Asuma's voice was hoarse from his severe injuries and extreme shock.
The image of the Emperor in his mind, who he thought had "some special methods but ordinary strength," completely shattered.
The being before him possessed a power like that of a god or demon, one he simply could not comprehend or resist!
Di Yan slowly stood up.
The black skeletal Susanoo around him moved with him, exuding immense pressure.
He walked step by step towards the severely injured Asuma, his Mangekyo Sharingan coldly looking down at him:
"Now, Asuma. We can have a good 'chat'…"
"…about your crime of trespassing into my palace and attempting to assassinate me."
...45 Assassination? Konoha's Entire Army Wiped Out
At this moment, Yuhi watched as Asuma was slapped into severe injury by that terrifying black skeletal giant arm.
Her heart felt as if it had been violently seized.
It almost stopped beating!
Her heartless words just now were meant to make Asuma give up, to make him think she had changed her mind.
Perhaps Di Yan would spare his life because he was "heartbroken"!
But this idiot!
Why couldn't he see it?!
Why did he have to make a move?
Kurenai Yuhi was burning with anxiety, instinctively taking a step forward.
Her lips moved, almost blurting out words to plead for Asuma.
But upon meeting the cold gaze Di Yan cast her way.
All words instantly got stuck in her throat.
Only boundless fear and trembling remained.
Yuhi suddenly realized she couldn't speak.
She was already Di Yan's woman.
If she spoke, not only would she fail to save Asuma, but it would also immediately invite even more terrifying consequences.
Asuma struggled to raise his head.
He happened to see Yuhi's hesitant, anxious, and fearful eyes!
His heart violently shook, and he instantly understood!
Yuhi's words just now were fake!
She was trying to protect him!
However, after understanding, an even deeper anger surged within him.
He didn't need Yuhi to protect him in this way.
He was even more furious that Di Yan had pushed Yuhi to such a state!
"Cough… cough cough…"
Asuma coughed up blood, struggling to support his body, glaring at Di Yan, "Assassination? You were the one who first detained our Konoha Ninja!"
"You deliberately stirred up trouble! This is your provocation against Konoha!"
Upon hearing this, Di Yan not only didn't get angry, but he seemed to have heard something interesting.
He first glanced at Yuhi, who was so nervous she was almost fainting.
Then he slowly looked at Asuma.
Di Yan's lips curved into a mocking arc:
"Oh? You actually figured it out?"
"That's right, I did it on purpose."
He admitted it straightforwardly, even with a hint of smugness, "I am stirring up conflict, so what?"
Asuma's face instantly turned extremely grim.
He didn't expect Di Yan to admit it so directly!
Di Yan continued, his tone like a cat playing with a mouse:
"However, Asuma, you held a sharp blade to the Emperor of the Land of Fire's neck—that is an undeniable fact!"
"You tell me… if I use this to accuse Konoha."
"How will your Fifth Generation Hokage, Lady Tsunade, explain it?"
"The Hokage's direct subordinate, an elite Jonin, assassinating a head of state?"
"Can Konoha bear this charge?"
Asuma's heart completely sank to the bottom, and he felt cold all over!
Only now did he fully understand Di Yan's sinister intentions.
The opponent's goal from the very beginning was not just Yuhi or Team 8!
The opponent intended to use him as a breakthrough, to completely tear off the pretense, and to create a grand and "justifiable reason" for subsequent actions against Konoha!
And he, Asuma Sarutobi, the Third Hokage's son and a core member of the Hokage faction, was undoubtedly the best candidate to maximize the effect of this "assassinating the Emperor" charge!
"You… you were calculating me from the very beginning?"
Asuma's voice trembled with anger and fear.
"Otherwise?"
Di Yan chuckled lightly, as if mocking his slowness.
"Why do you think you were able to 'smoothly' bypass all the guards and 'precisely' find this place?"
"Of course, I… sent people to 'guide' you here all the way."
These words were like the last straw, completely crushing Asuma's last bit of hope.
It turned out all his actions, all his struggles, were completely under the opponent's control from the very beginning.
He was like a puppet on strings, tragically performing according to the script written by the opponent!
Just then, Di Yan clapped his hands again.
The side hall doors were pushed open.
Uchiha Izumi and Uchiha Tekka, leading a squad of black-clad Ninja, entered, escorting two people!
Those two were none other than… Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji!
They had clearly been through an intense battle, bearing injuries, and their Chakra was sealed.
Their faces were pale, their eyes filled with unwillingness and anger, yet they were firmly suppressed, unable to move!
"Your Majesty," Uchiha Izumi knelt on one knee, reporting in a cold voice: "The two Konoha Anbu squads lurking outside the palace, a total of twelve individuals, have all been cleared, with no survivors."
"These are the other two infiltrators we captured."
Wiped out?
This news was like a bolt from the blue, striking hard at the hearts of Asuma, Shikamaru, and Choji!
Lady Tsunade had secretly sent reinforcements?
And… and they had all been killed?
Not even a single message got out?
In an instant, immense fear and icy coldness swept over all the Konoha Ninja present.
Not only had their mission completely failed, falling into the enemy's trap, but even any potential reinforcements from outside had been silently devoured by the opponent!
At this moment, they were truly like turtles in a jar.
Their lives and deaths were completely in the hands of this demon-like Emperor before them!
Di Yan enjoyed the expressions of utter despair and hair-raising fear on their faces.
He slowly walked in front of Asuma.
The terrifying black skeletal Susanoo around him slowly dissipated like a phantom.
"Now, Asuma, and all you elites of Konoha…" Di Yan's voice was like it came from the depths of hell, pronouncing their fate: "We can have a good talk about how to use your 'value'… to atone for your foolish assassination attempt."
...46 Coercing Ino–Shika–Chō; Framing Danzo
Asuma endured the intense pain, an unyielding flame burning in his eyes.