The corners of Sarutobi Hiruzen's lips twitched in a semblance of a smile. He didn't know the exact nature of Shimura Danzo's plan, but he guessed its essence. However, it was Danzo's idea, and let him bear the responsibility. Hiruzen could always plead ignorance.
"A fine boy, that Itachi," the Third Hokage thought bitterly.
At that moment, the door swung open without a knock. An ANBU shinobi burst into the office.
"Trouble, Lord Hokage!" he cried, catching his breath.
"What happened?" Hiruzen's brows drew together. An icy premonition gripped his heart.
Instead of an answer, he heard a sound that froze his blood.
A mad, booming laugh tore through the night. A demonic silhouette moved with inhuman speed. Each of his seemingly careless blows brought a painful death to the Konoha shinobi. The reinforcements that arrived at the scene of the massacre were destroyed by Uchiha Yue in mere moments.
With each life consumed, the air grew colder.
Having killed another ninja and absorbed their energy, the monster grew taller, its outlines becoming more ethereal. The air around it grew thick with cold. To approach meant giving it both warmth and chakra.
"Damn... what is that thing?!" whispered one of the surviving shinobi in the distance, staring at the blurry silhouette.
The laughter died away. Yue glanced at the burning Konoha at his feet, then settled on the handful of survivors. He raised his hand, and spectral chains erupted from his body, greedily rushing toward their new prey. BAM!
Before they reached their target, a gigantic staff fell from the sky. Yue reacted instantly, extending a translucent palm of chakra to meet the blow. A deafening roar echoed.
The powerful blow sent him staggering back half a step, but he quickly recovered. Hiruzen, holding the other end of the staff, was thrown back.
"Susanoo!" the Third One breathed, glaring grimly at the gigantic figure.
The picture came together instantly. Danzo's plan to destroy the Uchiha clan... something had gone wrong. One of the Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan and, in a rage, had exterminated everyone... both Danzo and Itachi.
"Danzo... Itachi... What have you done..."
This youth before him was more than just an Uchiha—he was a monster. Ninjutsu didn't harm him, his strength was incredible, and a single touch could spell death for any shinobi. So many warriors had already fallen, and he showed no sign of weakness. On the contrary, he only grew larger and stronger.
"Hiruzen, be careful!" Emma's pain-distorted voice came from the staff. "That thing... it's absorbing my chakra! Aaaargh!"
The staff, gripped tightly by Yue, vibrated and began to shrink rapidly, trying to break free.
"Oh? Where are we going?"
Yue cocked his head mockingly. His grip became dead. Chakra was leaking, and the Monkey King's Adamantine Body began to weaken. Emma's mind was pierced by unbearable pain.
With a howl, Emma abruptly squeezed the staff to its smallest size and finally tore it from Yue's hand.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen... Ha-ha... Finally, you've shown yourself. It's your time to die!" Uchiha Yue grinned and raised his hand. A crimson flame erupted in it, curling into a fireball like a meteor.
Rapidly absorbing the energy of the fallen, Yue not only grew stronger but also copied their techniques. Now he knew how to kill them with his own weapon.
A whistling fireball rushed toward Hiruzen.
"Emma, are you alright?" the Hokage asked, looking at the staff in his hand.
"Alright... Be careful, Hiruzen, he's terribly strange! He's sucking chakra directly!"
The next moment, Hiruzen jumped. Dodging the fireball, he slammed his staff into the ground. It instantly lengthened, sending him flying high into the air. Doing a somersault in the air, the Hokage brought the staff down with a crash onto the giant's shoulder.
To no avail. The adamantine staff didn't leave even a scratch on the ghostly armor.
"How weak? Is this all your power?"
Yue jerked his hand up to grab the weapon. The staff began to shrink again, trying to escape. But as soon as it broke free, dozens of chains erupted from Yue's shoulder. They latched onto the staff, and Emma screamed.
"AAAAAAAH!"
The chains, like hungry leeches, furiously sucked his life force. The transformation dissipated. Emma reverted to her monkey form and fell from Hiruzen's weakening arms.
"Emma! NO!"
The Hokage rushed to his aid, but it was too late. The chains entangled his faithful friend, and in an instant, he was transformed into a withered mummy.
"Hiruzen... don't touch him... aaaah!" Emma's final mental scream echoed in the Hokage's mind.
His summoned beast, his comrade who had accompanied him his entire life, was dead. He didn't even have time to break the contract. Emma's withered mummy hit the ground with a dull thud.
Yue turned his chilling gaze to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Protect Lord Hokage!"
"Monster, die!"
At that moment, a new group of shinobi arrived. All manner of ninjutsu rained down on Yue's body, blooming in bright flashes and vanishing without a trace.
"Stop!" Hiruzen cried desperately, but his voice was drowned out by the roar. "Chakra attacks don't work on him! He's absorbing them!"