chapter 200 part 2
"Pfft!"
Hiruzen spat a mouthful of blood onto the transparent wall of the Divine Net Barrier. He touched the wall, supporting his body, while behind him, the Reaper, a dagger in its mouth, had lost its patience and was slowly pulling his soul into its stomach.
"When the leaves of Konoha dance... a-and... fire will also burn..."
*Thud.*
Hiruzen didn't even finish his last words. His body slid forward and collapsed on the ground.
He had been literally dragged to his death by Uchiha Ren while trapped in the Reaper Death Seal.
And before he died, he was subjected to immense humiliation.
"Sarutobi!"
In the distance, Enma, impaled on the wood of the Wood Release, let out a wail!
Seeing this, Uchiha Ren raised his golden, single-tomoe Mangekyo Sharingan and stared at Enma!
In just one second, Enma was trapped in a genjutsu.
*Swish!*
A lightning feather, emitting a dazzling light, shot forward like the Reaper's scythe, precisely and swiftly piercing Enma's throat!
Enma's massive body trembled violently. It instinctively raised a large, furry hand, futilely trying to cover the wound from which blood gushed, but the blood surged out from between its fingers like water from a broken dam.
Enma's legs gave out, and its massive body crashed to the ground.
Its limbs twitched a few times, and then it was still.
"Hoo!"
Uchiha Ren let out a sigh of relief.
With Enma dealt with, this difficult battle was finally over.
The cold sweat on Orochimaru's face finally dried. He stared blankly at Hiruzen's corpse, then slammed his hand on the ground, summoning a coffin!
The coffin swallowed Hiruzen's body. Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth with satisfaction.
Uchiha Ren smiled and shook his head.
As expected of Orochimaru, he was a cunning one. Unable to become Hokage himself, he manipulated all the previous Kage to work for him.
Orochimaru unsummoned the coffin and turned to look at his savior. "Let's go, Uchiha Ren."
"The village is in for a big change." Uchiha Ren grinned. "I want to stay and enjoy the fruits of victory."
"Oh? You assassinated the Hokage and killed Danzo, yet you can still stay in the village?"
"Nonsense. You killed the Hokage, and Danzo died at the hands of Madara Uchiha. As you said, where's the evidence? Who saw anything?"
Orochimaru laughed.
"Very well. Then goodbye, Ren. I look forward to our next meeting."
Uchiha Ren nodded, but then immediately reminded him, "Don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs with those dozens of Uchiha survivors you sent outside the village. Letting them breed like crazy is better than anything. That way, you'll have a mass production of Sharingan to research, won't you?"
Orochimaru's snake-like tongue flickered. He slammed his hand on the ground, and a deep pit appeared.
Tayuya, Sakon and Ukon, and other Sound Ninja jumped into the pit one after another. Kimimaro gave Uchiha Ren one last look.
"See you again."
Outside the Four Violet Flames Formation, Konoha looked as if it had suffered an apocalypse, a scene of horrific devastation.
The once-bustling streets were now a wasteland, littered with broken walls and shattered ruins. Pervasive smoke and dust hung like a lingering gloom, heavily shrouding the ravaged land.
Fierce fires raged everywhere, mercilessly devouring everything.
Large numbers of Konoha shinobi frantically used Water Release ninjutsu, attempting to wage a desperate struggle against the flames.
However, someone had meticulously placed numerous explosive tags along the village streets. These tags would detonate from time to time, sending flames skyward. The powerful blasts not only hindered the shinobi's movements but also caused the recently suppressed fires to reignite and spread wildly, making the firefighting process excruciatingly slow.
Beside the Hokage Building, the battle was equally brutal.
Kakuzu stood like an invincible demon god amidst a pool of blood.
Around him, the corpses of Konoha shinobi lay scattered, fresh blood pooling into shocking puddles.
Although Kakuzu had lost two hearts in his earlier confrontation with Uchiha Ren, his strength remained extraordinary.
Without Kakashi, their pillar of strength, the Konoha shinobi faced immense pressure against this Kage-level expert.
But even so, after paying a heavy price, they finally succeeded in recapturing Kakuzu.
"Damn Konoha shinobi!" Kakuzu frantically looked around, memorizing the faces of everyone present. "I'll rip all your hearts out!"
Kurenai Renhi formed a seal with her hands, facing Kakuzu. "Evil Sealing Method!"
Kakuzu's eyes rolled back, and he fell unconscious.
Just then, a shinobi noticed that the light of the Four Violet Flames Formation had quietly vanished. Pointing toward the formation, he shouted, "Look, the Four Violet Flames Formation is gone!"
Everyone's gaze was instantly drawn over. The Anbu members' expressions tightened. Without a moment's hesitation, they rushed toward the location of the formation.
However, when they entered the barrier, they were stunned by the sight before them.
The battlefield, which had been the site of a fierce fight, was now completely empty.
On the ground were only some messy footprints and lingering bloodstains, as if everything that had happened was merely an illusory dream.
The Anbu members exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment. They were completely stumped.
They searched everywhere, but they couldn't find any trace of Hiruzen.
An unsettling thought began to sprout in their minds.
Could it be...?!
At that moment, a figure flew over from a distance, holding Tsunade.
Uchiha Ren gently placed Tsunade on the ground, then asked the bewildered Anbu, "What happened?!"
Yamato stood among the Anbu. "Lord Hiruzen's chakra signature has disappeared. There's a large hole in the ground. According to the sensory ninja's report, Lord Hiruzen has sacrificed himself."
When Might Guy, Kurenai Renhi, and the still-dazed Asuma heard this, they exploded with rage!
But before they could say anything, Uchiha Ren suddenly screamed, "Impossible! You're lying! The Third Hokage's power is unmatched! How could he possibly die?! H-how... how could he die? *Waaaaah!*..." His sobs choked, then twisted into a quiet chuckle. "Hehe... hehehehe... hahahaha~"
(end of chapter)