It was like a stone sinking into the sea.
Di Yan didn't even look her in the eye.
He merely glanced at her with a look of almost pity.
As if mocking her current naivety.
This woman's perspective was, after all, still constrained by the identity of a Hokage.
Too idealistic.
Di Yan shook his head, his gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of the Konoha Ninja throughout the plaza—faces that were angry, fearful, or tense.
His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying the coldness of someone announcing a foregone conclusion:
"Ever since the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, established the so-called 'One Country, One Village' system..."
"The Land of Fire has fallen into a ridiculous dual-government structure."
"The country is divided, power is decentralized... While claiming to be for peace."
"In reality, it's merely to maintain the privileges and elevated status of your Ninja collective."
His tone was filled with contempt and disdain for this period of history.
"This backward, corrupt system, which has led to countless internal conflicts... Today, it ends."
Di Yan's voice suddenly became resolute and filled with an undeniable will:
"Unification! Imperial power above all! It begins with Konoha!"
"I will personally put an end to this mistake that has lasted for decades!"
With that, he seemed to have grown weary of the lengthy negotiations, waving his hand with a lack of interest.
He finally issued the ultimate, bloody command.
Uchiha Tekka, who received the order,
his already cold expression instantly became even more chilling,
like a drawn blade.
Without any hesitation, he took a step forward,
instantly appearing behind Asuma Sarutobi, who was being forcibly held kneeling on the ground!
At the same time,
two other black-clad Ninja, like cold machines,
simultaneously appeared behind Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji!
Three gleaming long swords were raised high.
Their blades pointed at the back of the three men's necks!
The shadow of death instantly loomed!
Asuma, who had been trying to maintain his composure, finally showed extreme terror and disbelief on his face.
He struggled desperately, guttural 'ooh-ooh' roars escaping his throat.
He simply couldn't believe it.
That Di Yan actually dared to do such a crazy thing in Konoha, in broad daylight, before everyone's eyes!
Shikamaru and Choji were even more terrified, their faces ashen.
The fear of death left their minds blank.
Their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably!
"No!!!"
"Stop!!!"
"Your Majesty! Please stop!"
The Konoha side completely erupted.
Tsunade was horrified, rushing forward fiercely.
Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza let out heart-wrenching roars.
The Sarutobi Clan Ninja, like madmen, tried to pounce forward!
All voices attempting to stop them, all people trying to rush forward,
were firmly blocked by the black-clad Ninja Di Yan had brought.
Facing the desperate pleas and frantic charges, Di Yan remained expressionless, calmly uttering a single word:
"Execute."
The command was absolute!
Uchiha Tekka and the two black-clad Ninja showed no emotion in their eyes.
Like the most precise execution machines,
their hands moved, and their blades fell!
Pfft!
Pfft!
Pfft!
Three sickening thuds of blades cutting through flesh and bone rang out almost simultaneously!
Blood spurted upwards like a fountain!
Three heads, bearing expressions of frozen terror and despair, rolled to the ground.
They became soiled in the dust.
The headless bodies twitched stiffly twice where they stood.
Then fell heavily forward.
The air, at this moment, seemed to completely freeze.
All sounds, all movements ceased.
Time seemed to stretch out infinitely.
Everyone could clearly hear the frantic pounding of their own hearts.
And the faint sound of blood dripping to the ground.
Tsunade's forward movement froze midway.
Her eyes were wide open to their extreme.
Her emerald pupils reflected the three headless bodies and the rolling heads.
Her mind was blank.
As if unable to process the extremely bloody and horrifying scene before her.
Nara Shikaku looked as if all his soul had been drained.
He staggered back a step, his face ashen as paper.
His lips trembled,
but he couldn't make any sound.
Akimichi Choza let out a mournful howl like a wounded beast.
His massive body trembled violently.
The Sarutobi Clan Ninja seemed to be under a paralysis jutsu.
Staring blankly at the head of their clan's proud heir, the Third Hokage's son... The entire plaza fell into an eerie, deathly silence.
Only Di Yan slowly stood up.
He brushed off non-existent dust from his clothes.
As if he had merely swatted a few flies.
His gaze calmly swept over the Konoha Ninja who were plunged into immense shock and grief, and he said faintly:
"Now, does anyone still doubt my resolve?"
Deathly silence.
Suffocating deathly silence enveloped the entire plaza.
No one responded to him.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the three headless bodies lying in pools of blood.
And the three heads that had rolled to the ground, still retaining expressions of terror and disbelief.
A heavy smell of blood permeated the air,
stimulating everyone's nerves.
After the brief, mind-blanking shock,
came an uncontrollable, overwhelming fury and grief, like a volcanic eruption!
"Asuma!!!"
"Shikamaru! My son!!!"
"Choji!!!"
The Sarutobi Clan Ninja let out heart-wrenching roars.
Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza, these two steady clan heads, completely lost their composure at this moment.
Their eyes instantly became bloodshot.
Their bodies trembled violently from extreme anger and sorrow!
The Ino–Shika–Chō Ninja were even more united against a common enemy.
Chakra surged wildly as if out of control!
Tsunade watched this scene, her heart sinking completely.
Her face twitched slightly, her fists clenched, making cracking sounds, her fingernails almost digging into her palms.
She knew that things had completely spiraled out of control.
Di Yan's mad and cruel act,
was like a spark thrown into a powder keg.
Instantly igniting all the hatred and rage of the Ino–Shika–Chō and Sarutobi Clan.
This was no longer something she could suppress with the authority of a Hokage!
Indeed!
"Kill them! Avenge Lord Asuma!!!"
"Avenge Shikamaru!!!"
"Level them! Kill the dog emperor!!!"
Mindless roars erupted like a tsunami from the ranks of the Ino–Shika–Chō and Sarutobi Clan.
Hundreds of Ninja, with bloodshot eyes, like a breaking dam,