"They're all fakes!" Sarutobi Hiruzen roared hoarsely.
"Don't be afraid! Attack them!"
Hiruzen's command echoed across the battlefield, and the clan ninjas no longer hesitated, launching fierce assaults one after another against Madara Uchiha and Senju Hashirama.
But facing these two supreme powerhouses, Madara and Hashirama relied solely on their masterful Taijutsu honed since the Warring States period, effortlessly overwhelming the clan ninjas without giving them a chance to retaliate.
As more and more people closed in, three figures suddenly shot forward. The two on the left and right wielded kunai, aiming straight for Madara Uchiha's vital points, while several hands abruptly emerged from the ground, tightly gripping Madara's ankles.
Seeing this, Madara Uchiha's face was filled with contempt. His crimson Sharingan rapidly scanned, capturing every move of the three attackers.
Still in mid-charge, Madara suddenly leaped into the air, evading the ambush from below. Simultaneously, his legs kicked fiercely to both sides. Two thunderous crashes rang out one after another as the ambushers on the left and right were sent flying by his kicks, falling motionless. The kunai in their hands hovered in the air for a moment.
"Pathetic tricks!" Madara Uchiha sneered coldly, reaching out to catch the kunai in mid-air and hurling them back toward the ground. The previously clean ground instantly blossomed with splatters of blood.
Having dealt with the three ambushers, Madara Uchiha's gaze locked onto Sarutobi Hiruzen's direction. He said coldly, "Heh, so-called elite ninjas of Konoha, daring to play with Fire Release in front of me! Then I'll play along with you properly!"
As his words fell, his hands swiftly formed the triangle seal.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation Technique!"
An overwhelming sea of flames instantly engulfed the clan ninja army ahead.
Faced with such a powerful Fire Release Ninjutsu, the clan ninjas froze in place, their faces filled with shock and terror.
"What's going on? Is this real?"
"Isn't this just a B-rank Ninjutsu?"
"This... this is too terrifying!"
The confidence of the ninjas at the front lines instantly crumbled. The sight of this sky-blotting sea of fire was far too intimidating, leaving them without the courage to even move.
Sarutobi Hiruzen urgently rallied the ninjas who could still act, roaring hoarsely, "Quick! Block it with Water Release! Counterattack with all your might!"
Following his command, a ninja swiftly formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Wall Technique!"
Walls of water abruptly rose, blocking the path of the flames. Over twenty ninjas simultaneously cast the Water Wall Technique, barely managing to withstand Madara's Fire Release. However, these twenty-plus ninjas were already exhausted, unable to muster even a trace of Chakra.
Seeing this scene, Madara turned his head to the side, just in time to see Senju Hashirama clap his hands.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees Technique!"
A surge of immense Chakra erupted violently. The originally flat ground trembled intensely as countless massive trees instantly sprang from the earth. Innumerable branches and vines madly assaulted the enemies, and large numbers of clan ninjas were instantly entangled and restrained by these newly grown vines, unable to move.
"W-Wood Release?!"
"Is this really the First Hokage?"
"Oh my god! It really is the First Hokage's Wood Release!"
Witnessing the sudden appearance of Wood Release firsthand, Kakashi and the others nearby gasped in shock. At this moment, no one doubted Hashirama's identity any longer—the Wood Release alone was enough to prove he was the legendary First Hokage.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Second Hokage Tobirama Senju and Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze continuously teleported using the Flying Thunder God Technique, ruthlessly harvesting the lives of Shimura Clan ninja.
The two Tsunades rampaged with their overwhelmingly powerful Taijutsu, unstoppable wherever they went. With each strike, several Shimura Clan ninja fell. Even Glasses Tsunade followed behind Fifth Hokage Tsunade, launching fierce and relentless assaults.
What caught Kakashi's attention the most was the figure slaughtering the elite squads of the Root Organization.
Uchiha Obito was not idle either. Activating Kamui with his Mangekyo Sharingan, he moved freely among the Root ninja, harvesting countless lives with the kunai in his hand.
In an instant, the ninja from the clans of Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other three Konoha elders were completely wiped out. The Root ninja were also annihilated by Obito's hands, leaving only Hiruzen, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane huddled in the center. Danzo Shimura had long since vanished.
Boom!
"Thinking of running away so early isn't a good habit."
A flash of golden light streaked by, and a figure was kicked down from a distance—it was Danzo, who had attempted to flee. Aoki, who had been monitoring the entire battle, instantly appeared before Danzo. Activating the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit, he delivered a light-speed kick that sent Danzo flying violently.
Speed is power.
This swift kick nearly snapped Danzo's body in half. He felt a surge in his throat, bile nearly gushing out, and his internal organs were shattered by the overwhelming force, the pain piercing his heart.
To survive, Danzo desperately activated the Uchiha Clan's Forbidden Jutsu—Izanagi.
A wave of intangible power swept through his body, miraculously healing his near-fatal injuries. But this time, he paid the price of one Sharingan eye.
Staggering back to Sarutobi Hiruzen's side, Danzo's face twisted in agony. Hiruzen looked at him without the slightest hint of dissatisfaction, as if the one who had fled earlier wasn't Danzo at all. Now filled with despair, Hiruzen urgently asked, "What do we do now?"
Facing the combined assault of the Hokages, let alone resisting, even dealing with just one Tobirama Senju alone was an impossible fantasy for him.
At that moment, Danzo's words ignited a glimmer of hope in Hiruzen's heart. He suddenly remembered that after Danzo killed Shisui, he had taken Shisui's eye. The power of the strongest Genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, might be able to turn the tide.
Hiruzen frantically scanned the group of Hokages before him, and finally, his gaze settled on Aoki. Although Aoki was a new member of the Chat Group, he was the group leader, the most crucial figure. As long as they could control him, they would have a chance at survival.
"Control the one who just kicked you!" Hiruzen shouted urgently, fully aware of Aoki's key role.
Hearing Hiruzen's command, Danzo, enduring the intense pain, locked his gaze on Aoki, thinking to himself that this would serve as revenge for the lost Sharingan eye. Activating the Mangekyo Sharingan in his right eye, he unleashed Kotoamatsukami, casting this strongest Genjutsu upon Aoki.
But then, something unexpected suddenly occurred.
With his keen perception, Senju Hashirama detected the familiar Chakra fluctuations beneath Danzo's bandages and instantly saw through his secret—this old man actually possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan!
Everyone's gaze immediately focused on Aoki. The safety of the group leader was far more important than anything else. Seeing their worried looks, Aoki asked in confusion, "Why are you all staring at me?"
Only when they saw that Aoki was unharmed did everyone breathe a sigh of relief—it had been a false alarm.
Meanwhile, Danzo was completely bewildered. He had clearly activated Kotoamatsukami, so why was there no reaction from the other side? How could the strongest Genjutsu fail?
Aoki looked at him with disdain in his eyes, instantly switching to the Rinnegan and Tenseigan. He truly hadn't expected Danzo to be so arrogant as to attempt to control someone with the Rinnegan using the Genjutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Using the Genjutsu of the Mangekyo to manipulate the Rinnegan was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. The difference in Eye Power and Chakra between the two was like heaven and earth. Danzo's little trick was utterly insignificant in front of him.
With Danzo's final trump card rendered useless, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others fell into utter despair. But at that moment, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane exchanged a glance, a hint of calculation flashing in their eyes.
"First Hokage! Second Hokage!" the two suddenly spoke up, desperately trying to clear themselves. "This was all Hiruzen and Danzo's idea. We repeatedly tried to dissuade them but were forced to participate against our will!"
Even more surprisingly, the two directly produced evidence. They pulled out a scroll and unrolled it, revealing a stack of documents that clearly recorded the various crimes of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo Shimura, while also proving their own loyalty to Konoha.
This sudden betrayal left everyone present stunned, even Aoki momentarily speechless. With the evidence clear and undeniable, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane could be spared for now.
Aoki's gaze swept toward Kakashi in the distance, and he called out, "Kakashi! Come here!"