Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes were bloodshot with fury.
The vast chakra within his body erupted violently as he kicked Kakuzu away and rushed toward Sarutobi Shinnosuke's position.
The one who had ambushed Shinnosuke was none other than the leader of the masked shinobi. His strength had never been inferior to Shinnosuke's, and with the advantage of a sneak attack, the strike had been instantly fatal, crushing Shinnosuke's heart.
After landing the blow, the masked leader ignored the approaching Hiruzen entirely and lunged straight toward Sarutobi Sachiko.
Sachiko was indeed a jonin, but she was not a combat specialist. Her abilities leaned toward sensory perception and medical ninjutsu.
And according to their intelligence—
She was Hiruzen's daughter-in-law.
If Hiruzen were forced to watch both his son and daughter-in-law die before his eyes, his mind would surely collapse. He might even lose the will to live.
That was exactly what the masked leader wanted.
He intended to completely enrage Hiruzen Sarutobi and eliminate any thought of escape.
"Such audacity!"
Hiruzen roared in rage as his speed increased again.
However, the masked shinobi who had not been trapped inside the Adamantine Prison Wall had already surrounded him.
Ninjutsu after ninjutsu rained down like a storm, as if chakra cost them nothing. They desperately tried to hinder Hiruzen's advance.
Sachiko's mind was already shaken by Shinnosuke's death, and under the fierce assault of the masked shinobi she was barely holding on, constantly teetering on the edge of defeat.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu had plenty of experience taking advantage of such chaotic situations.
At that moment—
A masked shinobi shouted toward Kakuzu.
"Your mission remains the same. After it's done, we'll pay you another reward equal to the original one."
The masked leader had already investigated Kakuzu beforehand. He knew Kakuzu was not one of Danzō's men, but a powerful rogue shinobi hired from the black market bounty network.
For someone like Kakuzu—
Money solved everything.
Kakuzu's eyes lit up instantly.
"Haha! Then this old man will definitely give it his all!"
After all, Hiruzen's head alone was already worth thirty million ryō.
Now he could get two payments for one job.
What an unexpected windfall.
Without hesitation, Kakuzu charged toward Hiruzen again.
At the same time, another battle raged nearby.
Tenzō was currently surrounded by more than a dozen masked shinobi.
If they hadn't intended to capture him alive, holding back deliberately, he would have already been defeated.
Because at this moment, Tenzō's value in their eyes was no less than Hiruzen Sarutobi's.
After all—
He possessed Wood Release.
That was the legendary kekkei genkai of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, the power once used to bring peace to the chaotic era of warring states.
Since Hashirama's death, Wood Release had disappeared for decades.
How could anyone not covet it?
If they could capture Tenzō and bring him back to Kumogakure, the Hidden Cloud Village would gain a new hereditary bloodline.
Whether Tenzō himself obeyed them was irrelevant.
As long as his descendants belonged to Kumogakure, that would be enough.
But to achieve that—
They first had to deal with one person.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
At that moment, Hiruzen had also realized the masked leader's intention.
Ignoring everything else, he dispelled the Adamantine Prison Wall, recalling the Adamantine Staff to his hand and swinging it toward the masked leader who had killed Shinnosuke.
The strike carried overwhelming force. If it landed, the masked leader would die instantly.
The masked shinobi locked in combat with Tenzō gritted his teeth.
Facing the incoming Chakra Scalpel, he did not dodge.
Instead, his right hand shot forward like a claw toward Tenzō.
Slash!
His left arm was severed cleanly at the shoulder.
But his right hand had already seized Tenzō's throat.
With a violent twist—
Crack!
Tenzō's neck was snapped, tearing away a chunk of flesh.
"Damn it! Die!"
Seeing this, Hiruzen's fury surged even higher.
He smashed the skull of a nearby masked shinobi with a single palm strike, then formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Burning Ash!"
Gray smoke burst from Hiruzen's mouth, instantly enveloping both himself and several masked shinobi nearby.
A spark flashed.
The next moment—
BOOM!
The entire cloud of ash detonated, blasting several masked shinobi away.
Hiruzen burst out of the flames.
Although scorch marks covered his body, his momentum was overwhelming—like a demon god descending onto the battlefield.
Just then—
More than a dozen thick tree branches suddenly tore through the air, sealing off every direction Hiruzen could dodge.
"Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!"
Hiruzen's eyes widened.
"Wood Release?!"
Everyone present froze for a brief moment.
That was Wood Release!
At that moment, the masked leader suddenly shouted:
"Second, Third, and Fourth squads—change the mission!"
He pointed directly at Tenzō.
"Capture him! Do not let him escape!"
Tenzō froze mid–hand seal.
Behind the mask, the young face beneath was filled with confusion.
Just moments ago—
These people had been allies.
So how had they suddenly become enemies?
Meanwhile, the massive trees created by Tenzō's technique erupted from the ground, spreading wildly across the battlefield.
Branches twisted and coiled like serpents.
In an instant—
Both enemies and allies were entangled and restrained.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi was caught within the expanding forest.
Tenzō himself stood frozen in disbelief.
According to Shimura Danzō's plan, using Wood Release unexpectedly was supposed to disturb Hiruzen's state of mind and restrain him.
But now—
He had accidentally crowd-controlled everyone on the battlefield.
Friend and foe alike.
Hiruzen was the first to react.
Twisting his body, he broke free from the branches and cast a deep glance at Tenzō.
Then he raised the Adamantine Staff once again and smashed it toward the masked leader.
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