bioinnovel Chapter 548 The Desolation of Still Water
Chapter 548 The Desolation of Still Water
The mountaintop behind the Uchiha clan's territory was covered with traces of the battle that had not yet faded.
At this moment, Fugaku Uchiha was being held firmly to the ground by two shadow clones.
His Mangekyou Sharingan had lost all its luster... his eyes were dull and lifeless...
Because Uchiha Mitsunori's genjutsu had invaded his mental world and firmly imprisoned his will.
"Tell me, what promises did Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura make to you that made you willing to betray your clan rules and join forces to ambush me?"
The surrounding Uchiha clan members gathered around, their expressions varied, ranging from suppressed anger to incredulous astonishment.
They were both elite Uchiha ninjas, trained in genjutsu since childhood and deeply understanding its principles. Both possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan, making it virtually impossible to forcibly interrogate each other using genjutsu. The slightest misstep could result in a backlash, causing mental damage.
At this moment, Uchiha Sanmine controlled the powerful Fugaku clan leader with just a glance, and Fugaku couldn't even resist... This means that Lord Sanmine's strength has long surpassed that of the Fugaku clan leader, making him the undisputed top expert in the clan.
Among the onlookers, many Uchiha clan members quietly clenched their fists, their faces flashing with awe and excitement. Their Uchiha clan had finally produced a true top-tier powerhouse, just like the ninja world's demon of decades past... Uchiha Madara!
Fugaku Uchiha's body trembled slightly, and his lips opened and closed uncontrollably under the forced control of the genjutsu.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others promised... that after killing you, they would recommend me to become the Fourth Hokage... and once I successfully ascend to the Hokage's throne and wield power over Konoha, I will make the Uchiha clan the most prestigious family in Konoha..."
As soon as the words were spoken, the Uchiha clan erupted in chaos. The discussions surged like a tidal wave, filled with suppressed anger and undisguised contempt. Some clan members couldn't help but clench their ninja swords, their eyes flashing with intense killing intent.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi and his ilk are now utterly disgraced in Konoha. It's pathetic and laughable that he, as the Uchiha clan leader, still harbors such unrealistic fantasies!"
"The Hokage position? Based on Hiruzen Sarutobi's promises? That's wishful thinking! Those hypocrites only ever deceive others with empty promises!"
A tall Uchiha ninja couldn't help but growl out, his words full of disdain.
"The clan leader actually betrayed his own clan for a hollow promise! He has utterly disgraced the Uchiha! We Uchiha don't need a clan leader like that!"
Another young ninja said through gritted teeth, his eyes brimming with anger.
Uchiha Mitsunori slightly raised his hand, the coldness in his eyes growing even stronger, sending chills down one's spine.
With a gentle flick of his wrist, an invisible force spread out, instantly silencing the murmurs of the tribesmen, and the mountaintop returned to silence.
His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed throughout every corner of the mountaintop: "The position of the Fourth Hokage? What a laughable promise... Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and the others are nothing but rats hiding in the gutter; their promises are worthless!"
The Eighth Hokage pointed towards Konoha Village, his face filled with arrogance: "If we Uchiha needed Hiruzen Sarutobi's recommendation to become Hokage, that would be a true disgrace to our clan! Our Uchiha's glory has never been given to us by others, but earned with our own hands, punch by punch!"
Some radical, hawkish Uchiha clan members immediately echoed, "That's right! We Uchiha have existed for a thousand years, and we're one of the founding clans of Konoha. We've always relied on our Sharingan and our own strength, carving out our own path in the ninja world with every punch and kick. We don't need the recommendations of people like Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
Uchiha Mitsunori smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over each clansman in front of him: "Fellow clansmen, there is no need for anger or regret. From the moment I saw through their ambush, everything was already destined. The end of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and the others has come."
"My hundreds of shadow clones have already arrived at the clan territories of the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mito clans, and have used the Uchiha Fire Formation to block their escape routes and prevent them from getting out; another group of shadow clones has already attacked the Root base, and by now, the ninjas at the Root base should have been wiped out."
"Immediately dispatch one hundred elite ninjas to the Root base at full speed to seal off all evidence. Every document, every piece of experimental equipment must be accounted for; none of it must be omitted. These are irrefutable proof of Hiruzen Sarutobi and his associates' atrocities against innocent people!"
"The remaining clansmen split into two groups: one group maintained village order to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation; the other group immediately dispersed to various corners of Konoha to spread the news. They said... Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and others secretly colluded, harbored ill intentions, and ambushed the Uchiha clan head, Fugaku Uchiha, who died on the spot!"
"In their act of revenge, the Uchiha clan unexpectedly discovered that the Anbu had been using thousands of children from the village as human subjects for experiments for many years, employing cruel methods that resulted in the tragic deaths of thousands of innocent children at the Anbu's base. From this day forward, the Uchiha will expose the secrets of the Anbu's base. Every villager in Konoha has the right to know the truth, and the Uchiha will seek justice for those children who died tragically!"
"What...?"
A young Uchiha ninja, his eyes wide and lips trembling, couldn't help but press for an answer.
"Lord Mimine, is this true? The Anbu... the Anbu really conducts human experiments on thousands of children? Those children are the future of Konoha! They're so young, how could they do that?"
Not only him, but all the clansmen present were filled with shock, and they all gasped. Although they knew the hypocrisy and selfishness of the Konoha leadership, and that they had always ostracized the Uchiha clan, they had never imagined that they would be so cruel.
They preyed on defenseless, innocent, and ignorant children, using them as guinea pigs.
Uchiha Mitsunori's aura grew increasingly cold, his eyes filled with intense killing intent and grief: "Of course it's true. I have no reason to joke about something like this. Root is the core training department of the Anbu, ostensibly training future elite ninjas, but in reality, it has been conducting human experiments for a long time."
"Over the past ten years, under the guise of 'training elite ninjas,' they recruited more than a thousand children from various villages in Konoha. In the end, only a little over a hundred survived. The remaining more than a thousand became subjects for human experimentation and died tragically in the Anbu base, leaving not even a complete body behind."
He pointed to the dying Shimura Danzo, as if looking at a dead man: "Look at his severed arm, that's the 'result' of their human experiments. This arm was cultivated using Hashirama Senju's cells. The mortality rate for Hashirama cell transplants is extremely high, but once the transplant is successful, one can use Wood Release."
Among the crowd was the hawkish elder, Uchiha Eighth Hokage, one of the most prestigious elders in the clan, who always advocated a strong counterattack against the exclusion and suppression by the Konoha leadership.
At this moment, his eyes were filled with excitement, and he couldn't help but step forward: "Mitsubone, is what you said true? After transplanting this arm, we can really use Wood Release? If that's the case, then... we Uchiha..."
Uchiha Mitsunori glanced at him indifferently, his expression perfectly calm: "Of course it's true, but you don't need to be too obsessed with this arm, nor with Wood Release. The power of Wood Release isn't as great as you imagine. What's truly powerful is never the ninjutsu itself, but the user."
"Hashirama Senju was able to dominate the world with his Wood Release not because Wood Release was invincible, but because Hashirama Senju himself was very strong."
"Alright, time is of the essence. Don't waste your energy on irrelevant matters, people. Get to work immediately!" His voice was firm and resounding, echoing in every corner of the mountaintop.
"We, the Uchiha, have never needed the charity of others. We will rely on our own strength to rightfully claim the position of Fourth Hokage. We will settle all the sins, restore justice to Konoha, and give fairness to all the innocent. Let the glory of the Uchiha illuminate Konoha!"
Uchiha Yatsuho cleared his throat, suppressing his excitement and regaining his serious expression.
He slowly turned around, his gaze meeting that of the Uchiha ninjas present, and said in a deep voice, "All clansmen, listen to my command! Execute the plan of the Three Peaks!"
"Inahime, you will lead one hundred elite ninjas to the Root base at full speed. You are responsible for taking over the base, sealing all evidence, and guarding it at all costs. Not a single piece of evidence must be lost!"
"Tetsuho, you will lead a portion of your clansmen to the streets of Konoha to maintain order, disperse the crowds, and prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble or bully ordinary villagers. At the same time, you must also protect the families who want to go to the Root base to find the truth, and ensure they are not harmed!"
"Dragonfire, lead the remaining clansmen and disperse to every corner of Konoha. Spread the news everywhere, so that every villager knows about the despicable crimes of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and others, and that they know about the suffering of those innocent children!"
"yes!"
A large number of Uchiha ninjas responded in unison, their loud voices echoing through the valley.
The situation was urgent tonight. Upon receiving the order, the Uchiha ninjas immediately dispersed and gradually disappeared into the night.
The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only Uchiha Sanfeng and Uchiha Shisui on the mountaintop. The evening breeze was still bleak, blowing their hair, and the smell of blood in the air was still strong.
Uchiha Shisui gazed at the three peaks' retreating figures, his expression complex, a mixture of admiration, worry, and a touch of reluctance.
He hesitated for a moment, his fingers twitching slightly, before finally asking, "Brother Sanfeng, after the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mito clans had their escape routes blocked by the Fire Array, what do you plan to do with them? Among those clansmen, there are many innocent elderly people, women, and children. They may not even know about the crimes committed by the higher-ups."
Uchiha Sanfeng gazed into the distance. In the darkness, he could vaguely see faint lights coming from the direction of the four clans' territories. Those were the lights from the burning Uchiha Fire Formation, illuminating a patch of the night sky.
"It's very simple: rewards and punishments must be clear and there will be no leniency. Anyone who dares to resist, whether a ninja or an ordinary clansman, will be executed without mercy. Since they have chosen to stand with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, they should be prepared to pay the price with their lives. Anyone who has participated in the Anbu's human experiments and whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent people, regardless of their rank, will be publicly tried after being captured, their crimes will be made public, and they will be severely punished according to the law. There will be no leniency. They must pay the price for what they have done."
"As for those clansmen who did not participate in the crimes and appear innocent, they are marked with a curse and then punished by having to work for the village for sixteen years. During this time, they can only receive thirty percent of their normal wages so that they can make a living. At the same time, all their property is confiscated, leaving only houses and other necessities to maintain their basic living."
Uchiha Shisui frowned slightly, a hint of reluctance on his face, his eyes full of pleading: "Brother Sanfeng, most of those innocent clansmen are ordinary people. They may not even know about the crimes committed by the higher-ups. They themselves have not done anything wrong."
"Isn't it too harsh to punish innocent people like this? Those children, they were born without a choice, and they shouldn't have to bear such punishment for their family's mistakes."
An impatience flashed in Uchiha Mitsunori's eyes, and his tone turned serious, filled with rebuke: "Shisui, you are too naive! There has never been absolute fairness in this world, nor has there ever been true innocence! Hiruzen Sarutobi served as Hokage for thirty-two years, and these four clans, as prestigious families of Konoha, enjoyed hidden privileges for more than thirty years."
"Their wealth and luxury, their peaceful lives, their sumptuous meals—behind them lies the blood and sacrifice of countless innocent people!"
"Now that the Konoha leadership has fallen, they must pay the price for the privileges they enjoyed! This isn't cruelty, it's fairness! If it weren't for the innocent elderly and children among them, I would have exterminated their entire clan, leaving not a single survivor!"
"But..." Shisui wanted to say something more, to persuade Sanfeng to show mercy, but his words were cut off by a sharp voice.
"Enough, Shisui! My mind is made up, there's no need to persuade me anymore! If you're soft-hearted, if you can't bring yourself to do it, then go and maintain order in the village, don't get in my way!"
Looking into his cold eyes, Uchiha Shisui knew his mind was made up, and there was no room for persuasion. He could only lower his head silently, his eyes filled with a deep sense of powerlessness.
He sighed softly and said nothing more, just stood quietly to the side, the evening breeze ruffling his clothes, making him look particularly lonely.