Chapter 252: Three Susanoo! The Power Of The Uchiha!
Uchiha Fugaku’s heavy-as-a-mountain declaration “Uchiha Clan, withdraw from Konoha!” intertwined with Hyuga Hizashi’s resounding “Hyuga Branch Family withdraws from Konoha!”, like two bolts of thunder, fiercely striking above the ruined Uchiha Compound and also striking the hearts of every Konoha Ninja present.
Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka, Hiashi Hyuga, Tsume Inuzuka…
The clan heads and elite Jonin of various families had extremely heavy expressions, their eyes complexly gazing at that burning homeland and the resolute survivors.
The Senju Clan had long since dispersed into commoners, and now, was even the other major founder, Uchiha, going to leave in such a tragic manner?
Konoha’s foundation was violently shaking tonight.
In the distant shadows.
“Hehehe… what a splendid play, what do you two Hokage-sama think?” Orochimaru’s hoarse voice carried playful laughter, his golden snake pupils observing with great interest the reactions of the First Hokage and Second Hokage controlled by Reanimation Jutsu.
Hashirama Senju’s face no longer had its usual cheerfulness, he painfully covered his face, a low voice leaking through his fingers: “I knew it… I knew that guy Danzō wasn’t reliable! But I didn’t expect it to develop to this point…”
Tobirama Senju had his arms crossed, his stern face still expressionless, but his eyes sharp as knives, dead staring at that graceful figure on the distant high wall: “Nii-san! What’s the use of saying that now. The monkey’s handling was indeed problematic, but the bigger problem is still with the Uchiha!”
“Especially that Uchiha woman standing next to that masked man… I can feel the power hidden in her body is terrifyingly strong, even… it gives me the illusion of seeing Uchiha Madara in his prime! Such a dangerous existence is itself the root of instability!”
“Madara…” Hashirama lowered his hand, his face carrying reminiscence and pain: “When Madara wanted to leave the village back then, all Uchiha clansmen chose to stay, which was undoubtedly trust in me as the First Hokage, trust in Konoha! But after I died… what exactly did you force the Uchiha into? Making them prefer to believe an outsider over defecting from the village they helped build?!”
Tobirama coldly snorted: “I’ve always been vigilant of Uchiha’s power, but for the village’s balance and peace, I gave them sufficient power and status! Konoha Military Police Force, responsible for the village’s internal security, isn’t that trust and power enough? I even took Uchiha Kagami as a disciple and taught him carefully! Isn’t what I did enough?”
“Kagami… that child?” Hashirama’s expression softened a bit, as if recalling that excellent junior: “Indeed a good kid with clear eyes and love for the village.”
Precisely because of this, he was even more bewildered and heartbroken: “Even someone like Kagami couldn’t mend the rift? Then what exactly… did that monkey do?!”
Orochimaru interjected at the right moment, his voice like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, carrying a hint of stirring up trouble: “First Lord, Second Lord, perhaps you don’t know yet… that Shisui Uchiha who was ambushed by Shimura Danzō, had his eyes stolen, and nearly died, now standing on the Star Ninja side… is the grandson of that ‘good kid’ Uchiha Kagami you spoke of.”
“He inherited Kagami’s will, always dedicated to maintaining peace between family and village, but unfortunately… the ‘reward’ he got seems even more tragic than his grandfather’s.”
“What?! Kagami’s grandson?!” Hashirama Senju was struck like lightning, his body jolting fiercely, his face full of disbelief and grief.
His shoulders slumped, feeling deep powerlessness, as if bearing an unspeakable weight: “In just a few short decades… Konoha… has it really become like this…”
After a long time, he slowly raised his head, his gaze turning to Orochimaru manipulating everything behind him, with a hint of bewilderment: “Right, you… who are you again?”
Orochimaru’s smile stiffened.
He then resumed his carefree demeanor, slightly bowing: “My apologies, forgot to introduce myself. This junior is named Orochimaru, once had the honor… of becoming the disciple of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.”
On the main battlefield.
With the resolute declarations of Uchiha and Hyuga, this “theater” dominated by Shura was undoubtedly pushed to its climax.
Menma hovered in the air, his gaze under the White Three-Eyed Fox Mask calmly sweeping over the Konoha crowd below with varied expressions.
His goal had been achieved, the seed sown, next, it depended on how Konoha’s interior digested this earth-shattering change.
How would the Third and Danzō face the questioning from various families?
He was very expectant.
“Whoa, exciting! Exciting!” The little Nine-Tails poked its head out from Menma’s collar, chewing something in its mouth, eyes gleaming as it watched the battlefield below.
She was a Tailed Beast condensed from chakra, didn’t understand human hearts, but had a great love for spectacle.
Menma patted her head, then issued orders to the Star Ninja.
“Kushina Uzumaki, lead the second squad, escort all survivors to withdraw.”
“Hikari Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, lead your people to cover the rear and engage the enemy!”
The commands were concise and clear.
“Yes! Lord!” Kushina Uzumaki immediately accepted the order.
“Natsuhi, Hotaru! Lead the team to cover the Uchiha survivors, Hizashi! Bring your people and follow!” The golden Adamantine Sealing Chains whipped out again, organizing the surviving Uchiha elderly, women, children, and Hyuga Branch Family members, beginning an orderly retreat.
Uchiha Hikari and Kisame Hoshigaki’s eyes sharpened, leading the Star Ninja and the Uchiha Ninja who volunteered to stay and cover the rear, standing like rocks in front!
Hizashi glanced at the fierce battlefield, then at the somewhat fatigued Neji, and said to Kushina Uzumaki: “Please take Neji and go first.”
“Father!” Neji looked up, seeing the gentleness on his father’s face that he had never shown in the Hyuga Clan.
Hizashi patted Neji’s head, softly saying: “Go find your freedom, Neji.”
Then he looked toward the figure floating in the air, his eyes full of resolve: “And I have already found mine.”
Hyuga Tokuma, Hyuga Tetsu, and other rebelling Branch Family members all stood by Hizashi’s side, smiling at Neji: “Neji, if I die here, remember to tell Yuji what kind of man his father was!”
“And Kota, that kid is hasty and reckless, trouble you as the big brother to look after him more.”
“Eh heh, my daughter is very obedient, she really admires you Neji, if you two marry in the future, remember to offer me more sake.”
Neji watched these usually rigid uncles now lively and talkative like different people, tears seeping from his Byakugan.
——————
“Stop them! Absolutely cannot let them take the traitors!” Hiruzen Sarutobi strongly suppressed the shockwaves in his heart, knowing he absolutely could not hesitate now.
He must stabilize the situation, even if it required a huge cost afterward to settle with Danzō, now he had to take down the traitors first!
Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted to the clan heads and Jonin beside him: “Everyone! Afterward, I will definitely make Shimura Danzō give everyone an explanation! But now, we absolutely cannot let the Uchiha and Hyuga traitors escape Konoha with the Star Ninja’s help! Otherwise, endless trouble! For the village’s future, please lend me a hand!”
Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and other ninja clan heads exchanged glances, all seeing the helplessness and resolve in each other’s eyes.
They knew well this was not the time for infighting, no matter what filth the high-level officials had, stopping the defection and maintaining the village’s surface stability was the top priority now.
“Shadow Imitation Jutsu!”
“Partial Expansion Jutsu!”
“Mind Body Switch Technique!”
“Fang Over Fang!”
The elites of various families all joined the fray, the great battle erupting again, even more intense than before!
The Star Ninja, relying on Uchiha Hikari’s Mangekyo command and Kisame’s ferocity, clashed viciously with the Konoha Ninja!
“Water Style: Great Shark Bullet Jutsu!” Kisame Hoshigaki grinned ferociously as he formed hand seals, massive Water Style sharks roaring toward Anbu Commander Sarutobi Shinnosuke wearing a mask!
“Earth Style: Earth Flow River!” Shinnosuke reacted swiftly, the ground under his feet turning into a mudflow, trying to wash away the sharks, while shouting loudly: “Protect Hokage-sama! Stop them!”
The Uchiha Compound thoroughly turned into a hell of intertwining flames and ninjutsu.
In this sea of fire, Shisui Uchiha’s emerald green Susanoo like an invincible war god, its massive Chakra Greatsword every swing bringing terrifying wind pressure and shockwaves, shattering the Konoha Ninja’s lines, opening a passage for the retreating team.
Uchiha Fugaku heartbrokenly watched the burning clan territory and the injured clansmen.
At this time, he noticed in the nearby battle group, the already heavily injured Uchiha Yashiro, to cover Inabi Uchiha behind him, was caught in an opening by a Konoha Anbu, the cold Ninja Sword ruthlessly piercing his chest!
“Yashiro!!” Inabi Uchiha’s eyes nearly split.
That Anbu wanted to finish the kill, but was forced back by Inabi Uchiha’s frenzied Fire Style who reacted.
Inabi held the fallen Yashiro, this elder like a brother and father had blood surging from his chest, life rapidly draining.
“Uncle Yashiro!” Inabi let out a beast-like wail, he and his brother Tekka were raised by Yashiro since childhood, now Tekka died miserably in the Military Police Force, and Yashiro like a father fell before him, ultimate pain and hatred instantly drowning him!
Yashiro’s mouth overflowed with blood foam, his eyes beginning to scatter, but he dead grabbed Fugaku Uchiha’s sleeve who had Body Flickered over, using his last strength to hiss: “Clan Head… my… headband… mark it… I don’t want to… die as a Konoha Ninja…”
Fugaku’s hand trembled, picking up a kunai from the ground, deeply scratching a mark on that bloodstained Konoha headband!
Like severing all past bonds and beliefs!
Hearing the metallic tearing sound by his ear, Yashiro’s mouth seemed to curve into a relieved arc, his head tilted, stopping breathing.
“Uncle Yashiro!!” Inabi’s cry was heart-wrenching.
Fugaku gently set down the kunai in his hand, incomparably heavily saying to Inabi: “Sorry… Inabi… it’s all me… I as clan head was too incompetent… to let everyone…”
His words abruptly stopped.
Because he saw Inabi kneeling before Yashiro’s corpse suddenly raise his head!
In those originally madly spinning three-tomoe Sharingan eyes, extreme grief, anger, despair converged, compressed, transformed like a vortex!
In the scarlet pupils, the three tomoe distorted, deformed, extended…
Ultimately forming three pitch-black as ink, kunai-shaped patterns as if bearing endless pain!
This was a Mangekyo Sharingan that had never appeared before!
Under this extreme emotional impact, Uchiha Inabi awakened his own Mangekyo Sharingan!
Fugaku felt both shocked and a deep sorrow and understanding in his heart.
This power indeed required the most heart-wrenching pain to exchange for?
On the other side of the main battlefield.
As if responding to Inabi’s sky-high hatred and sorrow, a even more violent, colder, more destruction-filled chakra aura suddenly erupted from Uchiha Hikari in the middle of the battlefield!
Dark red, like solidified blood chakra shot into the sky, rapidly condensing and shaping!
A dark red Susanoo even taller, more ferocious than Shisui’s emerald one, emanating ominous and savage aura, rose from the ground!
Its massive body as if forged from hell’s lava and resentment, condensing in its hand an enormous Chakra Greatsword burning with dark red flames!
Two colossal Susanoo reaching the heavens!
One green, one red!
Like mythic giant gods descending to the mortal world, that terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the entire battlefield, suppressing all sounds of battle!
Countless Konoha Ninja fearfully looked up at this apocalyptic scene, issuing despairing cries:
“Anoth… another one?!”
“What the hell is this monster?!”
“It’s Uchiha Madara’s power!!”
Fear spread like a plague.
Many ninja who experienced the Nine-Tails Attack turned pale, these two giants reminding them of that terrifying night!
And high above, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō’s faces finally turned to undisguisable shock.
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes even held a trace of… regret?
After Uchiha Madara, this was their first time seeing the legendary third power hidden in Uchiha’s Mangekyo Sharingan!
Witnessing this terrifying combat power capable of changing the battle situation, even overturning the Ninja World!
And now, this power not only wasn’t controlled by them, but was personally forced to rebel by them, pushed to the side of that enigmatic Shura and the Land of Stars!
“Uchiha… actually… two people…” Hiruzen Sarutobi’s voice was utterly dry.
Danzō’s single eye was filled with greed, dread, and utmost gloom, he clenched his fist tightly, fingernails nearly embedding into his palm.
‘This is the power Uchiha Madara once had?! Damn it… Shisui’s eyes… and that Uchiha Hikari…’ Danzō’s extreme unwillingness and madness intertwined, why could one-eyed Shisui use Susanoo, while he could only grasp the preliminary power of that right eye?!
Clearly he could thoroughly solve the Uchiha Clan for Konoha, and use Uchiha’s Sharingan on himself!
But now, everything was out of control!
They not only handed over the powerful force that originally belonged to Konoha, enough to deter the Ninja World, to outsiders!
Now this power was turning back to destroy Konoha!
This bitterness and miscalculation left them choked, faces extremely ugly.
On the ground, Fugaku watched the green and red Susanoo rampaging, recalling Shisui’s past report on encountering Uchiha Hikari: “As expected, she is a ninja as powerful as Madara.”
And now, Uchiha Hikari had become the hope for the Uchiha Clan’s escape from the abyss.
Fugaku’s Mangekyo Sharingan looked toward that figure high in the sky like watching a play, murmuring: “Then let Konoha see clearly what exactly they have lost…”
The Mangekyo Sharingan pattern spun madly, Fugaku fully releasing his eye power!
Rumbling—
A deep blue Susanoo rose from the ground amid the trembling, despairing gazes of the Konoha Ninja!
“Thi… third one?!”
“How is this possible?!”
“What a joke!”
“This is… the power of Konoha’s number one prestigious clan Uchiha…”
Watching the green giant, blue giant, red giant standing opposed to the Konoha Ninja, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s old face completely collapsed.
In the distant shadows, Tobirama Senju was also full of shock, the Uchiha Clan of this era actually simultaneously possessed three ninja nearly as strong as Uchiha Madara!
Hashirama Senju was thoroughly disappointed, he slumped his body, slapping his face with one hand.
‘Monkey, what exactly… did you do…’
