"Come, bring the people over." Fugaku called out.
The Uchiha Clan Members at the gate didn't move at all, fully expressing the displeasure in their hearts. Such behavior made the Jonin shake their heads in disappointment.
'The Uchiha are finished.'
But Hiruzen was somewhat happy. It looked like Fugaku, the former Uchiha Clan Head, really was on his side.
'Find an opportunity to test Fugaku.' He secretly noted this in his heart.
Soon, several Uchiha Clan Members came over carrying four people and threw them out without mercy, their faces skidding across the ground. The Sunagakure ninjas' expressions instantly turned terrifyingly dark, with killing intent seemingly surfacing in their eyes.
Baki and the other three were covered in various scars and had fainted. It looked like they had been interrogated, but probably not too harshly.
'It seems the Uchiha clan still has some sense of proportion.'
Seeing the people actually released, Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face, believing he had guessed Hiromi's thoughts.
He probably wanted to interrogate the Jinchuriki and try to control it. But looking at the state of things, he failed. It was likely he could only suppress the Tailed Beast back into the Jinchuriki's body but couldn't achieve control.
But even so, he was somewhat envious of a Kekkei Genkai like the Mangekyo, it was too strong.
Four Sunagakure Jonin split off from the group and crouched down beside Baki and his three companions. After confirming that Baki and the others were indeed themselves and that nothing had been planted on them, they hoisted them onto their backs and returned to the Sunagakure ranks.
Seeing this, Rasa looked at Hiruzen and said, "Sunagakure has suffered such torture in Konoha. It wouldn't be too much to ask for a few pairs of the Uchiha's Sharingan, would it?"
"You motherf—"
The Uchiha Clan Members' eyes instantly turned red, and they drew their short swords, intending to kill Rasa.
The Konoha Jonin were startled, but they all reacted promptly, preparing to step in and stop them. However, since those Uchiha Clan Members were stopped by Fugaku, they didn't make a move.
"Pull them back!"
Fugaku's expression was very unsightly, though it was unclear whether it was because of Rasa's words or his clansmen's recklessness.
Several Uchiha Clan Members pulled the enraged clansmen back.
Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that Rasa was about to speak again, he hurriedly pulled him along as they walked back. "Let's talk over here."
He was worried that if Rasa continued, he would not only provoke the Uchiha Clan Members but also draw out Hiromi.
Rasa didn't object to Hiruzen's hurried attempt to divert him and followed along.
The villagers hadn't dispersed yet when they saw the Hokage and Kazekage's parties returning. Seeing Baki and his group among them, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves with relaxed expressions.
"Hmph, the Uchiha are finally showing some sense."
"It's good that a fight didn't break out."
"Easy for you to say. We'll definitely have to pay compensation to Sunagakure."
At the mention of "compensation," the villagers' faces darkened as if someone were demanding their lives.
"If there's compensation to be paid, make the Uchiha pay it."
"It was the Uchiha who caused the trouble anyway."
"Whoever caused it should pay."
"I won't contribute a single ryo."
These words reached Hiruzen's ears but he didn't do anything to stop it.
On the contrary, Shikaku was filled with worry. Because he noticed that someone was recording something.
Thinking back to Hiromi's attitude, he quickly guessed that they were likely recording the villagers who were gossiping, preparing to settle accounts when the opportunity arose.
He didn't know the method, but he was absolutely certain that these people would likely not have a good time.
Seeing this, he let out a sigh.
Konoha's ground was about to be soaked in blood.
...
Upon reaching the Hokage Building, only one person remained behind each of Hiruzen and Rasa.
"Kazekage." Hiruzen made a gesture of invitation.
The usually cooperative Rasa didn't move, nor did he say anything.
Hiruzen found this strange. In the next second, he spun around abruptly, his eyes widening.
A fifty-meter-tall monster, covered in cursed seal patterns and looking like a fat tanuki, had appeared.
That was...
One-Tail Shukaku!
And the place where it appeared was the Sarutobi Clan Compound!
"Kill, kill, kill!" A shrill voice rang out excitedly throughout Konoha.
Faintly, Hiruzen heard terrified screams and distinct, violent booms.
"What... what is going on..."
For a moment, Hiruzen didn't know who to blame. Logically, if a Tailed Beast appeared in the village, it should only be the village's own Tailed Beast. If it belonged to another village, then it was definitely that village's fault. But Shukaku had been captured, it wasn't sent in by Sunagakure.
In an instant, he grasped the key point— Who captured it?
"Uchiha!!!" Hiruzen ground his teeth.
At the same time, he felt a sense of unease.
The Sarutobi Clan Compound being attacked by a Tailed Beast? It was too coincidental.
Could it be that this was the Uchiha clan's conspiracy?
"Raido, take care of the Kaze..." He had just called out the name of the guard behind him when he heard a familiar voice.
"Heh heh heh."
Hiruzen's heart skipped a beat, his pupils constricted, and he looked at Rasa in disbelief.
He saw the man take off the Kazekage hat and grab his face, tearing it away to reveal familiar, sickly pale skin. A pair of snake-like pupils narrowed dangerously.
"Sensei, it's been a long time."