Powerful Chakra was channeled through the Kunai, swiftly casting a Genjutsu.
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This was also Hiruzen Sarutobi's only chance.
If he used Ninjutsu, despite the short distance, his movements were far slower than Minamikawa Yuu's. Even if he used it, the other party would most likely dodge it, and he would only be wasting his energy for nothing.
Only a Genjutsu that could be cast instantly could salvage the situation at this moment and win him a possibility of victory.
The Genjutsu was cast, and the figure behind him also quieted down, making no further movements.
It seems it was a success!
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh of relief.
He turned around, intending to seal Minamikawa Yuu and wait until they returned to Konoha to carefully interrogate him about the reason.
However, when he turned around, he was stunned.
He saw Minamikawa Yuu standing there quietly, his facial expression calm.
He gazed at Hiruzen Sarutobi silently, appearing composed and serene, without the slightest hint of being controlled by Genjutsu.
In his eyes, a pair of crimson three-tomoe Sharingan were revealed, and at this moment, a certain eerie light seemed to be blooming within them.
Not good!
In that instant, Hiruzen Sarutobi realized things were bad.
It had to be said that Minamikawa Yuu usually blended in far too thoroughly.
Normally, unless absolutely necessary, he would never reveal his Sharingan or use its abilities.
Because of this disguise, Hiruzen Sarutobi had almost forgotten that this was a descendant of the Uchiha Clan.
And not just any ordinary member of the Uchiha Clan, but the most top-tier genius within the Uchiha Clan.
A natural-born Sharingan awakener, whose Sharingan's Dōjutsu power was such that few could rival even within the entire Uchiha Clan.
He actually attempted to cast a Genjutsu in front of an Uchiha genius!
In an instant, the scene before him began to blur, and the surrounding scenery started to shift continuously.
This was the result of the Genjutsu being reflected.
Because the Genjutsu was reflected, he instead fell into Minamikawa Yuu's Genjutsu, sinking deep into it and unable to extricate himself.
Hazy visions began to emerge one after another.
In the Genjutsu, he forgot everything related to Minamikawa Yuu.
It was like having a blissful dream; in the dream, he brought his companions back to Konoha, became the Third Hokage of Konoha amidst a crowd of Ninjas, and then led the entire Konoha to fight continuously, earning the title of Shinobi Hero.
Unfortunately, as decades passed, he also gradually grew old.
Thus, slowly, various uncontrollable events began to surface.
The White Fang committed suicide, his disciples, the Sannin, fell apart and went their separate ways, and besides old comrades like Danzo Shimura, he didn't even have a single person he could trust... He originally wanted to retire and hand the burden to the next Hokage, but the next Hokage died in the chaos, and he, the old man, had to step out once again to take charge.
"Itachi, must it really come to this?"
One night, a youth walked over slowly and knelt on one knee on the ground.
He wore the attire of the Anbu, yet carried the characteristics of the Uchiha Clan.
The most striking thing was the pair of Sharingan in his eyes.
It was none other than a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan.
In Konoha's past history, this pair of eyes had only ever been possessed by the legendary Uchiha Madara.
"Hokage-sama, there is no other way now."
Uchiha Itachi knelt on one knee, his expression cold: "They are already planning a Coup d'état. If we don't prepare, the Village will likely suffer immense losses...
"
"For the sake of Konoha, I am willing to carry out this mission...
"
"Itachi..."
"
Facing Uchiha Itachi's request, the elderly Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh, his heart filled with incomparable complexity.
But in the end, he still agreed to Uchiha Itachi's request.
A few days later, the prestigious Uchiha Clan was massacred.
Uchiha Itachi bore the name of a traitor and became a spy for Konoha within the Akatsuki Organization, operating from within.
In the following years, time moved even faster.
Hiruzen Sarutobi saw the orphan of the Fourth Hokage suffering greatly in the Village, being discriminated against, and living a lonely and bitter life since childhood.
He saw that during the Chunin Exams, his former beloved disciple returned, dueling him with the Impure World Reincarnation and killing him with his own hands.
After this, his vision did not disappear but continued to observe.
He saw Tsunade return to become the Fifth Hokage of the Village, and saw Sasuke defect, the last bloodline of the Uchiha severing ties with Konoha, failing Itachi's original expectations.
He saw the leader of the Akatsuki Organization come to the door and destroy all of Konoha, and he also saw his friend Danzo Shimura fall into darkness, hiding underground during the Village's crisis, becoming a monster who only knew how to fight for power and profit.
The Sharingan on that one arm of his reflected the darkness of Konoha even more clearly.
Seeing this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but shed tears.
The hero of Konoha was framed and committed suicide.
The Uchiha, who once founded Konoha alongside the Senju Clan, were wiped out in internal strife.
The son of the Hokage who died for the Village was marginalized by everyone and lived in isolation since childhood.
The Uchiha genius loyal to Konoha was ordered to massacre his own kin with his own hands, bearing the name of a rogue Ninja...
The disciples he once loved so much left one after another, and his favorite one even rebelled directly, bringing immense losses to Konoha.
His former friend fell into darkness, becoming an ambitious man who only knew how to fight for power and profit.
The Village he loved was destroyed by foreign enemies time and time again... He failed his teacher's entrustment and also failed the people who trusted him.
"Agh!"
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally let out a roar.
Unknowingly, his eyes were already full of tears; having suffered a massive shock, he finally woke up from the Genjutsu.
"Is this real?"
He looked at Minamikawa Yuu in front of him, staring at him intently, wanting to know an answer.
Even though it was just an illusion, he could clearly feel the reality of those experiences, as if they were truly the future he himself would experience.
And that future was something Hiruzen Sarutobi could absolutely not accept.
"It is an illusion, yet it is also reality."
Meeting his gaze, Minamikawa Yuu's expression was very calm: "That is the future you were originally meant to experience."
"It's real... It really is real..."
A sense of absurdity and despair surfaced in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
The future Minamikawa Yuu had shown him—just standing there thinking about it made him feel oppressed and desperate.
In his heart, two voices were ringing simultaneously at this moment.
One voice told him that those were all fake, specially fabricated by the other party to deceive him.
But another voice was telling him that everything was true and undeniable.
At this point in time, there was absolutely no need for the other party to lie to him.
If the other party wanted to kill him, he would have died countless times already; there was absolutely no need for this extra step.
"You went to all this trouble just to reverse the outcome of the Uchiha Clan's destruction?"
He looked at Minamikawa Yuu in front of him and asked, "So, is that why you were waiting for me here?"
At this moment, he seemed to have found a reason for Minamikawa Yuu's actions.
After all, on the surface, no matter how one looked at it, there was no reason for Minamikawa Yuu to make a move against him.
And based on his understanding of the other party, he was not someone who valued the position of Hokage.
But now, he seemed to have found a reason.
"Not exactly."
Minamikawa Yuu shook his head and spoke softly: "I don't have any particularly deep feelings for the Uchiha Clan. The reason I'm doing this is simply to achieve my goals."
"Promise me, protect the Village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was silent for a moment, then spoke: "Do not let the Village come to harm."
"I will."
Minamikawa Yuu nodded and spoke softly: "If there is a chance in the future, perhaps you can see my results with your own eyes."
"As for now, please go to sleep, Sensei."
He reached out, and a Kunai pierced forward, accurately striking Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
To this, Hiruzen Sarutobi just watched quietly, having lost any intention of resisting.
It seemed that along with that vision, his will to fight had also vanished.
Unlike many others, Hiruzen Sarutobi might have a weak temperament and might be too lenient towards his companions, but his love for the Village was real.
Without this heartfelt love, Senju Tobirama would not have chosen him to be the Hokage.
For someone who loved the Village from the bottom of his heart, if him being the Hokage would lead to such a result, then yielding the position of Hokage to someone more capable might not be a bad outcome.
As the Kunai pierced his chest, Hiruzen Sarutobi's consciousness began to dissipate, falling into a long slumber.
However, Minamikawa Yuu did not actually kill him.
Although killing one's master is a Hokage tradition, Minamikawa Yuu was not a person of this world, after all.
He couldn't be quite that heartless.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was his teacher, after all, and they had spent several years together; their relationship had been fairly pleasant.
If it wasn't necessary, he didn't want to kill.
"Just sleep for a while."
He sealed Hiruzen Sarutobi and then placed him into a coffin prepared in advance, speaking softly: "Perhaps when you wake up, things will already be very different."
As his voice fell, he performed the Reverse Summoning Jutsu, directly teleporting Hiruzen Sarutobi away.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would sleep inside the coffin for several years before waking up.
And after several years, everything would have already been settled, and someone else would have already taken the position of Hokage.
Even if he were to reappear then, it wouldn't matter much.
"This place needs to be disguised a bit more."
After sealing Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minamikawa Yuu looked at the traces remaining on the spot and spoke softly.
"Why hasn't Hiruzen come back yet?"
On the other side, Utatane Koharu was guarding Danzo Shimura and the others, waiting somewhat anxiously.
Previously, Hiruzen Sarutobi had gone out to search for food and water, but too much time had passed now.
With Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength, he shouldn't have been delayed for so long.
"Could something have happened?"
She felt some unease in her heart.
"With Hiruzen's strength, even if he encountered Kumogakure Ninjas, he would definitely be fine."
To the side, Danzo Shimura had already woken up and spoke in a deep voice while looking into the distance.
As Hiruzen Sarutobi's partner, he had great confidence in Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength.
And just as his voice fell, a sudden, violent sound of an explosion rang out.