Chapter 123

Daimyo's Mansion, Fire Country.

In the dimly lit streets of the town, the stillness of the night was shattered by the stealthy movements of elite Shinobi. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, led the squad, his expression grim as he contemplated the task at hand. Minato Namikaze, Kakashi Hatake, and Elder Kenji followed closely behind, their faces set with determination.

Hiruzen and the rest of the ANBU had already enclosed the town completely using barriers. The Daimyo and his retinue were yet unaware that the God of Death had come calling. Minato had already joined the team halfway. It was already deep in the night, and Hiruzen was just waiting for the right time to strike.

"Sandaime-sama, how do you want to do this?" Minato questioned, his gaze fixed on the Daimyo mansion in the distance.

Tsunade's orders to Hiruzen were crystal clear, and Kakashi was sent with the sole purpose of ensuring that the old man adhered to the mission objectives.

"Sigh, have the ANBU form a perimeter to ensure not a single one escapes. Minato, Elder Kenji, and Kakashi—it will only be our squad going in. Let the rest form a tight perimeter and deal with the rest. We don't want anyone escaping; Tsunade would bite my ear off if I let anyone escape," Hiruzen ordered.

Although they had more than a hundred elite ANBU to complete the mission efficiently, Hiruzen opted for a surgical strike, with only the main four teams—a total of sixteen Shinobi—descending into the core of the town.

As they approached the Daimyo's mansion, a sense of tension hung heavy in the air. The ANBU squad positioned themselves strategically, forming a tight perimeter to prevent any escape. Hiruzen's orders were clear: no one was to leave alive.

With a silent signal from Hiruzen, the squad moved swiftly and silently, their movements guided by years of training and experience. They infiltrated the mansion grounds, blending into the shadows as they approached their target.

Inside the mansion, the daimyo and his retinue were unaware of the impending danger. They continued their revelry, oblivious to the fate that awaited them.

The ANBU squad struck with precision and efficiency. Minato, with his unparalleled speed, moved like a blur, decapaitating guards before they could even react. Kakashi's Sharingan eyes allowed him to anticipate their opponents' movements with uncanny accuracy, while Elder Kenji's mastery of elemental jutsu laid waste to anyone who dared to stand in their way.

The Daimyo's shinobi were no match for the elite shinobi of Konoha. They fell one by one, their cries silenced by the swift and deadly strikes of the ANBU squad. Panic erupted within the mansion as the realization of the attack set in, but it was too late.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen confronted the Daimyo himself, his expression grave as he delivered Tsunade's ultimatum. The Daimyo's pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears as Hiruzen carried out his orders without hesitation.

"Hiruzen, why are you doing this? I am sure we can work this out. Have you forgotten I am the Daimyo? Do you think the other countries' daimyo will let go of this matter? Your student has gone mad!" The Daimyo screamed with fear and anxiety. He had become complacent during the time Hiruzen had been the Hokage. He had pushed for power within the village and had forgotten how dangerous a ninja village truly is. Back then, he had Danzo, who used underhanded tactics to strong-arm Hiruzen in various matters while providing him with resources in secret.

But since the war, when Tsunade had started gaining power, everything has started changing. He began losing his influence within the village little by little. Even though he wanted to acquire a bijuu of his own, Tsunade threw a wrench into his plans. And now, Hiruzen himself stood before him, drenched in blood.

Although the Daimyo considered himself of Elite Jonin caliber, he now understood how naive he was. The screams and shouts for help outside were all that were needed to show how outmatched his forces were. He had more than 2000 shinobi trained by the Hyuga in these past years and hundreds of hired mercenaries he even boasted of having more than two dozen elite Jonin under his command, but in front of the true elites of the Konoha village, his forces were just a joke.

Just then, a yellow flash appeared next to Hiruzen, who ripped apart one of the Daimyo's personal bodyguards as if he were a sheet of paper. Hiruzen was completely clad in Earth Release jutsu, which made his skin as sturdy as steel.

"Sandaime-sama, I have cleared out everyone who might have posed some challenge. I am sure Kakashi and the ANBU can handle the rest," Minato conveyed. Unlike Hiruzen, who was drenched in blood, Minato, having secured even more kills, was in pristine condition. After getting adjusted to his tenseigan, Minato's speed and perception had increased by an alarming degree.

Even during the Third Ninja War, he had killed more than a thousand shinobi and pushed back the Iwa army singlehandedly. But his current power level was already in a different league altogether, so the Daimyo's forces were just chickens for slaughter after he had raised a barrier alongside the ones provided by Kazuki to keep everyone confined.

"Yondaime, is that you? So the rumors were really true." Like a beacon of hope, the Daimyo and his retainers eyed Minato, who now stood by Hiruzen's side. Although there were still a half dozen guards standing in front of the Daimyo and his supporters, none of these Shinobi dared move. They couldn't even hold back an old man, and now another monster had appeared. They were regretting their choice of taking the contract to work for the Daimyo, but regret was all they could do because the Leaf had no intention of sparing any of them.

"Minato, do you realize what you guys are doing here? The entire Fire Country will descend into chaos if you kill me," the Daimyo shouted.

"You know it must be you who should be the Hokage. Tsunade has simply become blind to the allure of power. If she truly wished for the prosperity of the village, she should have stepped down when you returned. Don't you still understand? You are the Yondaime, officiated by me. Have you forgotten how we had a ceremony here when I appointed you as Yondaime Hokage? Don't let the village fall into chaos. I have the resources and connections. I can still help you take back your position," the Daimyo's eyes glinted as if he had found a way out.

But Minato did not care about anything the Daimyo said. His tenseigan eyes glowed blue, and his gaze settled on the Daimyo as he spoke in a low whisper.

"Who are you? There is no point in hiding. I know you aren't the Daimyo." Minato's tone was calm yet firm. As someone attuned with Kyuubi's chakra, he found something off about the Daimyo. Everyone in the room was confused by Minato's words; even Hiruzen and his squad were surprised, as they had no idea what Minato was talking about.

The Daimyo still held a confused gaze, as if he did not understand Minato's words, but the White Zetsu clone, which had disguised itself as the Daimyo, panicked on the inside.

Minato released a few markers and vanished from his place before anyone could react. Brimming with anger, he had come to realize where he had felt a similar chakra before. It was during the incident back then that the masked man had released the nine tails.

He already knew the identity of the masked man as Obito, revealed to him by Tsunade. Minato didn't know what to feel about his former student. On one side, he felt guilty for not being there when Obito needed him the most. He knew that Obito had been led down this path partially because of him.

But more than guilt, he harbored an even greater wrath in his heart. Obito had been responsible for Kushina's death. Minato might have been able to digest it if Obito had targeted him because he was his sensei, and it was his burden to bear. But causing Kushina's death was something Minato would never forgive.

Before anyone could blink, a blue chakra ball landed squarely on the Daimyo's chest, pinning him to the ground.

"Tell me, where is Obito?" Minato's voice was dangerous; his tone made everyone in the room freeze. Even Hiruzen felt the pressure from Minato's bloody aura.

Outside, the ANBU squad continued their assault, their movements a deadly dance of death. Blood stained the floors as they carved a path through the mansion and the rest of the town, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

As the chaos unfolded, Minato's thoughts drifted back to his family back in Konoha. He pushed aside his concerns, focusing instead on the task at hand. With the Daimyo's impostor at hand, his mind was racing with thoughts about the incident that claimed Kushina's life. As Minato infused some of his chakra mixed with Kyubi chakra, in front of everyone's eyes, the broken form of Daimyo started to transform into that to of a Zetsu clone.

"What the.." Hiruzen was already aware of such clones, but the ones during the fourth war were not so perfect; this one was disguised as a Daimyo perfectly, and even Hiruzen, with all his experience, was not able to discern that it was an impostor.

Outside the mansion, throughout the sealed barrier, the battle was already coming to an end, Kakashi fought with a sense of detachment, his mind clear and focused despite the chaos around him. He moved with calculated precision, his Sharingan eyes guiding his every move as he eliminated his targets with ruthless efficiency.

Elder Kenji's fire elemental jutsu unleashed devastation upon the Daimyo's mansion, reducing it to rubble with each wave of his hand. His Saringan power was unmatched, and his resolve was unwavering as he fought to uphold the will of the Hokage.

Inside the mansion, Minato stood on top of the battered Zetsu clone that was pinned. He had already understood that he would not be able to extract any information from the clone, creating a Rasenngan. With his gaze unwavering, he delivered the final blow. With a swift strike, he ended the Zetsu's life. However, the faces of the remaining Daimyo's faction members had all turned ugly. They suddenly realized that the Daimyo they had been following all this time was an impostor.

Just then, one of the faction members suddenly got a bright idea. "Yes, it was an impostor! It wasn't the Daimyo. We were deceived; we were all deceived! You should find out the bastards who were responsible for this!" For good measure, he even walked next to the destroyed White Zetsu corpse and kicked it. The other members were baffled by the man's action for a few seconds, but then they got the hint, and everyone clamored to accuse the first person.

Minato didn't bother with the drama and flickered next to Hiruzen, who had a dumbfounded look. Hiruzen knew these people were shameless, but this was even a new low for them. He couldn't help but sigh, thinking that he had been compromising with these worms all these years.

He quickly weaved a series of handsigns, "[Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku]" (Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation). With a massive torrent of fire, he engulfed all the remaining Shinobi and members of the Daimyo faction, giving them no more room for spouting bullshit. The raging inferno consumed everything in its path while Hiruzen and the rest retreated back outside the mansion, which was now being entirely consumed by Hiruzen's fire release.

Outside the burning mansion, Hiruzen and his squad watched in silence as the flames raged on, their expressions grim and unyielding. They knew that what they had done was necessary, that the traitors had to be dealt with swiftly and decisively to prevent further chaos and unrest within the Fire Country.

"Sandaime Sama, I will be leaving ahead; meet you back in the village." Minato conveyed that, with his speed, accompanying the rest back would be too slow. Hiruzen simply nodded, consenting to Minato's request.

The ANBU squad had emerged victorious long back and was already making a third blanket search throughout the town to make sure none escaped , to make sure their mission was accomplished to perfection. The town lay in ruins, its once bustling streets now silent and empty. The night had been one of bloodshed and carnage, a testament to the power of the Hidden Leaf Village and its Shinobi.

As dawn broke on the horizon, Hiruzen and the ANBU squad departed the ruined town, leaving behind a town forever changed by the events of that fateful night. They returned to Konoha with their heads held high, knowing that they had carried out their duty with honor and integrity.

In the aftermath of the massacre, word spread quickly throughout the Fire Country of the fate that had befallen the traitors. The tale of the merciless retribution carried out by the Leaf ANBU struck fear into the hearts of those who dared to oppose them, serving as a stark warning of the consequences of betrayal.

But the memories of the massacre would linger long after they had left, a stark reminder of the harsh realities of the Shinobi world. And as they returned to their village, they knew that more challenges awaited them in the days to come. But for now, they would rest, their minds haunted by the events of the night, and the lives lost in the name of duty.