The vermilion gate stood open, and members of the Sarutobi clan surged in from all directions.
Everyone's gaze, as if pulled by invisible strings, focused on Sosuke. His right hand held two heads strung together with thick hemp rope, which bit into the flesh, adding a touch of horror to the already gruesome scene.
Sosuke roared, "Move aside! All of you, get out of my way!"
The Sarutobi clan members automatically parted, creating a path, and he walked forward step by step. He stopped about ten meters from Hiruzen and violently threw the two heads to the ground.
Thud!
The dull thud echoed in the courtyard, scaring several children in the front row, who immediately burst into tears.
"Hiruzen! Look who this is?"
Sosuke kicked Shinnosuke's head with his toe, his voice full of provocation. "This is your good son and fake grandson. They defiled the pure bloodline of the Sarutobi clans, their deaths are well-deserved. Do you accept this?"
Hiruzen stood at the top of the steps, dressed in a dark gray kimono, his collar slightly askew, his hair messy and plastered to his forehead. His face was devoid of any expression, like a cold stone statue. Only the occasional glint of cold light deep in his eyes, like an erupting volcano, revealed his suppressed rage.
No one stepped forward.
Several elderly clan members in the front row turned their faces away, not daring to look at the heads on the ground, their cloudy eyes filled with pain.
Most of the middle-aged clan members in the middle lowered their heads in silence, some even secretly clenching their fists.
The younger clan members in the back, however, had flickering eyes, and a few looked at Sosuke with a hint of approval.
In recent years, many Sarutobi clan members had died in battle, and many of them were forced onto the battlefield to their deaths.
Now, the young clan head, Shinnosuke, was going to take his wife and child to hide in another region. This caused many clan members to harbor resentment towards the hypocritical Hiruzen.
At this moment, Sosuke's provocation served as a convenient excuse for their silence.
"Hiruzen, why are you speechless?"
Seeing that Hiruzen didn't speak, Sosuke became more emboldened.
He stomped on Shinnosuke's head and said, "You only care about your son and fake grandson, and you don't care about the lives of us clan members at all. My son died in battle, and you only said 'glorious.' Secretly, you let Shinnosuke escape with his bastard child, and you even sent three Jonin to escort him. A selfish clan head like this, we should have removed him long ago."
"That's right! Remove him!"
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, and then, more than a dozen young clan members pushed their way out from the back.
Aoba held up a kunai, looking at Sosuke with excited eyes. "Elder Sosuke is right. Hiruzen is not fit to be clan head. He should abdicate sooner and let someone capable lead us."
These people were all relatives of clan members who had recently died in battle, and they already harbored dissatisfaction with Hiruzen. Now, incited by Sosuke, they immediately became his allies.
Sosuke's face showed a triumphant smile. He spread his arms as if receiving the clan members' worship and said, "Do you see? Hiruzen, this is everyone's will. You should abdicate."
Just then, a few faint "rustling" sounds came from the crowd—the sound of weapons being drawn.
More than a dozen young Sarutobi ninjas suddenly raised their weapons.
"I propose Elder Sosuke become the new clan head."
Sosuke showed a triumphant smile. He thought he had already controlled the situation.
Aoba exchanged a look with his companions, and they immediately understood. They did not act immediately but took advantage of the moment when Sosuke and his dozen allies were carried away by their triumph, quietly circling behind them.
Aoba suddenly gave a low shout, "Attack!"
They seized the opportunity to rush forward, their weapons precisely slicing across Sosuke's and his companions' wrists and ankles.
Several crisp "cracks" sounded—the sound of tendons in wrists and ankles being severed.
"Ah... despicable traitors...!"
Screams instantly echoed through the courtyard.
The dozen people who followed Sosuke fell to the ground, blood gushing from their wrists and ankles, staining the ground red. They tried to struggle but found their limbs no longer obeyed, and they could only writhe in pain on the ground.
Aoba's kunai pressed against his throat, his eyes cold. "Elder Sosuke, although you constantly claim to protect the clan bloodline, what you are doing is destroying the clan with your own hands."
Sosuke let out a piercing shriek, collapsing to the ground, full of fear and unwillingness. "Traitors... you despicable, untrustworthy scoundrels..."
Aoba said coldly, "We are not betraying you; you betrayed the clan. Take them all to the dungeon and await Hiruzen-sama's judgment."
Sosuke knew he had become a tool in someone else's hands. He tried to say something else, but a kunai was thrust into his mouth, and he could only make muffled "hmm hmm" sounds.
Several young clan members immediately stepped forward, bound Sosuke and the remaining dozen accomplices with hemp rope, and dragged them towards the clan's dungeon.
The bloodstains on the ground snaked like a red serpent, particularly glaring under the sunlight.
The numb Sarutobi clan members finally stirred. Some gasped in surprise, others whispered in discussion.
Hiruzen watched the scene before him, a hint of madness hidden in his eyes. He walked down the steps expressionlessly and gently patted Aoba's shoulder.
"Aoba, you did very well. I was right about you."
Aoba lowered his head, his tone respectful. "Hiruzen-sama, the clan cannot do without your guidance. We merely did what needed to be done. The clan cannot be in chaos, much less fight amongst ourselves. We are all saddened by the deaths of Shinnosuke-sama and young master Konohamaru, but we cannot let outsiders mock us, and we cannot let the Sarutobi clan be destroyed by its own people."
Hiruzen's cold gaze swept over the clan members in the courtyard, and many Sarutobi clan members lowered their heads under his scrutiny.
"Fellow clan members, I know these past years have been difficult for everyone, and many clan members have tragically sacrificed their lives. I understand your resentment but Sosuke's actions are not protecting the clan, they are destroying it. The deaths of Shinnosuke and Konohamaru pain me more than anyone, but now the Land of Fire is in turmoil, surrounded by enemies. If we continue to fight amongst ourselves, the Sarutobi clan will disappear completely."
The clan members in the courtyard were silent for a moment. Finally, a middle-aged clan member stepped forward. He was the father of a ninja who had died in the western granary battle and had previously harbored dissatisfaction with Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen-sama, we were too impulsive before. You are right, the clan cannot be in chaos. We will listen to you."
"Lord clan head, we all listen to you."
"Together, let's protect the Sarutobi clan."
Following this, more and more clan members agreed.
Hiruzen looked at the clan members before him, but deep in his heart, a murderous intent lay hidden.
'All three of my sons are dead, you don't deserve to live either... All of you must die...'