Sougen blinked slightly as his eyelids slowly lifted, revealing his dark, ink-black eyes. They seemed a bit dazed, as if he had just taken a brief nap. He quickly scanned his surroundings, his gaze eventually landing on Yamanaka Inoichi, who was whispering nervously to the temporary Fifth Hokage.
"Hokage-sama, what's happened?" Hyuga Hiashi asked.
"A major incident," Akimichi Torifu replied, his expression as serious as ever.
A major incident? What could it be at this moment? Hiashi raised an eyebrow. Without using his Byakugan, he couldn't know what was happening on Sarutobi Hiruzen's side. However, if Kakashi Hatake really did manage to kill Hiruzen, it wouldn't be surprising. After all, he is the son of Konoha's White Fang. Unfortunately, this likely means Kakashi won't survive this either.
"The former Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was just killed!" Akimichi Torifu announced slowly, confirming what many had already suspected. Yet hearing it directly from the temporary Fifth Hokage still caused a wave of fake shock and disbelief to sweep over the group, with exaggerated reactions like "This can't be!" or "Impossible!"
The acting was over the top and insincere, but everyone present was firmly anti-Sarutobi. As long as they didn't laugh out loud, they were safe.
"Did you capture the intruder?" Aburame Shibi asked.
His insects were capable scouts, though unlike the secret techniques of the Yamanaka and Hyuga clans, they took time to return and relay the information to him, so he wasn't fully aware of the situation.
Before Akimichi Torifu could respond, Hiashi, who had already activated his Byakugan to peer into the distance, wore a shocked expression.
"That's... the Executioner's Blade? From the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist? Juzo Biwa? What's going on?"
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen?" Sougen asked, confused.
Even Shibi's usual calm demeanor shifted slightly, his furrowed brow barely hidden behind his sunglasses.
"It wasn't Kakashi Hatake who killed the Third Hokage. It was Juzo Biwa, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist," Akimichi Torifu said, raising his voice to stop further questions. "We'll explain more once we're on site. Right now, we need to hurry over there!"
This explanation silenced the crowd's curiosity.
Torifu wasted no time. He immediately set off down the hallway, running swiftly despite his considerable weight, moving with agility that showed no signs of age.
A group of shinobi followed close behind him.
It didn't take long for them to reach the scene, stepping onto the wet ground still slick from water release techniques. This was the location where Sarutobi Hiruzen had been killed. Latest content published on n̷o̷v̷e̷l̷f̷i̷r̷e̷.net
"Kakashi!!!" a voice bellowed in rage, echoing through the hallway.
Sarutobi Asuma was charging at Kakashi Hatake, wielding a metal bar wrapped in Wind Release chakra, slashing at him wildly.
Fueled by fury, Asuma's emotions had completely overtaken his rational mind. He had been forced far away by Juzo's Water Release, and by the time he returned, he found his father beheaded, with Juzo dead nearby and Kakashi standing over both corpses.
Asuma's anger surged uncontrollably.
No matter how rebellious he had been, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still his father.
Trying to keep his rage in check, Asuma demanded answers from Kakashi. But Kakashi, standing there like a lifeless scarecrow, seemed lost in thought and didn't hear a word.
Unable to hold back any longer, Asuma gripped the already battered metal bar tightly, the Wind Release chakra spinning faster and sharpening the blade-like edge. He attacked again, charging at Kakashi.
But Kakashi, although seemingly a lifeless scarecrow, wasn't actually powerless.
Sensing the killing intent, his body responded instinctively, parrying Asuma's attacks with his short sword.
However, something was different this time. Kakashi's offensive power had weakened considerably. He stayed purely on the defensive, never once striking back. Just as the fight was reaching a stalemate, Akimichi Torifu's group arrived on the scene.
"Kakashi Hatake! Asuma Sarutobi! Both of you, stop!" Torifu ordered sharply.
Asuma, blinded by rage, ignored the command, while Kakashi, having heard it, was unable to break free from Asuma's relentless attacks. Asuma wasn't an amateur; being part of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve wasn't just because he was the Hokage's son.
Asuma was by no means weak.
Although Kakashi was a bit stronger, it wasn't enough to overpower Asuma quickly, especially given Kakashi's reluctance to fight.
Seeing his words fail to stop the battle, Torifu's face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, "Seize them both!"
Without specifying any names, the order made it clear that anyone present could execute it.
Before anyone else could respond, Sougen turned to the figure standing behind him. "Chihaya, you handle it."
"Understood!" Uchiha Chihaya, who had been quietly standing there, drew her sword and leapt into action.
As a prodigy of the Uchiha clan and a beauty in her own right, Chihaya possessed not only the clan's signature Fire Release but also Wind Release, a rare and deadly combination that greatly enhanced her cutting ability with her chakra blade.
Having trained in swordsmanship since childhood, she had also spent countless hours mastering Wind Release techniques.
Now was the time to showcase her hard-earned skills.
Her Sharingan activated, glowing red as she observed the battle between Kakashi and Asuma. As she closed in, she caught a brief opening.
Without hesitation, she used the Body Flicker Technique and entered the fray, her sword already enveloped in Wind Release chakra.
With one swift, seamless strike, like a perfectly executed dance move, she sliced through Asuma's battered metal bar, disarmed Kakashi's short sword, and even cut a piece of the stone ceiling above them. The two combatants were forced apart.
Kakashi, relieved to stop fighting, lowered his sword, allowing the approaching Anbu to capture him without resistance.
Asuma, still enraged, tried to continue but found himself locking eyes with Chihaya's crimson Sharingan. In that instant, he realized his mistake—he had lost control of his emotions and, worse, had made the foolish error of looking an Uchiha in the eyes.
As expected, a genjutsu took hold, ensnaring him in a mire of illusions. The Anbu subdued him easily.
Chihaya sheathed her sword smoothly, returning to her place behind Sougen, maintaining her cool and aloof demeanor.
"Your clan truly is full of talent," Torifu remarked with admiration.
"You flatter us. Chihaya still has much to learn and requires further training," Sougen replied modestly, though his tone carried a hint of pride.
In truth, this was a calculated display of Uchiha strength, a reminder to their allies of their power, ensuring continued loyalty and respect.