Chapter 294: Itachi, You're So Incredibly Capable!
As massive chakra poured in, the demon god sculptures on the Box of Ultimate Bliss's surface slowly opened their gaping maws.
Everyone's attention concentrated on the Box of Ultimate Bliss and Itachi, ready to interrupt the opening process the moment anything went wrong.
But things proceeded surprisingly smoothly. Itachi showed no signs of life force being extracted. The Box of Ultimate Bliss experienced no abnormalities.
After inputting massive amounts of chakra, the Box of Ultimate Bliss successfully opened.
Everyone tensely held their breath, quietly watching Itachi, awaiting his wish.
Itachi stood excitedly before that demon face's gaping mouth. Pointing at the bodies on the ground, he shouted loudly:
"I want these people resurrected!"
As his words left his mouth, the Box of Ultimate Bliss immediately responded.
Tremendous suction transmitted from that demon face's maw, swallowing those ground bodies one by one before closing its mouth.
Watching this from a distance, Yasushi immediately doubled over laughing.
"Hahahaha..."
"Itachi, you're so incredibly capable!"
"I originally thought you'd at most produce one Third 'Enlightened' version. Never expected you'd give me such a tremendous surprise—directly mass-producing 'Enlightened' ones wholesale!"
"Let's see how Konoha Village can survive this!"
Yasushi's face filled with excited expression. His blood-red eyes bulged wide. His entire face twisted and deformed. Saliva flowed down his gleaming teeth, yet he didn't even wipe it—only shouting loudly there.
Nearby, Zetsu saw his excitement and asked ingratiatingly:
"This moment of Konoha Village's complete destruction—won't you personally participate?"
"For instance, setting up Four Crimson Ray Formation to seal the entire village, letting insiders have nowhere to escape?"
"No no no." Yasushi repeatedly shook his head. "I don't care about these foolish civilians' deaths!"
"I only care about Itachi!"
"If I participate personally, Itachi would know all this has me operating behind the scenes. Then he could find excuses for his failure!"
"I won't give him that chance!"
"I caused so many incidents in the village, applying psychological pressure to Itachi, finally successfully guiding him onto this path of 'opening the Box of Ultimate Bliss to make wishes' to 'save the village.'"
"For today, I specifically prepared so long. I can't make mistakes on such small details!"
"I specifically arranged Kazuma and Itachi's estrangement, then had Mizuki encourage Kazuma refusing to open the Box of Ultimate Bliss. Everything's purpose was forcing Itachi to act willfully alone."
"When everyone in the village opposed opening the Box of Ultimate Bliss, yet Itachi stubbornly insisted on opening the box."
"Finally Itachi forced the village to compromise, letting him open the box—only to release monsters destroying Konoha Village."
"I cannot intervene. I must let Itachi know—he destroyed Konoha Village. Despite everyone's obstruction, he personally released the monsters destroying Konoha Village!"
"This destruction process has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with Hyuga Neji, nothing to do with anyone else—only related to him, Uchiha Itachi alone!"
"Imagine what kind of mood Itachi will be in then?"
Yasushi waved both arms, detailing his plan. His eyes filled with excited expression, staring fixedly at Itachi's distant expression—unwilling to miss even the slightest change.
"Mm..." Zetsu tilted his head, carefully considering before shivering involuntarily, growing increasingly wary of Yasushi's madness.
At Konoha Village, everyone waited quietly briefly before seeing that demon face's maw open again. Inside, shadowy figures formed a line, staggering outward.
Just looking at the lead figure—clearly Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
These observing shinobi were all experts. Whether emerging people were truly resurrected or Edo Tensei-style puppets, they could tell at a glance. They immediately grew excited.
"Resurrected!"
"Truly resurrected!"
"Eh? When did Lord Third slip in there?"
Everyone froze briefly. But Third's accumulated prestige over many years made them unable to consider Kazuma's thoughts. They surged forward collectively, greeting Third one after another.
"Lord Third, your return is wonderful!"
"The village cannot do without you!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood numbly, lips pulling into a strange smile.
"It's truly... been so many years!"
"Uh, actually only a few months..."
That clan member thought Third was confused about time after death, smiling while explaining.
Who knew the next moment Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand thrust forward rapidly, stabbing him through completely.
His arm withdrew. A blood column shot skyward, blooming a bright crimson flower in midair.
"Ahh..."
That shinobi screamed miserably, body staggering backward several steps. Just about to raise his head and demand answers, he discovered figures flashing around him as screams rose continuously.
Those people resurrected following Third surprisingly all went berserk, beginning madly slaughtering their own families.
A group saw deceased loved ones resurrected during happy moments. Vigilance dropped to extreme lows. How could they anticipate their own families ambushing them? Within mere instants, a swath fell.
The plaza just moments ago filled with warmth and joy instantly transformed into a bloody Asura field.
Remaining people lucky enough to survive hastily retreated in disarray, eyes filled with panic.
"What's happening?"
"What's going on?"
"Big brother, stop! I'm your beloved little brother!"
"Father, please wake up!"
Pleading voices mixed with wailing, echoing through the plaza center.
But no matter how they shouted, those "resurrected" people remained deaf—instead viewing their own families like enemies. Faces twisted savagely as they raised butcher's blades toward their relatives.
"It's you!"
"You're all to blame for what happened to us!"
"If not for you, how would we have participated in some 'Hero Trial'? How would we have died so miserably?"
These resurrected dead were recently deceased—specifically those who'd failed "Hero Trials" previously.
Their faces twisted savagely. They seemed completely consumed by hatred—completely unlike their former selves.
While viewing their families with hateful gazes, they slaughtered massively, loudly shouting and complaining.
Each accusation carried bone-deep resentment, as though returning all suffering endured in life—completely forgetting they'd originally volunteered enthusiastically for "Hero Trials."
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