Uchiha Fugaku let out a quiet sigh. Even at this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still trying to shift the blame onto others.
He rubbed his fingers together lightly and gestured toward the distant Hokage Monument.
Receiving the signal, Uchiha Ran laughed softly. His figure vanished from the monument and reappeared in a blur as he rushed toward the Hokage Building.
"Hmph," Hiruzen Sarutobi said coldly. "Uchiha Fugaku, am I wrong? You established newspapers, fabricated information, and deliberately incited the villagers to hate me—laying the groundwork for your future coup, didn't you?"
Uchiha Fugaku did not answer. He simply stared at Hiruzen expressionlessly, his eyes filled with disdain and contempt. Inwardly, he cursed the old man's shamelessness.
The villagers gradually calmed down. They looked back and forth between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Uchiha Fugaku, uncertain about what to believe.
At that moment, a lazy voice rang out.
"Yo, Hokage-sama. That's quite the display of authority."
As the voice spoke, the crowd automatically parted.
"If the villagers have doubts and come to ask you, the Third Hokage," the voice continued, "are you planning to preach righteousness to their faces while stabbing them in the back?"
Uchiha Ran walked in with his hands behind his back, posture loose and casual. His swagger made him look more like a delinquent wandering the streets of Konoha than a member of a noble clan.
Uchiha Fugaku frowned slightly, wanting to scold Ran for his behavior. But thinking of how the clan was now effectively under Ran's control, he closed his mouth and watched quietly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.
He had a strong feeling that everything today had been orchestrated by this child—forcing him into a corner and tearing apart his once flawless image.
"You're just a child," an ANBU ninja barked immediately. "You have no right to speak here!"
As he spoke, he glanced toward Uchiha Fugaku standing to the side.
Uchiha Fugaku met his gaze calmly.
In the next instant, the ANBU ninja fell into an endless genjutsu.
The scene did not escape Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. His pupils shrank.
He hadn't expected Fugaku to be this bold—to directly act against the Hokage's ANBU.
At the same time, fear rose in his heart.
Yes, fear.
With his body declining, the only way he could think of to deal with a young, peak-condition Uchiha Fugaku was that forbidden technique.
But if he used it, he would die.
He didn't want to die.
He still craved life. He still craved power.
Just as he took a breath to speak, Uchiha Ran laughed.
"Not qualified to speak here?" Ran said calmly. "Hiruzen Sarutobi, you've got some nerve talking to me like that."
He took a single step forward.
And stopped concealing his chakra.
Boom—
A deep, vast, ocean-like chakra erupted from Uchiha Ran, flooding the entire Hokage Office in an instant.
Every ninja present felt their hearts tighten.
This chakra…
The contempt on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face vanished, replaced by gravity and pressure.
He had felt chakra like this before.
That belonged to the First Hokage—Senju Hashirama.
Back then, the Second Hokage would sometimes have Hashirama personally teach the younger generation. One lesson in particular had left a deep impression on Hiruzen:
"Enduring the chakra suppression of the strong."
So that one day, when facing a true monster, they wouldn't freeze in place waiting to die.
Among all the students, young Hiruzen Sarutobi had performed the best.
But he hadn't felt this level of pressure in over forty years.
He hadn't been on a battlefield in thirty years. His body had aged, his chakra reserves had declined. And now, facing a ten-year-old Uchiha unleashing such chakra, all he could do was endure with a solemn expression.
---
Ding. Detected that Hiruzen Sarutobi has trained under Senju Hashirama and possesses partial resistance to Kage-level chakra suppression.
However, using Uchiha Madara's chakra alone will only cause shock and pressure—insufficient for complete suppression.
Ding. Scanning Hiruzen Sarutobi's abilities…
Scan complete.
Target: Hiruzen Sarutobi. Third Hokage of Konohagakure.
Once possessed a Will of Fire comparable to the First Hokage. Due to prolonged comfort and authority, his Will of Fire has deviated.
Overall strength has declined. Prime strength approached true Kage level. Current strength: high-tier Kage level.
Chakra reserves: A-rank.
Ninjutsu proficiency: A+ to S-rank.
Forbidden jutsu: S-rank and above.
Hidden technique: Reaper Death Seal. Single-use. At the cost of the user's life, contracts the Shinigami to seal the target's soul.
---
The system's assessment made one thing clear.
Ordinary ninjutsu posed no threat to Uchiha Ran.
Only the Reaper Death Seal was troublesome.
A suicidal, one-for-one technique.
Whoever invented this thing was truly deranged.
"Tch."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke slowly, his eyes locked onto Ran.
"A hero born young… I never expected the Uchiha Clan to produce such a child. No wonder, no wonder Fugaku dared to act so directly today."
As he spoke, Hiruzen subtly shifted his position—closing the distance toward Ran.
Uchiha Ran's pupils shrank.
So this old bastard was planning a sneak attack?
Without hesitation, Ran reached out and clenched his hand.
A massive, deep-blue Susanoo arm manifested out of thin air, grabbing an ANBU ninja and pulling him directly in front of Ran.
Ran's gaze never left Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen stopped immediately.
He stared at Ran in disbelief.
This kid was cautious to an absurd degree.
"Third Hokage," Ran said coldly, "take another step forward, and I won't mind taking a walk through the Sarutobi clan compound with Susanoo fully activated."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression finally wavered.
Moments ago, facing the accusations of thousands, he hadn't changed expression.
Facing Ran's overwhelming Kage-level chakra, he hadn't changed expression.
But when Ran threatened the Sarutobi Clan, he hesitated.
In the end, Hiruzen stepped back.
When he looked at Ran again, his eyes held traces of ingratiation—and fear.
He knew what Susanoo was.
Historical records described it as a power capable of rivaling the First Hokage's True Several Thousand Hands.
He had never seen Susanoo with his own eyes—but he had sparred with Senju Hashirama.
And been utterly crushed.
Just ordinary taijutsu and ninjutsu had made him feel as if he were standing at the edge of an abyss.
Let alone the true secret art—True Several Thousand Hands.
If Uchiha Ran activated Susanoo here…
The Sarutobi Clan could be erased from Konoha in a single night.
(A/N)
Bonus Chapter uploaded as promised.
Another one coming at 200 ps currently (106) and if we reach 30 on the power stones rankings by tomorrow another bonus hpater will be uploaded.
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