Konoha’s Tragedy, the Slaughter Begins (35K)

"Immediately send people to find Tsunade and have Jiraiya return to the village."

This was the final order the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, gave the Anbu before convening the war council. Hatake Kakashi wore Konoha Anbu robes and a mask, his identity completely concealed. Calmly, he watched as the heads of Konoha’s clans and the village’s Jonin arrived one after another.

A Jonin meeting on this scale was already comparable to wartime.

He turned to look outside. Beyond Konoha, the breeze was still gentle, carrying green leaves from somewhere unknown through the window.

Unfortunately, this peaceful daily life would probably come to an end again…

Kakashi suddenly sensed someone approaching. He turned, his cold gaze meeting a pair of emerald-like eyes.

Heaven’s Will was tall, nearly as tall as Kakashi. Looking levelly at the one-eyed Kakashi, she suddenly produced a delicate palm-sized scroll.

Heaven’s Will was one of the few Konoha Ninja who did not wear Anbu robes. Her blonde hair made her identity instantly recognizable, and she seemed to have no intention of concealing it. Not only was her own identity no secret, but neither, in her eyes, were the identities of the other Anbu.

"Kakashi, now is not the time to be despondent. Soon, this village will be set ablaze by war. When that happens, I think you’ll be willing to open this intelligence report."

Heaven’s Will leaned close to Kakashi’s ear and whispered suggestively. After hesitating for a moment, Kakashi accepted the scroll.

There were rumors within the Anbu that this mysterious Heaven’s Will possessed unusual intelligence channels. Everyone who received a scroll from her ultimately became deeply grateful to her.

Kakashi was quick-witted. In an instant, his breathing grew noticeably heavier. He put away the scroll, then watched her blonde hair sway in the sunlight as she entered the meeting room.

The Anbu were not normally involved in Jonin meetings like this, but clearly, this woman was an exception. Whether it was the Third Hokage or the current Hyuga Clan and Uchiha, all of them regarded her highly.

Thinking of what she had said, Kakashi’s heart grew even heavier.

In other words, in this woman’s eyes, was Konoha destined to be attacked…

A chilling killing intent appeared in Kakashi’s eyes. Konoha was under martial law, and many enemy villages were eager to make a move. The situation almost made him feel as if he had returned to Konoha’s darkest days.

Seeing that her reputation with Kakashi had also risen to Friendly, Heaven’s Will felt no pride. Given enough time and some skill at reading people, any Reincarnator could accomplish something so minor.

She did not think what she had done was particularly miraculous. Although Wushang and Wuxin praised her as if she were the most extraordinary Reincarnator, Heaven’s Will had never seen herself that way.

In her view, she had merely done everything a Reincarnator ought to do.

Within Infinite Dimensional Space, there were countless talented Reincarnators, and quite a few possessed Astounding Talent. Beyond them were those aberrations and monsters who could not be measured by common sense.

Someone like me can only be considered to have Astounding Talent at best.

That was the evaluation she gave herself, without the slightest hint of self-satisfaction or boastfulness. She remained calm throughout.

Compared to herself, Mercenary Tao, who had now appeared in this world, surprised her far more. How had that man achieved such an unsettling rate of growth? Two mission worlds ago, he had merely been a decent Reincarnator stronger than Kalpa Evil Child, someone around the boundary between the First Tier and Second Tier. Yet after only two mission worlds, he had become this terrifying existence, practically sweeping through this world.

Infinite Dimensional Space would not allow score farming. The mission worlds one entered were inevitably tied to one’s rating. In other words, according to the Space’s assessment, Mercenary Tao was still merely a strong Reincarnator, or had only just risen to that level.

Yet the combat power he displayed had almost gone beyond even the description of being exceptional.

He had defeated Uchiha Shisui head-on, fought the Six Paths of Pain alone, survived, and earned their recognition.

Mercenary Tao’s true frontal combat strength was undoubtedly already at Kage level, and among the very strong sort with no weaknesses, surpassing Sage Mode Jiraiya.

The intelligence she had obtained almost made her laugh. She had originally believed that through her cautious, step-by-step approach, she could achieve a peaceful transition, seize Konoha’s authority, restart bloodline research, and hopefully obtain multiple Bloodline Items, even gaining the possibility of aspiring to the future bloodline of the Otsutsuki Clan.

But now that she had discovered Mercenary Tao had joined Akatsuki, that special large-scale Five Nations’ Fall event was probably his doing.

Once she understood Mercenary Tao’s objective, she knew she could no longer obtain what she wanted according to her original plan.

Sitting behind Sarutobi Hiruzen, she closed her eyes and considered the many possibilities in this world.

Mercenary Tao’s actions would inevitably bring tremendous changes to this world. Such actions would earn him a High-level Singularity, but at the same time, they would erase the advantage Reincarnators possessed from knowing this world’s plot developments.

Her mind raced. She was not merely considering the changes to several events, but the entire timeline. In her mind, she simulated the possible paths this world might take after Mercenary Tao led Akatsuki in destroying Konoha, and how she should act along each timeline to reap the greatest benefit.

This ability of Heaven’s Will’s was the key to how she had still earned the Farming Team’s trust and gradually destroyed 9527 after being farmed by them the moment she entered Reincarnation Space.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Sarutobi Hiruzen coughed and began to speak.

"All of us should know that Konoha’s current situation is already exceedingly dangerous."

"Because of the rumors surrounding the Uchiha, the other ninja villages have all set their sights on Konoha. So long as we reveal even the slightest weakness, war… will begin once again."

Hyuga Hiashi glanced at Uchiha Fugaku. The latter wore Konoha combat shinobi attire and offered no rebuttal, as if the friction between Konoha’s higher-ups and the Uchiha had all been baseless rumors.

Sarutobi Hiruzen continually soothed the various clans and demanded that they assign additional manpower, strengthen Konoha’s defenses and vigilance in every respect, and strictly order their clan shinobi not to engage enemy village shinobi during this period.

Those words made Hyuga Hiashi frown slightly. He recalled that humiliating episode in the Hyuga Clan’s past.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to continue when an alarm suddenly rang out.

Wooo—

A piercing alarm sounded from the village entrance. The next moment, an Anbu ninja landed in the room. He used the Body Flicker Technique to arrive beside Sarutobi Hiruzen and reported in a low voice.

"A large number of massive beasts are attacking Konoha’s outer defensive line!"

Whoosh!

Another Anbu appeared, bringing new intelligence.

"The Barrier Team reports that someone has breached the village’s protective barrier. The individual reaction is extremely strong!"

Everyone present was either a Konoha Jonin or a clan leader, and almost all had lived through war. How could they fail to realize that someone had invaded Konoha?

The realization changed everyone’s expressions.

As the strongest ninja village in the shinobi world, Konoha had already considered the Battle of Kikyo Pass—because it had penetrated deep into the Land of Fire and come extremely close to Konoha—an exceptionally dangerous warning and a humiliating incident.

Yet now, someone had actually infiltrated Konoha itself.

Sarutobi Hiruzen abruptly rose to his feet.

"Anbu Squads One through Three, immediately investigate the identities of the shinobi who infiltrated Konoha!"

"Hyuga Clan, assist with the search and dispatch shinobi to guard the outskirts. Expand the alert perimeter to twenty kilometers beyond Konoha."

"Inuzuka Clan and Aburame Clan, cover the area within twenty kilometers outside the village. Do not allow a single trace of an enemy village shinobi to escape notice."

Orders were issued in rapid succession. At this moment, Konoha truly felt the approaching flames of war. The political frictions of the past suddenly seemed insignificant. Once the orders were given, people swiftly departed to carry them out.

Konoha, the shinobi world’s most powerful War Machine, finally began to roar once more.

Suddenly, Hyuga Hiashi halted mid-step. His departing stride stopped as he sharply turned toward the outside of the meeting room, his body flashing to the wall in an instant.

Then intense Chakra erupted from the surface of his body. Blue-white Chakra suddenly spun rapidly around him.

Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!

Bang!

The next moment, the wall exploded. A tall figure smashed through it with a punch, blasting blazing white smoke into the meeting room like a giant serpent. The smoke collided with the Revolving Heaven and instantly exploded.

As force scattered in every direction, the meeting room was swept by a gale.

A frigid presence surged in from outside.

Every ninja present looked stunned. The enemy had come so quickly?!

And they had actually attacked the Hokage Office directly?!

Only Heaven’s Will remained seated. Beneath her mask, her expression showed neither joy nor sorrow.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was likewise stunned by the enemy’s swift arrival. But in the next instant, he suddenly realized something. He spun around and reached for the woman seated behind him.

Heaven’s Will’s intelligence-gathering ability was so formidable that she could even learn of battles occurring at the Land of Fire’s borders. How could she possibly have had no intelligence on this group’s mad assault on Konoha?!

The only explanation was that Heaven’s Will had betrayed Konoha and deliberately concealed the information!

Heaven’s Will raised her head and met Sarutobi Hiruzen’s gaze. Her emerald eyes were calm as still water, but at some point, she had already risen to her feet. She lifted her left hand as though to block Sarutobi Hiruzen’s reaching hand.

Bang!

Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly suffered a heavy blow to the chest. His reaction was extremely fast. The instant he was struck, his body exploded into smoke, and a shattered chair appeared where he had stood. The Third Hokage himself appeared at the back of the meeting room.

He had already removed his Hokage robes, revealing the combat uniform he had long since put on beneath them.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was not yet so old that he had completely lost the bearing of the Professor of Shinobi. He would not place all his hopes on others, and had personally prepared for the possibility that war might break out.

A fist imprint marked Sarutobi Hiruzen’s chest, and his ribs had cracked under that blow. He clasped his hands together, and a Shadow Clone swiftly appeared.

Ignoring his injuries, he said in a deep voice.

"Konoha Anbu, immediately apprehend the traitorous ninja Heaven’s Will. If she resists, kill her without mercy!"

Hatake Kakashi had only just entered the meeting room when he heard that order. Before he could think about what had happened, a terrifying presence erupted from beyond the meeting room wall.

He turned his head and saw a tall man in a Red Cloud Black Robe standing by the shattered wall. He had short hair and a cruel smile on his face.

An aura as surging as the sea crashed down upon everyone.

Even Kakashi felt his breathing grow labored for a moment. Several clan elders had already lost consciousness under the suppression of that terrifying aura.

Along with that presence, Deva Path Pain and Orochimaru entered through the broken wall one after another. Looking at the gathered Konoha Jonin and clan higher-ups in the meeting room, Orochimaru revealed an eerie smile.

"What a… perfect opportunity to catch them all in one net."

He glanced at his teacher, then scoffed and looked away.

Uchiha Fugaku’s scarlet Three Tomoe fixed upon Bai Cangshu. He guessed that this man was likely the Mercenary Tao who had taken Itachi away. Just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed.

Behind those people, a familiar figure appeared.

Uchiha Itachi wore a calm expression. His scarlet Three Tomoe met his father’s gaze as he spoke.

"Father, please forgive me. Today’s slaughter is the destined outcome."

The next moment, Uchiha Itachi vanished. A sharp gust of wind appeared behind Utatane Koharu. She had been away from the front lines for far too long, and her reaction was slightly sluggish. After realizing something was wrong, she only had time to half-turn before a sharp blade slashed into the back of her neck.

Pfft!

Blood splashed across Uchiha Itachi’s young face, staining his tear troughs red. His figure vanished again in the blink of an eye, and Hatake Kakashi’s kunai stabbed empty air.

He turned his head and happened to meet Uchiha Itachi’s gaze. As the scarlet Three Tomoe spun, Hatake Kakashi seemed to see Obito and Rin’s faces once more…