The clash between ninjas created a massive commotion, especially when it came to ninjas of the level of Hiruzen and Homura.
To make matters worse, the Mitokado clansmen and subordinates were also dragged into it. Hiruzen had just returned to Konoha, and in order to stop Homura's plan foretold in the prophecy, and to prevent Danzō from catching wind and rushing over with reinforcements, there was no time for detailed planning. A full-blown chaotic battle broke out on the spot.
At first, when it started inside the Mitokado clan grounds, many in Konoha only heard the noise and tried to guess what was happening. But as the battle spread outward, everyone in the village was left dumbfounded.
Since the founding of Konoha, there had never been such a large-scale internal conflict.
What shocked people even more was that both sides of the battle were Konoha's own... and they seemed to be fighting to the death!
Rebellion!
That was the first thought that popped into everyone's minds.
Yet something felt off.
Lady Tsunade was still at the front lines, and Hiruzen had gone to negotiate as well—so who started the rebellion, and who was trying to stop it?
Many people's first guess was: Could it be Danzō up to his tricks again?
If he knew what they were thinking, he would probably be fuming.
Fortunately, that suspicion didn't last long. People soon saw Hiruzen and Homura fighting their way through the chaos.
And then, everyone was even more confused.
When did the Hokage return?
Why was it Homura, who always had a good reputation, launching a rebellion, and not the ever-scheming Danzō?
But there was no time to think. People had to rush back home, shut their doors and windows tight, and pray silently that they wouldn't get caught in the crossfire of this full-scale war-like riot.
What the hell is going on!?
After all, Hiruzen was the Hokage.
Even though most of Konoha's elite ninja were on the front lines, and many of the Sarutobi clan's top fighters had already been sacrificed in the war with Suna by Danzō...
Hiruzen still had full control over the ANBU.
The ANBU didn't have large numbers, but every member was an elite chosen through strict selection. Against ordinary ninjas, they had a clear advantage.
On top of that, Hiruzen had trained many civilian ninjas to serve under him. These individuals formed another secret group apart from the ANBU, with over a hundred members.
Furthermore, he was still Hokage, even if his prestige had declined. In the face of a rebellion, many ninjas were still willing to follow his command.
So in terms of both the quality and quantity of ninjas, his side had the upper hand.
And from the surface of things, it seemed like Homura was the one trying to initiate a rebellion, but Hiruzen, having just returned, discovered the plan and struck first.
Naturally, the ninja army led by Hiruzen fought with full force, while many of the ninjas on Homura's side, especially those who didn't fully understand what was happening, lacked the will to fight.
But just as Homura's side was about to collapse, shadows flickered, and suddenly hundreds more joined the fray, plunging the scene into deeper chaos, nearly the entire village was now caught in the fighting.
Those who joined were none other than Danzō, along with his subordinates and clansmen. With his arrival, the tide of the battle shifted once more.
Watching all this from atop the Hokage Rock, standing on Tobirama's head, Shin nearly burst out laughing.
He swore, after experiencing and witnessing so many battles, he had never seen anything quite like this.
After all, a dogfight between high-raking members wasn't something you got to see every day, so he had been watching from beginning to end with great relish.
"Tobirama, oh Tobirama... look at your so-called good students," he muttered with a mocking smile toward the massive stone statue beneath his feet, then activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished from the spot.
The battle among Hiruzen, Homura, and Danzō was thrilling, but after watching for so long, it started to lose its novelty.
It was time to stir the muddy waters.
---
North, in an ordinary civilian home not far from the Hokage Tower, unlike most people who were huddled in their bedrooms, shivering and praying, a civilian carpenter named Saji was constantly on the move: now by the bedroom window, then the living room, then into the kitchen.
He left a crack open in every window, peeking outside constantly.
And the person he was watching so intently wasn't anyone else, it was none other than the Third Hokage.
From afar, gazing at Hiruzen's graceful and commanding combat form, he felt both nervous and excited.
Nervous, because he thought he saw Hiruzen evenly matched with Homura during brief lulls in the fighting.
Excited, because it was the first time he had ever seen his idol fighting in person.
As an utterly fanatical and unconditionally loyal supporter of Hiruzen, he desperately hoped to see the Hokage crush the "rebel" Homura with overwhelming might.
When Hiruzen and Homura shifted their battlefield again, the eager Saji dashed from the kitchen to keep watching.
But just as he passed through the living room and was about to head into the bedroom, his entire body suddenly shuddered, because out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a shadow flicker past.
When he stopped and turned to look, the figure abruptly appeared beside him, grabbed his neck, and lifted him off the ground.
"Cough… cough…" he coughed violently, but he also got a clear look at who had grabbed him, and was immediately terrified, struggling with all his might.
"If you knew this day would come, why did you act the way you did?" Shin asked, sensing the struggling man in his grip. "Saji... word is, you've been publicly supporting Hiruzen more than once over the past six months. And you've talked plenty of crap about Tsunade, haven't you?"
"I... cough... please... cough cough..." Saji tried hard to speak, but that iron-like hand around his neck choked back every word.
"Forget it. Nothing you say matters to me. But don't worry, you won't be alone. A lot of people will be joining you tonight."
As he finished speaking, glowing runes shimmered, and Saji suddenly vanished from the room.
Having taken care of the first target in the middle of the chaos, Shin pulled out a long scroll, on it, densely written were the names of several thousand people.
The battle might have been entertaining, but there was still business to attend to. And that business, naturally, was this: he planned to eliminate everyone who had ever publicly slandered Tsunade, or still blindly supported Hiruzen, all in one go, tonight.
He hadn't acted before for two reasons: One, he needed time to investigate and didn't want to waste it settling scores one by one. Two, striking prematurely, especially when the victims were known Hiruzen supporters, might reflect badly on Tsunade.
But today, Hiruzen, as Hokage, had led people into a violent clash with a village elder and another advisor. The chaos had already become public knowledge, destroying homes and harming bystanders.
At this point, no matter who ended up "missing," it would all be blamed on those three, and had nothing to do with him.
So, since the timing was perfect and the waters were already muddy, he might as well clean house all at once.