Chapter 87: Hindering The Enforcer—kill Without Mercy
Izumi, trotting happily behind Uchiha Ikeizumi, suddenly saw Senior Ikeizumi ahead stop in his tracks.
Fortunately, the girl braked in time.
Otherwise, she would have crashed right into him.
“Senior, why…”
Before Izumi could finish her sentence, Kijiro, perched on her shoulder, interrupted: “Shh, Lord Ikeizumi has spotted the ‘prey.’ His eyes have seen the Evil of the Ninja World again!”
Evil of the Ninja World? The term made the girl perk up immediately.
She poked her little head out from behind Uchiha Ikeizumi, curiously following Senior Ikeizumi’s gaze, and saw a dozen or so people with varied attire gathered ahead.
“These people…”
Izumi furrowed her delicate brows and muttered: “They’re not from Konoha, right!”
Her certainty came from the fact that when Senior Ikeizumi appeared on this street, many Konoha residents immediately fell silent; some who might have had ulterior motives hurriedly turned and walked away, avoiding Senior Ikeizumi like the Plague God.
Those discussing last night’s events turned pale as ghosts upon seeing the man himself appear before them.
Izumi wanted to tell them—as long as they weren’t doing evil, discussing Senior Ikeizumi wasn’t a big deal.
Even discussing him right in front of him would be fine.
However, the villagers’ misunderstanding of the senior was too deep.
Fine…
‘This kind of misunderstanding continuing could be seen as a form of awe toward「 Absolute Justice」. With awe in their hearts, they probably won’t have the guts to do evil.’ Izumi muttered to herself inwardly.
That’s why, upon seeing the dozen or so people gathered ahead showing a reaction completely different from others…
Izumi was certain they definitely didn’t live in Konoha!
……
“He… is Uchiha Ikeizumi?!” Goyuen Kyusuke didn’t take the Twelve Guardian Shinobi’s grave vigilance to heart; his gaze collided with Uchiha Ikeizumi’s in midair.
Goyuen Kyusuke fanned himself with his folding fan, clicking his tongue in wonder: “A ninja of the Uchiha Clan—I’ve heard about them early on, but this is the first time seeing one. He looks pretty cold…”
“Nan Wu, no need to be tense.”
Goyuen Kyusuke smiled: “Didn’t you say he’s a ninja of the Police Force? The Konoha Military Police Force’s operating funds are also paid by my father, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.”
“Maybe I can even make friends with this Uchiha Ikeizumi. If he’s as formidable as you say and willing to become my guard, I can pay a high price to hire him.”
However.
Just as Goyuen Kyusuke took a step forward, Nan Wu suddenly reached out to stop him.
“Hey! Nan Wu, what are you doing?” A vassal scolded: “Just fulfill your guard duties—don’t overstep!”
But the next second, this vassal was met with a chilling glance from the elite jonin, along with a terrifying aura forged on the Ninja Wars battlefield, scaring cold sweat out of him in a “whoosh.”
Nan Wu withdrew his gaze.
He turned his vigilant eyes back to Uchiha Ikeizumi ahead.
In a tone laced with tension, he said: “Lord Kyusuke, I see killing intent in that man’s eyes. You all should turn around and leave immediately to seek ninja aid.”
“Because…” Nan Wu had already drawn his ninja sword an inch from its sheath at his waist, his mouth dry as he said: “It’s killing intent targeted at Lord Kyusuke!”
“…What?!!”
The group exclaimed in shock.
……
At the same time, Uchiha Ikeizumi moved; he wasn’t hurried at all, each step forward steady and calm.
In his sight.
A young man dressed in luxurious Shōchoku had a bright red frame floating above his head. Within the frame were crimson characters detailing this person’s crimes!
This made him stand out like a crane among chickens among the crowd.
Uchiha Ikeizumi was voicing the words his eyes saw.
“Goyuen Kyusuke. Eleven years ago, accidentally killed a maid in the household and threw her body into a dry well. When the victim’s family came demanding justice, ordered vassals to beat them severely.”
Hearing this, Izumi behind him shuddered.
She hurriedly pulled out paper and pen from her ninja tool bag, frantically recording every word Senior Ikeizumi said.
Kijiro suddenly froze, his cat face showing some doubt as he murmured thoughtfully: “…Goyuen?”
“Seven years ago, after losing all personal savings in a casino, in a fit of rage arranged for vassals to set fire to the casino. The fire got out of control and spread to many homes. That day, four killed by burning, nineteen suffocated, ten seriously injured, thirty-one lightly injured.”
When Izumi recorded this, her pen tip poked through the paper.
Clear veins gradually appeared on her fair hand.
She gnashed her teeth: “Damn villain!!!”
A puzzled thought bubbled in the girl’s mind—how could someone who committed such heinous acts still stand here alive like nothing happened?!
She frowned at the word “vassals” written in her notebook.
She vaguely had some clues.
But couldn’t grasp them fully yet.
“Goyuen… is the Daimyo of the Land of Fire’s surname. In the Land of Fire, only the Daimyo and his kin have that surname.”
Until Kijiro’s voice reached Izumi’s ears.
Izumi’s little face was full of disbelief: “The Land of Fire’s… Daimyo?”
Kijiro said: “Meow, that guy’s young, definitely not the Daimyo himself. Could be a relative or even the son.”
It licked its paw, rubbed its face with it, then said: “Rookie, prepare to stir up a huge mess. Lord Ikeizumi never cares about magnates.”
“During the Third Shinobi World War, when Lord Ikeizumi left the village, he encountered a noble outside. That noble thought his status made him above the law, committed many evil deeds, and domineered locally.”
“In the end…”
“Lord Ikeizumi took a ninja sword and stormed the noble’s place, killing the entire family of nineteen from top to bottom, clean. And not a single villain was wronged!”
Izumi: “!!!”
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eerie voice wasn’t loud, but after walking a dozen meters forward, those ahead could hear it.
“Three years ago, drunk, raped an eleven-year-old girl; after sobering up, fearing discovery, strangled her and sank the body in the river.”
“One year ago…”
……
Listening to Uchiha Ikeizumi’s somewhat disjointed words, Nan Wu, gripping his ninja sword, was tense yet increasingly suspicious.
“What strange things is this guy saying?”
Nan Wu felt someone like Uchiha Ikeizumi wouldn’t spout nonsense for no reason.
Until he heard a “pat” from behind.
Nan Wu froze.
Glancing back, he saw Goyuen Kyusuke, the high-status son of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, wearing a horrified expression like he’d seen a ghost in broad daylight!
And the vassals Goyuen Kyusuke brought showed expressions no different!
What did that mean?
As the doubt arose in Nan Wu’s mind, Uchiha Ikeizumi’s next words answered it: “Goyuen Kyusuke, these are the evil deeds of your twenty-four years of life. Crimes too numerous to record should be purged by「 Justice」!”
Nan Wu: “!!!”
No way?
This seemingly cheerful and amiable son of the Daimyo had committed such crimes!?
No!
The key issue was, how did Uchiha Ikeizumi know?
Making it up?
But if it was made up, why were they reacting so strongly?
At this moment, Goyuen Kyusuke, son of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, had pupils trembling like in an earthquake, staring in horrified disbelief at Uchiha Ikeizumi ahead.
—How does this guy know!!!
The roar in his heart proved his inner turmoil.
A few drops of cold sweat unconsciously beaded on Goyuen Kyusuke’s forehead; every step Uchiha Ikeizumi took forward made him involuntarily step back, a rising fear making him extremely uneasy, no longer composed as before.
He immediately shot suspicious glares at his vassals.
“Lord Kyusuke…”
A vassal swallowed hard and hurriedly whispered: “We absolutely haven’t betrayed you, and we don’t even know this person. We have no idea how he knows…”
Nan Wu, tightly gripping his ninja sword: “…”
He was speechless; it seemed one really couldn’t judge a book by its cover.
This son of the Daimyo wasn’t a good person.
But…
“Uchiha Ikeizumi!” Nan Wu shouted a warning: “This lord is an envoy sent by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, a guest of the Third Hokage of Konoha Village! He’s a magnate of the Land of Fire! If you don’t want to stir conflict between the Daimyo and Konoha, stop immediately! Don’t approach Lord Kyusuke another step!”
He had ultimately accepted the mission from the Daimyo of the Land of Fire—must protect Goyuen Kyusuke.
Now he could only grit his teeth and hold the line.
As an elite jonin, he absolutely wasn’t weaker than this “Lava Release Ferocious Beast” Uchiha Ikeizumi.
At least holding out until the Hokage arrived shouldn’t be a problem.
“Lord Kyusuke, take the others and retreat immediately!” Nan Wu said coldly: “Next, it’s our ninjas’ turf.”
A vassal hurriedly said: “Hey hey! Nan Wu! You have to block that lunatic!”
“…I’ll do my best.”
……
On the other side.
“…Naruto?!”
On his way to greet the Daimyo’s envoy, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly spotted a familiar small figure.
However…
What was Naruto doing?
Doubt flashed in Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes; in his view, Naruto was sweeping the street left and right with a broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other, sweating profusely from exhaustion.
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked up to Naruto and, seeing the boy looking miserable while sweeping the street, gently patted his head.
Naruto turned in surprise and, seeing it was Sarutobi Hiruzen, lit up with joy: “Grandpa Hokage!!!”
“Naruto, this is… a new prank?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s expression was odd.
The joy on Naruto’s face quickly turned to dejection, and he recounted everything that happened to Sarutobi Hiruzen in detail.
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned: “Ikeizumi contacted you? Naruto, did he do anything to you?”
Konoha’s jinchuriki contacting a Mangekyo Sharingan wielder left no room for Sarutobi Hiruzen not to overthink.
Naruto grumbled: “He picked me up, then put me down, and made me clean this street for half a year.”
His aggrieved tone was like tattling to a teacher.
Naruto eyed Grandpa Hokage hopefully for another cover-up.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen said: “That’s not bad; it’ll temper your wild side. Save the villagers from coming to report your pranks again.”
Naruto felt the sky had fallen.
After bidding Naruto farewell and walking a dozen meters away, Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered, still uneasy. When he glanced at a certain shadowed corner behind, the Anbu ninja monitoring Uzumaki Naruto appeared promptly.
“Lord Hokage, I didn’t see Uchiha Ikeizumi activate Sharingan; he just gave Uzumaki Naruto a simple lesson.”
The Anbu ninja succinctly reported.
“Mm…” Sarutobi Hiruzen finally relaxed a bit, but soon frowned again: “Since you saw Ikeizumi contacting Naruto, why not stop it?”
Anbu ninja: “…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “…”
“Cough!”
Realizing, Sarutobi Hiruzen coughed lightly. Last time the Anbu confronted Uchiha Ikeizumi over Naruto, it caused quite a stir in the village and even dragged in Danzo, killing two Root ninjas.
Having this Anbu confront Uchiha Ikeizumi again would really be asking too much.
“Lately, try to avoid Naruto contacting the Uchiha Clan.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen paused a few seconds, then instructed.
“Yes, Lord Hokage.”
……
Click—
The moment Nan Wu keenly saw Uchiha Ikeizumi’s left hand on the hilt, pressing the guard and drawing the ninja sword a centimeter from its sheath, he knew Uchiha Ikeizumi ignored his warning entirely.
Damn… Does this extreme “Lava Release Ferocious Beast” have no sense of social hierarchy in his eyes?
This was the Daimyo’s son!!!
Nan Wu swiftly formed seals with one hand, lightning chakra coiling around his palm.
“Lightning Release: Fang Blade Technique!”
His fingertips quickly swiped the blade of the ninja sword in hand, and with a “sizzle,” arcs of electricity wrapped it, flashing like a ferocious beast’s fangs.
“Strike first!”
Whoosh—
Nan Wu gritted his teeth and flickered forward, trailing long arcs of electricity, slashing his ninja sword at Uchiha Ikeizumi!
A metallic clash rang out; the two ninja swords crossed fiercely in midair, sparking instantly.
Nan Wu changed his sword stance, parrying Uchiha Ikeizumi’s ninja sword aside.
Then swiftly stabbed the ground.
Released the hilt, slammed his palms together.
“Lightning Release…”
“Lightning Cage Technique!!!”
Stall for time—that was Nan Wu’s sole conviction. He didn’t think he could instantly kill Uchiha Ikeizumi alone, but… stalling was enough!
The next instant, as massive lightning surged toward Uchiha Ikeizumi, forming a cage to trap him…
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s right arm of flowing lava…
Shot out at the same time!
Under Nan Wu’s widening eyes of disbelief, the lava arm pierced through layers of lightning! Even as bolts blasted it, splattering lava and pitting it, Uchiha Ikeizumi ahead remained unfazed!
“…Oh no!!!”
Nan Wu yanked his ninja sword to block in front, only to see it melt upon touching the scalding lava, his Lightning Release chakra useless.
Bang!!!
The lava arm, bearing horrific heat and extending like a thrusting spear, instantly pierced Nan Wu’s chest.
The ninja vest he wore offered no defense against the surging lava, more fragile than paper.
The terrifying heat instantly cooked his organs.
Nan Wu’s wide, disbelieving eyes were threaded with blood.
“Bwah!”
He vomited a mouthful of blood solidified by the heat.
“Police Force enforcement. Interfering with enforcers… will be killed without mercy.”
This moment.
He finally heard Uchiha Ikeizumi’s voice up close.
Finally witnessed the gap between himself and this Uchiha Clan dual bloodline limit genius, whose fame matched Body Flicker Shisui’s
…
Too vast!
……
……
