"You buried more than 30,000 detonating talismans? Are you out of your mind?!"
On the second-floor terrace of Hanawanichicho, Putian Yilang surveyed the scene of revelry below with a cold expression.
Beside him, Putian Kanon trembled, her face pale with distress.
Downstairs, the gamblers, surrounded by beautiful girls, were in high spirits. They cheered and drank as they celebrated their bets, oblivious to the grim fate awaiting them.
This was a scene of decadence and indulgence, a stark contrast to the looming disaster. None of the patrons suspected that this night of excess would end in destruction.
Putian Yilang patted his sister's shoulder, his face expressionless. He spoke quietly, "Deceiving Konoha's Anbu isn't easy. These people are necessary sacrifices for the plan. Besides, they are from the Land of Fire."
"No, Yilang! These girls are all unfortunate children. I've worked so hard to give them a normal life. They've endured so much hardship..."
Kanon clutched her brother's hand, her voice choked with emotion, nearly begging him.
"Sister, don't be naïve. You pity them, but who will pity the war orphans? Big ninja villages like ours exploit smaller nations like ours for their gain. Many children lose their parents before they can even care for themselves. They end up eating corpses on battlefields, crawling through blood and mud. Who will pity them?"
Yilang's eyes were bloodshot as he clenched his fists and pushed Kanon away. "Sister, I want a future where my children won't have a tragic childhood like ours. Please don't stop me."
A look of helpless resignation crossed Kanon's face. She understood his feelings but couldn't accept his extreme measures.
With a bitter sigh, she asked, "Are you planning to die along with the Konoha ninjas?"
"No. The 30,000 detonating tags are just an appetizer. They might not be enough to kill Konoha's White Fang's son. He is more alert than anyone."
Yilang recalled the intel on Hatake Kakashi. The young ninja, known for his brilliance, had already earned his place among Konoha's elite. His skills, including lightning, water, and shadow clones, made him a formidable opponent.
Yilang, though not as powerful as Kakashi, was adept in intelligence. His true strength lay in infiltration and enemy analysis. He had discovered Kakashi's tragic flaw—his loyalty to his comrades, inherited from his father, Hatake Sakumo, who had been pushed to his death by Konoha's people.
Kakashi's emotional attachment had led him to risk his life for his friends, just as Yilang had discovered with the death of Uchiha Obito, whose Sharingan had been passed to Kakashi.
Yilang's thoughts turned dark. "Sharingan is a powerful tool. If I'm to achieve my goal, this is an opportunity that I can't ignore."
He turned to his sister. At that moment, two black-clad ninjas appeared, seizing her arms.
"Yilang! Don't do this! Can't we live together?"
Kanon's pleas were desperate, her tears flowing freely.
"Run as far as you can. Leave the Fire Country and never come back."
Yilang didn't look back. He walked to the edge of the terrace, his dark eyes fixed on the scene below.
At the entrance of Hanawanichicho, Hatake Kakashi made his appearance, accompanied by several Konoha ninjas in casual attire, on high alert.
Yilang quickly identified the four—Root members and the Konoha ninja Tai-ryu's Jonin Tsuru Maukawasaki and Chunin Die Ewashi, who knew the Flying Thunder God Formation. He noted, "You really underestimate us with just this team."
As a seasoned intelligence officer, Yilang knew Konoha's secrets better than anyone, even the Hokage. He recognized the danger posed by the team hunting him, realizing that Hanzo had betrayed him severely. Konoha's decision to eliminate him was clear.
"There might be more than just four. There's a subtle, weak chakra fluctuation."
Yilang, using his clan's unique physical and mental perception technique, was able to detect subtle chakra variations. This skill had enabled him to infiltrate Konoha undetected.
In the corner of the first floor, a six-year-old child suddenly opened his eyes. His father, concerned, asked, "What's wrong, son? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm just a little hungry..." Fang Yuan replied, his expression innocent.
As he looked down, a red light flickered in his left eye. The three magatama of the Sharingan rotated and then vanished.
Just last night, Fang Yuan had transplanted the Sharingan he had obtained by chance. He had studied the activation process of the Uchiha clan members and found that their power stemmed from accidents. Physical pain alone hadn't unlocked the Sharingan, but intense emotional turmoil might.
Fang Yuan, possessing a calm demeanor from his long life, found that self-mutilation wasn't effective. Thus, he had resorted to transplanting the Sharingan to unlock its power.