Chapter 133: Kusagakure Village's Destruction
During the previous battle, Hiruko had been handicapped, concerned about Shinyo safety. He'd been chased around by Sand Village people.
Now the situation reversed—naturally he no longer needed to keep enduring.
After handing Shinyo to Haku, he also charged forward with the Uchiha army, wanting to vent his chest's frustration on these unlucky Kusagakure bastards.
His Swift Release speed was unmatched, far surpassing all Uchiha. While others still charged, he'd already reached Kusagakure Village.
Murasaki had kept the distant charging Uchiha army as his target, completely unguarded against his surroundings. Consequently, Hiruko's sneak attack succeeded, killing him in one strike.
In battle between armies, morale was crucial.
Their own leader getting one-shot was too devastating to morale. The remaining Kusagakure shinobi immediately fell into disorder.
Before they could reorganize, the Uchiha army had already arrived.
"For our clansman!"
Setsuna charged first, roaring slogans as he cut down someone head-on.
The other Uchiha weren't outdone either, each displaying their specialty techniques. Various jutsu and genjutsu filled the sky. Like knives through butter, they effortlessly penetrated Kusagakure's formation, thoroughly disrupting Kusagakure's defensive array.
Without formation, Kusagakure could only fight individually, unable to organize effective defense.
The Uchiha jonin were all battle-hardened veterans. Needing no commands, they automatically formed squads, beginning enemy encirclement and suppression.
Setsuna's gaze swept across, immediately locking onto someone dressed in fine clothing protected by others. He stepped forward, slaughtering those guards with swift cuts, then beheaded that person with one stroke, shouting loudly:
"So you're the ones who bullied our little Karin?!"
"You dared bite little Karin's arms to that state? Then you'll pay with your own arms!"
The person knelt on the ground, clutching his arm and wailing endlessly.
"Injustice!"
"I'm not from Kusagakure! I'm a Fire Country merchant!"
"Directly under the Daimyo!"
"A Fire Country Daimyo subordinate?"
Setsuna paused, but immediately erupted again, cutting off that person's other arm with one stroke.
"Then you deserve death even more!"
"That dog Sarutobi harmed our loyal Uchiha. Why didn't the Daimyo slaughter the Sarutobi clan to avenge our Uchiha?"
"Proves he's in league with that dog Sarutobi!"
"What use keeping such a Daimyo?"
"Eventually our clan head will lead us to storm the capital, stew that Daimyo and nobles together! Then the clan head becomes Daimyo, all Uchiha become nobles!"
That unfortunate merchant, always pampered and privileged, had never suffered such agony. His eyes immediately rolled back as he fainted.
"Hmph, speechless now? Guilty conscience now? I knew the truth was like this!"
Setsuna beheaded this merchant with one stroke. Surveying his surroundings, he found a new target and charged over to kill.
After a while longer, Yasushi felt the Uchiha army killed too slowly. He simply entered the fray himself, further accelerating Kusagakure Village's collapse.
Those determined to fight to the death were ultimately the minority. When battle became one-sided, rout and flight inevitably occurred.
The Uchiha hunted like dogs chasing rabbits, pursuing Kusagakure shinobi from village head to tail. They thoroughly exterminated all stubborn resisters, chasing far beyond, driving all Kusagakure shinobi deep into mountains before returning with satisfaction.
At this point, Kusagakure Village had become complete ruins. Broken walls and debris everywhere, flames soaring skyward. Inside the entire village, besides the crackling of burning flames, deathly silence reigned.
"Alright, everyone first extinguish the flames, then search around. See what legacy Kusagakure Village left us."
Yasushi smiled and waved his hand. Yashiro and others split up to fight fires.
With jutsu available, the shinobi world's work efficiency was always high. One Water Release—fires extinguished.
Whether houses also collapsed—no one cared.
Yasushi toured the village, recollecting the previously released Parasitic Destruction Insects.
In places densely covered with corpses, as long as chakra sufficed, Parasitic Destruction Insects reproduced incredibly fast.
If not recollected, before long this place would swarm with poisonous insects, becoming a lifeless wasteland.
Aburame Torune's forbidden technique Venomous Insect Technique used massive battlefield corpses to cultivate enormous quantities of poisonous insects, then overwhelm enemy positions—an absolute strategic forbidden technique. If poorly controlled, even allies would be buried together.
Seeing battle concluded here, Haku brought Karin and Shinyo over.
Seeing this village that once brought her mother and daughter endless suffering now reduced to ruins, seeing those who once harmed them now all cold corpses, Shinyo breathed rapidly, tears glittering in her eyes, deeply moved.
Karin was much more outgoing. After entering the village, she ran around everywhere looking, completely unafraid of corpses.
Seeing a shinobi who'd once beaten her now lying beside the wall, his corpse long cold, she rushed forward and stomped on him viciously several times.
"That's for hitting my mom!"
"That's for not feeding me!"
"I'll stomp you to death!"
Seeing this, Setsuna laughed heartily and came over, lifting little Karin up:
"Karin, let me teach you chakra extraction technique!"
"Once you become a shinobi, you can personally hunt those escaped Kusagakure shinobi and take revenge with your own hands!"
"Yes! Yes!" Karin immediately brightened, calling out impatiently: "I want to learn right now!"
Setsuna smiled and took Karin aside to study.
Karin was originally Uzumaki clan—her chakra naturally abundant beyond reason, naturally gifted. In mere moments, Karin raised her small hand high, displaying the weak chakra energy at her fingertips to Setsuna.
"Uncle Setsuna, look! I learned chakra extraction technique!"
"Oh, you are so amazing, Karin!"
Setsuna was extremely happy, treating her like his own daughter. He lifted little Karin high.
Karin laughed joyfully in Setsuna's hands, utterly adorable.
Seeing this, others also gathered over, wanting to teach Karin their prized techniques.
"What's the rush? Line up properly, one at a time. No one gets left out."
Yasushi also came over smiling to maintain order.
Everyone took turns teaching Karin. Setsuna ran over to ask Yasushi:
"Clan Head, Kusagakure Village is destroyed. Who do we destroy next?"
"Heh..."
Yasushi sneered coldly:
"Originally I hadn't planned urging Nagato to start collecting Tailed Beasts so quickly. After all, once we act, all countries will inevitably grow vigilant, instead letting Konoha Village profit as fishermen."
"But Sand Village bastards insisted on making trouble, coming to ambush us. This debt cannot be settled so easily."
"Since they won't continue fighting Konoha Village, we'll help them out—make them obediently follow our conductor's baton."
"Sand Village? Also a good opponent!" After hearing the next phase's target, the Uchiha immediately rubbed their fists together excitedly.
When alive, they'd had too many considerations. Now dead, they'd completely let go—thinking nothing, simply following their clan head everywhere to kill, kill, kill.
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