Boom—
Blocking the Third Hokage's advance, Fugaku manipulated Susanoo, bringing down the massive black spear in its hand toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The air compressed violently, producing a shrill, piercing sound. At the center of that crushing force, the space itself seemed to distort, becoming faintly visible.
Swish—
Hiruzen's face hardened. He hadn't expected Fugaku to break the Adamantine Prison so quickly—let alone move with such incredible speed using the Body Flicker Technique.
He leapt back in haste, barely avoiding the sweeping strike of the spear.
But even so, the gale-like force trailing behind the black spear slammed into him, leaving several bleeding cuts across his body—even across his face.
"What terrifying power…! "
Feeling the searing pain, the Third Hokage was inwardly shaken.
He had always known Susanoo was formidable—but not to this extent.
What he didn't know was that Fugaku's Susanoo had reached its third form. For an ordinary Mangekyō wielder, this was a peak state achieved only by pushing to the absolute limit.
But for Fugaku, this had become his standard combat state.
And as for Hiruzen's assumption that he had avoided the worst of it? Wishful thinking.
In the next instant—
Susanoo's shield in its left hand surged forward like a bulldozer blade, crashing toward the Hokage.
"Lightning Water Dragon Bullet! "
Hiruzen countered with a composite jutsu, conjuring a massive water dragon coiled in crackling lightning to intercept the incoming blow.
But the instant the electrified dragon collided with Susanoo's shield, it rebounded violently, reversing direction and hurtling back toward him.
The Hokage dove into a desperate roll, barely avoiding being obliterated by his own jutsu.
And even as he regained his footing—
The shield was already upon him again, swinging toward him from point-blank range.
There was no time left to weave another jutsu.
"Adamantine Prison Wall! "
Enma transformed back into the adamantine staff, splitting into countless rods that formed another golden cage around Hiruzen, shielding him from the full brunt of the attack.
Boom!
The massive impact shook the ground. The adamantine rods shattered under the strike, forcing Enma back into his monkey form—blood spraying from his mouth before he vanished in a burst of white smoke, the summoning undone by the severity of his wounds.
Hiruzen himself was blasted backward, tumbling across the ground before vomiting blood.
"Lord Hokage! "
The ANBU who had accompanied him cried out in alarm, shock and fear flashing across their faces.
Fugaku Uchiha's sheer might had left them speechless. With just a few exchanges, the Third Hokage—one of the strongest shinobi in the world—was already bleeding.
They tried to rush to his side, but the Uchiha clan members moved as one, intercepting them and cutting off any path of aid.
"Pathetic."
Fugaku stood tall, his eyes cold as he gazed at the Hokage lying dozens of meters away, blood dripping from his lips. For a brief moment, killing intent flickered in his gaze—but he suppressed it.
He could sense multiple chakra signatures approaching fast. Some of them belonged to clan heads. They were hiding in the shadows, watching.
If Hiruzen's life were in imminent danger, they would intervene without hesitation.
"The Third Hokage… he's no match for Fugaku Uchiha! "
"It's not that the Hokage is weak—it's that Fugaku has become too strong."
"With power like this, no wonder he was able to repel that Wood Release user."
"Do you think… at this level, he could rival the First Hokage? "
From the darkness, clan leaders whispered among themselves in disbelief.
The Hokage—an elite Kage-level shinobi—had been overwhelmed in mere moments. Fugaku's strength had transcended the Kage tier, reaching a level they hadn't seen in decades.
It reminded them of an era long past—the age of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage—when the Leaf stood as an unmatched superpower.
Back then, Konoha's might alone was enough to crush all four great shinobi nations.
Invasions? Unthinkable.
If anything, the other villages lived in fear of Konoha's wrath.
The thought of those days filled their hearts with a dangerous sense of longing.
If Fugaku Uchiha were to become Hokage… perhaps Konoha could regain that lost glory.
Meanwhile, as the Third Hokage confronted the Uchiha…
Deep within the clan's hidden chamber, a first-generation White Zetsu clone activated the Mayfly Technique, slipping away at incredible speed toward the Hokage Tower.
Upon arrival, it employed the Transformation Technique, taking on the appearance of an ANBU operative, and boldly walked into the tower without arousing suspicion.
The Scroll Repository lay at the very top floor. The disguised intruder ascended the staircase without pause.
Though several ANBU guards challenged him along the way, the flawless mimicry of the Transformation Technique fooled them all.
At last, he approached the chamber of the scrolls once guarded by generations of Hokage.
"This is a restricted area. No one is allowed near the scroll room. State your business! "
The repository and its surroundings were reinforced with complex barriers—penetrating them with the Mayfly Technique was impossible.
Three jōnin-ranked ANBU stood vigilant at the door.
After the recent theft of the Scroll of Seals, the Third Hokage had personally ordered this place to be guarded at all times by a captain-level operative of elite strength.
But that operative had been reassigned… because of Itachi Uchiha's resignation incident.
Fugaku had foreseen this—and timed his move perfectly.
"Lord Hokage sent me to—"
The White Zetsu clone's words cut off halfway as its eyes suddenly blossomed into a tri-leaf pinwheel.
The Sharingan spun—and the innate power of hypnosis activated instantly.
In the blink of an eye, the three guards fell into a deep trance.
Had an elite-level ANBU captain been present, this silent takeover would have been far more difficult. But against three ordinary jōnin, it was effortless.
"Good."
The guards stepped aside without a sound, allowing the disguised intruder to approach the sealed door.
The Scroll Repository had been fortified after the previous breach—not only locked but secured with an intricate sealing barrier.
Only the one who placed the seal knew the method to unravel it. Even a master of fūinjutsu would struggle to break it quickly.
The clone didn't need to know the method.
"Amaterasu."
Black flames erupted, devouring the door and its barrier in an instant.
When the flames finally vanished, the entryway lay in ruin—and the intruder slipped inside.
"Who's there…?! "
Inside, another jōnin-level guard turned in shock, opening his mouth to shout—