In Konoha, inside a shabby little second-floor attic.
Stacks of completely empty instant noodle cups sat on the table, along with half a bottle of spoiled milk that someone had forgotten to put in the fridge.
Little Naruto wore a cute black nightcap and lay sprawled on his bed, fast asleep.
Neither the tremendous commotion outside nor the blue glow spilling across the entire window woke him.
He slept so soundly...
Yet Kurama inside Naruto slowly opened his eyes.
He sensed an unusual, immense chakra.
"That feeling, so familiar yet so strange... could that guy have appeared?"
"Wait, it's not him..."
"I see~ So it's another member of the Uchiha Clan. Hmph, has another formidable figure grown this powerful? How revolting..."
"But he's still a long way off..."
Outside.
The sounds of battle were so loud that almost all of Konoha's villagers had run out of their homes to see what had happened.
In the first light of dawn, the giant burning with blue flames was far too dazzling, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Th-this is... a monster?"
"No! It's a god! Oh my heavens..."
All the Konoha Ninja on the battlefield wore the same expressions as the villagers.
Before them, Xia Yu was enveloped in an enormous blue skeletal giant's upper body. Its eyes shone with a golden, oppressive radiance, and its powerful presence sent chills through everyone there.
Might Guy's eyes went round. He hurriedly asked his close friend beside him, "Kakashi! What's going on? Is this genjutsu? Damn it, when did it happen?!"
Though Kakashi was also shocked, he remained relatively composed. "No, this definitely isn't genjutsu! That giant's upper body really exists! Guy, be careful. Let's figure out his abilities before we attack..."
Asuma Sarutobi said, "Kurenai, get behind me! Your abilities aren't suited to fighting the Uchiha. I'll protect you!"
Kurenai Yuhi looked entranced, seemingly not having heard Asuma at all. She couldn't help exclaiming, "X-Xia Yu is so big..."
Asuma Sarutobi: "...?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened, his feelings a complicated mix of reflection and surprise.
Wasn't what Xia Yu had displayed the Uchiha Clan's Susanoo?!
The last time he had seen such a sight was when Madara Uchiha was still alive.
Since Madara Uchiha's death, he had never seen another Uchiha clansman activate Susanoo.
Hiruzen Sarutobi grew more wary. If Xia Yu's widely known frivolous, dissolute behavior had all been an act, that was enough to prove that his thinking was even more meticulous than Uchiha Itachi's.
"Xia Yu, you've hidden yourself well... Have your eyes already reached this level...?"
Although Xia Yu's Susanoo was nowhere near the same level as Madara Uchiha's, Hiruzen knew just how difficult the conditions for activating it were.
Just then, Danzo's roar broke Hiruzen's train of thought.
A moment earlier, while everyone stood marveling at Uchiha Xia Yu's power, Danzo had seen that no one was attacking and steeled himself to do it personally. He secretly removed the metal seal on his right arm, drew a kunai, and tried to stab Xia Yu's Susanoo in the back all by himself.
His courage was commendable, but the result was miserable.
Clink!
The kunai... snapped.
"Hahahahaha! I never thought I'd get to witness you stabbing Susanoo with a kunai in person. Oh, Danzo, are you truly stupid or merely pretending to be clever? I, Uchiha Xia Yu, am willing to call you Konoha's bravest warrior!"
Xia Yu's eyes flashed. The skeletal Susanoo swiftly swung out its right arm and caught the stunned Danzo in a crushing grip.
Danzo bared his teeth. "Hmph, truly impeccable defense. It actually blocked my kunai... Urgh!"
Squelch...
Xia Yu couldn't be bothered to waste words with him. Under the immense grip of Susanoo's skeletal claw, Danzo's body offered no resistance at all. He instantly turned into a puddle of blood, flesh flying everywhere.
Everyone present froze at the sight. They hadn't expected Xia Yu to strike to kill.
To their eyes, that crimson flesh and blood looked utterly real. It couldn't possibly have been a shadow clone.
Beautifully done!
The clan heads outwardly showed regret, but inwardly they were all secretly rejoicing: That old bastard Danzo is finally dead! We won't have to sacrifice our young clansmen to Root for Danzo to ruin anymore!
"Danzo!! Xia Yu... you!"
Only one person was genuinely moved by Danzo's "death."
That was Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He had been considering exactly how to resolve the incident before him perfectly, never expecting Xia Yu to act so decisively and kill Danzo in an instant!
"Xia Yu, have you lost your mind?! Danzo was my right-hand man! Have you considered the consequences of doing this?!"
Unable to contain his anger any longer, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately leaped in front of Xia Yu, removed his Hokage hat and robes, and took a fighting stance.
"Xia Yu! You've killed the village's most important elder in front of all these ninja. As Konoha's Third Hokage, I formally declare you a hostile individual. Prepare to surrender!"
Although Xia Yu had displayed great power, Hiruzen was still confident he could defeat him.
"This boy cannot be allowed to live! All ninja, heed my command! Kill Xia Yu with everything you have before he takes another life!"
He liked obedient Uchiha, not rebellious ones.
"Don't get so worked up, Lord Hokage. I'm an Uchiha of Konoha, you know. How could I kill one of the village's elders~? Sigh, you know far too little about Danzo. Never mind, see for yourself."
Xia Yu sneered, opened Susanoo's skeletal claw, and tossed out the remnants of Danzo's limbs left in its palm.
A severed white arm covered in Sharingan rolled to Hiruzen Sarutobi's feet.
A few seconds later, the severed arm suddenly vanished into thin air.
"Th-this is...?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils instantly dilated, and his mind went blank.
All the ninja present had also seen that arm, and every one of them drew in a sharp breath.
With so many Sharingan on that arm, how many Uchiha lives had it taken? There was no need to say any more.
"Surprised, Lord Hokage? Your friend Danzo, whom you've trusted for most of your life, has been hiding quite a few filthy deeds from you. That severed Sharingan arm that just disappeared is the best proof!"
"Today, I'll make every one of you learn of the crimes Danzo committed against the Uchiha Clan!"
Before you continue