bastard" a lesson on the spot.
The nearby Anbu also frowned. One looked coldly at Shuofang Si.
"Citizen, watch your words. This is an emergency. I can arrest you on the spot for spreading inappropriate remarks."
Facing the seething public anger and the Anbu's warning, Shuofang Si didn't retreat even half a step.
Was he afraid?
Of course he was.
His heart was racing, and his back was already soaked with sweat.
But he knew that taking a step back now meant falling into an abyss. Not only would all his efforts go to waste, but this furious mob might even beat him to death on the spot.
So instead of retreating, Shuofang Si took another great stride forward. He raised both hands high and thrust them forcefully upward.
"Then let me ask you! All of this happening right now..." He pointed at Orochimaru inside the barrier, then at the village shrouded in smoke in the distance.
"Everything happening in Konoha right now! Who caused it?!"
Before you continue