Chapter 118: Ino-shika-cho Swayed By Justice! Bloodbath On Tanzaku Street!
As Nara Shikahisa’s voice fell, a clear exclamation suddenly came from outside.
“Kurenai! This is the Nara clan! Don’t barge into someone’s ninja clan residence without announcing yourself first!”
Nara Shikahisa frowned, walked towards the sound, and saw two female ninja who had rudely broken into the Nara clan residence.
He didn’t recognize one of the female ninja, but he recognized the other at a glance.
– “Kurenai Yuhi”!
The main reason was that Nara Shikahisa knew Kurenai’s father, “Yuhi Shinkuro”. This elite Jonin of Konoha had sacrificed himself on the night of the Nine-Tails’ attack. Speaking of which, he was once his senior.
The displeasure on Nara Shikahisa’s face slightly receded.
He patiently asked the young junior Kurenai, “Kurenai, what brings you to the Nara clan?”
Upon seeing Nara Shikahisa, Kurenai Yuhi realized her rudeness. She immediately bowed in apology and then asked busily, “Uncle Nara, Asuma… is he at your place?”
Nara Shikahisa understood. He nodded and said, “He is indeed here.”
“Then he…” Kurenai Yuhi seemed to hold onto a sliver of hope.
Nara Shikahisa simply replied, “He’s dead.”
He paused and added, “If you want to see Asuma’s body one last time, you can come with me.”
Kurenai Yuhi froze.
She wasn’t even sure how she had followed Nara Shikahisa and walked through the Nara clan residence. It wasn’t until she saw the incomplete corpses covered with white cloths on the ground that Kurenai Yuhi vaguely came back to her senses.
Among the many corpses on the ground, one was not covered with a white cloth. It was none other than the body of Sarutobi Asuma.
Kurenai Yuhi fell silent.
After all, Asuma and she had grown up together. They had been close friends for many years. Moreover, Asuma was still alive and kicking yesterday, standing in front of her and saying strange things, and today he had become a cold corpse.
Such a stark contrast left Kurenai Yuhi’s thoughts in a chaotic turmoil.
The female ninja next to Kurenai Yuhi, seeing the large scorched hole in Asuma’s chest, couldn’t help but cover her mouth and say, “Uchiha Ikeizumi, how could you be so cruel to a ninja from your own village?”
This sentence blurted out from the female ninja’s mouth.
Yamanaka Inoichi, standing to the side, glanced at her.
Yamanaka Inoichi said coldly, “Only those with kind hearts and correct values deserve to be treated with mercy and kindness by others. As for those with twisted hearts, crooked values, and even burdened by sin, no matter how cruel others treat them, it is not excessive.”
The female ninja was choked into silence by Yamanaka Inoichi.
Kurenai Yuhi stammered, “Asuma… he’s ‘burdened by sin’?”
Yamanaka Inoichi asked, “Who among those who died by Ikeizumi’s hand is innocent?”
Kurenai Yuhi was also speechless.
She had heard the rumors spreading wildly in the village, which was why she had rushed to find Sarutobi Asuma’s body. She also knew why Asuma was killed by Uchiha Ikeizumi, but a sliver of luck remaining in her heart made her hopeful.
Kurenai Yuhi took a deep breath, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.
Because, like most people, she believed that Uchiha Ikeizumi would not shed the blood of the innocent. She was even quite interested in his Absolute Justice, especially with the recent rumors about Uchiha Ikeizumi that had greatly changed her perception of that “Uchiha Plague God.”
But who would have thought… that this Absolute Justice she admired so much would turn its blade towards an acquaintance of hers.
Kurenai Yuhi looked down at the corpse, her face a complex mix as she murmured to herself, “Asuma, why did you do those things?”
Obviously.
She believed that there were no innocent people under the cleaver of Absolute Justice.
She thought Asuma might have gone astray.
Kurenai Yuhi pursed her lips.
Her mood was extremely complicated.
…
“Teacher Ikeizumi, today, you killed the Hokage Grandpa’s second son.”
“This…”
Naruto was completely stunned when he heard the rumors circulating in the village, so much so that he immediately ran to find Uchiha Izumi.
He panted, holding his knees, and after finally catching his breath, he looked up at Uchiha Izumi for the truth and answers.
“It’s true.”
Izumi’s face still held a hint of indignation. She explained to Naruto earnestly, “Sarutobi Asuma gathered the Twelve Guardian Shinobi and formed an assassination group of eleven, temporarily led by him, intending to assassinate Senior Ikeizumi outside Konoha Village! If Senior Ikeizumi hadn’t been powerful, he might have been assassinated.”
She paused and added, “Although Senior Ikeizumi was not seriously injured, Senior Kijiro sustained quite a serious injury. When I saw him, he was covered in wounds. Those who intended to assassinate Senior Ikeizumi showed no mercy at all.”
Naruto was shocked.
Although he could tell that there were some ideological conflicts between Hokage Grandpa and Teacher Ikeizumi.
But he thought that the ideological conflict between Hokage Grandpa and Teacher Ikeizumi should not escalate to the point of using force.
At least…
In front of him, Hokage Grandpa had been very tolerant, seemingly very accepting of Teacher Ikeizumi’s unique justice. And although Teacher Ikeizumi would say some “harsh” words, he didn’t seem to openly fall out with Hokage Grandpa.
It was impossible for people to have no conflicts at all!
Naruto saw these conflicts between them as normal.
Perhaps one day, Hokage Grandpa would accept Teacher Ikeizumi’s Absolute Justice, and then they would shake hands and make peace?
However…
After today’s events, would the words “shake hands and make peace” really come true between Teacher Ikeizumi and Hokage Grandpa?
If the conflict between the two sides escalated to a physical confrontation, or even to mortal enemies, where would he stand?
Naruto was lost.
His small head couldn’t process complex problems for the time being.
…
Capital of the Land of Fire.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was pacing back and forth, full of anxiety and unease. He occasionally opened a letter he held in his hand, carefully examined every word on it, and then carefully folded it back up.
This letter was sent to the Daimyo by one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi via a ninja crow summoned beast.
It also informed the Daimyo that the “assassination plan” was already in motion.
“Eleven Guardian Shinobi attacking together should be able to kill one Uchiha ninja, right? After all… Asuma was very confident when he discussed the plan with me…”
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire tried to calm himself down a bit.
He didn’t know much about the strength of ninja, only that Jonin were stronger than Chunin, and Chunin were stronger than Genin. Eleven Jonin should definitely be stronger than one Jonin.
Moreover, the eleven Guardian Shinobi were also tasked with bringing his second son’s corpse back to Konoha Village.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire could only believe that their actions would not fail.
Besides.
Asuma was also the son of Konoha’s Hokage. Even if Asuma couldn’t take down that Uchiha ninja, wouldn’t his father, Sarutobi Hiruzen, step in to help his son?
Thinking of this, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire could only dismiss the ominous premonition in his heart as him being too anxious!
…
Time passed.
Night fell.
The various towns and cities of the Land of Fire, not long after the end of the Third Shinobi World War, were all exuding a sense of “everything waiting to be done,” a feeling of poverty.
Yet, there was only one place that had long since shaken off the dark clouds of the Ninja Wars, remaining brightly lit even at night.
The entire town exuded a bustling liveliness, and a hint of extravagance that easily intoxicated even ninjas.
Casinos, bars, entertainment venues… all sorts of money sinks made this place almost a “city that never sleeps.”
“Tanzaku Street!”
Kijiro, who was wrapped in bandages, looked up at a brightly lit plaque above. As he recalled with a thoughtful expression, he said, “I just wanted to find a place to rest midway and didn’t expect to end up here. Lord Ikeizumi, how many years has it been since we last came to Tanzaku Street?”
“Nine years,” Uchiha Ikeizumi replied, “when the Third Shinobi World War was at its peak.”
Kijiro suddenly realized, “Meow, for a cat like me, nine years is indeed a bit too long. However, when Lord Ikeizumi mentions the Third Shinobi World War, I remember meow.”
Kijiro paused slightly and continued, “Lord Ikeizumi also killed those two people here, right? Did Lord Ikeizumi and Sarutobi Shin’nosuke have a complete falling out here in Tanzaku Street?”
“Yes,” Uchiha Ikeizumi said indifferently. “They fell into the abyss, and only death could atone for their sins.”
“Teacher Shin’nosuke was their Guiding Jonin. It’s not surprising that we had a falling out when I killed them.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi, mentioning these old events, showed no trace of melancholy or sadness on his face. For him, the people around him falling into the abyss and being executed by his own hands had happened too many times, making him numb long ago.
He strode into Tanzaku Street.
Kijiro hurriedly followed.
“I still remember…” Kijiro continued behind Uchiha Ikeizumi, “Lord Ikeizumi didn’t just kill those two people in Tanzaku Street back then. It was…”
Kijiro looked at the bustling crowd ahead, “He single-handedly bloodied the entire Tanzaku Street. That night, at least dozens of people died!”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said softly, “Killed too few.”
Kijiro was stunned.
Uchiha Ikeizumi slowly said, “Were there only dozens of villains hiding in Tanzaku Street, this den of debauchery and extravagance? What a pity… Teacher Shin’nosuke appeared too early. I had only dulled one ninja sword before he intervened and stopped me from executing justice.”
“Nine years ago, Absolute Justice, not yet fully grown, still had to avoid all sorts of sharp edges. Nine years later, it is time for the ‘evil’ of this ninja world to avoid my sharp edge.”
“Tonight, no one can stop the execution of justice!”
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s cold words did not shock Kijiro; instead, it invigorated him.
The injuries on his body didn’t seem to hurt as much.
…
Konoha.
“The Hokage has woken up!” As Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly regained consciousness, the first thing he heard was someone nearby exclaiming in surprise.
As he struggled to open his eyes, he saw a nurse-like woman hurriedly open the door and run out to inform people outside.
Soon.
Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, Kakashi, and others entered one after another, each looking with complex expressions at the Hokage lying on the hospital bed, who appeared to have aged by who knows how many years.
“Kakashi, old man… I sincerely hope that the first thing I hear upon waking is you saying—everything I heard before… was just a nightmare…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen broke the silence with a slightly hoarse voice.
Kakashi lowered his gaze slightly and said, “Hokage-sama, everything you heard today was not a nightmare.”
“Ah… how cruel, Kakashi.” Sarutobi Hiruzen shifted his gaze, staring at the ceiling. “You’re not even willing to tell this old man a well-intentioned lie…”
Kakashi didn’t say anything further. Anyone could tell that the Hokage had suffered a great mental blow.
His tone at the moment sounded somewhat dejected.
“Hiruzen, Asuma’s body is currently at the Nara clan residence. Inoichi is examining the corpse’s memories. Once it’s found that Asuma did nothing to betray Konoha, and Uchiha Ikeizumi still cruelly killed him…”
Koharu Utatane said with a gloomy expression, “Konoha cannot tolerate a butcher who wields a cleaver against innocent ninja from the same village! Hiruzen, you should understand what I’m saying, right?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen was silent for more than ten seconds before turning his head and shifting his gaze to Koharu Utatane.
“I believe Asuma would not do anything to betray Konoha. Although that child is very rebellious, ever since he was sensible, he has refused to call me father, only calling me old man… but no matter how rebellious he is, it’s only dissatisfaction with the infighting within the village. His dissatisfaction is not directed at Konoha itself.”
A pained expression flashed across Sarutobi Hiruzen’s face. “On the contrary, for Konoha, he would spare no effort to eliminate any threat to Konoha. He is an excellent Konoha ninja.”
“But…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured with vacant eyes, “It is precisely this personality of his, willing to do anything to eliminate threats to Konoha, that would cause him, unknowingly, to step on a line he shouldn’t have stepped on.”
“This line…”
“Is called Justice.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen finally understood the cause and effect—Asuma must have felt that Uchiha Ikeizumi posed a great threat to Konoha, so he deceived him, the Hokage, and used him to release Uchiha Ikeizumi from Konoha.
But…
He overestimated himself and underestimated Uchiha Ikeizumi. His own Hokage had already warned him.
“Hiruzen!” Koharu Utatane suddenly shouted, “The so-called line of justice is merely a shackle imposed by that extremist brat Uchiha Ikeizumi on others! Have you been so indulgent of that brat that you’ve even deceived yourself?”
“His justice is just his justice, not Konoha’s justice, nor your justice as Hokage! You tolerated it once with Shin’nosuke. This time with Asuma, are you going to tolerate it again? Why are you so indecisive?!”
“Hiruzen! He killed both of your sons!”
Koharu Utatane’s reprimand made Sarutobi Hiruzen’s lost eyes gradually regain some clarity.
“Hoo…”
“Shin’nosuke…”
“Asuma…”
Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen tightly gripped the bedsheet, the veins on the back of his hand trembling slightly, several more people squeezed into the ward.
“Inoichi? Shikahisa? Choza?” Homura Mitokado, who had been silent, focused his gaze on the group of people arriving.
The Boar, Deer, and Butterfly.
This was a ninja clan alliance that could not be underestimated. Individually, their strength might not be great, but when united, they held significant influence in Konoha, with their impact reaching all aspects of Konoha.
“Hokage-sama.”
Yamanaka Inoichi got straight to the point and reported, “Of the eleven Guardian Shinobi, only five had intact heads. The Yamanaka clan has used secret techniques to extract the memories from their minds and has restored their orders from the Daimyo of the Land of Fire to plan and execute the assassination of Uchiha Ikeizumi.”
“The masterminds are the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and Sarutobi Asuma.”
“The Daimyo’s primary motive was revenge for his son’s death. Sarutobi Asuma had two main objectives—first, he believed Uchiha Ikeizumi’s Absolute Justice was too extreme and posed a great threat to Konoha; second, it was for revenge for his brother’s death.”
Having said that, Yamanaka Inoichi took out a scroll and placed it on the table beside them.
“The scroll records all the memory intelligence, confirming that this incident was a meticulously planned murder.”
Yamanaka Inoichi’s expression remained calm as he looked directly into Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes, “In other words…”
“This is a provocative act by criminals against enforcers!”
Rip—
Sarutobi Hiruzen violently tore a corner of the hospital bedsheet.
Koharu Utatane also turned her head and glared at Yamanaka Inoichi.
“Inoichi! What are you talking about?!”
Koharu Utatane, with a dark expression, shouted, “You say Asuma is a criminal? The mastermind of a murder plot? You even say Lord Daimyo was involved? In your words, Uchiha Ikeizumi has become a victim? Inoichi! Do you dare to take responsibility for what you’re saying right now?!”
“I dare,” Yamanaka Inoichi’s single word stunned Koharu Utatane completely.
Yamanaka Inoichi continued, “Hokage-sama, Advisor Koharu, Advisor Homura. The Yamanaka clan will only stand on the side of reason. Analyzing the memories of Sarutobi Asuma and the other deceased individuals, Uchiha Ikeizumi is clearly in the right.”
Homura Mitokado had already understood…
The Yamanaka clan was determined to stand on the same side as Uchiha Ikeizumi!
During Uchiha Ikeizumi’s temporary absence from Konoha, the Yamanaka clan would shoulder the mantle of justice for him!
Homura Mitokado couldn’t understand at all.
By rights, the Yamanaka clan and Uchiha Ikeizumi shouldn’t have any conflict of interest? Moreover, Uchiha Ikeizumi was clearly not the type of person to fight for the interests of those who supported him. One could even say that daring to propose such an “idea” to him would only be met with disregard or even a cold shoulder from Absolute Justice.
Then why was the Yamanaka clan so determined to support Uchiha Ikeizumi?
What benefits could they gain from this? Were they going to support that extremely temperamental young man even without any benefits?
Had the Yamanaka clan gone mad?!
Homura Mitokado didn’t understand!
“Inoichi… you!” Just as Koharu Utatane was gritting her teeth, about to say something.
Nara Shikahisa, standing beside Yamanaka Inoichi, suddenly took half a step forward, hands in his pockets, and interrupted Koharu Utatane, saying with a serious tone, “Everyone, I also believe Sarutobi Asuma is in the wrong here. Colluding with ninja from outside the village to attempt to assassinate a fellow villager… even by Konoha’s rules, the highest penalty could be execution by hanging?!”
Yamanaka Inoichi looked gratefully at Nara Shikahisa, who had stepped forward to speak for the Yamanaka clan, and added, “Furthermore, doesn’t Uchiha Ikeizumi, who was targeted for assassination by eleven Jonin, have the right to self-defense?”
“Therefore, Hokage-sama, I believe Uchiha Ikeizumi’s actions are reasonable, legal, and do not violate Konoha’s Will of Fire. I have nothing further to say.”
When Nara Shikahisa himself spoke up, the expressions of almost everyone present changed.
Many people turned their gaze to Akimichi Choza, who had remained silent.
A hint of helplessness flashed in Akimichi Choza’s narrowed eyes.
He also took half a step forward and said, “The Ino-Shika-Cho have always been of one mind and have always advanced and retreated together. Inoichi’s and Shikahisa’s opinions and ideas are also my opinions and ideas.”
Koharu Utatane’s expression immediately turned as dark as if water were about to drip from it.
Homura Mitokado opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, lying in the hospital bed, fell into silence.
Some Anbu Ninja in the ward lowered their heads, remaining silent.
Kakashi’s drooping gaze flickered left and right. He suddenly felt he should have left earlier instead of waiting here for the Hokage to wake up. Waiting here would inevitably lead him into a quagmire.
The atmosphere in the ward was clearly very wrong.
“Is that so…” Sarutobi Hiruzen said hoarsely, “The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans all think that way… I presume the Uchiha clan also thinks the same way?”
Could it be that more ninja clans shared the same opinion as the Ino-Shika-Cho?
Sarutobi Hiruzen realized that it was indeed possible…
After all, a Hokage’s second son who would gather the Twelve Guardian Shinobi to assassinate a fellow villager would find it hard for the village to accept his actions. Even in Asuma’s eyes, what he did was for Konoha.
However.
His actions were too extreme! His reasoning couldn’t hold water.
In the vast Konoha, besides a few individuals…
It was unlikely anyone would approve of Asuma.
And those few individuals didn’t approve of him based on his actions. They only approved of him because they held a grudge against Uchiha Ikeizumi or had strong objections to him.
“Hoo…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen let out another sigh.
“I’m tired, let me rest,” Sarutobi Hiruzen said slowly, his voice dispirited.
“Hiruzen…”
Koharu Utatane seemed a little anxious.
“I’m tired,” Sarutobi Hiruzen repeated.
Koharu Utatane was beside herself.
Just because the Ino, Shika, and Cho clans were putting pressure on you, the Hokage, you were once again indecisive?
If it were Danzo…
He would probably have mobilized all of Konoha’s ninja to hunt down Uchiha Ikeizumi!
As everyone left the ward one after another, only Koharu Utatane remained, reluctant to leave. She gazed at Sarutobi Hiruzen alone, “Hiruzen, that is your only son. Now that Uchiha Ikeizumi is not in Konoha, you don’t have to worry about the destruction his Lava Release could cause Konoha. Isn’t this a perfect opportunity? Why don’t you seize this opportunity?”
“Are Inoichi, Choza, and Shikahisa enough to influence you, the Hokage, or rather, you as a father? Enough for you to let go of the hatred for your two sons after two consecutive incidents? Are you truly responsible to your two sons with such indecisiveness?”
“Hiruzen, you will regret today!”
“Koharu, the Hokage’s responsibilities and the balance that the Hokage needs to maintain are not as simple as you think,” Sarutobi Hiruzen said faintly, “Only someone who has the approval of the majority of the village can be the Hokage. If I no longer have everyone’s approval…”
“Hoo!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped mid-sentence and said with a deep, hoarse voice, “Leave now. I am the Hokage of Konoha, and I have my own judgment.”
“Shinnosuke understood me long ago; he always knew a lot. Asuma… Asuma might also understand me.”
Koharu Utatane gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a deep look.
She walked out the door and closed it with a “bang.” The force with which she closed the door showed how disturbed she was inside.
……
Tanzaku Street.
“Tsk tsk, as expected of the Land of Fire’s most famous pleasure district! Even at night, it’s full of people who strike it rich overnight. It’s just a shame that even if you have the fortune to get rich overnight at the casino, you also need to have the life to bring that money back home! Idiots!”
In a somewhat dark alley, a ninja wearing his headband backward had a man with a bloody head under his foot.
The ninja held a stack of cash bills, all in denominations of 10,000 ryo, and was enthusiastically counting the amount.
When the man under his foot tried to struggle, the ninja’s eyes narrowed, and he pressed down hard, the sole of his shoe grinding against the man’s face.
“Mmph—”
The man groaned in pain, the skin on one side of his face ground into bloody pulp by the rough ground, and several teeth were chipped.
After counting, the ninja laughed, “Five million ryo, quite a thick wad. I could barely hold it with one hand. Hey, you’re not going to report this over such a small matter, are you? Although gamblers have no humanity, you don’t seem like a seasoned gambler. You surely care about your family, right?”
“You also know that a ninja can easily kill you and your entire family, right? You know even better that ninja never leave evidence when they kill, right?”
“Please… please, I beg you…”
The man under his foot, his face covered in blood, said with a slurred, tearful voice, “I beg you, don’t hurt me anymore… and don’t hurt my family… I’ll give you all the money…”
“I swear I won’t report it…”
“What do you mean, give you all the money? This was my money in the first place! Why don’t you know how to speak properly?” The ninja sneered and raised his foot, intending to stomp down hard and knock the man unconscious.
But just as his right foot was lifted, a sudden force caused his right foot to deviate.
Bang!
The ninja’s right leg slammed heavily against the nearby wall. Before he could react, a sharp pain caused him to break out in a cold sweat.
When he hastily looked down, he saw that a kunai, piercing flesh and bone, was lodged in his right calf!
He looked in horror as blood gushed from his leg.
“What…”
As he cried out in surprise, he quickly looked in the direction the kunai had come from, only to see a flash of steel.
Pfft—
“Kawakami Keiichi, two years ago, killed a gambler and stole two million ryo. A year and a half ago, he severely injured a gambler and stole six hundred thousand ryo. A year ago, he killed…”
A cold, indifferent voice echoed through the dark alley.
The moment Uchiha Ikeizumi passed by the ninja named “Kawakami Keiichi,” a large head rolled to the ground. The notification of killing a Red Name villain also flashed before his eyes.
The subsequent Kijiro stepped over the groaning man on the ground and used one of its paws to flip up the ninja’s backward-worn headband.
Kijiro glanced at the other side of the headband.
“Meow, it’s a Konoha ninja, and there are no scratches on the headband, meaning this guy isn’t even a rogue ninja. This place, Tanzaku Street, is truly a breeding ground for sin, meow! Lord Ikeizumi, we might have to go on a killing spree tonight.”
The man lying on the ground stared at all of this happening, dumbfounded.
The scattered banknotes, stained with blood, looked particularly jarring.
The special address “Lord Ikeizumi” echoed in his ears.
“Lord Ikeizumi… Ikeizumi…”
“Ikeizumi…”
A flash of inspiration struck the man’s mind, a sudden distant memory causing his pupils to contract sharply, and an incredulous gaze fixed on the receding figures ahead.
“Uchiha… hiss!!!”
“Uchiha Ikeizumi!!!”
……
“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”
A flat-chested girl, who looked only a little over twelve years old, was frantically running her hands through her pale blonde hair, muttering curses unbecoming of her age.
“Those shameless, disgusting fat pigs must have cheated! They must have colluded privately to rip me off! Otherwise, how could I have lost a million ryo in just half an hour!”
“And those persistent debt collectors, it’s not like I said I wouldn’t pay them, I just unilaterally extended the repayment period a little. Each and every one of them is so stingy!”
“These loan sharks, they don’t lack money at all! Why are they always hounding me to pay them back?”
“Lady Tsunade…” the black-haired woman beside her said with a wry, tearful smile, “It’s only natural to repay debts, and Lady Tsunade, you’ve already lost too much. If you continue to lose, we won’t even have money for accommodation.”
The pale blonde “girl” waved her hand, “You babble and nag all day long, anyone would think you are…”
At this point, Tsunade suddenly stopped speaking.
Her walking speed even slowed down slightly.
“Lady Tsunade? What’s wrong?” Shizune, holding a small pink pig, sensed something was amiss and her expression suddenly changed, “Could it be that debt collectors are following us again?!”
“There’s… the smell of blood…”
Tsunade’s small face turned serious. She slowly said, “It’s a very strong smell of blood, like someone has been bled halfway dry.”
Shizune: “!!!”
At the moment Tsunade finished speaking, a figure illuminated by a streetlamp appeared before her and Shizune.
Shizune blinked, “Uchiha… Police Force?!”
She immediately recognized the distinctive uniform of the figure ahead.
Huh? Wait a minute… that’s not right!
This is Tanzaku Street.
It’s not Konoha Village!
Why would the Uchiha clan’s Police Force be in Tanzaku Street?
Neither Tsunade nor Shizune spoke further as they walked forward. The Uchiha Police Force ninja ahead was also walking towards them.
Shizune’s pupils suddenly constricted, as she saw the Police Force ninja’s right hand gripping a drawn ninja sword!
The tip of the ninja sword seemed to be stained with a smear of scarlet blood!
Shizune gasped, her heart turning cold. While confused and shocked, she immediately stepped forward two paces and stood in front of Tsunade, trying to shield Tsunade from seeing the blood on the ninja sword.
It was because Lady Tsunade suffered from hemophobia!
As they passed each other, Uchiha Ikeizumi glanced at Tsunade and Shizune; Tsunade and Shizune also shifted their gaze to this Konoha ninja dressed as an Uchiha clan Police Force member.
Until they parted ways in different directions.
“Shizune.” Tsunade stopped walking. Her expression was slightly odd as she said, “Don’t you think… he looks like an acquaintance.”
Shizune blinked, “Acquaintance?!”
……
“Lord Ikeizumi… do you seem to know them?” Kijiro looked back suspiciously and saw that the black-haired woman was also looking in their direction.
The moment the gaze of the person and the cat met in mid-air, Kijiro suddenly felt the other person looked somewhat familiar.
“One is Tsunade, one of the Sannin, and the other is Kato Shizune.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said slowly, “Indeed, I know them. I encountered them nine years ago when I came to Tanzaku Street. I didn’t expect that after nine years, Konoha’s Princess Tsunade is still lingering in Tanzaku Street.”
Kijiro: “!!!”
Tsunade!
Shizune!
A distant memory suddenly attacked Kijiro’s mind, and it exclaimed in surprise, “Meow! Nine years ago, they seemed to be following Lord Ikeizumi. As long as Lord Ikeizumi killed a villain in Tanzaku Street, they would take the money from the villain!”
“That Sannin Tsunade even pointed out the locations of several villains to Lord Ikeizumi, trying to get Lord Ikeizumi to kill them. Although those people were indeed villains, the bigger reason she pointed out their locations was because they were her creditors, meow!”
Tsunade’s shameless behavior had truly opened Kijiro’s eyes and greatly shocked it when it was still young.
As a result, the suddenly emerging memories were so vivid.
Kijiro even remembered the details of that time clearly.
At the same time.
About fifty meters away from Uchiha Ikeizumi, Tsunade, who had been biting her finger and deep in thought, suddenly turned sharply to face Shizune.
“Shizune!!!”
Tsunade, no longer calm, hurriedly said, “I remember! That kid just now was Uchiha Ikeizumi!”
“Ah???”
Shizune was momentarily confused, “Uchiha Ikeizumi?”
Tsunade immediately said, “It’s that Uchiha kid who almost burned Tanzaku Street to the ground nine years ago! Didn’t you forget that night, when my tens of millions of debt were all written off? His reappearance tonight means what? It means he’s going to help me again… cough!”
Tsunade coughed and corrected herself, “It means he’s going to execute justice again! What was that justice of his again?”
Shizune: “!!!”
She remembered!
Uchiha Ikeizumi… This was the “nightmare” that had hung over Tanzaku Street for nine full years! Even after so much time had passed, many people still remembered that “demon” from back then.
Shizune vaguely recalled that night was definitely a bloody night in Tanzaku Street, with dozens of people killed alone!
What was even more exaggerated was that all the people killed that night were villains, not a single innocent person.
And the instigator of it all was Uchiha Ikeizumi!
Back then…
He was only nine years old!
Lady Tsunade could still recognize him?
“It seems like…” Shizune murmured, “Absolute Justice?”
As Tsunade excitedly looked in Uchiha Ikeizumi’s direction, she found that Uchiha Ikeizumi had already disappeared.
“Shizune! Hurry and catch up to him! That kid is definitely going to kill villains again, and maybe many creditors will die tonight!”
The frustration of losing a million ryo gambling was instantly swept away.
With a joyful expression, Tsunade left these words and ran without hesitation in the direction Uchiha Ikeizumi had disappeared.
“Eh… Huh?!”
Shizune, whose reaction was half a beat slow, hastily turned and followed.
“Lady Tsunade!”
“Wait for me!”
……
A few minutes later.
As the door of an entertainment venue on Tanzaku Street was violently pushed open.
A man, dressed in opulent clothing and with a fat head and big ears, was surrounded by a crowd of samurai he had heavily paid to protect. He stumbled and scrambled out of the entertainment venue, running frantically.
“Quick! Run! That murderer from back then…”
The man had lost all semblance of composure, his terrified face filled with despair.
Snot and tears streamed down his face simultaneously.
He ran for his life, letting out terrified shouts.
“That Uchiha Ikeizumi…”
“He’s back!!!”
His screams nearly startled half the street, but most people didn’t know what the name “Uchiha Ikeizumi” meant on Tanzaku Street. Only a small number of locals on Tanzaku Street turned pale with shock upon hearing his screams.
Tap…
Tap…
Tap…
Faint footsteps echoed as Uchiha Ikeizumi, holding a ninja sword in one hand, slowly walked out from inside the entertainment venue. The blood staining his ninja sword had increased.
When Uchiha Ikeizumi’s indifferent gaze lifted slightly.
The lines of crimson text before him appeared particularly striking.
“The twisted and sickened ninja world continuously breeds countless sins. Nine years ago, one batch was killed, and after nine years, another batch has grown.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi spoke with a detached tone, “Ultimately, it’s because the villains killed nine years ago weren’t enough, and they weren’t killed thoroughly enough. Tonight… Absolute Justice will bloodbath Tanzaku Street!”
As his voice faded, and amidst the extreme tension of the assembled samurai, Uchiha Ikeizumi turned and walked in another direction.
The samurai were stunned. Before they could understand what was happening, the portly man, whom the samurai had been surrounding and protecting, suddenly stiffened all over.
He quickly reached up to cover his gushing neck.
Splattering blood stained the faces of several samurai a deep red, leaving them all at a loss.
When they urgently looked at the portly man, they saw that his neck had been precisely hit by a shuriken!
The artery in his neck had been cut by the shuriken!
And despite all of them combined, they hadn’t even noticed where the shuriken came from!
At the same time, the onlookers on the street, not understanding what was happening, widened their eyes.
“Kill… Kill…”
“He’s killed someone!!!”
……
……
