What exactly were these people trying to do?
Hatake Sakumo thought for a while, then finally decided to lead people on a sweep through the Uchiha clan compound. Although it might provoke the Uchiha clan members' displeasure, he had to find out what was happening.
But what Hatake Sakumo never expected was that when he arrived at the Uchiha clan compound, he encountered no resistance whatsoever. The entire compound was eerily quiet. Aside from insects chirping and birds calling, there was no other sound.
An ANBU following behind Hatake Sakumo couldn't help saying, "This is strange. These Uchiha clan guys couldn't have just vanished overnight, could they?"
Hatake Sakumo's heart jumped in alarm. He immediately ordered, "Everyone, go search. If you find any Uchiha clan members, fire a signal immediately!"
The ANBU ninja scattered in all directions. Before long, Hatake Sakumo's heart sank to the bottom.
They had actually disappeared. All the Uchiha clan members had vanished without a trace overnight. And it had happened right under his nose, without anyone noticing...
How was this even possible?!
Hatake Sakumo couldn't figure it out, and he had no time to think about it. He had to report this news to the Third Hokage immediately.
Hokage's office. Smoke filled the air.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was puffing on his pipe, head lowered as he dealt with the documents on his desk. Suddenly the office door was pushed open with a loud "bang."
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't even lift his head as he scolded, "Danzo, I've told you so many times—knock before entering!"
"Lord Hokage, something terrible has happened!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up in surprise to discover that the person who had barged in wasn't his old friend, but Hatake Sakumo. Seeing the slightly panicked expression on Hatake Sakumo's face, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt an ominous premonition rise in his heart. What could possibly make this battle-hardened, calm and collected ANBU commander show such an expression?
"Sakumo, what happened?"
"The Uchiha clan... has disappeared!"
Hearing Hatake Sakumo's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen's brows furrowed even deeper. "Disappeared?"
"What does that mean?"
"They're gone."
Hatake Sakumo said in a heavy voice, "I just led people to turn the Uchiha clan compound upside down. We didn't find even a single Uchiha clan member."
"All the Uchiha just vanished without a trace, as if into thin air."
Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen shot to his feet and slammed his hand on the desk. "Sakumo, you're not joking with me, are you?"
Hatake Sakumo's face showed a bitter smile. He couldn't help saying, "Lord Hokage, how would I dare joke with you about something like this..."
Before he could finish speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen had already stridden to the office door. "Sakumo, walk and talk."
On the way to the Uchiha clan compound, Hatake Sakumo explained in detail how all the Uchiha clan members had disappeared overnight. Sarutobi Hiruzen grew more alarmed the more he listened. This was absolutely absurd.
How could such a thing be possible? Even if the Uchiha clan had mastered a method to freely enter and exit the barrier without being detected, he had been having ANBU watch them twenty-four hours a day!
Even if the Uchiha clan's elite ninja could evade ANBU surveillance, what about the elderly, weak, women, and children? They couldn't all possess supernatural abilities, could they?
Arriving at the Uchiha clan compound and seeing that eerie scene with his own eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen was momentarily at a loss.
Hatake Sakumo gave orders to the ANBU, then said, "Lord Hokage, I feel the chances of finding anyone are slim. Even the Uchiha clan's secret chamber inside Naka Shrine—I've already searched it, and found nothing."
"All kinds of jutsu scrolls, training supplies and such—all empty."
"This incident was definitely meticulously planned."
Hearing Hatake Sakumo's explanation, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes gradually became sharp. He stared intently at Hatake Sakumo and asked, "Sakumo, you've been in charge of watching the Uchiha clan. Did you really not detect any abnormalities?"
Faced with Sarutobi Hiruzen's suspicion, Hatake Sakumo could only explain helplessly, "Nothing. All the ANBU can vouch for me..."
"Enough."
Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand impatiently. "Tell the ANBU not to leak any information to the outside world."
"Return to the office first."
Hokage Building. Hokage's office.
Shimura Danzo, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado rushed in hurriedly. Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen, Homura Mitokado immediately said, "Hiruzen, what's going on with the Uchiha clan?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to speak when Shimura Danzo had already opened his mouth. "Hiruzen, the Uchiha clan vanishing into thin air—you bear full responsibility for this!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his temples with some irritation. He ignored Shimura Danzo and simply said slowly, "The situation—the ANBU should have already told you. I called you here to discuss countermeasures."
Hearing this, Homura Mitokado frowned. "Hiruzen, how exactly was the Uchiha clan able to disappear overnight?"
"I don't know."
Koharu Utatane stepped forward and analyzed, "Did they use space-time ninjutsu?"
"If you forcibly transport people who haven't mastered space-time ninjutsu, the chakra required multiplies exponentially."
"The chakra needed to simultaneously transfer this many people is simply unimaginable."
"That would require a massive undertaking."
"Hmph! Perhaps those guys have been digging tunnels since Konoha was founded."
Shimura Danzo sneered, then said, "It's good that those Uchiha have disappeared. They were an uncontrollable bunch—I've long found them an eyesore."
This time, he could finally eliminate the Uchiha openly and seize their Sharingan! Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane exchanged glances, both showing excited expressions. Since all the Uchiha clan members had left the village, their assets were now ownerless, weren't they? You had to know that a prestigious shinobi clan like the Uchiha had countless assets under their name. They had to claim those treasures for themselves before anyone else realized!
With this thought, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado immediately instructed their subordinates outside the office, "Mobilize the elites from the clan. Occupy the Uchiha clan compound immediately. Make sure to protect everything inside."
Shimura Danzo likewise whispered a few words to the Root member beside him. Sarutobi Hiruzen, however, made no move. Early on, he had already used ANBU to get a clear picture of the situation inside the Uchiha clan compound. There was nothing worth fighting over in there now. What truly had value were those Fire Country properties the Uchiha clan owned outside Konoha Village.
Looking at the four people who held the village's highest authority, Hatake Sakumo felt a complicated mix of emotions. Wasn't the most important thing right now to figure out the Uchiha clan's purpose and whereabouts?
With this thought, Hatake Sakumo said in a heavy voice, "Lord Hokage, I'll go outside the village first to investigate and see if I can discover any clues."
"Go ahead, go ahead."
Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand dismissively and continued leafing through documents with his head down. Hatake Sakumo left the Hokage's office without a word, randomly chose a direction, and rushed out of the village.
Daytime passed quickly. Under the lockdown imposed by Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others, most people in the village remained unaware of any abnormalities. Night fell. Uchiha Yuzuru sat atop the Second Hokage's carved stone face, watching the ninja swarm like cockroaches into the Uchiha clan compound. A cold smile appeared on his face.
"Greedy parasites—this is a parting gift."
Uchiha Yuzuru clapped his hands together. A massive explosion instantly echoed throughout Konoha. Amid a sheet of flames, the Uchiha clan compound was directly blown into rubble by the large quantity of explosive tags planted in advance. Those ninja inside the compound were instantly obliterated, leaving not even bones behind.
Uchiha Yuzuru shook his head with some regret. Such a pity. If only he knew the Great Spiralling Ring right now—that would be even more fitting.
At the edge of the Uchiha clan compound, looking at the suddenly sky-high flames consuming it, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado wailed loudly, "The naturally evil Uchiha—we're irreconcilable with you!"
The ones who died in there... were all their clan's elites! Looking at Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, who had nearly fainted, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt somewhat disdainful. With only this level of resilience? They were truly disgracing the Hokage faction.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to say something when an ANBU appeared before him.
"Lord Hokage, something terrible has happened."
"Uzumaki Kushina is missing!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's body swayed. He felt everything spinning. No need to guess—this had to be the Uchiha clan's doing. The Uchiha clan disappearing was one thing—that might not necessarily be a bad thing. But Uzumaki Kushina was the future Nine-Tails Jinchuriki! Without her, after Uzumaki Mito died, who would be able to suppress the Nine-Tails?!
Damn Uchiha—are you trying to destroy Konoha?!
Outside Konoha Village. Looking at Konoha Village, which had descended into chaos, the corners of Uchiha Yuzuru's mouth lifted slightly. Making such a big commotion, even if Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others wanted to cover it up, they couldn't. Once dawn came, everyone would know that the Uchiha clan had left Konoha. Konoha without the Senju—could it still be called Konoha?