[Ninjutsu: Four-Corner Sealing Barrier!]
A purple and transparent barrier instantly expanded, trapping Kazekage Rasa and Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi inside.
This sudden development shocked everyone present.
The Chunin Exams were going smoothly—how did the Kazekage and Hokage end up trapped inside a barrier?
Even Raikage A, Tsuchikage Onoki, Master Genjo, and others were caught completely off guard, unsure of what was happening.
Konoha's Anbu quickly gathered beneath the arena.
Soon after, Minato Namikaze, Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, Tsume Inuzuka, and other ninja arrived together.
Yet, everyone simply watched from the viewing stand, clearly unwilling to intervene.
At that moment, Mirai Uchiha approached with members of the police squad.
"What's going on? Someone is attacking the Third! Why aren't you rushing to save him?!"
Hearing Mirai Uchiha's shout, Hiashi Hyuga called out, "Mirai Uchiha, the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier is a defensive barrier. Any object that touches it will instantly burn to ashes."
"Unless the one who cast the barrier removes it themselves, there's absolutely no way to break it open from outside."
After Hiashi finished speaking, Shikaku, Murakumo Kurama, and others nodded in agreement.
Mirai Uchiha could only reluctantly give up.
Everyone present had heard Hiashi's explanation and now turned their surprised, curious gazes toward the high platform.
Was it the Kazekage who launched a sneak attack on the Hokage?!
Onoki and A also looked completely bewildered.
What exactly were these Konoha shinobi trying to pull?
Though puzzled, they still didn't mind watching the spectacle unfold.
Onoki, A, Master Genjo, and others stood quietly in place, observing with interest.
Seeing this, Mirai Uchiha curled his lips into a faint smirk and formed several hand seals with one hand.
Immediately afterward, a man wearing black clothes and a black hood behind him slowly regained consciousness.
"This place is... Konoha?"
Didn't I already die?
The man muttered to himself before hearing someone ahead sneer coldly, "Fugaku, open your ignorant eyes and watch—this is where things get good."
Fugaku Uchiha shuddered violently.
That guy Mirai Uchiha had summoned him back from the Pure Land again!
Fugaku tried to move but found he couldn't control his body.
"You only need to watch."
"Fugaku, it's time for you to face reality."
Hearing Mirai Uchiha's words, Fugaku Uchiha gritted his teeth and said, "I've already committed suicide. Why won't you just let me rest in peace?"
"Because you nearly got all of us killed."
"Mirai Uchiha said coldly, 'Cowardly acts will never be tolerated.'"
"I'll make you see for yourself just how foolish your thinking truly is!"
"And besides… you should be grateful I don't have any peculiar tendencies, or else you'd suffer ten thousand times worse than now."
Within the protective barrier.
Hiruzen Sarutobi glared at Rasa before him and coldly demanded, "Fourth Kazekage, what exactly are you planning to do?"
At those words, Rasa grinned widely, then slowly dragged his unusually long tongue across his face.
Seeing this familiar act, Hiruzen's pupils immediately constricted.
At the same time, Rasa laughed in a hoarse voice as he peeled off his own facial skin: "Even in this state, you still can't identify me, teacher—it seems you really have grown old."
Hiruzen felt his heart sink: "Orochimaru!"
"What? Orochimaru was disguising himself as the Kazekage all along!"
"Orochimaru was the Third Hokage's disciple and had once been chosen as the next Hokage. But later, he became an S-Rank rogue ninja hunted by Konoha. Is he here for revenge?"
"Pakura, was it actually the Kazekage who was killed that day?!"
"Damn Orochimaru! Don't harm the Third Hokage!"
"Please let nothing happen to the Third Hokage!"
Hearing the outcry from the Hidden Leaf villagers, Orochimaru sneered, "Teacher, your image among these villagers sure seems noble indeed."
Hiruzen asked gravely, "Is all of this part of Mirai Uchiha's plan?"
Orochimaru nodded. "Precisely."
Hiruzen's expression turned extremely grim.
Originally, when Mirai Uchiha claimed they would ruin his reputation, he hadn't really taken those threats seriously.
After all, he wasn't someone like Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, or Homura Mitokado.
The image he had built up over decades in the villagers' hearts wouldn't crumble so easily from mere words.
If Mirai Uchiha tried to slander him directly, it might even backfire.
Even if people dared not say anything due to his authority, deep down, everyone would believe these were just rumors spread by Mirai Uchiha to seize power.
Therefore, ever since coming forward, Hiruzen had only been concerned about preventing the annihilation of the entire Sarutobi Clan.
As for ruining his reputation? He hadn't really taken those threats seriously.
Yet now, Mirai Uchiha had actually teamed up with Orochimaru!
Words coming from Orochimaru carried far more weight!
As Hiruzen pondered, Orochimaru's chakra-infused voice reverberated through the crowd.
"Everyone must be wondering why I would risk my life to come to Konoha and turn against my former teacher..."
Orochimaru's first sentence immediately sparked everyone's curiosity. All ears were turned toward him, eager to hear his reasoning.
The previously noisy venue had suddenly fallen deathly silent.
Seeing this, Orochimaru wasted no time and continued, "Today, I'll gladly share with you all the Ten Crimes of The Third Hokage!"
"Ten Crimes? What does that mean? Could Lord Hokage have possibly committed crimes?"
"No way! Absolutely impossible! Orochimaru must be talking nonsense."
"This is interesting. Since Orochimaru has chosen to reveal this publicly, these so-called Ten Crimes must be something big."
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly began forming hand seals, and several giant shuriken flew straight toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru knew too many secrets. He absolutely couldn't be allowed to keep speaking recklessly.
"Sensei, see? You're rushing again."
Orochimaru sidestepped the attack from Hiruzen and said coolly, "At least let me finish speaking."
Hiruzen snorted coldly, "Orochimaru, this time I won't let you escape."
"In a one-on-one fight, a student will never defeat his master."
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru smiled slightly, "That makes sense, but I've never planned on fighting you one-on-one."
"After all, you're acknowledged as the strongest Hokage in history."
"And conveniently, what's about to happen still needs two spectators..."
Orochimaru slammed both hands onto the ground: [Impure World Reincarnation!]
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