Minato glanced at his companions.
They had already discussed their strategy on the way here, and since these people were courting death, that couldn't be better.
Konan, Tsunade, and Kushina immediately gathered beside Pain, appearing to be surrounded.
In reality, it was to set up a deadly trap for Hiruzen's forces.
Hiruzen looked at the four who, despite being encircled, still showed no fear. A deep uneasiness lingered in his heart.
He continuously sent more men forward, especially members of the barrier team.
As long as Minato didn't teleport everyone away immediately, their odds of victory were slim.
"Tsunade, I didn't expect you'd ever understand the truth. Unfortunately, it's already over."
"The Senju clan will be wiped out today!", Seeing them huddled together, Hiruzen deliberately provoked her, watching to see if Tsunade would lose her temper.
Tsunade's fury flared, but as she looked at the Sarutobi clansmen surrounding them, a cunning light flashed briefly in her eyes. She didn't charge forward.
Instead, she shouted angrily, "My granduncle treated you well, and this is how you repay him, ambitious like a wolf!"
Hiruzen, wanting to draw more people in closer, was happy to trade a few more words.
"Heh! Your Senju clan ruled all of Konoha. The other ninja clans never had a chance."
Tsunade's eyes burned, "Nawaki is only twelve years old, and you still wouldn't spare him!"
Hiruzen spoke calmly and unhurriedly, "The only heir of the Senju clan, if he lived to grow up, wouldn't the Hokage's power fall back into your hands?"
"You were fools. You knew Wood Release was dangerous, yet you still sent him to die!"
Suddenly, a hand blocked Tsunade's path. Konan shook her head at her.
It seemed the time was about right.
Tsunade's face twisted into cruelty as she turned her gaze on those surrounding them.
The next instant, Pain leapt high into the air.
Minato and the others put on an act, pretending to prepare for battle.
The moment Pain jumped up, a barrage of projectiles flew toward him.
But as they reached him, Pain merely raised his hand, and all the weapons froze in place.
Not even that could stop his body's descent.
Tsunade roared, veins bulging across her face, the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
An immense surge of chakra burst outward.
Minato threw Flying Thunder God kunai in every direction.
Konan's body scattered countless paper charms into the air.
Kushina clasped her hands together, and behind her appeared countless chains.
Everyone looked battle-ready. Hiruzen snorted coldly and ordered Ishishu and some of his men to keep an eye on Pain, who was airborne.
Meanwhile, he formed seals with his hands.
"Fire Release: Grand Flame Technique!"
Hiruzen's chest expanded, and he spewed a torrent of fierce fire from his mouth.
The Grand Flame Technique was a secret jutsu passed down within the Sarutobi clan, its power immense.
The roaring blaze engulfed all four of them at once.
Minato's hands formed seals, and in midair appeared a massive Four Symbols Seal formation.
The flames struck the barrier, making it dent inward, but they were blocked.
At that moment, Pain's body began descending.
He stared coldly at Hiruzen, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.
If Nagato and the others hated anyone most, it was Danzo.
But a schemer like Hiruzen was even more deserving of death.
For the sake of power, he'd destroyed the Senju clan that had once supported him, killing anyone capable of becoming Hokage.
To secure benefits for his own clan, he used any means, bullying the orphaned Naruto, squeezing every last drop out of him.
Whether it was the Hyuga or Uchiha, anyone who blocked his path was deceived or destroyed by his plotting.
Such a man treated the suffering of others as nourishment for his clan's rise.
It was time for him to experience pain.
As he fell, Pain was gathering the full force of his pupil power.
But he was too high up, no one could reach him.
Sarutobi Ishishu, a pseudo–Nine-Tails jinchuriki, had been assigned to watch him.
Yet the closer Pain came, the heavier the crushing pressure he felt.
The Rinnegan's accumulating energy sent ripples spreading through the sky.
The wind seemed to stop. The air grew thick with a suffocating tension.
Animals in the nearby forest sensed danger and fled wildly, scattering in panic.
"Feel pain…"
"Accept pain… understand pain…"
"Those who don't understand suffering…"
"Will never understand true peace…"
"From this moment on…"
"Let the world feel pain!"
Sarutobi Ishishu screamed shrilly, "Run! It's dangerous!"
Below, the four who had been pretending to fight instantly regrouped, Minato teleported everyone away in an instant.
Hiruzen's heart sank. A wave of extreme danger surged through his chest.
His hands flashed into seals, Summoning Technique!
At that moment, Pain raised both arms high. His silhouette, backlit, revealed a pair of Rinnegan glowing with faint violet light.
The sky suddenly brightened. Divine punishment descended.
"SHINRA TENSEI!"
BOOM!
A deep, thunderous sound exploded as an enormous repulsive force burst forth.
From beneath Pain's feet, the earth caved downward in a massive depression.
The Sarutobi clansmen closest to the center felt an unimaginable impact crash into their bodies.
Those nearby went black before their eyes, then were smashed into fragments.
In an instant, a massive crater opened in the ground.
A devastating shockwave expanded outward with absolute dominance.
Shattered bodies, tents, sand, and rocks were flung violently into the distance.
Amid howling gales and roaring explosions, the repulsion continued to surge.
Everything, everything,.was hurled backward in chaos.
Rumble! Rumble!
The ground shook violently like rolling thunder.
Hiruzen's men barely had time to let out short screams before the debris and shrapnel hurled by the blast slammed into them.
Fast—
It was far too fast.
In just a few seconds after the rumbling began, most had no time to react, killed outright by the force or buried alive.
Slowly, the thick cloud of dust began to clear.
Hiruzen's encampment had become a wasteland.
The central area was utterly silent; only at the edges came faint groans.
The diamond staff cage around Hiruzen shattered instantly, hurling him from the center to the edge.
The ground was littered with sand, shattered tents, tree splinters, and mangled corpses.
From the debris came faint, dying murmurs.
Hiruzen stared blankly at the ravaged landscape around him.
Every Sarutobi warrior, every ANBU who had followed him, every allied ninja, all dead.
His world had collapsed.
Gone, completely gone. All DEAD!
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.