That single sentence made Wen Lan and Shikaku snap their heads up.
Even Minato, who had been sleeping on the side, jolted upright as if struck by lightning.
Minato's pupils shrank.
He and Shikaku instinctively looked toward Wen Lan.
Wen Lan's eyes narrowed slightly, sharp as blades, as if capable of piercing straight through a person's soul.
"Who did it? What happened?"
For a moment, everyone in the room held their breath.
The air seemed to freeze solid.
In times of peace, countries still had friction—but conflicts rarely escalated to deaths.
This incident tore apart the illusion of stability.
And the victim was an Uchiha.
Everyone in the ninja world knew one thing:
Wen Lan was ruthless when it came to protecting his own.
That was why no one dared touch the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha Biliang was not an ordinary ninja.
Wen Lan knew him personally—he served in the Konoha Police Force and was a jonin qualified to attend clan council meetings.
Even in peaceful times, lethal incidents rarely involved jonin.
If a genin or chunin died, the matter usually ended with compensation or an apology.
Harsh as it sounded—
their deaths rarely justified war.
But a jonin was a pillar of the village.
The death of one meant a direct loss of combat strength—and could ignite full-scale conflict.
Anyone bold enough to kill a jonin was either a rogue ninja
or someone deliberately trying to start a war.
Shikaku moved quickly, pulling a mission report from a stack of documents.
He scanned it once and handed it to Wen Lan.
"It was an A-rank mission.
A wealthy businessman from the Hidden Mist came to Konoha to purchase goods. He's a key economic contributor to Kirigakure and has access to sensitive financial matters, so the mission required high-level protection.
The escort team consisted of Jonin Uchiha Biliang leading three chunin, tasked with safely returning the businessman to the Hidden Mist."
Wen Lan took the report.
His finger pressed hard on the name Uchiha Biliang.
Then he looked at the ANBU operative, his voice cold as ice.
"Tell me exactly what happened.
I don't believe the Hidden Mist would start a war over this."
The ANBU trembled violently and lowered his head.
He had seen Wen Lan's fury before.
"During the mission… the team was suddenly attacked by four unidentified individuals.
Uchiha Biliang held them off alone, allowing the three chunin to escort the target convoy to safety.
After securing the target, the chunin returned to support him…
but when they arrived…"
His voice faltered.
"There was only blood everywhere.
And shattered fragments of Sharingan.
Uchiha Biliang's body remained at the scene…
but his head… was missing."
The natural energy inside Wen Lan exploded instantly.
The air in the room detonated like a shockwave.
Tables and chairs disintegrated into dust.
Walls cracked like spiderwebs.
The floor split open with deep fractures.
Roof tiles rained down like hail.
"What kind of person did this?"
His voice sounded like a demon's whisper.
"I… I don't know… the investigation is still ongoing…"
The ANBU shook uncontrollably.
Wen Lan roared:
"Someone move!
Notify every Uchiha ninja of chunin rank and above.
Tell them to assemble at the clan gate immediately.
In one hour—
we leave the village."
A shadow in the darkness vanished instantly to carry out the order.
"Wen Lan!"
Minato grabbed his shoulder.
"This isn't the time to act on anger. We need evidence."
"Evidence?"
Wen Lan narrowed his eyes again.
"The attackers targeted Biliang's team. That means the businessman is hiding something.
Find him—and he'll talk."
Minato tried to respond, but Shikaku already understood.
Wen Lan was beyond persuasion.
His reputation for protecting his own was legendary across Konoha—and the entire ninja world.
Now an Uchiha had been killed.
This would not end quietly.
Shikaku spoke calmly:
"I won't stop you.
But take a member of the Yamanaka clan with you. Their secret techniques allow long-distance mental communication.
If you uncover anything, inform us immediately."
Wen Lan stared at him coldly.
After a moment, he gave a slow nod.
The Uchiha mobilization could not be hidden.
News spread through the village like wildfire.
Clan leaders of the Hyuga, Nara, Yamanaka, and others all wore grim expressions.
They knew this incident could shake the entire ninja world.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha gathered in full gear before their clan gate.
Their eyes burned with fury.
Weapons glinted coldly in the morning light.
The air carried the heavy scent of impending violence.
Villagers and members of other clans stood nearby.
At the front of the crowd—
an elderly woman and a middle-aged woman stood together.
The younger woman held a crying infant in her arms.
Before them lay a stretcher.
Covered by a white cloth.
From the shape beneath it—
it was obvious the body had no head.
This was Biliang.
His mother and wife wept uncontrollably.
The baby's cries mixed with their sobs, tearing at everyone's hearts in the cold morning wind.
The elderly woman's trembling hands clutched the shattered fragments of a Sharingan.
Those fragments were the only remains recovered from his body.
Every Uchiha present bowed their heads.
Their Sharingan silently appeared—
rage burning within, yet respect evident in their posture.
The shattered eyes told a story.
Biliang had fought to the very end.
His Sharingan had likely been torn from him while still active—
and in his final moments, he had reclaimed and destroyed it himself to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
Such brutality was not merely murder.
It was an insult to the honor of the Uchiha.
Wen Lan walked forward slowly, his expression cold.
He stopped before the stretcher and dropped to one knee.
With steady hands, he lifted the edge of the white cloth.
He stared at the headless body.
The aura radiating from him was terrifying.
Nearby, Fugaku and Mikoto were comforting Biliang's mother and wife.
Fugaku spoke gently:
"The Uchiha will seek justice for Biliang. Please… accept our condolences."
Hearing those words, Wen Lan stood.
His gaze swept across the gathered clan members—
sharp as blades cutting through grief and anger alike.
Then he roared:
"Listen, all Uchiha!
Biliang is dead.
Words mean nothing now.
There is only one thing we must do—"
His voice thundered across the crowd.
"Make the enemy mourn too."
Silence fell for a heartbeat.
Then his voice rose again, fierce and absolute.
"This battle will send a message to the entire ninja world:
Anyone who harms the people of Konoha
will pay in blood.
Anyone who stands in the path of our vengeance—
dies."
"Kill without mercy!"
"Kill without mercy!"
"Kill without mercy!"
The clan roared in unison.
Their voices shook the sky.
Sharingan ignited across countless eyes—
crimson like fresh blood.
Wen Lan turned sharply.
"All units—move out!"
The formation surged forward like a black tide.
Footsteps thundered against the earth.
Dozens of ninja blurred into dark streaks as they raced out of Konoha toward the border of the Land of Snow.
According to intelligence:
One survivor had returned with Biliang's body to seek reinforcements.
The other two were still escorting the convoy toward the Hidden Mist.
Now there was only one objective—
Catch up to them.
—------------------------------
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