If one ignored the cruelty of the "Bloody Mist" policy and looked only at the proportion of Kirigakure jōnin, it was not hard to see that Kirigakure's success rate in producing accomplished ninja was clearly much higher than Konohagakure's.
That also explained why so many Kirigakure ninja chose to support the "Bloody Mist" policy. In the end, the people of Kirigakure were not fools either. If the "Bloody Mist" policy had truly brought nothing but harm and not a single benefit, they would not have kept tormenting themselves with it.
However, viewed as a whole, the "Bloody Mist" policy was purely a case of the harm outweighing the benefit. After tormenting itself for several generations, Kirigakure had forcibly reduced itself from one of the Five Great Nations that once stood on equal footing with Konohagakure into the weakened state it was in today.
What was even more fatal was that because of the "Bloody Mist" policy, Kirigakure ninja could never open their hearts to companions who might betray them at any time, further intensifying Kirigakure's internal division.
"Only thirty percent…" Keizumi rarely raised an eyebrow, revealing a somewhat surprised expression. "It hasn't reached the point of being beyond salvation."
"Keizumi-sama, what are you talking about?" The large slug closest to Keizumi lowered its body and swayed its feelers as it asked curiously.
"I'm calculating how many sinners still need to be eliminated." Keizumi returned to calmness, his right hand lightly rubbing the hilt of his sword. "The situation is much better than I expected. Among the remaining Kirigakure ninja, only around thirty percent need justice to be carried out on them immediately. The rest still have a chance to atone."
In Keizumi's eyes, the Kirigakure ninja walking toward him looked like a large mass of constantly swaying red and white boxes. Fortunately, this time, proportionally speaking, the number of white boxes was clearly much higher than that of the red ones.
Moreover, most of the red boxes were quite self-aware and had proactively gathered together, which made it convenient for Keizumi to sort them out.
"But aren't they here to cooperate with you in carrying out Absolute Justice?" Katsuyu hesitated a little. If they were purely sinners, then they indeed should be executed immediately. But if they were sinners assisting in advancing Absolute Justice, it felt somewhat hesitant. Perhaps those sinners who had truly seen the error of their ways should also be given a chance to atone?
At the very least, they could first help advance the development of [Absolute Justice], and afterward, their contributions could be considered in deciding whether they should be executed directly.
"Justice allows no compromise! The participation of sinners would only stain Absolute Justice!" Keizumi said with firm finality. "Rather than hoping these sinners can help advance justice, it would be more beneficial to Absolute Justice to send them directly to meet their victims!"
"So that's how it is, I understand now!" Katsuyu suddenly came to a realization, happily shaking its feelers. The other three large slugs nearby, who had not heard the conversation clearly, quickly gathered around and asked another self what had happened.
Naturally, the Katsuyu that had been speaking with Keizumi did not keep anything from itself. It likewise swayed its feelers as it conveyed the earlier conversation to its other three selves, after which the four large slugs all happily swayed their bodies together.
For the Slug Sage, which had already lived for over a thousand years, the thing most worthy of joy had never been how much stronger it had become, but rather understanding more truths and gaining a deeper understanding of humanity as a group.
That was why, at this moment, it thought so highly of Uchiha Keizumi and sincerely hoped that his Absolute Justice could be promoted throughout the shinobi world.
The unusual movement of the four large slugs immediately alarmed the Kirigakure ninja who were walking toward Keizumi, and upon seeing these four enormous creatures, the Kirigakure ninja could not help but widen their eyes.
"Six Tails!? No! They're just four especially large slugs…" Kukurin was so startled by the four "Six Tails" that he nearly wet his pants. Fortunately, the difference in appearance between slugs and the Six Tails was still fairly obvious. It was only because they were both mollusks, and also had similar size and coloring, that Kirigakure ninja who had never seen the Six Tails in person could easily mistake them.
After being startled once, Kukurin finally managed to calm himself down. Soon after, his attention fell on Uchiha Keizumi—whose figure was "small," yet whose presence was no less imposing than those enormous slugs.
Perhaps it was because too many people had been killed tonight, or perhaps it was simply because of Uchiha Keizumi's reputation. Even at a distance of over a hundred meters, Kukurin could still feel that oppressive pressure surging toward him like a mountain.
'…Lava Release fiend…' As the pressure grew heavier and heavier, Kukurin's expression became increasingly grim. On the way here, the information about Uchiha Keizumi had already been exchanged among the Kirigakure ninja countless times, yet the Uchiha Keizumi of the Shinobi War and the Uchiha Keizumi of today were simply not comparable. 'Calling this kind of monster a mere fiend is an understatement!'
By the time Kukurin finally managed to follow behind Terumī Mei and arrive before Keizumi, his heart was already beating more than twice as fast as normal. This was the body's signal when facing danger. Fortunately, quite a few of his colleagues had already embarrassed themselves by beginning to gasp for breath, so by comparison Kukurin's performance could even be considered good.
"Keizumi-sama, the village's surviving… the only remaining ninja are all here. I've already persuaded them—everyone present is willing to fight to the end for Absolute Justice!" Mei still held onto the last trace of hope. She deliberately emphasized that everyone was willing to stand with Absolute Justice, hoping that Keizumi might consider that, even if they had no merit, they had still worked hard, and give these sinners a chance to atone.
After all, only Keizumi and that Uchiha girl could see the crimes. As long as they did not say anything, naturally no one else would know that these people were sinners who deserved death.
"Of course, Mei had never expected Keizumi to turn a blind eye to evil. But at the very least, giving her some buffer time—so that even if these people were executed afterward, the pressure could be spread across different periods—would still help.
"I understand…" Keizumi nodded to Mei. Compared with those boxes that were red to the point of turning black, Terumī Mei's white box looked much more pleasing to the eye. But then he turned to look at a middle-aged ninja standing beside Terumī Mei.
"Fuwa Kurō. Eighteen years ago, you poisoned and killed a companion over a trivial matter. Fifteen years ago, for the sake of a famous blade, you murdered the seventeen members of the Hakusan family at Sakura Ferry Crossing. Fourteen years ago… half a month ago, you used passing innocent children to test your blade. Five days ago, you raped and murdered the sisters who ran a flower shop."
It took more than four minutes for Keizumi to finish listing the crimes of this Kirigakure ninja, and that was only because he had selected the capital offenses. If he had listed everything, it might have taken more than ten minutes.
From the moment Keizumi called his name, Fuwa Kurō had instinctively tried to flee. However, he was firmly controlled in place by Keizumi's Sharingan genjutsu and could only listen in terror as Keizumi pronounced judgment upon him.
Every major crime he had committed—from more than a decade ago to just a few days ago—was recited clearly by Keizumi without a single exception.
It was as if the God of Justice were delivering judgment. At the very least, the cause of death of the Hakusan family was known only to Fuwa Kurō himself.