Hiromi was pure white all over, with patterns of golden magma surfacing on his body, extending to his shoulder-length, wild hair.
He wore red combat robes that fit closely to his body, yet appeared smooth and comfortable, like a garment made from the world's most precious silk. The color of the robes was very dark, a red so deep it looked like bottomless black, reflecting a faint crimson light from the golden patterns.
On his forehead, a crystal-clear, blood-red pendant hung down. Amidst that head of wild, pure white hair, a hint of tyrannical blood-red emerged within the golden patterns.
Every detail replayed in their minds incessantly, completely beyond their control.
Especially those white eyes, which seemed like gold—filled with endless pressure that made one feel terrified, inclined to submit, and struggling internally.
The villagers were extremely excited when they saw him.
"It's Hiromi! Konoha's Tyrant!"
"I knew the Uchiha wouldn't abandon us!"
"Takigakure! Prepare to die! Hahahahaha!"
The Takigakure ninjas gulped, their throats bobbing, their eyes trembling incessantly.
They kept their heads lowered, stealing glances at the dozens of terrifying volcanoes surrounding Konoha, their bodies trembling with fear.
Is this the kind of momentum a human can create?
Even a Jinchuriki couldn't achieve this!
Despite their fear, the Takigakure ninjas could not hide their disdain for the Konoha ninjas and villagers.
Who was it that just expressed such intense hatred toward the Uchiha clan?
This contradictory behavior made the Takigakure ninjas despise them, while the Konoha villagers and ninjas felt guilty.
Everyone knew how volatile Hiromi was, and for a moment, they were terrified, fearing that he would turn around and leave, refusing to save them.
But upon seeing Shisui standing beside Hiromi, they instantly felt relieved.
"The Fifth Hokage is here too!"
"Great!"
"Fifth Hokage!"
The villagers, covered in blood, smiled radiantly as if yearning for salvation, waving their hands enthusiastically.
"Even if Hiromi doesn't save us, Fifth Hokage will!" They believed this happily.
Shisui stood beside Hiromi, facing the villagers with a cold expression.
From the moment he set out from the Daimyo's Residence, he had already made up his mind. The villagers might be innocent, but for the sake of the Uchiha clan, they had to die. This was his sin.
But after hearing the hatred from the Konoha villagers and ninjas that resonated across the sky, the sin in his heart vanished.
'Hiromi was right, one's stance already represents justice and evil.'
Having realized this, he would no longer be confused or weak because of it.
At this moment, the Konoha villagers and ninjas all wore expressions of relief.
Meanwhile, the thousands of Takigakure ninjas were deathly pale.
An existence like Hiromi was beyond their imagination.
Shibuki gritted his teeth and whispered an order, "Seize the villagers and ninjas as hostages to threaten Hiromi into letting us go."
Upon hearing this, the Takigakure ninjas nodded one after another and began to move stealthily.
The Konoha villagers and ninjas were only filled with the relief of surviving a disaster, they didn't notice the Takigakure ninjas' small movements at all. In their eyes, the Takigakure ninjas were already trapped beasts, their fates entirely under their control. How could they possibly dare to resist?
Shibuki looked up at Hiromi, feeling an immense pressure. He forcibly suppressed the constant feelings of blasphemy and guilt rising in his heart and stared directly at Hiromi.
Fū was the same. Clenching her fists and gritting her teeth, she bore the immense pressure and walked to Shibuki's side, looking at Hiromi with him to share some of the pressure.
Shibuki felt a warmth in his heart, revealed an almost imperceptible smile, and patted her shoulder.
At the same time, to buy time for the ninjas' action, he asked Hiromi, "Hiromi, hasn't your Uchiha clan already withdrawn from Konoha?"
Hiromi took in the Takigakure ninjas' small movements, knowing that Shibuki was stalling for time. He could roughly guess that he would say things like, "Since the Uchiha have already withdrawn from Konoha, Konoha's survival is none of the Uchiha's business," or "If you withdraw now, Takigakure can pretend nothing happened."
It was quite amusing that Takigakure was using these Konoha villagers and ninjas who stood in opposition to the Uchiha, to threaten Hiromi.
But Shibuki's tactics were too boring, so boring that Hiromi felt a bit annoyed.
The volcanoes were in a rage. Golden magma erupted violently, and the surrounding temperature became even more terrifying, causing many people's lips to dry up as they began to suffer from dehydration.
Shibuki's eyes widened, his heart filled with panic.
Why did Hiromi become so enraged just because I said one sentence?
It was just a simple question!
As a high-ranking member of the Uchiha clan, is your patience really this thin?
At this moment, Shibuki deeply understood the meaning of Hiromi's title—Tyrant.
"Do it!" He screamed in sheer terror.
At the same time, the ground beneath their feet began to bulge. Like a balloon, it expanded rapidly.
The Takigakure ninjas all sensed something was wrong and hurriedly grabbed the Konoha villagers and ninjas, using them to threaten Hiromi.
"Stop!"
"Otherwise we'll kill them!"
"Stop right now!"
The Konoha villagers and ninjas were stunned.
Not only because they were suddenly attacked by Takigakure, but also because they remembered Hiromi's title at this moment.
Would Hiromi, known as the "Tyrant," be threatened?
They couldn't imagine Hiromi compromising for their sake at all.
This is the Tyrant!
A ruthless man who killed the Fourth Raikage and the Fourth Mizukage single-handedly.
Even if someone threatened the Uchiha clan, this Tyrant would probably choose to destroy everything.
They couldn't help but look at Shisui. Their eyes were filled with hope, as if saying: "Fifth Hokage! Fifth Hokage! Hurry and persuade him! You must persuade your brother to calm down! We don't want to die yet!"
Shisui did not turn his head or avert his gaze, meeting their eyes with a calm, cold expression. Apart from that, he made no other movements.
This made the Konoha villagers and ninjas somewhat uneasy.
Meanwhile, Fū felt her heart pounding incessantly. She was exceptionally terrified and fearful, looking at the ground beneath her feet from time to time, as if something terrifying would burst out from below.
She could no longer endure it. Hugging Shibuki from behind, she immediately flew into the air, wanting to escape.
But just by being glanced at by Hiromi, she became completely sluggish.
In her mind, Seven-Tails had actually been crushed to pieces by him.
In an instant, Fū was forced out of her partial Tailed Beast transformation and fell to the ground from the air along with Shibuki.
The pain throughout her body couldn't compare to the horror and despair in her heart.
Hiromi looked at the Konoha villagers and ninjas and said coldly, "I am here to destroy the village."
Once these words were spoken, the Konoha villagers and ninjas widened their eyes, disbelief appearing in them, yet it also seemed as if they had realized something. This caused their disbelief to quickly transform into hatred.
"Hiromi! You will die a horrible death!"
"I curse you! I curse the Uchiha clan to be slaves and servants for all eternity!!!"
"Uchiha!!!"
The monstrous hatred resonated throughout the chaotic and volatile Konoha.
The Takigakure ninjas were despairing and stunned. The people they had gone to such lengths to take hostage were actually the people the other party wanted to kill.
Could this world really not tolerate their Takigakure?
We just wanted to become one of the Five Great Ninja Villages!
Shibuki knelt on the ground, kowtowing to Hiromi, his voice sorrowful, hoarse, and pleading. "Hiromi, one must take responsibility for their own actions. Please spare Takigakure."
"Heh."
Hiromi let out a light chuckle.
The temperature in the air became even more terrifying.
Clothes began to spontaneously combust. The pain of flames searing flesh caused the Konoha villagers and ninjas' expressions to twist in agony. No longer able to endure it, they ignored the threat of the blades at their throats and frantically swatted at their burning clothes.
The Takigakure ninjas originally wanted to kill them, as they were now useless. However, fearing that stealing Hiromi's prey would provoke his wrath, they chose to retreat hastily.
They gathered around Shiboku, shivering with dread as they patted out the flames on themselves.
Shiboku remained kneeling on the ground, cold sweat pouring down his face, completely ignoring the fire burning on his own body. It was only because Fū helped him pat them out that the flames didn't spread across his entire body.
But the terrifying heat in the air meant they were in danger of spontaneous combustion every second.
The Takigakure ninjas were utterly terrified. For the first time, they felt a fear of a person as if they were an abyssal devil—a fear that reached into their very marrow.