Chapter 11: Death and Disappearance of the Seal
At this moment, the setting sun cast long shadows, and dusk settled.
The fate of extermination, originally belonging to the Uchiha Clan, had now shifted to the Sarutobi Clan.
The dying Sarutobi Clan leader, lying on the ground, stared with wide, angry eyes at the blood-red sky, unable to rest in peace.
Not long after, Uchiha Sihu received a report from his subordinate that a group of Ninja had arrived outside.
He quickly led his men to confront them and found that the visitors were the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio, led by Konoha's recognized top strategist, Nara Shikaku.
A sense of unease rose in Uchiha Sihu's heart.
"Why are they here? Did the Clan Leader…?"
Before he could worry for more than two seconds, Nara Shikaku, from a distance, announced his purpose, "Haha, Elder Sihu, we are here on orders from Clan Leader Fugaku to lend you a hand."
Hearing this, Uchiha Sihu's rigid expression softened slightly.
"So that's how it is." Uchiha Sihu nodded.
"Let's not waste time with pleasantries; we have important matters to attend to first."
Nara Shikaku looked at the Sarutobi Clan compound, his eyes cold.
Since he had already decided to accept the olive branch offered by Uchiha Fugaku, he naturally wouldn't hesitate.
When one can advance further, who would refuse?
When Hiruzen Sarutobi was in power, let alone Hokage Assistant, he wouldn't even have been a Hokage Advisor! He had quite a few grievances about this.
Therefore, he had no psychological burden in utterly annihilating the Sarutobi Clan.
Inoichi Yamanaka and Akimichi Choza nodded to Uchiha Sihu as a greeting, then immediately took the lead, bringing the three clan members to charge in.
They helped the Uchiha Ninja quickly clean up the remaining mess.
With the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio joining, the Sarutobi Clan was exterminated much faster, and as bodies fell, a small red stream even formed on the ground.
However, neither Nara Shikaku nor Uchiha Sihu changed their expressions.
They were both people who had experienced the Ninja World War; their hearts were as cold as someone who had been butchering fish at a dock for 20 years, so how could they be moved by this?
Meanwhile, the Hyuga, Aburame, and Inuzuka Clans also rushed into the Shimura Clan compound like hungry wolves, striking down their foes without a word.
The Shimura Clan members hadn't even understood what was happening; their Jonin and Chunin had all gone to the signal flare's location.
"Who are you?! How dare you! Do you know where this is?! When Danzo finds out—"
Hyuga Hiashi couldn't hold back; he used the Body Flicker Technique and instantly killed him with a single palm strike. "Noisy."
My Byakugan is so obvious; are you blind, still asking who I am?
These Shimura Clan members are too arrogant.
"Kill them all mercilessly! Don't hold back!"
Hyuga Hiashi shouted in exasperation.
...
Root Base.
Danzo's capable subordinate, Aburame Ryoma, his face changed drastically.
His expression was grim, and his eyes flashed with killing intent as he said, "Is this information reliable?"
The Root Ninja kneeling on the ground had a mournful face: "Absolutely true, I saw it with my own eyes."
He had blended into the crowd and seen Danzo's head; for a moment, he was utterly disoriented, but after a moment of hesitation, he decided to run back and report.
Aburame Ryoma's thoughts raced.
In Konoha Village, who would dare to kill Danzo?
This was simply preposterous! But!
He thought of a way to immediately confirm the truth of the news.
He pinched his subordinate's chin, removed his mask, and growled, "Open your mouth, stick out your tongue!"
The Root Ninja obediently stuck out his tongue.
When Aburame Ryoma saw the clean tongue coating, his pupils constricted.
The Tongue Sealing Curse was gone!
The Tongue Sealing Curse, a sealing Ninjutsu exclusive to Root, was a cursed seal that prevented people from revealing confidential information.
Anyone subjected to the Jutsu would be paralyzed if they tried to speak about specific matters, unable to speak or move.
Danzo had placed this cursed seal on the tongues of all Root members to restrain his subordinates, preventing them from revealing his secrets.
The Tongue Sealing Curse only disappears in one situation: when the caster dies!
"Danzo is really dead!"
Upon learning this news, Aburame Ryoma was so shaken that he didn't even notice the parasitic insects crawling out from under his cloak!
The Root Ninja, however, noticed this scene.
Through the loose cloak, he could see dense swarms of insects crawling on Aburame Ryoma's body, making his scalp tingle; some insects even tried to crawl from Aburame Ryoma's arm towards him!
He was terrified but dared not move.
Root had a strict hierarchy; defying a superior would result in severe punishment, and the inability to resist had almost become muscle memory.
He braced himself and reminded, "Aburame Ryoma, what should we do?"
Aburame Ryoma was one of the few Ninja in Root who could use his name as a code name; he was deeply trusted by Danzo.
Aburame Ryoma came to his senses, released the Root Ninja, and a struggle flashed in his eyes.
He clenched his fists, released them, and clenched them again.
Seeing Aburame Ryoma release him, the Root Ninja instinctively took two steps back, letting out a long sigh of relief.
He noticed Aburame Ryoma's actions and was slightly surprised; it was the first time he had seen the taciturn and decisive Aburame Ryoma like this, as if he was making a very difficult decision.
He held his breath, waiting for Aburame Ryoma's command.
With Danzo dead, Aburame Ryoma was now the highest-ranking commander in Root.
A moment later, Aburame Ryoma turned, as if he had made some kind of decision.
"Go call Torune Aburame, Fu Yamanaka, and also Yakushi Nonou.
Tell them I have something very important to discuss with them."
Inside a certain room in the Root Base.
Yakushi Nonou's beautiful body lay on the bed, her heart filled with conflict.
She was originally a member of Root, serving Danzo, an elite Ninja of the Intelligence Division, codenamed "The Wandering Miko."
She had traveled through various countries and had stolen many crucial secrets.
Later, because she couldn't achieve the cold ruthlessness Danzo required, she seized the opportunity to retire and became the director of an orphanage in Konoha Village.
She cared for a group of orphans who had lost their parents in battle.
However, the expenses for so many children each day were considerable, and the small amount of wealth she had accumulated from past missions quickly ran out.
Yesterday, she had made up her mind to seek out her old superior, Danzo, to request some money, but she didn't expect Danzo to use this as leverage to force her back into service.
On one hand, there was the coercion from her old superior; on the other hand, if the orphanage ran out of money, the children would starve.
She reluctantly agreed, and Danzo was very straightforward, giving her the money directly and allowing her one day to go back and settle things before returning, seemingly not worried about her backing out.
She went back, arranged everything, and then returned to the familiar Root Base.
"I suppose I definitely won't be going to heaven after I die."
Yakushi Nonou looked at the yellow incandescent lamp, thinking, "I wonder where Danzo will send me? I haven't seen Kabuto in the Root Base either…"
Kabuto was a very clever and intelligent child; two years ago, Danzo had taken him to Root, and there had been no news of him since.
Just as she was lost in thought, a knock suddenly came at the door.
"Miko-sama, Aburame Ryoma says he has something very important to discuss with you."