Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

Thick fog swirls and rolls.

The wind sword cleaved through the mist, and Hiruzen Sarutobi charged towards Juzo Biwa, his sharp blade aimed directly at Juzo's chest.

"Don't even think about going there!"

Two Juzos rushed out from the left and right, wielding their Executioner's Blade and slashing down at Hiruzen Sarutobi's waist.

"Clang!"

The sword suddenly turned.

Unable to use Harden Technique to protect himself while moving, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no choice but to rotate his sword to parry the Executioner's Blade. The rotating sword light clung to it like a leech, instantly slicing the two water clones into a pool of water that fell to the ground.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's swordsmanship is also extremely skillful!

His masterful Konoha-style swordsmanship is, frankly, unmatched by many in Konoha today!

but--

With the brief two seconds gained by his water clone, Pipa Juzo's true form had already completed the hand seals and shouted:

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

This A-rank Water Release technique is considered a trump card by almost 90% of the Kirigakure ninja. Juzo Biwa happens to be in this category. Although he is one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, his Executioner's Blade, apart from its ability to absorb blood and regenerate, cannot enhance his combat power in any other way.

For him, a great waterfall technique was already quite a good skill!

His chest bulged high, then suddenly contracted back, and he opened his mouth to spew out a vast wave of water like a dam bursting. This water escape technique relies on the impact force generated by the weight of the massive water waves during the surging process to kill the enemy. Even a building hit by this move can be directly crushed.

Having just slain two water clones, Hiruzen Sarutobi was caught off guard and was directly struck by the crushing water wave.

then,

With an expressionless face, Hiruzen Sarutobi transformed into a pool of clear water, shattering and merging into the ripples.

Water clones aren't exclusive to the Mist Ninja!

[Chapter 82. Ambush (Please vote! Please read on!)]

"Water clone?"

Pipa Juzo's face turned pale.

The fact that a mere water clone could use Wind Release was beyond his comprehension. Moreover, if this was a water clone, then where had Hiruzen Sarutobi's true body gone? Thinking of this, his eyes began to dart around rapidly.

At this moment,

Just then, the torrent of water swept away the hazy mist that filled the narrow space, forcing Kakashi and Sarutobi Asuma, who were fighting, to stop their battle. Kakashi used Earth Release: Earth Release to dive underground and easily avoided the surging torrent.

The only one who suffered was Sarutobi Asuma, who was skilled in Wind Release and Fire Release but had no ability to burrow underground.

They had no choice but to leap onto the rocky dome and be chased by the torrent until the water level was reduced by the passageways along the way, at which point they ran back the way they came.

"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist...?"

Kakashi quietly peeked out from the rock wall, looking at Juzo Biwa, who was carrying the Executioner's Blade, not far away. He had overheard Hiruzen Sarutobi and Juzo Biwa's conversation earlier, but to be honest, he didn't really believe Juzo Biwa's nonsense about cooperating with the Uchiha.

If the Uchiha clan were this stupid, they would have been wiped out long ago!

but,

He was indeed somewhat puzzled as to why Juzo Biwa had come. Instead of assassinating the current Fifth Acting Hokage, he had come to assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi, which was quite perplexing!

Of course, if he couldn't understand it, he couldn't understand it. He didn't deliberately dwell on these things. He always remembered why he came here. His purpose was revenge, to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi to comfort his father's spirit in heaven, and at the same time to dispel the pent-up resentment in his chest.

"Perfect! Let's let this guy test the waters first!"

Revenge is his own business.

He didn't want to rely on anyone, let alone cooperate with the Mist Ninja.

at this time,

The swords flashed again.

"Konoha Style Swordsmanship: Dance of the Crescent Moon"

From the torrent below and the rock walls on the left and right, a Hiruzen Sarutobi leaps out from each side, wielding a wind sword and charging towards Juzo Biwa. This is one of the signature techniques of the Konoha-ryu sword style, where the main body, along with two clones, attacks the enemy's vital points from the left, top, and right.

This is an extremely powerful killing move.

Especially in such narrow spaces where there is little room to maneuver.

"When it comes to killing people, I've never been afraid of anyone!"

The ten loquats are the mist-endurance.

He was one of the top-ranking people in that village of blood mist, having climbed to the throne of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist by stepping on countless corpses. Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength certainly made him break out in a cold sweat, but being on the verge of death made a fierce killing intent surge in his chest.

The big deal is death!

There's absolutely nothing to be afraid of!

In an instant, Biwa Juzo swung his Executioner's Blade and used a Body Flicker Technique to attack Sarutobi Hiruzen on the far right. The Executioner's Blade and the Wind Sword crossed in mid-air. Biwa Juzo's powerful slash shattered Sarutobi Hiruzen's water clone, but Sarutobi Hiruzen in the middle also took the opportunity to leave a deep, bone-revealing wound on Biwa Juzo's back.

Blood gushed out like a fountain.

The Leaf-style swordsmanship technique, Crescent Moon Dance, is not so easy to break, especially when the one who uses this move is the so-called "Ninja Hero" Hiruzen Sarutobi.

and,

Hiruzen Sarutobi's attack was not over yet.

Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear!

Just as Biwa Juzo landed on the rock face to his right, the long-planned attack came suddenly. A rock spear rose from the ground and pierced through Biwa Juzo's foot, then tilted and pierced through his calf. A large amount of blood and flesh were drawn out by the rock spear, and the air was instantly filled with a strong smell of blood.

This brilliant attack decided the outcome in an instant.

The two clones in the air transformed into streams of water and fell to the ground.

It turned out that the one who launched the Crescent Moon Dance from beginning to end was a water clone, while Hiruzen Sarutobi's true body had been hidden underground from the start. Only when the battle was decided did he slowly emerge from underground, holding the Wind Sword, and stand on the still not completely dissipated water ripples, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, looking at Juzo Biwa, whose legs had been crippled.

"The outcome is already decided."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Juzo Biwa, "Tell me who ordered you to kill me? Answer honestly and I'll give you a quick death!" To be honest, he didn't really believe in the collusion between the Uchiha and Kirigakure. As a seasoned politician, putting aside his prejudices, he felt that what Juzo Biwa had said before was probably to incite infighting within the village.

He now wants to know who the real mastermind is. He won't be able to eat or sleep if he doesn't know who wants to kill him.

As they were speaking,

They had already used illusion magic without making a sound.

only--

When his illusion landed on Juzo Biwa, an unexpected change occurred.

"what--!!!"

Suddenly, Juzo Biwa let out a heart-wrenching scream!

Blood spurted from his eye sockets, his black eyes turning a blinding crimson in that brief moment, outlining a strange pattern like a six-leaf windmill. Hiruzen Sarutobi was first stunned in confusion, then felt a chill penetrate to his bones, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Uchiha!

It really is an Uchiha!!!

"Yu..."

All the words, all the anger, all the resentment, all turned into nothingness under the gaze of that bloodshot eye. The overwhelmingly powerful eye technique dragged Hiruzen Sarutobi into an inescapable illusion. At the same time, Juzo Biwa's right eye shattered completely, falling down like a rotten grape mixed with blood.

In the final moment before being pulled into the illusion, Hiruzen Sarutobi threw his wind sword fiercely, piercing through Juzo Biwa's abdomen.

"vomit--"

The loquat was coughing up blood.

Having lost his right eye, crippled both legs, and pierced through the abdomen, his consciousness grew hazy. His groggy mind involuntarily began to ponder why he had come here to fight Hiruzen Sarutobi. Right, he remembered now, he had to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi. Only in this way, only in this way, could the village defeat Konoha in the upcoming war!

Hiruzen Sarutobi must be killed! Hiruzen Sarutobi must be killed!

The deep-seated conviction in his mind kept him from collapsing.

He squeezed out the last bit of strength from his body, enduring the pain from all parts of his body, and forced himself to leap up, swinging the guillotine sword that felt as heavy as a thousand pounds down on Hiruzen Sarutobi's neck once again!

This time, Hiruzen Sarutobi was no longer able to use Earth Release techniques to strengthen his body.

then,

Bloodshed

It blooms in the air.

Kakashi, who arrived a step too late, stared blankly at the scene before him, speechless for a long time.

[Chapter 83: The Funeral of Ren Xiong]

The elite agents from the corpse disposal team examined Shimura Danzo's body inch by inch from head to toe. As for the clan leaders who were supposed to investigate clues, they all stood by and watched, showing no intention of helping out.

Danzo had been lying in his hospital bed for so long; all his secrets had already been exposed.

Even Root has been torn to pieces. People from various clans were taken back to their families, while orphans were recruited by the Dark Organization. In the end, Root's base was also taken over by the Dark Organization. The secret prison we see now is a converted Root base.

Zongxian stood to the side, observing everything with a cold eye, but his mind was no longer on the matter.

He was waiting.

We'll see what happens on the other side, Pipa Juzo's side.

Given Biwa Juzo's abilities, he was naturally no match for Sarutobi Hiruzen. What he was truly waiting for was the hidden trick he had concealed on Biwa Juzo to come into play. As long as his trick didn't miss, Sarutobi Hiruzen would definitely die this time.

Time passed slowly, and it wasn't long before...

As he watched the body disposal team process Danzo's body, Sogen suddenly noticed a strange feeling arising in his eyes.

He seemed tired and gently squinted his eyes, pretending to sleep.

Beneath his eyelids, his scarlet eyes appeared as six-leaf windmills, and his consciousness fell into that illusion. It was still the same courtyard, with artificial hills, ponds, stone lanterns, and small bamboo groves, but unlike before, there was now a huge cherry blossom tree on the lawn in the courtyard.

A cherry blossom tree that has reached its full bloom, with all its petals now fallen.

"here it is?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi cautiously surveyed his surroundings.