The silence of the shinobi clans made even some ordinary shinobi see the reality of the current situation.
Everyone's life was a life!
Now the Uchiha Clan had entered a state of madness; anyone who joined the battlefield was targeted and killed with crazy frenzy at the very first moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had previously thought that shinobi imbued with the Will of Fire would definitely come to help him.
However, he had overestimated these people.
People... those afraid of death still made up the majority.
Especially in this kind of high-level internal combat.
Regardless of whether they made a move or watched from the sidelines.
The final beneficiaries would not be them.
Slowly, the dust and fog dissipated.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō both stood in the ruins looking disheveled.
At this moment, Uchiha Kazama also released Susanoo and stood atop Kurama's head.
He looked at the people before him with a face full of madness.
"All Uchiha, stand down!"
"Since our Hokage wants to talk, then considering that he blocked one of my Tailed Beast Bombs, I will give him a chance to talk!"
"Uchiha, assemble!"
As soon as Uchiha Kazama finished speaking, all Uchiha who could still move rapidly gathered toward Uchiha Kazama's direction.
When the Uchiha came out, there were a total of 125 people!
Now, only 82 people retained combat capability.
The rest were either heavily wounded or had already sacrificed their lives.
Even Uchiha Fugaku no longer tangled with Uchiha Itachi at this time, breaking away from the fight to arrive behind Uchiha Kazama.
The shinobi of the Uchiha Clan stood behind Uchiha Kazama with expressions full of tenacity and madness.
The flames within their eyes were completely filled with crazy, personal worship toward Uchiha Kazama!
The remaining shinobi of Root and the ANBU mostly breathed sighs of relief and rapidly returned behind Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō.
The battle against the Uchiha shinobi was simply the most painful battle of their lives.
There was fundamentally not a single trace of technique involved.
In fact, sometimes they didn't even have time to weave Hand Seals for jutsu.
Basically, they were forced into Taijutsu combat.
Yet...
What the Uchiha were most famous for were their Sharingan.
Fire Release, Lightning Release!
However, they had all forgotten.
Possessing the dynamic vision of the Sharingan, how could the Taijutsu of such a clan possibly be weak?!
Coupled with the insight of the Sharingan, under such close-quarters combat, they were simply no match for the Uchiha.
The Uchiha Clan, whom they had previously looked down upon, had now used their own strength to teach them a harsh lesson.
However, the price of this lesson was somewhat steep.
It took the cost of a ground full of corpses for them to understand this matter.
At this moment, as they looked at Uchiha Itachi standing beside Shimura Danzō, their gazes carried undisguised hatred.
Among those who had just died, after all, were their close friends.
To the extent that even though Uchiha Itachi stood on their side, the hatred could still not be hidden.
"Uchiha Kazama, speak, what on earth do you want!?"
"As long as you state your terms and stop causing greater destruction to the village."
"I, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, promise you that I will do my utmost to satisfy all your demands!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward with a righteous and awe-inspiring air, speaking with a solemn face.
It was as if, no matter what happened next, he, as the Hokage, could do anything for the sake of the village!
For a moment, those civilian shinobi who were still watching from the sidelines slowly walked out.
They stood behind Hiruzen Sarutobi.
I must admit, this fellow knew how to manipulate human hearts.
In just this short while, over a hundred shinobi were already standing behind him.
The strength of these shinobi might not be all that formidable.
However, they represented the majority of the commoners.
After all, the primary demographic of any village still consisted of ordinary people.
Those capable of becoming powerful shinobi were in the minority.
It had to be said that such existences were the easiest to be bewitched.
"Is that so?"
"Actually... I don't want to plunge the village into chaos either."
"Now, we invite the Third Hokage to march to his death for the village, for the Will of Fire!"
"As long as you, Hiruzen Sarutobi, commit suicide right now, I will halt any further harm to Konoha."
"All the shinobi who sacrificed themselves in this battle, I will properly send them off to the Memorial Park!"
"Afterward, I will kneel at the Memorial Park for a full month, and then take my own life in apology!"
"Respected Lord Third Hokage, what is your answer now?!"
Uchiha Kazama looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a mocking expression.
At this moment, even Danzo looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with excitement.
Uchiha Kazama had spoken such words here; no matter how things turned out next, the greatest beneficiary would be him.
In fact, Shimura Danzō was already prepared.
Once Hiruzen Sarutobi genuinely went to his death, he would take control of the scene here at the very first moment.
By then, he could become the true Fifth Hokage instead of remaining a shadow in the dark!
For a moment, everyone's gazes fell upon Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The recent battle and the bloodshed had made everyone wish for an end to the fighting.
Yet under the present circumstances, when peace was to be exchanged for the life of the Third Hokage, they did not know how to choose either.
They could only wait for Hiruzen Sarutobi's response.
At this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi was completely stunned.
He had originally thought Uchiha Kazama genuinely wanted to negotiate with him.
He never expected that he would now be placed directly on the executioner's block.
If he wanted to maintain his image, he would have to commit suicide and die right here!
If he wanted to live!
Then all that talk about the Will of Fire he had spouted earlier would be nothing more than a joke!
Looking again at Uchiha Kazama's playful expression.
Hiruzen Sarutobi could be virtually certain that even if he died, Uchiha Kazama certainly wouldn't actually end his own life.
"Uchiha Kazama, do you take me for a fool?!"
"If you fail to keep your word afterward..."
"If you're afraid of death, just say so!"
"Today, as long as you die, I will surely uphold the pride of my Uchiha clan!"
"Don't assume everyone is like you, treating power as the entirety of their life!"
"Since I was able to lead the Uchiha here today, it already proves that I can give everything for the Uchiha!"
"Come, I ask the Third Hokage to march to his death!"
Uchiha Kazama directly cut off Hiruzen Sarutobi's words.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had originally prepared to make excuses, froze in place.
Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively looked toward Shimura Danzō, wanting Danzo to bail him out.
Yet at this moment, Shimura Danzō wore the complete expression of a spectator watching a show.
In fact, when Hiruzen Sarutobi looked over, he directly turned his face away, denying Hiruzen Sarutobi any chance to meet his gaze.
By now, he wasn't just being roasted over a fire.
A long blade had practically been pressed straight against his neck.
In other words, no matter what happened next, he had no choice but to die!