The blood-red sun created by the Ending Earth was far superior to ordinary weather-altering techniques; it was an exceptionally overbearing terrain-style move.
Initially, the Third Hokage and the others assumed Uchiha Kaede had generated this blood-red sun to launch a direct assault.
Consequently, they had focused entirely on defensive measures and preparing to evacuate the citizens.
To their surprise, the blood-red sun did not plummet directly. Instead, it remained suspended in the sky, continuously absorbing the natural energy around it, transforming the surrounding area into a scorching-hot hell and unleashing an endless torrent of fire rain.
Continuously absorbing natural energy only to release it with violent, tyrannical force—this was the true power of the Ending Earth.
Within the weather terrain created by the Ending Earth, the power of Fire Style techniques would be amplified several times over.
Gazing at the sun that grew larger by the second in the sky, the Third Hokage's eyes filled with deep anxiety. Although it wasn't falling down right now, as the energy accumulated and expanded, the sheer force of the resulting explosion would likely level Konoha entirely.
Controlling this colossal sun, Uchiha Kaede looked down coldly at the masses of Konoha Village below, pouring out the endless fire rain energy under his absolute command.
A massive number of houses and buildings caught fire under the baptism of the fire rain. Numerous Water Style ninjas attempted to douse the flames with water, only to discover that the fire rain contained specialized blue flames.
Conventional methods were utterly useless against it, forcing them to rely on the Fire Sealing Method.
Since they had to use the Fire Sealing Method, the overall efficiency of extinguishing the fires and rescuing the wounded became drastically slower.
Having changed into his specialized combat attire, the Third Hokage stared coldly at Uchiha Kaede in the sky.
The operation against the Uchiha clan was supposed to be a top-secret, classified mission. To maintain the illusion of absolute normalcy, the village hadn't even initiated mobilization or evacuation preparations, intending to wipe out the Uchiha clan silently without anyone knowing.
Kaede's strike had completely torn away the facade.
Even if the Uchiha clan were successfully exterminated afterward and Sasuke was preserved, Sasuke's status and treatment would be completely different from what they were in the original timeline.
The sole survivor of a traitorous clan and the lone survivor of a prestigious noble clan were two entirely different concepts.
"Using the lives of the entire clan to satisfy the future of a single person? I'm sorry, but the Uchiha clan should rise and fall together. Whatever treatment the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki receives, Uchiha Sasuke should endure the exact same."
Kaede's words were laced with a malicious, venomous intent. Meanwhile, having infiltrated the Uchiha compound to execute the plan, Itachi and Obito looked up at the blindingly bright sun in the sky, their faces instantly turning livid.
"Tsk, tsk. It looks like Uchiha Kaede beat you to the punch. Itachi, what do you plan to do?"
Obito stood to one side with the attitude of watching a theater performance. He vividly remembered how this brat Uchiha Itachi had betrayed him last time, nearly causing him to crash and burn.
Now, a turn of the wheel had brought a taste of his own medicine, and it was Itachi's turn to be plotted against.
Then again, this didn't really count as a plot; after all, the grievances between Uchiha Kaede and Itachi were already so deep that a little more didn't make much of a difference.
"Continue the mission..."
Stepping into the main estate, the deep night within the Uchiha compound was suddenly shattered as lights flared up brilliantly.
Countless pairs of Sharingan materialized within the darkness, casting a bizarre, eerie atmosphere over the scene.
Uchiha Fugaku, acting as the leader of the Uchiha clan, stood coldly in the center of the courtyard alongside his wife, Uchiha Mikoto, watching Itachi and the nearby Obito.
"Father..."
Gently taking his wife's hand, Fugaku took a deep breath. "Itachi, I respect your choice. But we, the Uchiha, will absolutely not sit still and wait for death!"
The moment the words left his mouth, countless Uchiha clansmen lunged toward Itachi and Obito. At that exact moment, the elite members of the Foundation (Root) who had been waiting in ambush materialized simultaneously, clashing violently with the Uchiha clansmen.
To ensure the destruction of the Uchiha clan, Shimura Danzo had already made flawless preparations.
Since Itachi's plan had been exposed, the Foundation simply threw away all stealth and took action personally, pinning down the ordinary Uchiha clansmen on Itachi's behalf.
Back in the main village, the Third Hokage spewed out a stream of specialized mud that instantly exploded right in front of Uchiha Kaede.
Amidst Kaede's momentarily staggered gaze, the Third Hokage, wielding his massive staff and using specialized mud-traction shoes to tread directly upon the giant fireball, launched an aggressive assault straight toward Uchiha Kaede.
As the shadow of a village, the Third Hokage would never back down in the face of a threat, especially from a terrifying sun that could detonate at any given second. Thus, he struck decisively, appearing directly before Uchiha Kaede.
"Uchiha Kaede, do you truly intend to betray the village?"
"Yes. Is this not exactly the outcome you all have been eagerly anticipating?"
Before his words even finished fading, Uchiha Kaede clenched his right fist tightly. A blood-red fire condensed around his knuckles, burning so intensely it almost turned white—heavy and incredibly dense!
Whoosh!
The surrounding air ignited spontaneously without any wind, erupting into a roaring blaze that smashed frantically toward the Third Hokage!
Having absorbed Ace's Sage Body, Uchiha Kaede utilized the purest execution of a fire fist. It contained a terrifying, explosive kinetic energy, while his left eye simultaneously activated the Turbo Flame capability, elevating the flame energy to its absolute limit.
The air currents passing through the extreme heat were reduced to a state where they were on the verge of spontaneous ignition.
When the timing was precise, he drew them in with Turbo Flame, completing a compression that raised the density to unleash the ultimate punch.
With heightened density came an even greater scorching heat, causing the very air to combust as sparks continuously erupted, forming an incredibly lethal zone of destruction, as if countless Phoenix Sage Flower techniques were being fired simultaneously.
This move was exceptionally difficult to master. Without absolute mastery over Fire Style and precise control over the power of his own Sage Body, it was impossible to link the components together seamlessly. But for Uchiha Kaede, it was a perfect fit!
Flames surged from all directions with a savage momentum. The Third Hokage's heart tightened as he abandoned his planned technique, raising his arms to brace against the strike, feeling his respiratory tract burning with agonizing heat.
Uchiha Kaede had already closed the distance, a punch ripping upward from below, soaring toward the heavens.
"Lord Third!"
Several members of the Hokage's Anbu guard appeared to one side. Seeing the Third Hokage engage, they naturally stepped forward to back him up.
However, at that moment, the red flames surrounding Uchiha Kaede formed an absolute defense, establishing a barrier zone directly atop the giant sun.
Ordinary people couldn't even withstand the ambient temperature anywhere near the intense sun. Had Uchiha Kaede not possessed Turbo Flame to regulate the surrounding temperature, he wouldn't have been able to stand calmly atop the blood-red sun either.
Yet, the Third Hokage was using his physical body to withstand this extreme heat. While this earned Kaede's respect, a flash of killing intent surfaced in his eyes.
This simultaneously familiar yet utterly foreign killing intent suddenly gave the Third Hokage an incredibly ominous feeling.
The red flames condensed into a sharp blade in Uchiha Kaede's hand. He fell into a starting stance that was terrifyingly familiar to the Third Hokage.
"Fire Style: Cyclone Blade!"
The overbearing whirlwind blade was hurled forward. As the Third Hokage moved to evade it, a faint layer of blue flame energy blanketed the blazing light shining from Kaede's hand.
This blue flame transformed into a sharp blade. With a casual turn and a slash, it seemed to slice through the air with the echo of a dragon's roar.
Amidst the swirling torrent of fire, a terrifyingly high-temperature shockwave flashed out.
Faced with an explosive, destructive force of this magnitude, Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly raised his Adamantine Staff to block. Yet, amidst the dazzling, scorching blast, Hiruzen actually felt his arms go numb, forcing him to take a step back.
The familiar tactical patterns triggered a sudden, violent recollection within his mind—the battle when the Land of Wind invaded Konoha years ago, the signature style from the Fifth Kazekage's rise to fame.
Although the Kazekage had used Magnet Style to shape his blades back then...
"You are not an Uchiha... who on earth are you?!"
An unprecedented sense of absurdity flooded his heart. The Third Hokage's gaze locked tightly onto the foreign yet hauntingly familiar young man opposite him.
"Me?"
Uchiha Kaede narrowed his eyes. The flaming blade in his hand suddenly split into two, transforming into a pair of dual blazing katanas.
At this moment, as his Mangekyo Sharingan spun rapidly, the fire grew even more ferocious: "Merely the person who is going to kill you..."
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