"Mind Transfer Jutsu? Are you trying to control me?"
Genya slowly raised his head to meet Yamanaka Shizuku's gaze. His raspy voice broke the tense silence.
Some jutsu were indeed fascinating.
Even he had felt his mind being briefly controlled just now. However, thanks to his immense mental strength, he forcefully expelled Yamanaka Shizuku's chakra from his consciousness!
This ability... it could at times surpass genjutsu in potency.
"You..." Yamanaka Shizuku stared into the eyes hidden beneath the mask, eyes veiled by black flames. An inexplicable fear gripped her.
"Enough. This has become boring—it's time to end this."
Genya's voice was cold and dismissive. The momentary awe he'd inspired with just a glance seemed to have drained all interest from the battle. The black flames expanded rapidly, swallowing the sky and encircling everyone.
A panicked cry echoed as the battle intensified.
The black flames dissipated, leaving behind seven barely alive individuals, clinging to life by a thread.
Genya stepped forward and slapped the nearest man. "Speak. What's your name?"
"I... I'm Shimura Keiya," the man stammered. He was clearly terrified, his voice trembling as he tried to speak.
But the moment the name left his mouth, Genya's kunai was already in motion.
The blade pierced through his throat with ruthless precision.
"You..." Shimura's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't comprehend how he had been killed so abruptly.
The fourth man, a middle-aged shinobi who had fought the hardest against Genya, glared at him with fury. "Hmph! I am from the Sarutobi clan! If you dare to kill me, the Hokage will make you pay!"
But before he could finish his threat, Genya's kunai had already sliced through his throat.
In total, the team of seven had lost four members to Genya—two from the Sarutobi clan, one from the Shimura clan, and one from the Mitokado clan!
The remaining three were from other prominent clans.
He didn't act against them.
After all, these individuals held no major hostility toward the Uchiha clan, and he was willing to let them go.
So, after knocking them out, Genya left.
"Genya, you're back?" Uchiha Kinya and Uchiha Shin had just returned home when they saw the shadow clone disappear, and then Genya reappeared next to them.
Genya had been gone for two days, and they were somewhat worried. Otherwise, Uchiha Shin wouldn't have stayed with his father!
Uchiha Shin also asked, "No one recognized you, right?"
"No!" Genya shook his head and then told them everything that had happened, especially about letting Shizuku and the others go. Both of them let out a sigh of relief.
There was one thing they were really afraid of: Genya turning into a murderer. But now it seemed that Genya's character hadn't been affected!
"Don't worry, I only kill those who deserve it!" Genya could tell what was on their minds and made his stance clear.
Shizuku and the others slowly regained consciousness, their minds still hazy!
Her eyes widened as she looked to the side!
There, she saw the bodies of four people and two others still unconscious.
[This time, Genya didn't clean up the scene since there were survivors. Sarutobi Hiruzen should know about this!]
She woke the two unconscious ones, and the three of them began discussing what to do next.
"Sister Shizuku, what should we do?" The younger member of the Yamanaka clan, just a chunin, looked to Shizuku for guidance. She was now the main leader of the group.
"Let's clean up the bodies and return to Konoha!" Shizuku didn't understand why Genya had spared them, but this needed to be reported to the Hokage.
Furthermore, two of the dead were direct descendants of the Sarutobi clan.
Killing Konoha ninjas around Konoha was a direct challenge to the village!
The group quickly disposed of the bodies and headed back to Konoha.
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen had just arrived and was immediately informed of the attack on his clan.
"Shizuku, tell me everything that happened!" Sarutobi Hiruzen glared at Shizuku, his cloudy eyes filled with rage!
To dare ambush Konoha ninjas within the village's borders, and to kill members of the Sarutobi clan.
It was unforgivable—lawless!
Facing the furious Sarutobi Hiruzen, Yamanaka Shizuku truthfully explained the situation.
"Why did that person spare you?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, his eyes filled with suspicion as he looked at Yamanaka Shizuku after hearing that it was the masked person who had spared them.
Yamanaka Shizuku shook her head. "I don't know!"
She also didn't know why that person had spared them last night.
"Then you three should stay in Konoha for now. Don't accept any missions." Sarutobi Hiruzen's words immediately decided their fate. Until his suspicions were cleared, they weren't allowed to leave Konoha.
"Understood!" Yamanaka Shizuku's expression darkened, but she nodded.
After the three of them left, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Kakashi, who had been standing behind him.
"Kakashi, things might not be peaceful around Konoha lately. Take an ANBU team and patrol the area. If you encounter any suspicious ninjas, eliminate them immediately!"
At this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen still thought it was just a random occurrence, so he only sent Kakashi to patrol the surrounding area.
Another seven days passed.
On this day, another team returned to Konoha, but this time one member of the Sarutobi clan was missing.
"What happened?" Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned as he looked at the five returning ninjas and asked.
"Lord Hokage, we were attacked on our way back from a mission. That person killed Sarutobi Ichiro!" The leader of the group, an Akimichi clan member, spoke in a downcast tone.
"What did the attacker look like?" Sarutobi Hiruzen's anger surged, but he held it in and calmly asked who the attacker was.
"The person wore a mask, was very short, but extremely strong!" The Akimichi ninja gritted his teeth as he explained, "He knocked us all down one by one and asked for our names. In the end, he only killed Sarutobi Ichiro!"
As soon as the Akimichi ninja finished speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen's chakra exploded. Gritting his teeth, he said, "That person is targeting the Sarutobi clan's ninjas on purpose!!"
At that moment, he suddenly realized something.
"Sarutobi Eisuke!" After coming to this realization, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to ask Sarutobi Eisuke, who had come with him, "Eisuke, have any of the other clan members who went on missions recently returned?"
"Huh?" Sarutobi Eisuke's expression also became serious. "Lord Hokage, no one from the Sarutobi clan has returned recently. But if we calculate the time, they should be back soon!"
"Check, go check for me right now!" Sarutobi Hiruzen was furious. He shouted at Sarutobi Eisuke, "Within three days, I want to know the current progress and status of the recent missions being carried out by the Sarutobi clan. The more detailed, the better. Remember, teams must act in groups. Each team must have at least three jōnin."
"Also, increase the number of ninja patrolling around Konoha. They should cover each other's backs. If any team encounters danger, signal quickly!"
"Lord Hokage, there's no need for such extreme measures. That masked dwarf doesn't seem that strong. It's impossible for one person to have killed our other clan members. You're being too cautious!" Sarutobi Eisuke seemed unconcerned. In his view, the Hokage was overreacting.
"Do as I say!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened, and he didn't provide further explanation.
He had a faint feeling that this situation wasn't simple. Someone might be targeting the Sarutobi clan!
Sarutobi Eisuke, feeling helpless, nodded and left the room.
In the afternoon, a large group of ninjas left Konoha, many of them from the Sarutobi clan.
At a merchant association, Genya stood on a high platform, watching the departing ninjas. A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The hunting hour was about to begin.
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