Chapter 71: Instantly Defeating Sarutobi Shinnosuke—A Gift for Sarutobi Hiruzen

"No... You can’t do this... The Sarutobi clan is innocent..."

Within the mental world, Uchiha Itachi spoke with difficulty, his words coming out in broken fragments.

"Heh! Innocent?"

Reiji sneered.

That word had absolutely nothing to do with the Sarutobi clan!

During the decades Sarutobi Hiruzen had served as Hokage, he had continuously strengthened his own clan at the expense of the village.

He left dangerous missions to others while giving the greatest rewards to his own people.

His clan members were promoted faster than anyone else!

Could a clan like that really be called innocent?

Besides!

If the Sarutobi clan was innocent, then what about the Uchiha clan?

Why did every Uchiha, regardless of age or gender, have to be slaughtered?

Even those who were not shinobi at all and had nothing to do with the coup had to be killed!

How could Uchiha Itachi bring himself to do that?!

"Are the people of the Sarutobi clan human, while the people of the Uchiha clan aren’t?"

Reiji’s voice suddenly turned cold as he sharply increased the amount of ocular power he was injecting.

Gradually.

Uchiha Itachi felt his body slowly losing control.

His will was trapped within the mental space, leaving him helpless to watch as his own body bowed completely to Uchiha Reiji!

"No!!!"

Uchiha Itachi in the mental world was almost driven insane!

Uchiha Reiji, this damned, evil, lunatic bastard!

He actually wanted him to wipe out the Hokage’s family!

"Hehe, whether for you or Sarutobi Hiruzen, this is the best punishment."

At this moment, Reiji felt indescribably exhilarated.

I wonder if you’ll be surprised when you discover that it’s your own Sarutobi clan that has been wiped out?

Wasn’t Uchiha Itachi capable of ruthlessly killing his own clansmen while believing himself to be doing the right thing?

Wasn’t Sarutobi Hiruzen planning to wipe out the Uchiha clan?

Then I’ll have you use your own power to wipe out Sarutobi Hiruzen’s clansmen!

Snap!

Reiji snapped his fingers, and the entire mental space shattered like a mirror.

Outside.

Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tetsuka had been waiting anxiously.

Reiji had only used an ordinary genjutsu, albeit one reinforced by his ocular power at most.

The flow of time between the mental space and the outside world remained the same.

Seeing Uchiha Itachi’s expression become dull, Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tetsuka finally relaxed.

"This damned traitor! Just kill him!"

Uchiha Tetsuka’s anger surged once again, and he immediately reached for his sword.

Reiji could not stop smiling as he held Tetsuka back.

"This guy has already been controlled by my genjutsu. From now on, he’ll carry out whatever orders I give him."

"Sarutobi Hiruzen’s order to him was to cooperate with the ANBU and Sarutobi clan members outside and wipe out the entire Uchiha clan, leaving only Sasuke alive."

"What?! Bastard!"

Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tetsuka immediately exploded in rage.

Although Reiji had already told them that Sarutobi Hiruzen would never let the Uchiha off,

and had also told them that Uchiha Itachi would ultimately side with the village,

actually witnessing this scene was another matter entirely.

Seeing one of their own clansmen about to raise his blade against his own people—

How could they possibly tolerate it?!

"Let him fulfill the last bit of his value. He’ll go and wipe out the Sarutobi clan afterward, giving Sarutobi Hiruzen a pleasant surprise."

Reiji tried his best to suppress his exhilaration, but he found that he simply could not.

The corners of his mouth kept curling upward.

He wanted to laugh wildly in delight.

Forget it.

Tonight, he would go completely crazy!

"Begin the operation. As planned, the First, Third, and Fourth Divisions will remain inside the clan compound."

"Immediately activate the Uchiha Flame Formation and surround the clan compound. Do not let any enemies enter."

"Inform all the clansmen not to panic. Have them enter the shelters within the clan compound."

"Notify the clan leader that the operation has begun and have him prepare for an attack by the mysterious enemy."

"The clansmen of the Police Force should eliminate the enemies outside as quickly as possible."

A series of orders came from Reiji.

These operational plans had been prepared long ago.

Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tetsuka immediately began carrying them out.

Outside the Uchiha clan compound.

A massive purple barrier rose into the air!

The Four Violet Flames Formation!

When Sarutobi Shinnosuke saw the Four Violet Flames Formation rise, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Now there was no need to worry about any Uchiha escaping.

He immediately ordered everyone to prepare to charge into the Uchiha compound and begin the extermination operation.

Suddenly!

Within the Uchiha compound enclosed by the Four Violet Flames Formation,

another enormous crimson barrier rose!

The red barrier enveloped the Uchiha compound.

The purple barrier surrounded the red barrier.

It looked just like a nesting doll!

"...What is this?"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke was completely baffled.

Their Four Violet Flames Formation was meant to prevent the Uchiha from escaping.

But where had this red barrier inside come from?

Frowning, he asked the ANBU beside him:

"Do the other squads have any special operational arrangements?"

The ANBU shook his head.

Seeing this, Sarutobi Shinnosuke became even more confused.

He was the highest commander of this extermination operation. None of the plans should have escaped his knowledge.

If the red barrier had not been raised by them, could it have been the Uchiha?

But that shouldn’t be possible.

The forces participating in the extermination operation included two ANBU divisions, most of whom were members of the Sarutobi clan.

There was no way the information could have leaked.

Could it be... Uchiha Itachi had betrayed them and ultimately sided with the Uchiha clan?

"The barrier inside is simply to prevent you people from entering."

"After all, the majority of the people in the clan are ordinary civilians who aren’t shinobi."

A voice came from afar.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s heart jolted.

His mind immediately matched the voice to its owner.

He turned his head.

Sure enough, it was Uchiha Reiji!

Before he could issue any orders, a sea of flames surged toward him!

Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!

The ferocious, enormous area-of-effect flames instantly engulfed all the ANBU present!

After obtaining the Perfect Sage Body, Reiji could now freely use large-scale ninjutsu that consumed enormous amounts of chakra.

He waved his hand and ordered the clansmen beside him to advance and eliminate all the enemies here.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke, covered in soot and looking utterly disheveled, hurriedly escaped the range of the flames.

If his strength had not been considerable, he might have already been burned to a charred corpse!

What was going on?

Why had the Uchiha reacted so quickly?

There was no time to think.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke immediately turned and fled!

Something had gone seriously wrong with tonight’s operation!

He had to return as quickly as possible and inform his father, then have his father mobilize all the shinobi in the village to surround and suppress the Uchiha!

Suddenly!

A figure appeared in front of him, blocking his path.

Uchiha Reiji.

The other party had actually arrived ahead of him.

Boom!

With a Body Flicker Technique, Reiji appeared directly in front of Sarutobi Shinnosuke in the next instant and slammed a fist into his abdomen.

Watching Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s body bend painfully like a shrimp, Reiji said coldly:

"A few years ago, because of your order, I inexplicably had to intercept Orochimaru. I still remember that."

That had been the first time he had ever found himself in a life-or-death crisis!

All because Sarutobi Shinnosuke had wanted to claim the credit for pursuing Orochimaru.

He had recklessly mobilized Konoha shinobi, completely disregarding the danger it would put them in!

In the end, Reiji had only managed to buy enough time by opening the Third Gate of the Eight Gates of Release, allowing him to wait for support to arrive.

"You... You can’t kill me. My father is the Hokage..."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke staggered backward.

The punch to his abdomen had been tremendously powerful. It felt as though his internal organs had been shifted out of place, causing excruciating pain!

"Don’t worry. I won’t kill you yet. You can live a little longer."

Reiji smiled brightly and mercilessly broke all four of Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s limbs.

"Ah!!!"

A scream of agony rang out alongside the sound of cracking bones.

Tears flowed uncontrollably from Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s eyes as mucus and saliva ran down his face.

"So filthy. Can’t you have a little hygiene?"

Reiji could not help frowning in disgust.

He grabbed Sarutobi Shinnosuke by the hair and roughly pressed his face against the ground, rubbing it hard.

The skin on his face split open, and blood flowed out.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s heart was filled with pain, fear, humiliation, and rage!

A mixture of emotions!

As the son of the Third Hokage, this was the first time he had ever been reduced to such a miserable state and humiliated so thoroughly!

Before long,

the ANBU stationed here had been completely slaughtered by the members of the Second Division.

Seeing this, Reiji picked up Sarutobi Shinnosuke with one hand and ordered his subordinates:

"You go to the Sarutobi clan compound. Raise the Uchiha Flame Formation there as well. Don’t let a single member of the Sarutobi clan escape. Today, we’ll treat them the way they treated us!"

"As for the extermination itself, Uchiha Itachi, that traitor, will handle it."

The members of the Second Division immediately departed under the leadership of Uchiha Rika and Uchiha Goka.

Reiji held Sarutobi Shinnosuke in his hand, an almost demonic smile appearing on his face.

"Now, we’re going to find Sarutobi Hiruzen."

"Don’t worry. All of you will be reunited very soon."

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