The dark brown pipe had been held in an old, rough hand for a long time, but the tobacco-filled bowl showed no sign of being lit.
Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have forgotten his usual habit, standing quietly in front of the Hokage Office's floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly at the ink-dark Village under the night sky.
Just as Danzo Shimura could predict the desperate retaliation of the Shinobi Clans under constant pressure, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, had been on edge since the purge began, with his sleep being very light every night.
Tonight, almost the moment the alarm sounded in the Village, he arrived at the Hokage Building, ready to stand guard, prepared for a civil war at any moment.
The only thing to be thankful for was that the Shinobi Clans' attack direction tonight was not his recently built office, but the outer wall.
What did they want to do?
[Remember this site domain w̲k̲a̲n̲.c̲o̲m, super convenient]
Contacting external aid? Colluding with other countries?
Or simply concentrating their strength to escape this Village, which had become a cage for them, before being completely annihilated?
Even though the worst-case scenario hadn't happened, Hiruzen Sarutobi inexplicably felt a bad premonition, as if disaster could strike at any moment.
"That damned Danzo."
After a long while, he looked at the quiet night scene and cursed softly.
If it weren't for him secretly conducting experiments, implanting the Bloodline Limit, which the Shinobi Clans valued as their lives, onto himself, and exposing it in front of so many people, he wouldn't have reached this point.
Ninja Clan reform, Konoha reform.
It sounded so good.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi still remembered his identity as the head of the Sarutobi Clan, and even more, he remembered that Konoha was a Village built by a gathering of Shinobi Clans.
With deep Roots and lush branches.
After only a few short decades, they wanted to cut down these big trees rooted in Konoha and plant new saplings.
Could it be that simple?
However, despite his resentment towards Danzo's self-assertion, he could not deny the deeper stirrings within his own heart.
After all, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi not know the beauty of a Hokage's autocracy and absolute power?
This was probably the real reason he tacitly approved of Danzo's current actions.
"I wonder how things are going with Danzo," Hiruzen Sarutobi thought, muttering a few more words.
Just as he was quietly waiting for the result.
"Bang—"
The door to the Hokage Office was suddenly violently slammed open, emitting a dull thud.
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his head sharply, only to see an Anbu loudly report: "Third Hokage!"
"A group of Ninja Clan Ninja suddenly rushed out of their clan territory in a group!"
"Among their crowd, they are surrounding a huge, Ghost Face (ghost-faced) box, charging towards the Hokage Building!"
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression instantly changed: "What?!"
"Thud!"
The giant box, with sides more than a person's height, was heavily slammed onto the stone pavement, sinking deep into the ground.
Akimichi Choza, who had carried the giant box, was panting, but his expression showed some excitement: "Clan Head, is it enough to just put it here?"
"That's right!"
Akimichi Choza first nodded, then turned to look at the few people beside him: "Can we start now?"
Inuzuka Tsume listened to the increasingly close footsteps and sounds of battle in the distance, then turned to look at Nara Shikaku in front of her, somewhat confused: "Speaking of which, what exactly is this thing?"
"This big guy, does it really have the power Orochimaru spoke of?"
Nara Shikaku looked at the Ghost Face (ghost-faced) giant box in front of him, seeing the words 'All things eventually return to paradise' written on the front of the box, his expression serious: "The Box of Ultimate Bliss."
"If I remember correctly, that should be its name."
"During the Sengoku period, the Land of Grass once swept across many countries with this object, even claiming to unify the entire Ninja World with it."
"According to our clan's secret history, it seals a monster named 'Satori'."
"Its strength is so powerful that even a Tailed Beast cannot compare."
"However, whether it's a rumor or a fact, we'll have to see its performance next."
"Shibi-kun?"
Nara Shikaku turned his head, looking at the man beside him who had remained silent.
"Heh."
"As expected of the Nara Clan head, truly knowledgeable."
He had just turned his head when he heard a hoarse, low laugh from beside him. Nara Shikaku's gaze fixed on the slender white snake coiled around Aburame Shibi's shoulder.
A hint of unintentional brilliance flickered in its golden vertical pupils, and its forked tongue flickered slightly, full of interest.
"You flatter me, Orochimaru-sama."
"I imagine, at this point, you wouldn't tell a joke like you don't even know how to use it, would you?"
Nara Shikaku's expression was serious.
"Naturally."
Orochimaru, attached to the white snake's body, spoke in a flat tone: "However, to summon Satori, a person's life is needed as a sacrifice."
Upon hearing this, Aburame Shibi's expression instantly tightened: "Orochimaru-sama, you didn't mention such a condition before."
The various Shinobi Clans had rarely united, and he couldn't take on such a huge burden at this moment.
The other Ninja Clan heads present also had tense expressions, their gazes fixed on Orochimaru.
Orochimaru, however, was unfazed, his tone even carrying a hint of mockery: "At this point, are you still concerned about such a small sacrifice?"
"6"
"I understand."
As everyone remained silent, Aburame Shigehira, who was standing to the side, suddenly stepped forward and said in a deep voice: "I will be the sacrifice."
"Should that be enough?"
The shouts and sounds of battle from afar grew closer and closer. Just by listening to the roars, they knew at least dozens of people were rushing towards them. In such a critical moment, there was naturally no time for these guys to perform any drawing of lots or other rituals, so Aburame Shigehira made the decision directly.
Everyone present looked at him, but no one could say anything to stop him.
Aburame Shigehira's expression was calm.
Ever since that day when Torune was taken from his home by Root members without any resistance, that heavy humiliation had always lingered in his heart.
At this very moment, the opportunity for revenge lay before him.
Would he still give up due to a moment of hesitation?
"Very good."
Looking at his resolute expression, Orochimaru smiled calmly.
Immediately after, the forked tongue emanating from his mouth flickered repeatedly, forming several specific hand seals.
As these specific hand seals concluded, everyone present clearly saw the already enormous box suddenly vibrate for a moment, emitting a slight hum.
A substantial dark purple mist emanated from the cracks in the box. The moment they saw it, a strong chill involuntarily rose in everyone's hearts.
Aburame Shigehira, who was directly in front, had his pupils contract.
"Boom—!"
The next moment, the entire Konoha saw a dark pillar soaring into the sky, connecting heaven and earth.
Both the Konoha Ninja and the Ninja Clan Ninja, whether fighting or not, seemed to feel something at that moment, turning their heads sharply towards the direction where the heavenly pillar rose, a deep sense of trepidation rising in their hearts, like a blade scraping across their skin.
"What is that... thing?"
A howling storm, pushing forward like a wall, suddenly swept through, causing Aburame Shigehira, who stood before it, to involuntarily raise his arms to block in front of him, unconsciously looking up through the gap towards the front.
He saw that the originally complete box had split open in the middle, forming a deep passage. The entire flat surface of the box was like a giant mouth opening, facing directly towards him.
Inside the giant mouth, it was bottomless.
Aburame Shigehira looked at the scene before him, as if understanding something, turned his head and looked deeply at everyone, but said nothing, walking directly towards the giant mouth.
Until he was completely swallowed.
"Whoosh!"
This, is this how it ends?
Everyone present watched this scene, feeling a sense of bewildered confusion.
Orochimaru looked at this scene, a hint of investigative interest flashing in his eyes.
However, he still conscientiously reminded: "Everyone, if I were you, I would choose to leave this place as soon as possible."
"The rumored 'Satori' is a monster that doesn't distinguish between friend and foe."
Upon hearing this, Nara Shikaku didn't say a word, turning directly into a dark alley.
The remaining few also quickly dispersed one after another, leaving only a few visible and hidden sentries a little further away, observing the movements around the box.
In a short while, this area was left with only this huge Ghost Face (ghost-faced) box, standing motionless.
These people had only left a short while ago.
"Bang!"
Old wooden clogs sank deep into the ground, and a short, thin figure landed in front of the abandoned alley, holding a long staff horizontally, fully armed.
On both sides of the alley walls were elite Anbu, either horizontal or vertical, moving efficiently.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze first coldly swept over the traces in the field, finally quickly falling upon the enormous Ghost Face (ghost-faced) giant box, his eyes involuntarily narrowing.
Clearly, a scholar like this Ninjutsu Professor recognized the true identity of this box at a glance, and his expression couldn't help but freeze: "The Box of Ultimate Bliss?!"
Shouldn't this thing be sealed in the deepest part of the Land of Grass?
How could it appear here?
Just in that moment of distraction.
"Click."
The surface of the box, which had only recently closed, once again opened a gap.
Although he had only been sealed inside for a short time, when he reappeared, Aburame Shigehira's skin had already turned deathly pale, and his steps moved stiffly like a corpse, advancing to stand in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Aburame Shigehira?!"
Although he didn't understand the situation yet, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately tensed his expression, his gaze vigilantly fixed on the person in front of him, his tone serious: "Surrender."
"Considering your past contributions to the Village, this old man can spare your life."
"If you still dare to be stubborn and resist at this point, you will surely die!"
"66"
"Is that so?"
Aburame Shigehira, his entire body deathly pale like a corpse, suddenly let out such a subtle sigh.
Almost the instant his voice fell, a warning sign abruptly rose in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart, and he instinctively stepped back.
"Boom!!"
Accompanied by a violent explosion, the shattered stone ground beneath Aburame Shigehira's feet erupted in a cloud of scattered dust, and he, like an arrow released from a bowstring, charged directly towards Hiruzen Sarutobi at a speed too fast for the naked eye to catch.
As the two collided, a massive impact force carried them like meteorites, smashing through a large area of houses and shooting straight into the distance, drawing a long trail of dust across the entire map of the Village.
"Hokage-sama!!"
The speed was too fast to react to; the surrounding Anbu were all scattered by the violent shockwave, only managing to shout a sentence after getting up.
Just as they tried to find the two's whereabouts, a roar that seemed to pierce their very souls suddenly echoed in their ears.
"Roar—!"
A deep roar pierced their eardrums, making the very ground beneath their feet tremble.
Following the direction of the sound, everyone looked up together.
They saw a grotesque body, over ten meters tall, headless, with its upper and lower massive parts connected by a spine wrapped in black fur, its spherical upper torso having a hideous gaping mouth, and black wings spread across the sky, slowly rising from the dust.
Ugly, eerie, twisted.
Just looking at that inhuman body caused an uncontrollable, intense fear to rise in their hearts.
Also looking at this scene were Nara Shikaku and the others who had just escaped from there not long ago.
They all widened their eyes, instinctively clenching their fists.
This is... Satori?
Just by looking at its twisted face, a question involuntarily arose in everyone's minds.
Is this truly a creature that could be born in the Ninja World?
However, after recovering, they couldn't help but feel a little relieved.
If it's this kind of monster...
Then Hiruzen Sarutobi and those bastards should no longer have the strength to contend with them, right?
These clan heads were, after all, Ninja who grew up after Konoha was established. Even in their current predicament, their primary thought was still self-preservation.
The black monster quietly watched the dust in front of it, its hideous giant mouth emitting a somewhat mocking tone, completely different from the former Aburame Shigehira: "Did you die just like that, Hiruzen Sarutobi?"
"Boom!"
Before the words could even fall, a thick black giant staff suddenly extended from the dusty ground, thrusting directly towards Satori, carving a winding trajectory in mid-air, causing the very air to explode.
However, the black-furred monster suddenly shot up from the ground just as the staff was about to strike, flying into the sky with incredible agility, narrowly dodging the extremely heavy blow.
"Crash..."
Scattered gravel fell to the ground, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's seemingly old and small body emerged from the pile of rocks, his black combat uniform stained with a little blood, his expression tense as he gazed at the monster floating in the clouds.
"You bastard."
Hiruzen Sarutobi cursed softly, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb as he spoke, his narrowed eyes full of apprehension, but his voice was serious and stern, filled with killing intent: "What exactly do you take the Hokage for?"
"Come at me!"
"Heh…"
Upon hearing this, Satori's hideous mouth suddenly curved upwards, the extent of its grin seemingly tearing its entire upper body horizontally.
In an instant, it transformed into a black phantom, plummeting directly towards Hiruzen Sarutobi.
While the battle raged here.
On a distant rooftop, several figures were quietly watching the scene unfold.
When Satori's figure flew into the clouds, and they saw its deformed, twisted body, filled with an energy system completely different from Chakra.
Aizen Sōsuke's eyes, rarely, showed a hint of interest.
"Oh?"