Hiashi stared intently at Keizumi, his gaze burning—he truly believed what he was saying!
Although everything Keizumi had done had never deviated from justice, during the process of carrying out that justice, the Uchiha clan's voice within Konoha had clearly grown louder and louder—so much so that even the Ino–Shika–Chō trio had defected to his side!
Before Keizumi appeared, the situation of the Uchiha clan was something everyone in Konoha knew well. After all, just as the Uchiha themselves used to say, Uchiha Fugaku should have been called "Coward Eyes" rather than "Fierce Eyes"!
As Hiashi spoke those words, Sarutobi Hiruzen—who had originally held some dissatisfaction toward him—actually felt a bit pleased at this moment.
There was no other reason. Just the fact that Hyūga Hiashi had spoken the thoughts in his heart—today, Sarutobi Hiruzen was standing on Hyūga Hiashi's side!
"So… that's how you see me?"
Keizumi didn't care about Hiashi's accusations. Instead, he simply glanced at him with disappointment.
"Is it because you think that after obtaining the Tenseigan, your strength has already surpassed mine… and that's why you've become blindly confident?"
"It seems that the Tenseigan you obtained through sacrificing your clansmen has done nothing but inflate your arrogance."
Keizumi let out a sigh. Among the entire Hyūga clan, Hiashi had once been the one with the least sin on his shoulders. But now, the red name above his head was so deep it had practically turned purple!
That meant he had likely personally slaughtered quite a number of Hyūga clan members.
"You… know about the Tenseigan too?"
Hearing Keizumi's words, Hiashi was momentarily stunned.
He knew a bit about the two toads on Jiraiya's shoulders—those were toads from Mount Myōboku, one of the Three Great Sage Regions. Those toads had lived for who knew how long, so it wasn't strange for them to know certain secrets.
But for Uchiha Keizumi himself to know about the existence of the Tenseigan—that truly left him confused.
"I only know a little."
Keizumi shook his head, not bothering to explain how he knew.
"Looking at you now, you're planning to take the main branch and leave Konoha… to escape responsibility, aren't you?"
"You went through all that trouble to create the Tenseigan. It was probably to deal with me."
"Come. Let me see just how far you've mastered the Tenseigan. If your level of control isn't high enough… people will die."
Keizumi stared at Hiashi before him. He could clearly feel the undisguised malice emanating from him.
Even without the Nine-Tails' level of malice-sensing ability, Keizumi could vaguely perceive that Hiashi had probably blamed his current situation entirely on him.
"Go to the Valley of the End!"
"Konoha can't withstand you two tearing it apart any further!"
"Hiashi, your daughter is still in Konoha. You've experienced the Nine-Tails' attack—you don't want Konoha to go through that again!"
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, hurriedly spoke up. Although he had already guessed that Utatane Koharu had likely died at Hiashi's hands, his old habit had flared up again.
He couldn't help but want to spare Hyūga Hiashi.
Not for any grand reason—simply because it was Hyūga Hiashi himself!
It was obvious that Hiashi had slaughtered all the clan members within the Hyūga compound. If he and the main branch behind him were to die here, then the Byakugan clan of Konoha would practically be wiped out…
On top of that, Hiashi's strength was clearly extraordinary. Hiruzen didn't want to see him die just like this.
As for why he chose the Valley of the End?
That place… had its own significance.
Ever since Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama fought there—and Madara faked his death and escaped—the Valley of the End had seemed to carry some kind of strange, living magic.
Jiraiya had once lost track of Orochimaru there. In the future, Naruto would also lose Sasuke there.
Just because of that peculiar "luck," Hiruzen sincerely hoped that Hyūga Hiashi could escape from Uchiha Keizumi's hands!
"Then the Valley of the End it is!"
"I also want to see—me, who has mastered the Tenseigan, and you, who wield the Mangekyō Sharingan… just how far we are from the God of Shinobi and the Shura of the Ninja World who once pacified the chaotic era!"
Although Hiashi kept his eyes closed, his face was filled with indescribable confidence.
The Tenseigan was a power capable of destroying the ninja world. Even if he only had one, even if it wasn't actually in his own eye socket, Hyūga Hiashi still didn't believe he was inferior to the current Uchiha Keizumi!
After speaking, Keizumi didn't say anything else. He simply turned around and walked away.
Hiashi and the main branch beside him didn't hesitate either. They followed him, heading straight toward the Valley of the End!
As for Hiruzen, Tsunade, and Jiraiya—there was naturally no reason for them to leave at a time like this.
...
Boom—!
As soon as Uchiha Keizumi and Hyūga Hiashi arrived at the Valley of the End, there was no prelude at all—only a deafening explosion erupting instantly!
This was the power of Lava Release.
Uchiha Keizumi had never underestimated the power of the Tenseigan. Even if Hyūga Hiashi's Tenseigan Chakra Mode wasn't pure, he still chose to first use Lava Release to sever the connection between Hiashi and the Tenseigan.
Scorching magma surged up from beneath the Valley of the End. It carried a foul sulfurous stench, along with terrifying heat capable of melting gold and corroding iron. Combined with the sudden ambush—even the Raikage would never dare to tank it head-on with his body!
"Keizumi's power… has grown even stronger!"
"Or rather, his mastery over Lava Release has reached an unbelievable level…"
"In the past, when he activated Lava Release, there would always be visible signs on his body. But this time, when he used it… there wasn't even the slightest hint!"
Watching the sudden, signless eruption of Lava Release, Hiruzen couldn't help but take a deep drag from his pipe.
He had witnessed Uchiha Keizumi's growth step by step—from a mere special kekkei genkai within the Uchiha clan, to awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, and even gaining the power of Wood Release.
To be blunt, in Hiruzen's eyes, the previous Keizumi was already no weaker than Uchiha Madara.
And now, seeing him activate Lava Release without any sign at all, Hiruzen realized—he was still continuing to grow!
What Hiruzen didn't know, however, was that this growth came entirely from Yin–Yang Release.
As Uchiha Keizumi began to gain preliminary control over Yin–Yang Release, his kekkei genkai abilities had become far more effortless and natural.
If Senju Hashirama still needed to clap his hands together to activate Wood Release and put on a bit of a show…
Then Uchiha Keizumi, when using ninjutsu now—didn't even need to pretend anymore.